Spain Park’s Rhys Jones, Briarwood’s Parker Daniels compete in North-South All-Star baseball game

Published 3:27 pm Tuesday, July 22, 2025

Spain Park’s Rhys Jones and Briarwood Christian’s Parker Daniels took the field for the North All-Stars and each drove in runs during the 2025 North-South All-Star Game. (File)

By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

MONTGOMERY – Two of Shelby County’s top baseball players in the Class of 2026 got the chance to show their skills during one of the state’s biggest annual showcases.

Spain Park shortstop Rhys Jones and Briarwood Christian catcher Parker Daniels competed for the North All-Stars in the annual North-South All-Star game for baseball on Monday, July 21.

The games, which took place at Montgomery’s Riverwalk Stadium, home of the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits, saw the South All-Stars win game one 16-6 by the run rule in six innings before a 7-7 tie in game two after eight innings.

Daniels helped the North get on the board during game one, scoring an RBI on a sacrifice fly. He finished 0-for-1 in the game while playing center field before being subbed off for Tuscaloosa Academy’s Cody Faulkner.

Then, in the second game, Daniels struck in a big way, going 1-for-3 but earning two RBI over the course of the game to ensure the contest finished tied.

Jones started game one at catcher and was hit by a pitch in his lone at-bat. He would then steal a base after reaching first freely.

From there, Jones came off the bench in game two and finished 1-for-2 with an RBI, contributing to the North’s improved offensive performance in game two.

Jones was selected to represent Spain Park after a strong junior season as a shortstop. The UAB commit batted .309 with a .472 on-base percentage after earning 25 hits in 81 at-bats with 15 RBI against just 12 strikeouts.

Daniels will hold down the fort for the North All-Stars as the backstop at catcher and first base. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Briarwood star finished the year with a .361 average, .482 on-base percentage and .491 slugging percentage thanks to his 39 hits, 26 RBI and eight doubles against 15 strikeouts.

He also kept the plate clean throughout much of the season for the Lions with a .981 fielding percentage, giving up just three errors during the 2025 campaign.

Thompson’s Wyatt Williams was invited to play in the showcase, but the Alabama commit did not appear in either of the two games.

With the two results, the South trimmed the North’s all-time series lead to 24-18-4.