Tavis Honeycutt is our Big School Baseball Player of the Year.
This isn’t a surprise. It’s the most obvious of all the Gainesville Sun’s Players of the Year for the Spring 2026 season.
He batted 0.609 – second in Florida. He bashed 16 home runs, tops in the state. He scored 49 runs and drove in 49 – second and first in the sunshine state, respectively. His on-base percentage (0.745) and slugging percentage (1.406) each are top three in Florida.
The numbers are truly remarkable, and Honeycutt has been praised considerably for his accomplishments.
He won the Florida Dairy Farmers Class 2A Player of the Year – the deepest classification in the state. Major League Baseball selected him for the High School Home Run Derby – the lone prospect in Florida chosen.
“You get the chance to hit with the pro guys, and you watch them on TV every day and see all the work they do, and it’s like I’m really not that far,” Honeycutt said. “It’s a learning experience no matter what.”
Yet, the most impressive part of the surreal season – more than the statistics – is his humility. Honeycutt said that comes through due to his ability to stay true to himself.
“Attitude is the biggest thing. Whether you go 0-3 or 3-3, the person in the stands shouldn’t be able to tell,” Honeycutt said. “They should tell that you’re having a good game always…
The fact that I’m out there…there are a lot of guys that can’t walk or play baseball. It’s a grateful opportunity to play the game.”
This mentality comes in handy when at the plate because most of the pitchers in the Gainesville area pitch away from him. He doesn’t view it as a frustration, though. Instead, it’s a sign of respect.
“This makes me learn that I’m the guy, and they throw around you because you know the game,” Honeycutt said.
Does Honeycutt love the thrill of a baseball diamond? Of course. Is it where he finds the most happiness? No way. It is way too packed with people.
“I like being outside when I’m fishing and hunting,” Honeycutt said. “I’m a quiet guy. The people I talk to are very close to me. It’s what I do to clear my mind.”
Honeycutt leads the Big School All-Area team of 24 players (12 first and 12 second) from eight schools.
Congratulations to all selected!
Gainesville Sun Spring 2026 All-Area Big School Baseball First Team
Infield: Blake Brewer, Buchholz
Infield: Colt Wheeler, P.K. Yonge
Infield: Roen Kresak, Buchholz
Infield: Tavis Honeycutt, Newberry
Outfield: Aidan Kastensmidt, Buchholz
Outfield: Drew Almond, Buchholz
Outfield: Madden Mann, Columbia
Catcher: Aidan Michaux, Newberry
Utility: Nolan Slaymaker, Columbia
Pitcher: Dion Wilburn, Buchholz
Pitcher: Grayson Greene, Suwannee
Pitcher: Reed Thomas, Buchholz
Gainesville Sun Spring 2026 All-Area Big School Baseball Second Team
Infield: Dylan Doria, Santa Fe
Infield: Hudson Sapp, Buchholz
Infield: Rodney Blackwelder, Palatka
Infield: Zac Brown, Buchholz
Outfield: Angel Irizarry, Buchholz
Outfield: Chris Eckardt, Gainesville High
Outfield: Jackson Ruppert, Sant Fe
Catcher: Jace Moran, Suwannee
Utility: Cade Dixon, Gainesville High
Pitcher: Cohen Laffler, Buchholz
Pitcher: Kyler Keen, Columbia
Pitcher: Tison McCray, Columbia
Coach of the Year: Chris Malphurs, Buchholz
In his first year as Buchholz head coach, Malphurs took over where Ron Brooks left off. Despite a slow start to the season, he helmed the Bobcats on a dramatic playoff run – capped off by two wins at Pace and a walk-off victory over Martin County in the state semifinals.
Even though the ‘Cats came up just short once again, it is still a remarkable season for the black and gold. BHS sent 10 players to the all-area team, including six to the first team.
Noah Ram covers Florida Gators athletics and Gainesville-area high school sports for The Gainesville Sun, GatorSports.com and the USA TODAY Network. Contact him at nram@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X @Noah_ram1, Instagram @Ramreporter and Facebook Noah Ram – Reporter.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida commit Travis Honeycutt leads All-Area Big School Baseball team
Reporting by Noah Ram, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
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By Noah Ram, Gainesville Sun | USA TODAY Network
