Kayson Cunningham Named Texas Gatorade Player of the Year

Kayson Cunningham, a 5-10, 180 lb Senior Shortstop from San Antonio Johnson is the 2024-25 Gatorade Texas Baseball Player of the Year.

Cunningham led the Jaguars to a 21-13 record and to the second round of the 6A Division I state playoffs this past season. Cunningham batted .509 with 23 extra-base hits, 27 RBI and 39 runs scored. He also stole 21 bases in 25 attempts and is ranked as the No. 4 high school prospect in the Class of 2025 by Prep Baseball. Cunningham played for the USA Baseball 18U National Team in 2024 and was named the USA Baseball WBSC Baseball World Cup MVP. He has signed to play baseball at the University of Texas this fall but is projected as a first round selection in July’s Major League Baseball Draft.

“The best way to pitch to him is to walk him—if you don’t, he is going to find barrel after barrel, and you hope (he hits it) right at someone,” said Joey Boyd, Alamo Heights High School head coach. “Then, once he gets on, he’s going to steal at will.”

Cunningham has volunteered locally at the San Antonio Food Bank and with Catholic Charities of San Antonio, providing meals during the holidays and hanging Christmas decorations for the elderly. He has also donated his time to various youth baseball programs. Cunningham has maintained an A average in the classroom.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states across 12 different high school sports – football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field –and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. 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.