Montezuma-Cortez senior Cory Carver will continue his baseball career at the U.S. Naval Academy after graduating in spring 2026. Sam Green/Special to The Journal
Sam Green/Special to The Journal
Panthers shortstop hopes to carry success to Division I Midshipmen
CORTEZ – One of the biggest lessons Montezuma-Cortez senior Cory Carver learned as a varsity starter is to “never get too high or too low.”
“My mentality changed throughout my career – I started to play within myself and not show my emotions – and all the other parts of my game began to show after that,” Carver said.
That approach has helped Carver “ride the waves” as a player – a phrase that will take on new meaning after graduation this spring.
With one season left in a decorated prep career, Carver signed a letter of intent to play at the U.S. Naval Academy next year.
Nearly two dozen schools showed interest, but Navy stood out as the front-runner.
“The coaches were a big selling point for me – all of them are ex-professional players, and I trust that they’re going to continue developing me,” Carver said.
Carver hopes to anchor Navy’s infield at shortstop when he suits up in 2027.
Montezuma-Cortez senior Cory Carver signs his letter of intent to play baseball for the U.S. Naval Academy, joined by his parents and coaches. Ben Bradley/Special to The Journal
“I’ve had plenty of coaches along the way who have told me to set my goals high – so I’ve always had this idea that I could be a Division I player,” Carver said.
He’ll join a Navy team that regularly contends for Patriot League titles and aims to return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2016.
In his first three seasons, Carver helped the Panthers win three Intermountain League titles, make two state tournament appearances and set school records for wins with 22 in 2023 and 23 in 2025.
A career .477 hitter, Carver has topped .450 each season, with 137 hits, 81 RBIs and a .916 fielding percentage.
His steady play earned three all-state honors, including first team as a junior.
Montezuma-Cortez senior Cory Carver celebrates with family after signing to play baseball for the U.S. Naval Academy. Ben Bradley/Special to The Journal
Carver began in soccer but switched to baseball at age 10 after joining a travel team.
Since committing this fall and signing with the Midshipmen, Carver is relieved and ready to focus on helping the Panthers chase a state title this spring.
“We’ve been building with this team for the last four years, so we feel like this is our year,” Carver said.
