Brendan Lawson (left) celebrates a home run with Blake Cyr (middle) and Aidan King (right) during the Gators' win against the LSU Tigers on May 15, 2026 at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. / UAA Communications photo by Madilyn Gemme
ABCA Hands Four Gators Southeast All-Region Honors
Tuesday, June 9, 2026 | Baseball
Brendan Lawson and Aidan King were named First Team followed by Blake Cyr and Jackson Barberi on Second Team.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The 2026 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I All-Region Teams have been announced across all eight regions, featuring four Florida Gators representing the Southeast in shortstop Brendan Lawson, starting pitcher Aidan King, outfielder Blake Cyr and reliever Jackson Barberi.
Selected by members of the American Baseball Coaches Association, Lawson and King were placed on the Southeast All-Region First Team while Cyr and Barberi earned spots on the Second Team. First Team All-Region selections are eligible for ABCA/Rawlings All-America honors, which will be announced on Friday, June 12, prior to the start of the NCAA Division I College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.
King is the lone Gator to have previously received ABCA Southeast All-Region status, collecting a Second Team nod as a true freshman in 2025.
2026 ABCA/Rawlings Southeast All-Region
Brendan Lawson, SS – First Team
Aidan King, SP – First Team
Blake Cyr, OF – Second Team
Jackson Barberi, RP – Second Team
Homering in eight of the last 12 games of the season, Lawson slugged .699 with a team-high 19 home runs, a .312 batting average and .511 on-base percentage – good for sixth-best in program history. The Toronto, Ontario native is projected as a top-five pick in the 2027 MLB Draft after totaling 32 extra-base hits, two triples, 11 doubles, 58 runs, 48 RBI, 53 walks, 14 steals and 24 hit-by-pitches – the latter ranking second all-time in a single season at Florida.
Taking over the role of UF ace in his sophomore season, King became the first Gator underclassman to collect SEC Pitcher of the Year honors including the fourth in league history. Making all 16 of his scheduled starts, King led Florida with eight wins, a 3.21 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 97.0 innings pitched while holding hitters to a .218 batting average. As a National Pitcher of the Year finalist, King fanned 92 batters against 19 free passes, equating to a 4.84 strikeout-to-walk ratio. In SEC action, he led all starters with a 0.89 WHIP, tied for the top spot in victories (six) and held hitters to a .184 batting average.
Cyr produced a career year in his senior campaign, setting highs in batting average (.316), hits (68), doubles (15) and runs (53) while swatting 14 homers. Posting a .398 on-base percentage and slugging .591, Cyr led the Gators with seven three-hit games and 17 multi-RBI efforts while sitting second in multi-hit contests (21). He eclipsed 200 career hits on May 20 vs. Vanderbilt and did not commit an error until the final game of the season, finishing with a .990 fielding percentage and one outfield assist.
Barberi dominated to a 5-2 record, .156 batting average against, 55-to-17 strikeout-to-walk ratio, 1.02 WHIP, 3.13 ERA and two saves over 19 outings spanning 37 1/3 frames. The righty pitched in five of UF's seven shutouts with 11 scoreless appearances – 10 being four outs or more. Barberi finished his sophomore season boasting 13.3 strikeouts per nine and 5.1 hits allowed per nine.
The ABCA/Rawlings postseason awards schedule continues with the announcement of the NCAA Division I Gold Glove finalists on Monday, June 15, via X, followed by the Gold Glove winners in all divisions on Wednesday, June 17. ABCA/Rawlings National Pitchers and Position Players of the Year across all divisions will be announced on Monday, June 22.
The ABCA All-America Team was first recognized in 1949 and now spans nine divisions: NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, NAIA, NJCAA Divisions I, II, and III, the Pacific Association Division and high school.
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Selected by members of the American Baseball Coaches Association, Lawson and King were placed on the Southeast All-Region First Team while Cyr and Barberi earned spots on the Second Team. First Team All-Region selections are eligible for ABCA/Rawlings All-America honors, which will be announced on Friday, June 12, prior to the start of the NCAA Division I College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.
King is the lone Gator to have previously received ABCA Southeast All-Region status, collecting a Second Team nod as a true freshman in 2025.
2026 ABCA/Rawlings Southeast All-Region
Brendan Lawson, SS – First Team
Aidan King, SP – First Team
Blake Cyr, OF – Second Team
Jackson Barberi, RP – Second Team
Homering in eight of the last 12 games of the season, Lawson slugged .699 with a team-high 19 home runs, a .312 batting average and .511 on-base percentage – good for sixth-best in program history. The Toronto, Ontario native is projected as a top-five pick in the 2027 MLB Draft after totaling 32 extra-base hits, two triples, 11 doubles, 58 runs, 48 RBI, 53 walks, 14 steals and 24 hit-by-pitches – the latter ranking second all-time in a single season at Florida.
Taking over the role of UF ace in his sophomore season, King became the first Gator underclassman to collect SEC Pitcher of the Year honors including the fourth in league history. Making all 16 of his scheduled starts, King led Florida with eight wins, a 3.21 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 97.0 innings pitched while holding hitters to a .218 batting average. As a National Pitcher of the Year finalist, King fanned 92 batters against 19 free passes, equating to a 4.84 strikeout-to-walk ratio. In SEC action, he led all starters with a 0.89 WHIP, tied for the top spot in victories (six) and held hitters to a .184 batting average.
Cyr produced a career year in his senior campaign, setting highs in batting average (.316), hits (68), doubles (15) and runs (53) while swatting 14 homers. Posting a .398 on-base percentage and slugging .591, Cyr led the Gators with seven three-hit games and 17 multi-RBI efforts while sitting second in multi-hit contests (21). He eclipsed 200 career hits on May 20 vs. Vanderbilt and did not commit an error until the final game of the season, finishing with a .990 fielding percentage and one outfield assist.
Barberi dominated to a 5-2 record, .156 batting average against, 55-to-17 strikeout-to-walk ratio, 1.02 WHIP, 3.13 ERA and two saves over 19 outings spanning 37 1/3 frames. The righty pitched in five of UF's seven shutouts with 11 scoreless appearances – 10 being four outs or more. Barberi finished his sophomore season boasting 13.3 strikeouts per nine and 5.1 hits allowed per nine.
The ABCA/Rawlings postseason awards schedule continues with the announcement of the NCAA Division I Gold Glove finalists on Monday, June 15, via X, followed by the Gold Glove winners in all divisions on Wednesday, June 17. ABCA/Rawlings National Pitchers and Position Players of the Year across all divisions will be announced on Monday, June 22.
The ABCA All-America Team was first recognized in 1949 and now spans nine divisions: NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, NAIA, NJCAA Divisions I, II, and III, the Pacific Association Division and high school.
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