North Richland Hills, Texas [June 3, 2026] – In its 41st year celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes for their excellence in sport, academics and community, Gatorade today announced Grady Emerson of Fort Worth Christian High School in North Richland Hills, Texas is the 2025-26 Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year. Emerson was selected from nearly half a million other student-athletes who play high school baseball nationwide, joining an elite legacy of former Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year athletes who have combinedfor more than four MLB MVP awards, 48 All-Star appearances and 32 MLB first round draft picks.
This morning, Emerson was surprised with the award at school surrounded by his teammates, family and friends, and he also received a surprise video call from MLB All-Star and World Series champion Eric Hosmer congratulating him on the honor. Following the surprise, Emerson got a taste of the pro athlete experience with a styling session, photoshoot, media interviews and more. Assets from the day can be found here.
“Recognizing the next generation of athletic talent is at the heart of the Gatorade Player of the Year award,” said Jennifer Schmit, Sr. Director, Gatorade Brand Marketing. “Grady Emerson will now get to experience a truly unique celebration of his success, honoring his achievements and igniting his future potential through one-of-a-kind opportunities, from personalized sweat testing to being on stage at the ESPYs.”
Championing The Next Generation
Receiving the honor of Gatorade Player of the Year is more than a trophy. It’s a celebration of the whole athlete and opportunity to propel their future career through support and opportunities only Gatorade can provide because of its legacy in sport culture, product superiority and expertise in hydration science.
Starting this year, Gatorade will provide the National Player of the Year athletes with access to resources from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI). The athletes will work with a team of GSSI scientists and have the opportunity to undergo testing at a GSSI Lab, equipping them with personalized hydration and fuel plans – built to help unlock their full potential and fuel success for years to come.
The brand will also elevate these athletes by including them in brand moments, events and community initiatives throughout the year – amplifying their journey, celebrating their achievements and providing ongoing opportunities to inspire others.
All-Around Excellence
Gatorade Player of the Year athletes are not only the best of the best in their respective sports, but they also serve as role models for the next generation of greats.
- Community: Emerson has volunteered at The North Texas Food Bank and Mission Arlington. He has also donated his time by organizing and leading youth baseball training sessions and defensive coaching camps. In association with his parents’ company, Always Family Senior Home Care, he delivers home care services throughout the holiday season.
- Academics: Emerson has maintained an A average in the classroom. He has signed a written letter of athletic aid to play baseball at the University of Texas this fall, but is projected as a first-round selection in July’s Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft.
“Grady Emerson’s track record of performance is outstanding, including four stints with U.S. national teams and a dominant senior season at Fort Worth Christian,” said Jim Callis, Senior Writer at MLB Pipeline. “He’s the best high school prospect in the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft and a strong candidate to be the No. 1 overall pick by the White Sox. Grady is also a fine student and coaches and scouts rave about his intelligence and character. He’s a deserving winner in the fine tradition of Gatorade National Baseball Players of the Year.”
As part of Gatorade’s commitment to breaking down barriers in sport, every Player of the Year also receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner. To date, the Gatorade Player of the Year program has provided more than $6.4 million in grants to winners across more than 2,200 organizations.
To learn more about the Gatorade Player of the Year program, check out past winners or to nominate student-athletes, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com.
About The Gatorade Portfolio
The Gatorade Portfolio, a division of PepsiCo (NASDAQ: PEP), is a connected performance and wellness ecosystem built to fuel all athletes and exercisers. Bringing together Gatorade, Propel, Evolve and Muscle Milk, the Gatorade Portfolio is the most complete offering in the category today, with a broad range of personalized solutions at every stage of the active person’s journey. This integrated system of brands is built on Gatorade's 61-year history of studying athletes and is fueling the future of athletic performance and wellness by delivering solutions across hydration, protein, energy and all-day nutrition to fuel consumers, no matter how or why they sweat. For more information and a full list of product offerings, please visit www.gatorade.com.
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated nearly $92 billion in net revenue in 2024, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.
Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on X (Twitter), Instagram,Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.