The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum is proud to announce that Mississippi State University sophomore pitcher Tomas Valincius has been named the winner of the 2026 Ferriss Trophy, presented by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and Pearl River Resort. The award is presented annually to the most outstanding college baseball player in Mississippi.
Valincius emerged this season as one of the top pitchers in college baseball, finishing the regular season with an
8-2 record and a 2.52 ERA while striking out 105 batters across 75 innings pitched. Opposing hitters managed just a .209 batting average against him this season as he consistently dominated SEC competition and established himself as one of the conference’s premier arms.
The sophomore left-hander ranked among the SEC leaders in wins, strikeouts, strikeout-to-walk ratio, and innings pitched while issuing only 16 walks all season. His outstanding year also earned him national recognition as a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award, presented annually to the nation’s top amateur baseball player.
Valincius was selected by Mississippi college coaches and professional scouts from an outstanding group of finalists representing some of the best collegiate talent in the state, including Ace Reese (Mississippi State University), Cade Townsend (University of Mississippi), Judd Utermark (University of Mississippi), and Grayden Harris (University of Southern Mississippi).
The announcement was made Monday during the Ferriss Trophy Presentation Luncheon held at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum in Jackson. Former Ole Miss standout and inaugural Ferriss Trophy winner Stephen Head served as the event’s special guest speaker.
“This award represents excellence in Mississippi baseball, and Tomas Valincius certainly embodied that this season,” said Andrea Patterson, Executive Director of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum. “His consistency, competitiveness, and dominance on the mound made him one of the top pitchers in the country this year, and we are proud to recognize him with the 2026 Ferriss Trophy.”
Named in honor of Mississippi baseball legend Dave “Boo” Ferriss, the Ferriss Trophy is part of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum’s Outstanding Player Awards Series, which also includes the Howell Trophy (men’s basketball), Gillom Trophy (women’s basketball), and C Spire Conerly Trophy (football).
All proceeds from the event benefit the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving, protecting, and promoting Mississippi’s rich sports heritage.