Prep Baseball Report

Updated 2023 Texas Player Rankings


Brandon Gowins
Texas Scouting Director

TEXAS - As the summer ends and we start a new high school it is time to update the 2023 rankings.  The Senior class has started to take shape and some have continued to separate themselves from the pack.  The top of the class is littered with high end arms with high velocities and upside.  Blake Mitchell continues to lockdown the #1 spot as he finds a new way to elevate his game every time we see him.

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TOP 10

#1 Blake Mitchell - C/RHP - Sinton - LSU Commit

Our 2022 PBR Texas Player of the year retains his top stop in the class. After a great spring, leading Sinton to a state title, Mitchell carried his strong play through the summer and capped it off at the Area Code Games. Here is a write up from our VP of Scouting, Shooter Hunt:

Mitchell, a Louisiana State recruit, did nothing to dissuade his strong first-round potential, including providing a marquee moment with a booming opposite field home run. The 6-foot, 195-pound backstop is an elite athlete behind the plate with loose hips and soft hands along with a plus-plus arm. In the box, the left-handed hitter gains strength from a strong base with quick hands and strong forearms that provide impressive bat speed and power to all fields. Though the bat and glove are the push for Mitchell as a prospect, he is also one of the top pitchers in the class and worked 92-94 while showcasing a polished delivery along with what might be a plus changeup and feel for spin. 

 

#2 Travis Sykora - RHP - Round Rock - Texas Commit 

Sykora has cemented his status as the hardest thrower in the country. He touched 100 regularly this spring/summer and his secondary pitches continue to get better.  Here is Shooter Hunt on Sykora at Area Code Games:

As RHP Travis Sykora (Round Rock HS, TX) took the hill to warm up, the stadium fell silent in anticipation. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound Texas recruit didn’t disappoint. He sat 99-100 in the first inning before settling in at 94-98 for the next two. He used his 85-87 slider heavily at first, then went to an 84-87 splitter that the bottom drops out of. There have been a lot of hard throwers at Area Code Games--Tyler Kolek, Riley Pint, Hunter Greene, Jared Kelley and Chase Petty in the last 10 years. Petty and Sykora are the only two to hit 100 in that time. In three innings, Sykora allowed one hit and struck out five.

 

#3 Barrett Kent - RHP - Pottsboro - Arkansas Commit

Kent has always been one of the top arms in the state for ‘23 class, but this summer he elevated himself into the top 3 in the state overall.  Kent is an athletic mover down the mound, who produces low effort velocity that touched 95 at Area Code.

The Rangers didn’t slow down in that game, rolling right to RHP Barrett Kent (Pottsboro HS, TX), who also struck out five in three innings while hitting one batter. He stands at 6-foot-4, 200 pounds and ranged from 90-95 with an effortless delivery. His secondary varied a bit, as he threw a slider at 80-81 with a little cut, but then found more downward break at 84. - Shooter Hunt

 

#4 Brayden Sharp - LHP - The Woodlands - Tennessee Commit

Sharp has always had an athletic frame and delivery making it easy to project the velocity. This spring/summer the velocity jumped as Sharp is our #1 LHP in the state. The velocity got up to 94 this spring and has a frame that could see it tick up some more. He shows a swing and miss breaking ball that he can throw to both lefties and righties.  He shows a Changeup as well that has the makings of a useful pitch.  The recent Tennessee commit continues to elevate his game every time we see him.

 

#5 Kendall George - OF - Atascocita - Arkansas Commit

There is fast, and then there is Kendall George.  The Razorback commit is one of the most exciting players in the state.  He routinely has + times down the line, making every ball he puts on the ground a close play.  He shows good barrel awareness and the ability to use the whole field at the plate.

OF Kendall George  continued his strong summer with a 4-for-10 showing in San Diego. A smooth left-handed stroke and excellent bat-to-ball skills make for a high contact rate for the 5-foot-10, 165-pound Arkansas recruit. In five games, he went 4-for-10 and didn’t strike out. He has wiry strength in his frame that should eventually develop into gap power, but for now, he sprays the ball around the field and puts pressure on the defense with his plus-plus speed. - Shooter Hunt


#6 Zane Adams - LHP - Porter - Alabama Commit

One of the big risers into the top 10 is Adams. The LHP has seen his stuff continue to tick up and looks like a future weekend starter in the SEC. The Bama commit features a FB that has climbed into the mid 90’s, sitting comfortably in the low 9’s.  He shows a tight slider with good depth that generates a lot of swing & miss. He shows a changeup that he can throw with good arm speed and land for strikes.  Adams has a starter profile with all the necessary pitches to be successful.  He ended his summer with an electric outing on the mound, punching out 7 over 3 innings.

 

#7 Mason Bixby - RHP - SA Johnson - TCU Commit

When it comes to upside, Bixby has one of the highest ceilings in the state for the ‘23 class. The big righty from San Antonio has the frame and arm talent to be a Friday night guy in the Big 12.  He stands at 6’7 and has good body control for his size and age, and it only continues to get better. He touches 94 with a low effort delivery that shows ASR and sink when he gets out front.  It is a relatively short arm path for his size.  He also shows a breaking ball that has good depth when he stays on top and gets out front.  Bixby is still growing into the body and finding consistency, but the upside is some of the highest around.

 

 

#8 T.J. Pompey - SS - Coppell - Texas Tech Commit

The athletic SS from Coppell is one of the best defenders in the state regardless of position.  He is an easy  mover on the dirt showing elite lateral quickness and range.  He has more than enough arm to make any throw from short, topping out at 93 this spring on the mound.  Pompey made some adjustments in the swing, and really started to get into his power more this summer. His frame still has some big   He ended the summer with a very good performance in San Diego at the Area Code Games. 

 

#9 Gavyn Jones - LHP - White Oak - Texas Tech Commit

The East Texas native has had a lot of helium this summer after leading White Oak to a deep playoff run.  The LHP committed to Tech this summer and then capped off a great summer at Area Codes.

LHP Gavyn Jones (White Oak HS, TX) pitched three innings of relief, allowing a hit and a walk while striking out six. The fastball started out 90-93 from his 3/4 slot, before dipping to 87-90, but the pitch had arm-side run and he threw strikes. A Texas Tech recruit, his best secondary pitch was a slider with 3/4 sweeping action. It didn’t have a sharp or late break to it, but the angle at which he delivered the pitch allowed him to miss a lot of bats. He also mixed in a changeup at 83-84. - Shooter Hunt

 

#10 Jackson Brasseux - LHP - Paris North Lamar - Texas A&M Commit

Brasseaux was one of the most talked about 2023  after he opened up his recruitment at the beginning of the summer. The athletic Lefty from Paris saw his fastball continue to rise and topped out at 94 this summer.  He earned an Area Code spot, and committed to A&M later in the summer. 

LHP Jackson Brasseux (North Lamar HS, TX), tossed three innings across two appearances, allowing four runs (two earned) on three hits while striking out three. He pitches out of a 3/4 slot and slightly across his body, getting some arm-side action to his fastball that sat 88-91. He can command and vary his slider, which has 2/8 shape at 76-78. - Shooter Hunt

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