The 17U National Team Championships in Arizona are complete. After Trosky/Milwaukee Brewers Scout Team took gold, EJ Sports Warriors claimed silver, and CBA Victus San Diego won bronze, the 2024 17U Champs Arizona All-Tournament Team has been named.
Ten total players were named to the team, including three pitchers and seven position players. In no particular order, let’s get into this year’s squad of talented players who made a splash at Champs Arizona.
Elijah McNeal, Top Tier Dudes, #21
While he only played in five games, Elijah McNeal put up all-tournament type numbers for Top Tier Dudes at Champs Arizona. Most impressively, McNeal was a hit-machine, racking up 10 hits in 16 plate appearances for a .769 batting average.
His on-base percentage also ranked with the best in the tournament, boasting a .813 OBP while tacking on three triples, the second-most of anyone in the competition.
Xavier Neyens, Trosky/Milwaukee Brewers Scout Team, #9
What didn’t Xavier Neyens do at Champs Arizona?
Most importantly, he helped lead his team to an 8-1 win in the championship bout and won gold at the end of his stellar tournament. Throughout his eight games played, Neyens earned nine hits, five of which were for extra bases, which was tied for the most during the week.
Two of those extra-base hits were doubles and two were three-baggers, while Neyens hit a home run in the semifinals to move his team onto the final round. He was the only player from throughout the week to hit a double, triple, and home run.
Tyler Spangler, EJ Sports Warriors, #17
Tyler Spangler, who earned a silver medal with his team, also ranked near the top of the leaderboard in hits, racking up 10 in his eight games played which was good for the third-most of any player in the tourney. He also ripped three doubles and tallied 12 quality at-bats and six RBIs during his week.
Parker Vance, CBA Victus San Diego, #20
Everyone in Surprise, Arizona heard Parker Vance’s towering three-run, go-ahead homer during the semifinals of the 17U National Team Championships in Arizona. With his team down 3-1, Vance took the game into his own hands, blasting a loud, three-run jack into left field that highlighted his impressive tournament.
Aside from his heroic blast, Vance tacked on a triple in his eight total hits during the week. He also collected six RBIs while toting a .500 batting average in 18 plate appearances over six games.
Nathan Widelski, CBA Victus San Diego, #27
Widelski joins Vance as the second player from CBA Victus San Diego to make his way onto the All-Tournament Team list. Like Vance, Widelski earned a bronze medal at the end of the tourney while slugging his way to the second-most hits of the tournament.
With 11 total hits, Widelski tied Neyens for the most extra-base hits with five. Additionally, his four triples was the most of any player in the competition. He also added five RBIs and a double to his name in a tournament-leading 28 plate appearances.
Jagger Snitko, So Cal Birds White, #1
Jagger Snitko joined Wideslki as the only other player with 11 hits during his week in Peoria and Surprise, Arizona. Helping So Cal Birds White to an appearance in the bronze medal match, Snitko smoked two doubles while toting a .481 on-base percentage at Champs Arizona.
LJ Layhew, South Texas Sliders, #6
LJ Layhew rounds out the All-Tournament Team’s list of talented position players by posting five RBIs in six games with the South Texas Sliders. He racked up three extra-base hits, two of which were triples while tallying 10 quality at-bats. Most importantly, Layhew led the Sliders to a berth in the quarterfinals of the tournament.
Jake Sekany, EJ Sports Warriors, Pitcher, #26
Pitcher Jake Sekany was the only player to earn two wins at Champs Arizona, the most of any arm at the event. Sekany didn’t just dominate in terms of wins, however. He ranked near the top of every pitching category while competing in the desert and earning a silver medal.
Sekany racked up nine punchouts, the third-most of any player. In his 10 innings of work — the second-most of any arm — he posted an ERA of 0.70 while allowing an opposing batting average of .182.
Colton Christman, Canes West Scout, Pitcher #5
Colton Christman was one of the many pitchers who earned an ERA of 0.00 throughout his tournament. Most impressively, Christman flamed 10 punchouts in a complete game shutout, only allowing a staggering opposing batting average of .083 in that game.
Jack Jones, CCB Prime, Pitcher, #14
Much like Christman, Jack Jones also threw a complete game shutout in his one game and seven innings at Champs Arizona. Throwing 10 strikeouts, Jones used his nasty stuff to capture an early tournament win for CCB Prime and himself while posting an opposing batting average of .045.
