Prep Baseball Report

Inside the 2022 Rankings


PBR Texas Staff

TEXAS- Our boots-on-the-ground scouting staff is constantly on the road evaluating talent throughout the entire year, from the high school season, travel ball in the summer, fall league games, or PBR events, we aim to be your number one source for amateur baseball scouting news. Our multimedia platforms and events work in tandem, ultimately creating the most powerful source of high school baseball promotion in Texas. Today we look at the Rankings in greater detail by highlighting the Top 10 as well as a few Newcomers and Risers.

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TOP 10

Jayson Jones 3B / Braswell , TX / 2022

The ball comes off Jones’ bat differently as the barrel stays in the zone forever on a flat path. His 6-foot-2, 185-pound frame already showcases some physicality although it will likely add even more strength in coming years which will only aid the already impressive power that he has. Jones’ quick hands whip the heavy barrel through the zone, and he is a persistent threat in each at-bat and any count. An athletic defender at third base, he has a chance to stick there long-term although the bat alone will allow him to shift to a corner outfield spot if necessary. The Arkansas recruit is an immediate impact player, and might ultimately be the best hitter in the class.

 


Anthony Silva SS / Clark, TX / 2022

A Futures Games alumni, Silva has always had the ability to defend at a very high level. It is something that seems to come very natural to him. His hands and feet work really well around the ball on the routine play. He plays through the ball well when he needs to and shows the ability to throw the ball on the run from multiple arm angles. One example from the game against Brandeis was on a ground ball back to the pitcher where Silva received the throw over 2B and had to make a jump throw to first base. We have all seen this play many times but Silva seemingly made it look effortless without taking a misstep, he touched 2B with his right foot, hopped over the incoming runner and threw a strike to first base all before he touched the ground. At the plate he shows a quality approach in the box and with his added strength the ball has started to jump off the barrel to all fields. Its not that the offense is a weakness by any means, but as he continues to develop, both physically and mentally at the plate, he has a shot to be an elite player.

 


Conner Weigman SS / Bridgeland, TX / 2022

Weigman is a Texas A&M dual sport recruit carrying lean strength throughout an impressively athletic frame. He is quiet in the approach from the right side, standing slightly hunched with minimal hand movement/separation before quickly striking the barrel through the zone on a more direct path. He swings a heavy barrel needing little effort to produce louder exit velocities. His bat and power potential  should allow him to shift to second or third base if necessary moving forward.

 


Jace LaViolette OF / Tompkins, TX / 2022

LaViolette, an LSU recruit, loudly made himself known to MLB scouts with a stellar performance at the Underclass Area Codes event in August. Entering high school with lots of buzz surrounding his size and ability, the now 6-foot-5, 225-pound slugger has steadily made progressions with his frame and at the plate. Built with a barrel chest and defined strength throughout, LaViolette demonstrates an ability to slow the game down while at the plate before getting off controlled, yet aggressive, swings. LaViolette might have the best hands in the country at first base, and along with surprising athleticism given his big frame, transfer over to the outfield where he also may have a chance to play a corner spot.

 


Chase Shores RHP / Midland Lee, TX / 2022

6’6" long lean athletic frame with a lose arm, throws from a low 3/4 slot, FB has been up to 95 this spring, extremely high ceiling when it all comes together. Look for Shores to continue to make jumps and be heavy in draft conversations come time for the 2022 draft

 


Cade Climie 3B / Seven Lakes, TX / 2022

Climie, a Texas A&M recruit, is part of what is already shaping up to be a strong crop of position players from the Lonestar State in the 2022 class. Built with some thicker natural strength throughout a 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame. Hitterish with a confident aura, Climie is balanced throughout the pursuit which includes a minor knee knock leg kick that separates the hands somewhat deeper into a power position. There is present bat speed as he remains compact to the body while working slightly uphill through the zone and getting quality usage of the hips and lower-half. Climie tracks well which allows him to hit without fear when falling behind, and his ability to change planes is clearly there as is the ability to cover the plate. He is a leader on the diamond and played shortstop although he likely profiles as a third baseman or offensive second baseman at the professional ranks.

 

 

Rylan Galvan C / Sinton, TX / 2022

Rylan Galvan brings a physical presence and athleticism behind the plate and also at SS when he plays there. On the day we were able to see him, he was at catcher and showed a solid all around game back there. Galvan seemed to have a natural ability to be in control behind the plate, guiding a young arm to a CG. At the plate he showed a quality approach on the day taking what he was given with a hard hit single through the right side on a 2 strike pitch away. Galvan is one of the top players in the state in the 2022 class and he continues to show why each time we see him play.

 


Max Belyeu OF / Aledo, TX / 2022

Belyeu, now a Texas recruit, has seen his stock steadily rise since first emerging on the national scene at the PBR Future Games in 2019. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound left-handed hitter finds consistent barrels including an ability to change planes and utilize the entire field with authority. What was initially a wiry-athletic frame has quickly developed into impressive physicality as the slugging corner outfielder now possesses thicker strength throughout, and it shows through the loud contact that his simple approach produces. Remaining balanced throughout, Belyeu has some controlled aggression with the swing, and his quick hands and wrists provide for impressive bat speed. As a 6.8-runner with a 90 mph arm from the outfield, he has the athleticism to be a quality corner defender, but the bat, and especially the hit-tool are what will carry him up draft boards in 2022. Should the power production continue to tick up (and I think it will), expect Belyeu to garner plenty of attention next summer and beyond.

 


Griffin Herring LHP / Southlake Carroll, TX / 2022

We saw the LSU Commit pitch against IMG academy and had mixed results against a tough lineup. Herring threw the FB to both sides of the plate at 86-89 mph on the day showing a tough angle in to RHH when he got it in as well as heavy arm side action when pitching to his arm side. The change up on the day at times showed plus getting lots of swings and misses at 81-83 mph. 

 


Xavier Perez RHP / Veterans Memorial, TX / 2022

Perez might have the best breaking ball in the entire class when it’s all said and done. Perez is a strike thrower with a 3 pitch mix, whose FB gets in to the low 90’s now with more in the tank down the road. He Has pitched in many games against top end competition and has proven why he is so highly thought of on the mound


 

Newcomers

Collin McKinney RHP / Clear Creek, TX / 2022

Big, athletic, projectable RHP with big velo up to 93, sitting 90-92 with ride up in the zone generating swing and miss. Also flashed a curveball at 77 with 12-6 shape. Plenty of room to continue developing.


Dylan Maxcey C / Friendswood, TX / 2022

Athletic, agile catcher with quick actions behind the plate and a strong, accurate arm. Offensively, he’s got a quick, simple swing at the plate with sneaky pop and ability to hit line drives to either gap. High IQ player.


Garrett Coiner RHP / Pearland, TX / 2022

Incarnate Word commit. Athletic, projectable RHP that fills up the strike zone. FB 87-89 painting both sides of the plate consistently. CB that rolls in at 72-74 that was mixed in well to keep hitters off balance. Plenty of room to grow as he continues to develop.


William Block C / Mansfield Lake Ridge, TX / 2022

Strong frame with loose hips while receiving. Quick footwork paired with a quick funnel to release, quiet receiver showing good reactions to blocking balls on either side of the plate.

 

Risers

Jake Duer OF / Marcus, TX / 2022

Up 23 spots

Athletic LHH OF with really good bat to ball skills while flashing pull-side power at the moment. Really nice pickup for TCU, as he continues to grow expect to see him develop more power in his swing. 


Caleb Castle SS / Clearlake , TX / 2022

Up 66 spots

Long, lanky, projectable RHP sitting 87-88 (2467 rpm avg, 2538 rpm max), breaking ball at 73 with power curve shape (2458 rpm). Lots of development left in the tank for Castle as he continues to make velo jumps and add more weight to his frame.


Shane Sdao LHP / Lake Creek, TX / 2022

Up 27 spots

Lanky, projectable LHP has made a big velo jump over the past year now sitting 86-88 T89 and hitting 87-88 consistently throughout the outing, FB spin up to 2376 rpm. CB 72-74 with slurve action and swing and miss ability. Lots of room on his frame to grow, will be an exciting arm to watch the rest of this year.



Luke Steward RHP / College Station, TX / 2022

Up 30 spots

McNeese State commit. Lanky, projectable RHP with a high spin profile. 2825 rpm avg CB spin with a max of 3024 rpm that will get more swings and misses as his fastball continues to develop. FB was 83-86 T87 with an avg spin of 2425 rpm and max of 2576 rpm. As he continues to add to frame, expect to see more velo added to the FB and the CB become even more of a weapon.

 

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