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Who is the best baseball player from Southwest Florida?
Let the debate begin.
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, USA TODAY Sports will celebrate the 250 greatest American sports figures of all time. Alongside that national recognition, the USA TODAY Network will spotlight the roots of the country’s sports culture: the high school athletes and sports figures who shaped communities and defined their states.
First, we are going to take a look at athletes in their individual sports.
Here are the stars of the diamond in Southwest Florida. The 10 players (listed in alphabetical order) were all standout players at the high school level before moving on to even greater heights.
We even saved a spot for you to write in a candidate we may have overlooked or that you feel strongly about.
A do-it-all athlete in high school with the Cougars, David earned The News-Press Baseball Player of the Year in 1985 after hitting .460 with seven home runs, before becoming Collier County's first MLB Draft First-Round pick by the Toronto Blue Jays, with the 25th overall pick.
The 1982 News-Press Player of the Year raked in his time wearing a North uniform, hitting .459 (106-231), with 13 doubles, 10 triples, 9 home runs, and 81 RBI, adding 78 stolen bases, 48 walks, and just 12 strikeouts. Greenwell was a third-round pick by the Boston Red Sox, where he played for over a decade, earning a pair of All-Star appearances in 1988 and 1989. He served as a Lee County Commissioner from 2022 until his death from medullary thyroid cancer in August 2025 at the age of 62.
King was a two-time Southwest Florida Baseball Player of the Year in 2023 and 2024, throwing a combined 85 2/3 innings, allowing 29 hits, 11 earned runs, and 27 walks with 183 strikeouts during that frame. At the plate, King hit .473 (88-186) with three home runs, seven triples, 23 doubles, 50 RBI, and 46 runs to go along with 16 stolen bases. He was a third-round pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2024, and is currently in High-A Vancouver, where he's pitched to a 1.04 ERA over 17 1/3 innings, striking out 25.
McClanahan was a star at Cape Coral, compiling a career record of 29-7 with a 1.02 ERA, striking out 187 over 123 innings pitched. He was a First Team All-State his senior year, after pitching to a 7-3 record with a 1.15 ERA, striking out 91 over 55 innings, along with hitting .353 with 30 hits and 11 RBI. He was selected 31st overall in 2018 out of USF by the Tampa Bay Rays, where he's become a two-time All-Star.
Putnam was solid in a Green Wave uniform, which ultimately led to him being picked in the first round of the 1975 MLB Draft out of South Alabama. Putnam made his MLB Debut on Sept. 2, 1977 with the Texas Rangers, and spent seven seasons in the majors after that. He hit 63 home runs, drove in 255 runs, and hit .255. In a brief stint in Japan after his time in the MLB, he clubbed 37 home runs with 121 RBI in two seasons with the Nippon-Ham Fighters.
Resop was an elite arm for Barron Collier, pitching to a 6-3 record with 1.92 ERA, striking out 84 to earn the Naples Daily News Baseball Player of the Year award in 2001. He also had a .356 batting average with 31 hits, 24 RBI, and 27 walks with eight home runs, a school record at the time. Resop spent close to a decade in the major leagues, pitching to a 10-12 record with a 4.62 ERA, striking out 204 as a relief pitcher.
Sanders was an elite athlete in anything he did wearing a North uniform, whether it be baseball, football, or basketball. Sanders was a First Team All-Southwest Florida selection his senior year with the Red Knights, before going on to play at Florida State in both baseball and football. While he is a Pro Football Hall of Famer, he played baseball from 1989 to 2001, with the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, and San Francisco Giants. He appeared in the 1992 World Series with the Braves, hitting .533 with eight hits, a pair of doubles, and four runs scored while playing with a broken bone in his foot.
Once touted as the best freshman in the nation by Baseball America in 2004, Tolisano lived up to that, earning back-to-back Baseball Player of the Year awards by The News-Press in 2006 and 2007. As a senior, he hit .518 with eight home runs, 42 RBI, and 43 runs scored. He was selected in the second round out of Estero by the Toronto Blue Jays, spending eight seasons in the minors before retirement.
Vogelbach was a slugging machine in high school over his final two seasons, hitting .508 with 28 home runs, 93 RBI, and 83 runs scored. He had 54 extra-base hits as a junior and senior with Verot, earning The News-Press Player of the Year award as a junior. He was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the second round of the 2011 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut in 2016 and retired in 2024 after stints with the Mariners, Blue Jays, Brewers, Pirates, and Mets. He is now a hitting coach for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Zunino was a solid catcher in high school with the Tritons, hitting .464 hit senior season with 21 extra-base hits and 11 home runs. He added 37 RBI before playing at Florida, where he earned the Dick Howser Trophy and the Golden Spikes Award in 2012. After his outstanding career as a Gator, he was picked third overall by the Seattle Mariners, where he'd eventually make his debut in 2013. Zunino was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays after the 2018 season, earning his first All-Star nod in 2021 before retiring in 2023 with the Cleveland Guardians.
Who’s the greatest Southwest Florida high school baseball player of all time?
Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X at @NP_AlexMartin or via email: [email protected]. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Vote for the SW FL all-time best baseball player from 10 nominees
Continue reading...
Let the debate begin.
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, USA TODAY Sports will celebrate the 250 greatest American sports figures of all time. Alongside that national recognition, the USA TODAY Network will spotlight the roots of the country’s sports culture: the high school athletes and sports figures who shaped communities and defined their states.
First, we are going to take a look at athletes in their individual sports.
Here are the stars of the diamond in Southwest Florida. The 10 players (listed in alphabetical order) were all standout players at the high school level before moving on to even greater heights.
We even saved a spot for you to write in a candidate we may have overlooked or that you feel strongly about.
Greg David, Barron Collier
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A do-it-all athlete in high school with the Cougars, David earned The News-Press Baseball Player of the Year in 1985 after hitting .460 with seven home runs, before becoming Collier County's first MLB Draft First-Round pick by the Toronto Blue Jays, with the 25th overall pick.
Mike Greenwell, North Fort Myers
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The 1982 News-Press Player of the Year raked in his time wearing a North uniform, hitting .459 (106-231), with 13 doubles, 10 triples, 9 home runs, and 81 RBI, adding 78 stolen bases, 48 walks, and just 12 strikeouts. Greenwell was a third-round pick by the Boston Red Sox, where he played for over a decade, earning a pair of All-Star appearances in 1988 and 1989. He served as a Lee County Commissioner from 2022 until his death from medullary thyroid cancer in August 2025 at the age of 62.
Johnny King, Naples
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King was a two-time Southwest Florida Baseball Player of the Year in 2023 and 2024, throwing a combined 85 2/3 innings, allowing 29 hits, 11 earned runs, and 27 walks with 183 strikeouts during that frame. At the plate, King hit .473 (88-186) with three home runs, seven triples, 23 doubles, 50 RBI, and 46 runs to go along with 16 stolen bases. He was a third-round pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2024, and is currently in High-A Vancouver, where he's pitched to a 1.04 ERA over 17 1/3 innings, striking out 25.
Shane McClanahan, Cape Coral
McClanahan was a star at Cape Coral, compiling a career record of 29-7 with a 1.02 ERA, striking out 187 over 123 innings pitched. He was a First Team All-State his senior year, after pitching to a 7-3 record with a 1.15 ERA, striking out 91 over 55 innings, along with hitting .353 with 30 hits and 11 RBI. He was selected 31st overall in 2018 out of USF by the Tampa Bay Rays, where he's become a two-time All-Star.
Pat Putnam, Fort Myers
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Putnam was solid in a Green Wave uniform, which ultimately led to him being picked in the first round of the 1975 MLB Draft out of South Alabama. Putnam made his MLB Debut on Sept. 2, 1977 with the Texas Rangers, and spent seven seasons in the majors after that. He hit 63 home runs, drove in 255 runs, and hit .255. In a brief stint in Japan after his time in the MLB, he clubbed 37 home runs with 121 RBI in two seasons with the Nippon-Ham Fighters.
Chris Resop, Barron Collier
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Resop was an elite arm for Barron Collier, pitching to a 6-3 record with 1.92 ERA, striking out 84 to earn the Naples Daily News Baseball Player of the Year award in 2001. He also had a .356 batting average with 31 hits, 24 RBI, and 27 walks with eight home runs, a school record at the time. Resop spent close to a decade in the major leagues, pitching to a 10-12 record with a 4.62 ERA, striking out 204 as a relief pitcher.
Deion Sanders, North Fort Myers
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Sanders was an elite athlete in anything he did wearing a North uniform, whether it be baseball, football, or basketball. Sanders was a First Team All-Southwest Florida selection his senior year with the Red Knights, before going on to play at Florida State in both baseball and football. While he is a Pro Football Hall of Famer, he played baseball from 1989 to 2001, with the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, and San Francisco Giants. He appeared in the 1992 World Series with the Braves, hitting .533 with eight hits, a pair of doubles, and four runs scored while playing with a broken bone in his foot.
John Tolisano, Estero
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Once touted as the best freshman in the nation by Baseball America in 2004, Tolisano lived up to that, earning back-to-back Baseball Player of the Year awards by The News-Press in 2006 and 2007. As a senior, he hit .518 with eight home runs, 42 RBI, and 43 runs scored. He was selected in the second round out of Estero by the Toronto Blue Jays, spending eight seasons in the minors before retirement.
Daniel Vogelbach, Bishop Verot
Vogelbach was a slugging machine in high school over his final two seasons, hitting .508 with 28 home runs, 93 RBI, and 83 runs scored. He had 54 extra-base hits as a junior and senior with Verot, earning The News-Press Player of the Year award as a junior. He was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the second round of the 2011 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut in 2016 and retired in 2024 after stints with the Mariners, Blue Jays, Brewers, Pirates, and Mets. He is now a hitting coach for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Mike Zunino, Mariner
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Zunino was a solid catcher in high school with the Tritons, hitting .464 hit senior season with 21 extra-base hits and 11 home runs. He added 37 RBI before playing at Florida, where he earned the Dick Howser Trophy and the Golden Spikes Award in 2012. After his outstanding career as a Gator, he was picked third overall by the Seattle Mariners, where he'd eventually make his debut in 2013. Zunino was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays after the 2018 season, earning his first All-Star nod in 2021 before retiring in 2023 with the Cleveland Guardians.
Who’s the greatest Southwest Florida high school baseball player of all time?
Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X at @NP_AlexMartin or via email: [email protected]. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Vote for the SW FL all-time best baseball player from 10 nominees
Continue reading...
