Bears Land Nine On All-SoCon Teams; Katz, Lambert, Gibson Earn Individual Awards

MACON – The Mercer Bears had nine players named to the Southern Conference's All-Conference squads, the league announced on Tuesdsay afternoon. Chris Katz was named the SoCon's Player of the Year. Garrett Lambert earned Freshman of the Year honors. Head coach Craig Gibson was named the SoCon Coach of the Year for the third time in his career.

Garrett Lambert, Jess Ackerman, Titan Kamaka, Brant Baughcum, Chris Katz, Eli Stephens and Braydon Kersey were the seven Bears named to the All-SoCon First Team. Andrew Garnett was named to the Second Team. Lambert and Ethan Buffone were named to the All-SoCon Freshman Team.

Head coach Craig Gibson led Mercer to the best regular season in its 155-year history. The Bears broke multiple records including the single-season record for most home runs and the most wins at OrthoGeorgia Park. Mercer tied a program-best 43 wins and won the SoCon regular season title for the first time since 2017.

Chris Katz | OF | First Team/Player of the Year

Katz, a senior outfielder from Raleigh, North Carolina, started in all 56 games for the Bears. A transfer from Wake Forest, Katz made the move to Macon ahead of the 2026 campaign and has been a foundational piece to the Bears' historic success.

Katz is the first Bear since Kyle Lewis in 2016 to surpass 70 hits, runs and RBI in the same season.

Stats: .374 (79-for-211), 20 HR, 17 2Bs, 71 RBI, 158 total bases, 76 runs, 48 BB

Garrett Lambert | RHP | First Team/Freshman of the Year/All-Freshman

In his first full collegiate season, Lambert lived up to all of the hype he received ahead of the 2024 campaign. Lambert missed the majority of 2024, and all of 2025, to injury. This season, Lambert maintained a perfect 5-0 record with a 4.55 ERA and struck out a career-best nine batters in four separate games.

Stats: 14 GP (14 GS), 5-0, 4.55 ERA, 65.1 IP, 53 H, 38 R, 33 ER, 27 BB, 80 SO, .215 B/AVG

Jess Ackerman | LHP | First Team

Ackerman's fifth season in Macon has been his best by far. The senior southpaw has spent his entire collegiate career with the Bears and served primarily as a long-relief option for Mercer this season.

Ackerman made 23 appearances and struck out a team-high 81 batters in just 49.2 innings of work. His 3.26 ERA leads the Bears (minimum 15.0 IP).

Stats: 23 GP (3 GS), 3-2, 2 SV, 3.26 ERA, 49.2 IP, 34 H, 19 R, 18 ER, 30 BB, 81 SO, .193 B/AVG

Titan Kamaka | Shortstop | First Team

Kamaka, a Brooks Wallace Award semifinalist, has not only been one of the best shortstops in the SoCon, but the entire country. The senior from Orlando, Florida, joined the Bears from Florida State before last season and has been a foundational piece to Mercer's middle infield since.

Kamaka leads the Bears with a .411 batting average and has the fourth-most doubles in a single season in school history (22).

Stats: .411 (79-for-192), 22 2Bs, 3 3Bs, 6 HRs, 46 RBI, 125 total bases, 41 runs, 29 BB

Brant Baughcum | 3B | First Team

Baughcum manned the hot corner for Mercer in all but one game this season. The senior from Buford, Georgia, hit at a .308 clip with 24 total extra-base hits and 50 RBI. Baughcum drew 21 walks and 17 hit-by-pitches with a .408 on-base percentage.

Stats: .308 (64-for-208), 13 2Bs, 11 HRs, 50 RBI, 110 total bases, 53 runs, 21 BB, 17 HBP

Eli Stephens | OF | First Team

Stephens, one of the Bears' biggest breakout bats, took advantage of becoming Mercer's everyday right fielder by turning in one of the most dominant seasons in the entire conference. The sophomore from Warner Robins, Georgia, mashed 20 home runs and posted a 1.244 OPS in 174 at-bats.

Stephens went 3-for-5 with two home runs and six RBI against No. 3 Georgia Tech to power Mercer to its first win at Russ Chandler Stadium since 2018.

Stats: .368 (64-for-174), 20 HR, 61 RBI, 8 2Bs, 3B, 134 total bases, 34 BB

Braydon Kersey | DH | First Team

Kersey, one of the nation's premier two-way stars, finished the 2026 regular season with a jaw-dropping campaign as Mercer's everyday designated hitter. The sophomore from Alpharetta, Georgia, leads the Bears with 21 home runs and is second on the squad with 66 RBI.

Stats: .325 (64-for-197), 21 HRs, 9 2Bs, 66 RBI, 136 total bases, 50 runs, 34 BB

Andrew Garnett | RHP | Second Team

Garnett finished with a 3.37 ERA across six appearances against conference opponents. The Macon, Georgia, native finished his second season with Mercer as one of the Bears' top relievers.
Garnett threw three near-perfect innings against No. 3 Georgia Tech the earn his first save of the season.

Stats: 25 GP (0 GS), 4-0, SV, 5.01 ERA, 32.1 IP, 28 H, 19 R, 18 ER, 14 BB, 42 SO, .237 B/AVG

Ethan Buffone | INF | All-Freshman

Buffone began the season as a late-game defensive replacement/pinch runner before earning the starting job at second base on April 21. The Warner Robins, Georgia, native started the final 17 games of the season for Mercer and racked up 11 RBI and 16 hits across that stretch.

Stats: .254 (18-for-71), 2 HR, 2 2Bs, 13 RBI, 13 runs, 9 BB

The full All-SoCon Baseball Team is listed below:

Player of the Year
Chris Katz, Sr., OF, Mercer (Raleigh, NC)

Pitcher of the Year
Alec Bouchard, Jr., RHP, Wofford (Soddy Daisy, TN)

Freshman of the Year
Garrett Lambert, R-Fr., RHP, Mercer (Lilburn, GA)

Golden Glove Award (Defensive Player of the Year)
Aryan Patel, Sr., 3B, The Citadel (Hanahan, SC)

Coach of the Year
Craig Gibson, Mercer

First-Team All-SoCon
SP – Alec Bouchard, Wofford
SP – Garrett Lambert, Mercer
SP – Will Holmes, The Citadel
RP – Mason Snyder, Western Carolina
RP – Jess Ackerman, Mercer
RP – Zak Spurrier, Samford
C – Cade Carr, Samford
1B – Grayson Fitzwater, VMI
1B – Tristan Curless, ETSU
2B – Trent Turner, Western Carolina
SS – Titan Kamaka, Mercer
3B – Brant Baughcum, Mercer
OF – Chris Katz, Mercer
OF – Eli Stephens, Mercer
OF – Jake Souders, Samford
DH – Braydon Kersey, Mercer

Second-Team All-SoCon
SP – Michael Harpster, ETSU
SP – Andrew Buffkin, The Citadel
SP – Cullen Condon, Wofford
RP – Michael Gibson, The Citadel
RP – Andrew Garnett, Mercer
RP – Zane Davis, The Citadel
C – Cole Raile, VMI
C – Noah Quarless, Western Carolina
1B – Michael Gibson, The Citadel
2B – Ian Guanzon, ETSU
SS – Henry Ferguson, ETSU
3B – Jacob Budzik, UNC Greensboro
OF – Ben Timblin, Wofford
OF – Jamie Palmese, ETSU
OF – Luke Boykin, Samford
DH – Nate Conner, ETSU

2026 SoCon All-Freshman Team
Garrett Lambert, P, Mercer
Jaylen Jones, OF, Western Carolina
Brady Gold, SS, Wofford
Jayden Williams, OF, The Citadel
Evan Myers, P, Western Carolina
Eddie Marshall, C, Samford
Cooper Jones, P, ETSU
Tanner Berry, C, UNC Greensboro
Mason Ault, C, ETSU
Ethan Buffone, 2B, Mercer
Ayden West, P, UNC Greensboro
Buddy Baker, P, VMI

2026 SoCon All-Defensive Team
Aryan Patel, 3B, The Citadel
Grayson Fitzwater, 1B, VMI
Owen Prince, OF, VMI
Henry Ferguson, SS, ETSU
Jayden Williams, OF, The Citadel
Parker McDonald, 3B, Samford
Jamie Palmese, OF, ETSU
Cade Carr, C, Samford
Jeff Ince, 2B, Samford
Niko Brini, OF, Wofford
Trent Turner, 2B, Western Carolina
Gus Gandy, SS, Samford

Bears Land Nine On All-SoCon Teams; Katz, Lambert, Gibson Earn Individual Awards

Players Mentioned

Jess Ackerman

Brant Baughcum

Ethan Buffone

Andrew Garnett

Titan Kamaka

Chris Katz

Braydon Kersey

Garrett Lambert

Eli Stephens

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