Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5324

ABCA/Rawlings Press Release

June 22, 2026 - North Central College first baseman and pitcher Payton Diaz earned a spot on the American Baseball Coaches Association Region VIII All-Defensive Team for his glove work at first base this season.

Diaz committed just one error at first base, finishing with a .997 fielding percentage. He handled 272 total chances with 243 putouts and 28 assists and helped turn 22 double plays. He started all 40 games at either first base or on the mound, leading the pitching staff with 42 strikeouts. 

Offensively, he hit .361 with 38 runs, 31 RBIs, 22 walks, 13 doubles and three home runs. Diaz was a First Team All-College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin selection as a utility player and earned All-Region honors from D3baseball.com (First Team) and the ABCA (Third Team).

Pete Britton (2B) of Millikin University and Michael Ossenfort (SS) of Carthage College are the other two College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin selections to the 2026 ABCA Region VIII All-Defensive team. Diaz joins Luke Lehnen as the only Cardinals in program history to earn ABCA Region All-Defensive honors, with the organization introducing the awards in 2023.