J. T. Simonelli has been named to the 2026 Southland Conference All-Academic Baseball Team. The 2022 Quitman High School graduate was one of five Northwestern State University (NSU) players named to the elite squad.

As an outfielder at NSU, the son of Michael and April Simonelli, who is majoring in Business Administration, compiled a .267 batting average, with 5 home runs and 8 doubles, while scoring 20 runs and knocking in 16 over his 46 game appearances, including 33 starts.

Prior to transferring to NSU for the 2026 season, Simonelli played two seasons at South Arkansas Community College, where he set the single-season and career home run records at the school and helped South Ark win consecutive regional championships and a place in the 2024 NJCAA World Series.