The 2024 Texas high school baseball season is quickly approaching and, as usual, excitement is abound throughout the state. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across Texas.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in Austin at the UIL State Tournament in June, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality. We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams across the state as we preview individual teams across Texas. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews, eventually releasing our Preseason Power 30 rankings that’ll carry us into the opening week of action.

Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across the state. Each week we will be releasing our Players of the Week and updating the Power 30 rankings.

Our 2024 preseason coverage continues today.

High School: LD Bell Blue Raiders
Head Coach: Paul Gibson
UIL Classification: UIL Class 6A (District 3)
Team Strengths: 5 Returning 1st Team All-District Performers
2023 Record (Playoff Finish): 21-10 (6A Bi-District Finalists)
Key Players Lost: Cameron Harvath

 

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TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

+ LHP Matt Wendorf (2024; uncommitted) - First Team All-District
+ LHP Kolbe Fielder (2024; uncommitted) - First Team All-District
+ INF Ruben Sosa (2024; uncommitted) - First Team All-District
+ INF Hudson Knight (2025; uncommitted) - First Team All-District
+ C Nomar Torres (2026) - First Team All-District

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TOP NEWCOMERS

+ RHP/INF Jackson Thomas (2025; uncommitted)
+ UTL Malachi Perez (2026)
+ INF/RHP Brendon Gleim (2026)

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FRESHMEN TO FOLLOW

+ CIF/OF Gary Sanchez (2027)

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TEAM OUTLOOK

After finishing the 2023 season as 6A Bi-District Finalists, the L.D. Bell Blue Raiders bring back a talented squad for 2024. Coach Paul Gibson’s squad will return five players who earned First Team All-District, with two of those five being pitchers.

Starting with the pitchers, the Blue Raiders bring back a pair of senior southpaws in Matt Wendorf (uncommitted) and Kolbe Fielder (uncommitted). Both earned First Team All-District honors in 2023 and should be a strong one-two punch for the Blue Raiders atop the rotation in 2024. Joining them on the pitching staff is fellow senior RHP/OF Arya Mandanhar (uncommitted). A newcomer on the mound for the Blue Raiders in 2024 is expected to be junior RHP/INF Jackson Thomas (uncommitted).

On the infield, L.D. Bell brings back INF Ruben Sosa (2024; uncommitted) and INF Hudson Knight (2025; uncommitted). Both were First Team All-District last season, with Knight checking in at No. 188 in our state rankings for the 2025 class. Joining the returning group on the infield will be First Team backstop from 2023, sophomore C Nomar Torres, who had a stellar freshman season last year. Also contributing on the dirt in 2024 will be senior INF Braydon Shives (uncommitted), junior C Kallen Pate (uncommitted), and sophomore INF/RHP Brendon Gleim. Elsewhere on the diamond, look for sophomore UTL Malachi Perez to join the varsity squad in 2024. Senior OF/RHP Nick Kumpel (uncommitted) is also expected to contribute this season and potentially as a two-way player as well. A freshman to follow entering 2024 is CIF/OF Gary Sanchez who could end up being a mainstay on varsity for the next few years.

The Blue Raiders look primed for another 6A playoff berth in 2024, and should be a tough out when they get there thanks to the starpower they return on the roster, as well as the youth they bring in.

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Find more information on the 2024 LD Bell Blue Raiders program below:

+ <<2024 Schedule>>
+ Follow L.D. Bell on X: @LDBellBaseball
+ Prep Baseball Texas, Power 30 Homepage

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