With one mighty swing, Gabriel Coltman accomplished everything he had set out to do. The Oregon native had two goals in his sights in participating in the 17th annual POWER SHOWCASE, and he achieved them both on the exact same swing.

Locked in a tie in the Featured Group Championship round at Globe Life Field on Tuesday, Coltman connected on a towering home run that traveled 518 feet. When the ball finally landed, he had become the new World Champion and also the newest member of the esteemed 500 Foot HR Club.

Coltman surpassed three-time defending World Champion Hogan Nelson to claim the Featured crown, and then completed the task by slugging five more home runs to move ahead of Underclassman Group champion Cooper Holmes, finishing with 12 total home runs in the finals.

“It feels great. I set my mind on hitting 500 feet and competing, and I feel like I’ve done both of those things,” Coltman said. “I was just amped up and it happened, and I just got fortunate to do them both at once. You couldn’t write it any better. Being called a World Champion, those are big words. It means a lot.”

Hitting just short of the last batter of the entire field of preliminary-round competitors, Coltman had all day Monday to witness the challenges he faced from his fellow participants. Yet he swung with ease when his turn finally arrived, putting on a memorable show to close with 15 home runs and advance to the championship. He also came within 19 feet of his other benchmark, with a long of 481 feet in the prelim round.

He got off to a slow start in the finals, using 12 of his 20 outs to get his first five homers. But he found that extra gear and credited that late push to the work he put in preparing for this moment.

“It was a little nerve-wracking actually being here and hitting in the stadium,” Coltman admitted. “The beginning of my two rounds, the nerves kind of got to me. But I started to feel more comfortable and my swing started to smoothen out. I enjoy the process and I enjoy working. So, being able to hit in the cage, I love it. All that work translates out on the field.”

An impressive part of his preparation included simulating Globe Life Field on his high school’s Hit Trax machine.

“I was using the Hit Trax a lot at my high school,” Coltman explained. “As I mentioned before, we have a Hit Trax machine there. So, I was hitting at Globe Life Field to get my mindset right for this, and I set it up exactly the same as it would be here. It really helped me.”

That specific preparation helped him feel confident and in control. His home runs traveled to all parts of the park, showing his ability to adjust based on pitch location.

“My coach really emphasizes hitting it where the pitch is thrown,” Coltman said. “So, when I got an outside pitch, I took it to right field and right-center, and, when I got an inside pitch, I pulled it. That is the correct approach.”

His combination of talent and preparation proved crucial to winning the title. To do so, Coltman had to defeat Hogan Nelson, the only three-time champion in POWER SHOWCASE history. Nelson’s 17 home runs in the preliminary round reminded everyone why he was the reigning champ.

Had Nelson won a fourth straight title, it wouldn’t have been a surprise. But Coltman’s triumph added to a legacy of humility and excellence. Nelson passed the torch to a worthy new champion—one who values the recognition and responsibility of the role.

Coltman now returns home to Oregon as possibly the most accomplished amateur baseball player in the state’s history.

“It means a lot. I love the Northwest,” Coltman said. “It is very beautiful and I have grown up there my whole entire life, and all of my family is in the Northwest. I really feel honored to rep the Northwest and win for my family and my friends.”