TX Summer Championships Top Prospects - Part 1
June 14, 2022
TEXAS - We kicked off our summer tournament schedule down in Houston for the Texas Summer Championships this past weekend and the competition and talent was even better than expected. With many of the top teams from across the state in the 2024 and 2025 classes, our staff was able to see some familiar faces as well as some players that we hadn't seen before. 36 teams went at it over 4 days, with the NTX Longhorns winning each age group. As we go through each team, we will highlight players that stood out over the weekend and caught our scouts eyes. Lets take a look at part 1 of 4 as we break down the Texas Summer Championships.
Wow Factor
+ Grayson Youngblood - SS - 2025 - Victoria East
Standing 5-foot-9, 160-pounds, Youngblood packs a punch at the plate. The uncommitted SS put the barrel on the ball 3 times with no results in their first game of the tournament with a compact flat stroke that showed bat speed and the ability to backspin the baseball on a line. Youngblood also showed natural instincts in the field with quality hands and feet around the ball and showing plenty of arm strength to throw across the diamond. Will be a major follow guy throughout the summer.
+ Connor Brady - 3B - 2025 - Nacogdoches
Brady shows all the actions and tools to be a breakout player this summer. Going 1-3 on the day with multiple good swings, the third baseman is just scratching the surface of who he will become as a player. Hitting in the middle of the order of a strong lineup, Brady will get plenty of opportunities to drive in runs all summer.
+ Max Martinez - CF - 2025 - Dobie
Martinez was a catalyst at the top of the order for Wow Factor baseball in game 1. Going 2-2 with a walk and 2 barreled balls to LF, Martinez showed a short quick path to the ball. With plenty of strength to come, one would think the ball only continues to jump off his bat with ease from a smaller frame. There is a lot to like about Martinez offensively moving forward.
GPS Anzures
+ Ethan Sanders - SS - 2025 - Vista Ridge
Sanders was the starting SS this year at Vista Ridge but kicked off game 1 of the tournament on the bump against a tough Wow Factor lineup. Sanders held his own and showed off his natural arm talent on the mound. Sanders worked at 83-85 mph with the FB to both sides of the plate, with a breaking ball at 72-74 mph and a changeup at 78 mph. The breaking ball wasnt overly firm but it showed late action getting lots of swings and misses out of the zone. Sanders was easy to like as a defender during the high school season but it was good to see his athleticism translate to the mound as well.
+ Joseph Sandusky - SS - 2025 - Austin McNeil
Sandusky showed a well rounded skill set in game 1 of the tournament. Recording a hard hit single to right center field and barreling another with no result, the SS showed a well balanced swing with more to come as he develops. Sandusky was equally impressive on the infield, showing all the right actions you want to see from a middle infielder, showing no reason he wont be able to stay there. Defensively his day was highlighted with a ground ball hit in the 6 hole and he ranged to his right, fielded it cleanly, drop stepped and cleared his hips to fire a strike to 2B and start the double play.
New Braunfels Elite
+ Colten Schmid - CF - 2024 - La Vernia
The undersized CF played well above his height and weight on the day. Hitting in the two hole on the day Schimd displayed a simple flat swing that had gap to gap power resulting in 2 hits on the day, capped off by a double to right center field late in the game.
+ Jackson Kuenzi - SS - 2025 - Canyon
Kuenzi also had quite the day for himself at the top of the lineup for the New Braunfels Elite squad. Going 2-3 on the day showing natural rhythm in the swing and bat to ball skills that will allow him to hit at a high level. Kuenzi’s actions in the field showed a lot to like around the ball making all the plays that came his way.
+ Jackson Melanson - RHP - 2025 - Boerne Champion
Melanson was masterful on the mound going a full 7 innings giving up 2 hits and 1 run while punching out 4. Melanson pitched at 80-83 mph with the FB but showed a quick arm and a repeatable stress free delivery that should allow him to see a velo spike with time. The right hander also mixed in a quality CB that showed plenty of depth and late action both for strikes and for a chase pitch.
Hunter Pence James
+ Jax Marshall - OF - 2024 - Mckinney Christian
Marshall can flat out hit. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound corner OF has a knack for finding the barrel consistently. Marshall shows a natural rhythm to the load and swing with a feel for where the barrel is at all times. The impressive thing about Marshall offensively is he always tends to repeat his best swings. You rarely see him off stride or fighting to get the bat head out front. The uncommitted OF hit a double off top of wall to LF, and had another hard hit barrel in the AB before. Marshall should be a hot name as an offensive corner outfielder this summer.
+ McClane Helton - OF/DH - 2024 - Cy Woods
Helton has continued to mature physically and it showed up at the plate yesterday. The OF went 1-2 with a walk. In his first AB, he barreled a ball for a single and also a quality AB in his second plate appearance but with no results. Helton has feel for the barrel and a natural ability to hit, look for him to continue to hit at a high rate from the left side all summer.
+ Seth Sloan - SS - 2024 - Willis
Sloan didnt get much to hit at the plate on the day but still wound up being productive, going 0-1 with 2 walks and 2 runs. Sloan showed good actions and instincts on the dirt and within the shortened 5 inning game, he displayed more than enough to make him one to follow closely this summer.
+ Chase Fuentes - C - 2024 - The Woodlands Christian
Fuentes was the MVP on day 1 for Hunter Pence- James. The stoutly built catcher went 3-3 with 3 RBI and 2 runs scored and hit the ball hard each time. Fuentes also strongly contributed to the shutout behind the dish as well. Handling both arms he caught with relative ease, the uncommitted backstop was more than impressive when he was behind the plate and overall was one of the standouts from the weekend.
+ Trenton Buckley - 3B - 2024 - Magnolia West
The 3B joined the hit parade on the day going 1-2 with 3 RBI, and just barely missing a ball that was well struck to RF late in the game. Buckley has continued to develop physically and it showed up with how the ball jumped off his bat multiple times. In the field he exhibited natural actions and instincts around the ball and a good arm across the diamond.
+ Zach White - OF - 2024 - Robert E Lee
The switch hitting OF joins the long list of guys that can really hit on the Hunter Pence- James team. White went 1-1, with an RBI, a walk and a run on the day. White is balanced throughout the swing showing the ability to hit from both sides of the plate with no problem.
+ Austin Godwin - 3B/1B - 2024 - Cy Fair
Godwin steps in the box with a presence to him every time. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound 3B/1B did what he does best and that's hit the ball hard. Godwin shows present bat speed with a flat stroke but still has the ability to drive the ball in the air with authority. The results weren't always there this weekend but Godwin found the barrel and made a lot of hard outs more times than not. Godwin is another name to follow along with on the talented 2024 HP James team.
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