Adams all-staters includes Mr. Baseball and Dream Team selections

ROCHESTER HILLS — Rochester Adams baseball claimed a district title this season for the second straight year as the program continues to sustain a winning culture year after year, but how about a Mr. Baseball award winner and a trio of all-staters to add to that culture as well?

Following the end of the season, the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association announced senior outfielder Parker Picot as the 2023 Mr. Baseball award winner this year after an electric season at the plate. Picot is the first ever Mr. Baseball recipient in Adams history.

Holding an offensive slash line of .407/.477/.814, the University of Alabama baseball commit tallied a 1.291 OPS (on-base plus slugging), 46 hits, 11 doubles, 11 home runs, 41 RBIs, and 22 stolen bases this season.

The two-time all-state selection may be a force at the plate, but Picot said his defensive skill set was something he prided himself on this year.

“I feel like this past season, I really developed as an outfielder,” Picot said. “I was the most comfortable in the outfield this year than any other year. I made a bunch of great plays that I was really proud of.”

His contribution didn’t stop there, for Picot’s numbers on the mound could make an all-state case for themselves as well.

In 43.1 innings of work, Picot held a 5-0 record with 79 strikeouts, a 1.45 ERA, and a 0.854 WHIP on the season.

He was a jack-of-all-trades for Adams, and Adams coach Andy Lamkin said Picot’s most valuable contribution wasn’t even from a numbers perspective.

“The thing about Parker is that he’s a tremendous leader as well,” Lamkin said. “He was always the first guy to pick up a bucket, first guy to grab a rake, first guy to, you know, he just led this team. He led by example all the time. Just a tremendous, tremendous person.”

An offensive weapon alongside Picot, junior first baseman Bino Watters earned Dream Team honors after a stellar season at the plate this year.

It’s nearly impossible to top an offensive slash line of .471/.575./.856 with a 1.43 OPS, especially when Watters was extremely patient at the plate this season, earning 23 walks, but that wasn’t even his most impressive feat.

With 32 stolen bases on the year, Watters broke the school record for most stolen bases in a season, which Picot previously held. Watters also collected 49 hits, 10 doubles, 10 home runs and 48 RBIs.

“I think he was one of the best hitters I’ve seen in a long time,” Lamkin said. “I know Parker is really, really good, but Bino just had one of those years where he hit everything. I think he only struck out five times, which is a rarity.”

Watters is the lone returner on the all-state list for Adams, and he said the team has one mentality going into next season.

“We expect nothing less than a state championship,” Watters said.

The final all-state representative, senior shortstop Buck Snabes, did just about everything you could ask of a leadoff hitter en route to a second team all-state honor.

Hitting .413 with a .496 on-base percentage and 1.005 OPS, Snabes provided a mix of speed and power from the leadoff spot. Snabes tallied 43 hits, six doubles and 25 stolen bases on the season.

While his offensive production did a lot of the talking, Snabes flashed the leather on a daily basis for Adams this season at the shortstop position.

“He was our catalyst, that’s for sure,” Lamkin said. “When he got on base, he made things happen because we had Bino and Parker following him up. He was, offensively, very good, and he was also very patient at the plate. He was a good base runner, and just made some really incredible plays at shortstop. He was one of our best players, that’s for sure. As he went, we went.”

He will leave a tough void to fill alongside Picot next season as Adams looks to continue its district title run.