Pickens, Steele Named JBB All-Americans

TUSCALOOSA - Shelton State Community College sophomore pitchers John Michael Pickens and Mason Steele were named to the Junior College Baseball Blog (JBB) All American team.

Pickens was a third team All American selection and Steele was a honorable mention All American. 

The duo were the only players on the team from the Alabama Community College Conference.

Pickens, a two-time All American, is the school's all-time saves leader with 16 career saves. 

He was named the ACCC Relief Pitcher of the Year in 2024 and 2025. 

As a sophomore, Pickens posted a 6-1 record with five saves and a 2.80 ERA in a team-high 25 appearances. 

He is one of three NJCAA Division I pitchers to record six wins and five saves this season. 

Pickens was named to the 2025 ACCC All-Region Team and ACCC All-Tournament Team.

In 2025, he led the ACCC with 25 appearances and ranked third in WHIP (0.88), saves (5) and strikeouts per nine innings (11.21). 

In his two seasons with the Bucs, he appeared in 49 games and compiled a 7-3 record with 16 saves and 2.05 ERA. He ranks second in program history with those 49 career appearances. 

Steele, the 2024 NJCAA 2-Way Player of the Year, picked up his second All American honor in his career. 

Steele was the Bucs No. 1 starter on the mound this season and complied a 6-1 record and 2.66 ERA.

He led the ACCC with 15 starts on mound and ranked fourth with 72 strikeouts and 10.62 strikeouts per nine innings. 

He ranked t-fifth with 1.13 WHIP, seventh in ERA and eighth in wins. In conference play, he was third with five wins and 10th with 2.45 ERA.

Steele was a first-team All-ACCC selection and was named to the ACCC All-Tournament Team. 

In his two-year career, Steele appeared in 27 games and compiled a 13-2 record and 3.06 ERA. The Bucs were 20-7 (.741) in his 27 career starts.