2026 All-Napa County Baseball Player of the Year: Messenger delivers in multiple ways for Justin-Siena

Griffin Messenger wanted so badly to bat this year.

That was good, because the Justin-Siena baseball team needed him to do that in addition to being dominant on the mound.

Messenger was just 2 for 14 at the plate in his first three varsity seasons combined, getting hit by a pitch, driving in a run, and scoring six times.

While going 1 for 11 at the plate last year, he was the Vine Valley Athletic League Co-Pitcher of the Year. He fired 83 strikeouts and yielded just 10 earned runs in 64 innings, posting a 1.09 ERA and 8-1 record.

This year, he made the All-VVALeague First Team again after leading the Braves' pitching staff with 62 innings pitched, 61 strikeouts and a 7-3 record.

But it was the big bat he brought back to his game that, along with his pitching, got him selected as the Napa Valley Register's 2025-26 All-Napa County Baseball Player of the Year.

Messenger led the Braves with eight hit-by-pitches and a .591 slugging percentage, and was second with a .379 batting average, 25 hits, 20 RBI, five doubles, three triples, and one of the team's three home runs. He also drew 13 walks and scored 17 runs.

It was like his Napa Little League days all over again, a stage of his career he ended by hurling a perfect game just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020.

Messenger had two hits in each of Justin-Siena's last two wins, a 10-3 rout at Vintage that snapped a five-game skid, and an 8-0 blanking of Hayward in the North Coast Section Division 4 playoffs. They were his fifth and sixth multi-hit games of the season. He also got the wins on the mound.

"When I made the varsity team as a freshman, it was clear that I was going to be used as a pitcher only," Messenger said. "By my sophomore and junior years, I felt ready to contribute as a hitter, too, but we had really strong teams and there just wasn't much of an opportunity. When senior year came around, I finally got my chance."

Messenger signed with the NCAA Division I program at Davidson College on April 27.

"As a pitcher, I know I probably won't hit in college, so my mindset was just to enjoy it and have fun," he said. "It was awesome to be able to contribute both on the mound and at the plate during my final season."

Justin-Siena (15-11, 6-6 VVAL) didn't have the best finish, by its own standards, finishing fifth and getting knocked out of the four-team league tournament by rival Vintage.

The Braves were on the young side, with only five seniors who started. After a 5-1 start in league play, they were swept by Sonoma Valley and Petaluma in the second half. After going 1-1 against Vintage and missing the four-team VVAL Tournament, they went 1-1 in the playoffs as the No. 4 seed in Division 4. They lost their quarterfinal just 8-6 to a Livermore team that would end up as NCS runner-up.

Messenger was asked what it was like trying to go out on a high note.

"The second half of the season was definitely a grind and a bit of an emotional roller coaster," he said. "There were games where we didn't play up to our potential, but I think we grew closer as a team because of it. We kept working hard and believed we deserved a spot in the VVAL playoffs, even though things didn't end up going our way.

"As one of the leaders on the team, I tried to keep the focus on taking things one game at a time and making sure we were still having fun. I knew it was the last season I'd get to play with these guys, so I wanted to enjoy every moment."

Messenger won his last two starts after losing his previous two.

"To be honest, this season didn't quite meet the expectations I had for myself," he admitted. "As a pitcher, I was working on a few things mechanically throughout the year. Some games everything clicked, and other games it didn't. But I never stopped working at it. But that's baseball, and you just have to keep a clear mind and move on."

Now the son of Scott and Dianna Messenger is moving on to Division I college baseball in a land far away, but not too foreign.

"My mom is from North Carolina, so I've been traveling there several times a year for as long as I can remember," he said. "My uncle was a pitcher at a college in North Carolina, and playing college baseball there was always something I dreamed about. I'm excited to experience a different part of the country, meet new people and have new experiences, but it's also nice knowing I have family nearby who can come watch me play."

The Wildcats went 25-28 overall and 16-14 in Atlantic 10 Conference play. Messenger's first season will be head coach Rucker Taylor's ninth at the Davidson helm.

"Even though I always hoped to play college baseball in North Carolina, I knew I needed to cast a wide net during the recruiting process," Messenger said. "I started communicating with Davidson through email during my sophomore year and would send updates and video on my outings, and about tournaments and showcases I was playing in with my summer team.

"At the beginning of the summer after my junior year, I let the coaching staff know I would be pitching at a Perfect Game event in Georgia. Coach (Taylor) responded and said he would be there and was excited to finally see me play in person. That ended up being a pretty memorable day because I threw 90 mph for the first time.

"Later in the summer, I was playing in another event in North Carolina and reached out to Davidson to see if I could stop by campus and visit. The coaches welcomed me and spent several hours showing me around. That really stood out to me because it felt genuine and not just like a recruiting visit. They invited me back for a camp in early August, and about a week later they offered me a spot in the program."

Messenger is going to Davidson for the academics as much as for baseball.

"What made Davidson such a great fit was that it checked every box for me," he said. "My parents always made it clear that academics had to be just as important as baseball. Their message was that baseball might not work out, and even if it does, it won't last forever, so I needed to take school seriously, too.

"Davidson gives me the opportunity to compete at a high level in baseball while also getting an outstanding education. The coaches, players and overall atmosphere made it feel like a place where I could succeed, and that's why I knew it was the right choice."

Messenger plans to major in economics at Davidson, the alma mater of Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, who led the Wildcats' basketball team to the Elite Eight in 2008.

He said he's playing for the Sonoma Stompers this summer in the California Collegiate League to sharpen up for the college game.

"It's been a great opportunity to continue getting better before college while also staying close to home," he said. "All of my friends will be heading off to different schools at the end of the summer, so it's nice to spend the summer with them before we all go our separate ways."

He missed virtually all of his freshman season with an elbow injury before going 5-0 as the Braves' closer in 2024, posting a 2.02 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings and helping them win a section title.

Asked who has been most inspirational or motivational in helping him get to where he is now, he said his parents and sister Emery, a former Justin-Siena volleyball and track and field standout.

"My mom helped me with the mental and emotional side of the game, especially during my injury recovery," he said. "There were definitely times when I wondered if all the work would be worth it, and she was always there to help me stay focused. She also played a huge role in the recruiting process, helping me stay organized and communicate with coaches.

"My dad helped me with the physical and analytical side of baseball. He was always willing to catch bullpens, break down mechanics, and help me understand what I needed to improve. My sister has been incredibly supportive. Even while attending the University of Washington, she would tune in to watch games and check in after outings.

"I am most grateful because my family never put pressure on me. They knew I was already putting enough pressure on myself. They just supported me every step of the way."

With Davidson traveling no farther west than St. Louis this season, it might be tough for his immediate family to join the relatives in North Carolina at Wildcats games.

"I'm not sure how many games my parents and sister will be able to attend in person, but Davidson streams its games through ESPN+, so they'll be able to follow along and watch from wherever they are," he said.

"I'm just really grateful to everyone who helped me get to this point. My family has been incredible, but there are also a lot of coaches and mentors who invested their time in me over the years. Coach Jason Chatham, coach Skip Freschi, and all of my Justin-Siena coaches played a huge role in helping me develop as both a player and a person.

"I also thank Jason Franks for making me a better pitcher physically and mentally, John Cortese at CTS, coach Rob Bruno and his NorCal Baseball organization for providing me an opportunity to compete at a high level, and coach Randy Bishop for all of his guidance. So many people believed in me, challenged me, and helped me grow along the way. I wouldn't have this opportunity without them."

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.