Freshman force with pop, polish, and a clutch gene
In the 2026 season, Virginia Tech infielder Ethan Ball was one of the ACC’s breakout freshmen, hitting .310 with 17 home runs, 18 doubles, 52 RBIs and a 1.081 OPS while starting 54 of 56 games. His left-handed bat brings real thump, but the bigger separator is the complete profile: strike-zone feel, middle-infield athleticism, and enough defensive reliability to post a .994 fielding percentage. He also flashed big-moment juice with a walk-off homer vs. Rutgers. That’s a player who can change a lineup fast.
