Isaiah Castaneda 3B / SS / Pearland, TX / 2024

Projectable 2024 RHP with a clean, repeatable delivery and arm action. FB 86-88, BB 71-74, CH 78-81. Castaneda commands the bottom of the zone well with the FB while showing a breaking ball that flashes swing and miss.  

Short stroke to the ball, staying inside of the pitch well to pull it to LF for a single, untying the game. 

Marc Barnhard RHP / 3B / Grand Oaks, TX / 2024

Barnhard has made a nice jump from the summer. Clean, quick arm action showing glove-side command with FB sitting 88-91 T92, BB 80-84 showing two different shapes at times and able to get swing and miss with both, CH 76-77. Going to be an arm to watch this season.  

Barnhard came in for 1 IP of relief and was 89-91 with 2300-2400 rpm of spin on the FB while his SL was 81-82 with 2500-2600 rpm spin, recording 1 K in the IP. Quick tempo delivery that stayed synced up together throughout. 

AJ Atkinson / Katy, TX / 2024

In two looks at Atkinson early in the season, he shows a simple, quick stroke to the ball using the middle of the field, flashing line drive power to the gaps. 

Damon Hernandez / Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial, TX / 2024

Prototypical spark plug leadoff hitter for CC Veterans Memorial. Hernandez does a good job of taking what he’s given at the plate, uses all fields to spray the ball and can contribute when runners are on base. Hernandez also played solid defense at SS for CC Vets. 

Trace Meadows OF / RHP / A&M Consolidated , TX / 2024

Uncommitted LHH OF with very good speed showed his ability to use the whole field with 3 hits over two games. Also showed a good arm in the outfield cutting down a runner at the plate. The bat continues to develop for Meadows each time we see him. 

Matthew Alan Novominsky OF / LHP / Clear Falls, TX / 2024

Novominksy shown good ability to hit when we’ve seen him in the past and did the same against Brook. Novominsky narrowly missed leaving the yard if not for the wind blowing in from RF and the ball going off the wall. Novominsky has a simple swing from the left-side and flashes power to the pull-side.  

Jaxon Spangler LHP / North Lamar, TX / 2024

It was my first time seeing Spangler, and the Lefty was impressive.  He is around 6’ with broad shoulders and has a very athletic delivery.  He plays OF when he isn’t pitching, and he moves well like a CF.  His fastball sat in the upper 80’s, topping out at 89 mph. He has a shorter arm action that he repeated well. He showed the ability to get to both sides of the plate with the fastball, and wasn’t afraid to pitch inside.  He followed the fastball up  with a curveball he threw in the 74-77 range, and it generated a lot of swing and miss. He could drop it in for a strike or bury it at the backfoot of the RHH.  Spangler pitched with confidence and is one of the top uncommitted lefties in the ‘24 class. 

Kadyn Leon RHP / Lake Travis, TX / 2024

Leon made a relief appearance for the Cavs in a close rivalry game against Westlake. Leon has a quick arm and the FB was 89-91 T92.He paired that with a quality CB at 74 mph that he showed good feel for in all counts. The thing that impressed me most about Leon was his ability to work out of jams. In multiple high pressure situations, he was able to stay collected and get the big outs the Cavs needed. He will be a solid option out of the pen for LT all season and his ability to pitch under pressure will be useful come playoff time.

Jack Brady RHP / Westlake, TX / 2024

Brady got the start for the Chaps in their 2nd matchup against Lake Travis on the season. This time at Lake Travis, making it a tough environment for Brady to pitch in. He seemed unbothered by the hectic atmosphere though and cruised for 5 innings. He allowed 6 hits but pitched out of every jam he found himself in. He struck out 6 and allowed 1 R (0 ER) on 6 Hits and 1 Walk. The FB isn’t overpowering, mostly 80-83 (T84) but he has good command as well as good feel for a CB at 67-70. The CB generated weak contact and s/m all game. By getting big outs when the Chaps needed them most, Brady led them to a 2-1 Victory over Rival Lake Travis. 

Aiden White LHP / 1B / Prosper, TX / 2024

The Junior was sharp in his start against Denton Guyer when I saw him. The lefty has a mid 80’s fastball that he can command to both sides of the plate. He has a repeatable arm action and a frame that projects for another velo bump.  He complimented the fastball with a quality curve ball. It has good depth and plays to both righties and lefties.  White has good mound presence and will be a good follow the rest of this spring and this summer. 

Eoghan Collins RHP / 1B / Concordia Lutheran, TX / 2024

Physical LHH 1B had a solid night at the plate with two hits including an RBI double in the middle of Concordia's comeback efforts. Quick stroke that can get to the FB on the inner half well and turn on it to the pull-side. Collins is coming on and becoming a big bat in the middle of Concordia’s lineup this year. 

Houston Rhodes RHP / Friendswood, TX / 2024

Rhodes came in from the bullpen to finish the final 4 IP for Friendswood. Rhodes used a two-pitch mix with FB at 84-86 with a little bit of cut running underneath the barrels to get swing/miss while also using his CB to get ahead early at 73-77 landing it for strikes and also getting swing/miss when needed.

Peyton Adams OF / 1B / Friendswood, TX / 2024

LHH OF showed his ability to use the whole field. 1st AB was out in front on a CB and stayed back enough to line it to RF over the RF head for a triple and then later in game, stayed back and punched through the left side. Adams has good control of the zone and his swing stays through the zone well. 

Keegan Demmer C / Tomball, TX / 2024

Demmer showed off his raw power in a big way, launching a two-run HR late in the game for Tomball. Demmer did a good job keeping his hands in with a quiet approach at the plate.

Chase Fuentes C / SS / The Woodlands Christian, TX / 2024

Fuentes continues to show solid ability at the plate each time we see him. Two good barrels on the night with line drives to pull-side and opposite field. Simple, short stroke to the ball allows Fuentes to use the whole field. 

Ethan Uribe 3B / Lake Creek, TX / 2023

Uribe had two big RBI base knocks for Lake Creek helping lead to their 12-0 run rule victory over Montgomery. Both hits came off of good arms and Uribe showed the ability to keep his hands inside on both taking a breaking ball to the opposite field and then staying with an outside FB to go the opposite way as well. 

Collin Toedter RHP / Grand Oaks, TX / 2024

6-6, XL frame, long arm action that created good tilt when right. FB was 85-87 T88 getting S/M at top of the zone, BB 74-79 flashing ability to land it in the zone, CH 75. Competed well through 4+ IP against a competitive Woodlands lineup. 

Jaxson Hanel OF / RHP / Lake Creek, TX / 2024

Hanel came in in relief for Lake Creek and went 2.2 IP allowing 2 unearned runs on 0 hits. FB 84-87, CB 69-73 landing for strikes. Lanky frame, long arm action from a high ¾ slot. 

Tyler Spruiell LHP / Lubbock Cooper, TX / 2023

Spruiell works with a funky motion from the left side and is able to command a fastball with decent ride in the mid-80s at 83-85. Spruiell possesses two breakers, a traditional slider at 71-73 and a looping curveball at 67-69. Pitches he didn’t land consistently in the strike-zone, but was able to generate whiffs in leverage counts with the pitches.

Timothy Haynes 3B / RHP / Lubbock Cooper, TX / 2024

Haynes roped two doubles in a district matchup with Abilene Cooper. He has easy pop with the ability to rotate quickly, and good bat to ball skills. Haynes’ frame is solid and might have room to grow even more. Played a solid first base, showed ability to range both ways.

Bryce LeBlanc LHP / 1B / Lubbock Cooper, TX / 2024

LeBlanc has a very large frame at 6’7” and has a chance to add more weight down the road. A very easy swing was shown against Abilene-Cooper with solid bat-to-ball skills. LeBlanc chased the offspeed a bit, but hammered the fastball in a two-hit day. 

Nano Mendoza 3B / Frenship, TX / 2024

Mendoza roped a two-RBI single to the pull side against Odessa-Permian, using his quiet load and aggressive swing to get around the ball quickly. He has a frame and swing that provides a good amount of power

Aidan (AJ) Ripley LHP / 1B / Richardson Pearce , TX / 2024

Ripley got the start for Pearce against Lake Highlands on a Saturday afternoon. The Jr. went the distance in a 7-3 victory. Ripley predominantly went with fastball and curveball for the majority of the game.  The fastball was 85-87 and he showed the ability to get to both sides of the plate with it.  He would stay away from righties early in the count and then bury it under their hands when he got ahead.  He also showed a good breaking ball. He threw it for strikes and could bury it when he was ahead in the count.  The shape worked effectively against both lefties and righties.  Ripley has thrown a lot of big innings for the Mustangs the last couple of years, and he can beat anyone come playoff time.