Baseball SA Insider January 2026
Summer Momentum Across South Australian Baseball
Introduction
As we move through the heart of summer, there has been no shortage of activity across South Australian baseball. From national championship performances and professional success to strong participation at home and exciting programs on the horizon, the past month has delivered plenty to celebrate and build on.
Baseball SA has officially moved into its new office and is now fully settled into our new home at the West Beach Parks Sports Hub. Located just around the corner from the diamonds. West Beach Parks Corporate Reception / Sports Hub
Military Road, West Beach SA 5024.
Below is a snapshot of recent highlights and what’s coming next, as we continue to see our pathways, competitions, and community thrive during one of the busiest periods of the season.
MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER
Since our last update, we briefly closed over the holiday period and have returned to some truly sweltering South Australian summer conditions. While the temperatures have risen, so too has the activity across our programs and competitions.
Our teams recently travelled to Melbourne for the Australian Youth Championships, where the Under 16s returned with an impressive bronze medal. Competing in a high-performance environment, including in front of 15 MLB scouts from 15 different clubs, was an invaluable experience and highlighted South Australia’s continued ability to develop athletes capable of performing on the national stage.
Congratulations also to the Adelaide Giants, who have secured their third Claxton Shield in four years, cementing their place as a modern powerhouse of Australian baseball.
Closer to home, we wrapped up a successful Charter Showcase tournament at West Beach, with more than 180 young athletes taking the field each day across five action-packed days. The energy and quality of baseball on display reflected the strength of our pathways.
Looking ahead, preparations are underway as we name our Youth Women’s and Women’s State Teams ahead of April’s championships. April will also see the return of the Charter State Championships at West Beach, followed by the School Sport Australia Championships from 26 April to 2 May, providing another opportunity to showcase South Australian baseball on a national stage.
As the season continues, it’s been great to see our grounds buzzing each week, reinforcing the strong sense of community that makes this time of year so special.
SABL COMPETITIONS UPDATE
We have officially hit the "pointy end" of the season. With only five rounds remaining before the postseason, the South Australian Baseball League is witnessing two vastly different narratives at the top of the premiership tables. While State League Division 1 remains a fierce battleground for a top six berth, Women’s Division 1 has become a masterclass in single-club dominance.
At the pinnacle of the State League, Henley & Grange and Adelaide are locked in a stalemate for the top seed, both boasting formidable 18-4 records. Their dominance is symmetrical; both clubs currently rank in the top three for runs scored and runs allowed.
Individual brilliance has fuelled these campaigns. For Henley & Grange, former Capps Medallist Wilson Lee is proving his pedigree, remarkably sitting in the top five league-wide across four major categories: ERA, Strikeouts (K), Batting Average (BA), and RBIs. Not to be outdone, Adelaide’s duo of Hugh Batchelor and Ian Heck have anchored their club, both maintaining top five rankings in ERA and RBIs, respectively.
On the mound, Luke Barrientos of Northern Districts has been a pure strikeout machine, becoming the first pitcher this season to eclipse the century mark with 105 punch-outs. Flynn Chester of Golden Grove Central Districts is hot on his heels, currently sitting at 93 as he chases the milestone.
In the Women’s Division 1, Woodville remains the "gold standard," maintaining an unblemished record as they charge toward the finals. Their clinical efficiency has seen them go a perfect 14-0, a feat attributed to staggering depth in both the rotation and the lineup.
Leading the charge is Alice Brown, who, much like Wilson Lee, is terrorising the league in every facet. Brown currently leads the league in Batting Average, ERA, and Strikeouts. Providing the protection in that lineup is Peyton Daniels, whose power hitting has accounted for a league-leading 28 RBIs.
A significant gap has opened between the leaders and the pack. While Adelaide holds a steady second place with 18 points, a high-stakes scramble is underway beneath them, with Southern Districts and Kensington fighting tooth and nail for the final playoff positions.
LIFTING PATHWAYS TO NEW HEIGHTS
In case you missed it, JPS Lifts are now the official partners of our Pathways Programs and we couldn't ask for a better team to help us elevate our future stars.
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Known for sky-high standards in reliability and customer service, JPS Lifts offer round-the-clock peace of mind with 24/7 support from local, qualified Adelaide technicians.
Whether it’s lifting people or programs, JPS Lifts are committed to moving South Australians upward and onward. Welcome aboard to the leading name in vertical transport!
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PERFORMANCE PATHWAYS
AYC 2026 Wrap
The 2026 Australian Youth Championships proved to be an outstanding experience and a significant success for South Australia across both the Under 16 and Under 18 programs, highlighting the depth, resilience, and future of baseball in the state.
The Under 16 campaign exceeded expectations from the outset. With a squad made up entirely of first-time participants, South Australia entered the tournament as clear underdogs, with little external expectation of progressing deep into the competition. Internally, however, the group set clear standards to compete relentlessly, take their chances, and leave everything on the field. That mindset paid off.
The team reached the playoff round as planned and went on to secure a bronze medal, a result that spoke volumes about their commitment, teamwork, and determination. A hard-fought preliminary final against eventual champions NSW, coming straight off an elimination final, showcased the toughness of the group. While they ultimately ran out of energy late, they pushed one of the strongest teams in the tournament right to the edge. The campaign was strongly supported by coaches James, DJ, and Matt, EO Stef, and the unwavering support of families throughout the tournament.
The Under 18 team also delivered a strong and competitive campaign in Melbourne, finishing fourth overall. The group showed great spirit and resilience across the week, opening with a commanding win over NSW Country before pushing eventual champions Victoria to the limit in a narrow loss. While there were moments of frustration, including a loss after building an early lead against NSW, the response from the group was impressive. Wins over the ACT Roos and Queensland highlighted the team’s character, while the group remained connected and competitive through a challenging back end of the tournament.
Individually, several players stood out. Will Tanner led the offense with nine hits, while Owen Couzner drove in a team-high eight RBIs. Harry Taintey made an impact across all facets of the game, while Deakin Filko and Kody Delbridge delivered strong performances on the mound. Despite injuries to Taj Williams and Gus Hennessy, others stepped up, reflecting the depth and character of the group.
The Adelaide Giants have secured their third Claxton Shield title in the past four Australian Baseball League seasons, further cementing the club’s position as one of the premier programs in Australian baseball. The championship marks another significant milestone and reflects the strength of the Giants’ culture, preparation, and consistently high competitive standards.
The 2025–26 season also saw Deakin Filko make his professional debut with the Giants at just 17 years of age. Filko’s debut followed several years of development within the high-performance pathway system, highlighted by significant velocity gains over the most recent off-season that accelerated his progression to the professional level.
Filko joined a strong contingent of South Australians and Baseball SA High Performance Pathways alumni who contributed to the championship season, including Ky Hampton, Jordan McArdle, Jack O’Loughlin, Drew Davies, and Jack Partington. In addition, James McFarlane, Liam Scott, and Sean Maple all saw ABL playing time during the season, further reinforcing the depth of local talent contributing at the professional level.
The Giants were led by an entirely South Australian coaching staff, with Chris Adamson, Scott Gladstone, Nathan Van Der Linden, and Josh Tols guiding the club throughout the season. Further strengthening the development pathway, Lucas Manson, Harvey Cox, and Alexander Gray gained valuable exposure to the ABL environment during the Giants’ home series, assisting with bullpen catching for both the Giants and visiting teams.
The Claxton Shield victory and the continued emergence of South Australian players at the professional level highlight the strength of the state’s development pathways and the alignment between player development and elite performance outcomes.