Like any year in the great state of Texas, the 2024 crop of baseball prospects is easily 100 deep with D1 and top JUCO caliber players. Make no mistake, JUCO baseball in Texas and surrounding states is a big deal and is becoming a more attractive option for top players each cycle because of how often D1 programs are signing 23-year-olds from the NCAA Transfer Portal. So, it’s likely more than a few players mentioned below will end up at a top JUCO program. Anyway, let’s not get too far and bury the lede.

As always, the “just missed” list for any class will feature around 50 very good players and prospects who were strongly considered for that 55th and final Five Tool 55 spot. Since this is the inaugural list for a class that has yet to play its junior season, future updates will likely include a lot of movement and new names and the final list is probably going to look considerably different. Could those new names be included below?

Well, in the most recent update to the 2023 class rankings, Ace Reese, Aidan Coleman, Alex Solis, Alex Petrovic, Diego Luzardo, Easton Tumis, Ethan Mendoza, Garet Boehm, Jackson Brasseux, and JJ Kennett were all included as Five Tool 55 members after being listed on the “just missed” list initially. Mendoza had a subpar 2021 summer statistically, made changes, worked immensely hard, was a sensational player for a state title winner and hit at an elite level everywhere this past summer. Tumis followed a strong junior season with a fastball that touched 94 MPH this summer. Solis is from a part of the state that doesn’t receive as much scouting attention and threw so well early in the summer he became an Area Code selection. Development isn’t linear.

High school juniors obviously have plenty of time remaining to improve, change physically, increase their skill level, get healthy and be seen. That last part is the most difficult. We can only be in so many places at once. The truth is there are players on this list that we simply need to see more, players that will make dramatic changes physically, players who will emerge with different roles and the list goes on. Speaking of list, let’s discuss the “just missed” list for the first Five Tool 55 for 2024 in Texas.

(Note: I attempted to group players based on similar positions/profile)

RHP – Josh Glaser – Flower Mound (Texas State commit)
RHP – Cameron Johnson – Waco Midway
RHP – Drew Devillier – Plano East (TCU commit)
RHP – Robert Hamman – Hillcrest (Kansas State commit)
RHP – Kyle Lockhart – Friendswood (Oklahoma commit)
LHP – Dasan Hill – Grapevine (DBU commit)
RHP – Brooks Roberson – Frenship
RHP – Jacob Mader-Cooper – Pearland (Rice commit)
LHP – Cooper Powell – Colleyville Heritage (DBU commit)
LHP – AJ Ripley – JJ Pearce
RHP – Brady Clark – Wylie
RHP – Zack James – Flower Mound (TCU commit)

Glaser and Johnson were among the toughest not to make No. 55. There’s a lot to like about Glaser’s stuff and present strike-throwing. After a strong summer, Texas State made a quick move to lock him in. Big right-hander Cameron Johnson remains one of the more underrated pitchers nationally. Still growing into his body, Johnson repeats and throws strikes well for a player his age and size and his sinker/slider combo is very strong. Don’t be surprised if he is sitting in the low 90s sooner than later and becomes a major D1 prospect.

Devillier might be destined for football success as a major QB prospect but is equally talented on the diamond. I admit I don’t know much about Hamman but from the little I’ve seen and heard he looks like he’ll quickly become one of the best pitchers in the state after moving in from Michigan. Lockhart should play a key role for a loaded Friendswood team and has one of the better sliders I’ve seen.

I think Hill is a strong bet to make a jump onto the next list and is among the prospects we’re most excited about seeing in the spring. Coming back from injury, the projectable lefty with a strong future stuff/control profile threw so well at DBU the coaching staff then made a move to secure his commitment. Roberson is a tall right-hander with size, a fastball with noticeable horizontal break and the makings of a quality changeup to throw with a hard curveball.

How many pitchers and studs does Pearland have? Jake Mader-Cooper, a longtime Rice commitment, has a good frame to build on with some projection remaining and boasts lively stuff. If his control improves, the righty will make a jump. I’m a fan of Cooper Powell’s posture on the mound and his athleticism sticks out. A DBU commitment, he has exciting upside because there are some things in the delivery DBU is going to be able to tap into and the velocity should continue to tick up.

Uncommitted left-handed pitcher AJ Ripley was a strong performer during the Pudge Rodriguez World Classic. His fastball played up from a simple, repeatable delivery and he showed flashes of manipulating his curveball to add horizontal movement. Speaking of the Pudge WC, Brady Clark punched our 14 batters in a 6.0 inning masterpiece. Skinny and currently undersized, Clark is a high-waisted athlete with a quick arm, early signs of future command/control and a righty capable of tweaking his breaking ball to have a curve and a slurve.

James’ physical upside is obvious within seconds of seeing him on the mound and the way his hands break creates some deception in his delivery. A righty committed to TCU, James should continue to see his fastball velocity progress thanks in part to his quick, loose arm. Smart move by TCU to lock him up early because he could really take off in the near future.

RHP/INF – Tate Hickman – Woodville (Sam Houston State commit)
LHP/UTIL – Chase Batten – Arizona State
RHP/INF – Kadyn Leon – Lake Travis
RHP/INF – Stephen Lewis – Manvel
RHP/INF – Harrison Wall – Mount Pleasant
RHP/OF – Landon Miller – Rouse (Houston commit)
RHP/INF – Bryce Payne – Central Heights
LHP/1B – Jaden Barfield – Pearland
LHP/OF – Zach Applegate – Burleson Centennial

Sam Houston State secured a commitment recently from 6-3 Woodville two-way standout Tate Hickman and I see exactly why. He moves well for his size. He’s not done filling out. And he boasts an intriguing hitting/power profile as a future third baseman. But I like him more on the mound. I think… Hickman has a quick arm with a good path and throws an explosive heater that’s been up to 91 MPH with feel for spinning a breaking ball. Perfect example of a player who could make a big jump and is a true two-way talent.

Chase Batten is right there with Glaser and Johnson as most likely to be No. 55 on the list. Talented as a hitter and pitcher, I like the Arizona State commitment’s future on the mound more, although his swing plays well from the left side. Batten was an outstanding performer at Foster this past season and I’m willing to bet his control issue in a small sample of Five Tool games this summer was a fluke.

High school football fans recognize the name Kadyn Leon because he was forced into the QB1 role at Lake Travis due to injury and thrived. Baseball fans might not know him yet because he spent most of last season on JV. I was in the right place at the right time to catch a varsity appearance and left ready to go all-in on his future on the mound with a fastball, curve and changeup that looked to possess future above-average or better grades. Exciting upside.

Harrison Wall was one of 5 Star Performance’s best competitors and strike-throwers, always up to the challenge of competing in a big game on the mound with legit hitting and defense ability, too. Stephen Lewis is a very long, thin right-handed pitcher who barely gave up a run this summer. He’s a good athlete and major projection candidate; hitters don’t pick up the ball out of his hand well.

Miller swung the bat well in Five Tool events this summer but created a buzz this fall with his velocity on the mound. There’s a lot to like about the way the delivery and arm work and Houston immediately pushed for his commitment this fall. Well, well, well… another Pearland standout. Barfield reminds me so much of Houston Christian commitment and 2023 Corpus Christi Ray lefty Keevyn Goss – a future strike-thrower with multiple offerings whose athleticism is likely underrated.

I’m not sure where Payne ends up because he’s a legitimate hitter, infielder and right-handed pitcher. In particular, his shoulder flexibility and arm speed on the mound, along with middle infield athleticism in the delivery, are especially exciting. Recently, Applegate posted a video of firing a 91 MPH fastball in the bullpen. He also has excellent bat speed and intriguing hitting potential. In terms of tools, he’s at or near the top among players on this list with the best collection of future grades.

C – Jonnie Gifford – West Plains
C – James Raecek – Plano West
C – Cody Cashon – Southlake Carroll (Houston commit)
C – Jake Overstreet – Rockwall
C – Brady Gray – Farmersville (ACU commit)
C – Jacob Silva – Clark (TCU commit)
C – Caden Roy – Reagan

Gifford is a big, physical, strong masher with a bat-first profile and notable raw power. During the AABC Mickey Mantle World Series, Raecek emerged as a major hitter to follow and followed that with an excellent fall. He’s beginning to add muscle to his frame and it’s showing in the way the ball comes off the bat. Cashon is an all-around skilled catcher and Overstreet, after playing a role for one of the state’s best teams, performed well this summer.

Gray and Roy were both standout players defensively this summer with their receiving and ability to impact the running game. Silva, the younger brother of current TCU shortstop and 2022 Five Tool 55 member Anthony Silva, is a switch-hitter with intriguing all-around ability that should fill out in the future.

INF/RHP – Brady Coe – Allen (ACU commit)
SS/RHP – Blaine Lucas – New Caney (Louisiana commit)
INF/RHP – Cam Harris – Brock
INF/RHP – Will Yeary – Covenant Christian Academy (DBU commit)
INF/RHP – Jesse “Stone” Gomez – Weslaco
INF/RHP – Dawson Park – Magnolia West (Texas State commit)
INF/RHP – Chris Patterson – Prestonwood Christian Academy
INF/RHP – Trenton Buckley – Magnolia West

Coe was among the toughest players to keep off the initial 55. He’s one of the most skilled players in the state who has stood out with the bat, infield glove and on the mound as a competitive strike-thrower up to 87 MPH. The recent ACU commitment is a natural all over the diamond. An athletic, multi-sport athlete who is a key part of the football team, Lucas showed well-rounded ability this summer, which led to a commitment to Louisiana.

I admit I don’t know Cam Harris as well as I do many other players, but I know he smashed the ball during the spring and summer and has thrown as hard as 92 MPH on the mound. During the fall, he puts shoulder pads on and racks up tackles for a loss. Yeary’s strong summer with the bat from both sides and as a pitcher led to a DBU commit.

Gomez, a Five Tool Academic Team standout, really impressed me with his worth with the leather at shortstop and was up to 87 MPH on the mound with a curveball that consistently missed bats. As a hitter, he has noticeable bat speed and hand strength. As a pitcher, he’s just scratching the surface and his athleticism sticks out in his delivery. Park has been a longtime favorite because of his confident actions, well-rounded skill, physical projection and athleticism. He has a quick, clean arm on the mound, but I think he settles in on the infield where he could play third or second base at the next level.

A high-waisted athlete with exciting all-around tools he’s beginning to tap into, Patterson is a good bet to make a big jump sooner than later. The right-handed hitter has played a lot of shortstop in the past and is skilled and athletic enough to profile across all spots of the diamond. That same type of description could be applied to Buckley, who has been up to 91 MPH recently and has the ability to play all over the diamond. Given how easy his delivery is, the right-hander could truly contribute either way at the next level and is definitely someone I’m looking forward to seeing more. The Magnolia West product showed up to one of our fall events and smashed bombs. To say we’re excited to see him this spring is a massive understatement because the talent appears special.

INF – Brooks Sartain – Trinity Valley (DBU commit)
INF – Colton Roquemore – Argyle (DBU commit)
2B/INF – Fisher Polydoroff – Keller
SS/INF – Sawyer Dunagan – Hallsville (TCU commit)
SS/INF – Eduardo Tamez – Episcopal
SS/INF – Matthew Tellez – Lake Ridge

The top three can be grouped together because the bat really plays and the defensive position can be figured out later. Sartain slugged .810 in Five Tool summer events and Roquemore finds the barrel in the batter’s box as well as anyone in the state. All Polydoroff has done is hit and hit with some impact no matter what time of the year.

Dunagan has a smooth, handsy, pretty left-handed swing and although he didn’t put up the numbers he’s capable of this summer, it’s easy to see why TCU locked up his commitment. Like Dunagan, Tamez’s defensive actions stood out. The Episcopal product will likely develop into a physical right-handed hitter who is already showing some strength in the box. Tellez has a rep as a gamer who can hit good pitching thanks to his hand strength/quickness and instincts.

3B/OF – Ryley Leininger – Georgetown
1B/3B/RHP – Timothy Haynes – Lubbock-Cooper
3B/RHP – Landon Cochran – North Forney
1B/RHP – Caleb Hoover – Rockwall-Heath
3B/1B – Sage Sanders – Westlake (Houston commit)
1B/C – Caden Miller – Madisonville (Houston Christian commit)

Leininger was one of the most impressive players physically I saw this summer and possessed some of the best bat speed I saw. Expect him to play a key role for Georgetown as it seeks back-to-back 5A state titles. Unfortunately, Haynes endured a true fluke injury when he suffered a torn ACL while celebrating his team’s win towards the end of the summer. A true impact player on the mound and with the bat, I think he ends up as a first baseman who can really mash. But it would be silly to rule out being an impact right-handed pitcher.

Cochran was a very strong summer performer with the bat and Hoover has been a well-known left-handed hitter for a long time. There was some late-summer buzz that Hoover, a right-hander, was up to 90 MPH on the mound but he’s hardly pitched. Like Hoover, Sanders has some raw power and feel for the barrel from the left side with a bat-first profile. During Five Tool games this summer, Miller hit an absurdly impressive .486/.615/.703 across 52 plate appearances with more walks than strikeouts.

OF – Brenton Clark – Pleasant Grove (Arkansas commit)
OF – Tristan Bittle – Arlington Martin (Texas A&M commit)
OF – Sam Lee – Lake Creek (Arkansas commit)
OF – Jaxon Miller – Frisco Heritage
OF – Ryder Rutledge – New Braunfels
OF/RHP – Garrett Hayes – Whitehouse
OF/LHP – John Van Huis – Bridge City
OF – Garrett Wallace – Flower Mound
OF – Colby DeMars – Liberty Hill
OF – Caleb Watkins – Royse City
OF – Ryan Selvaggi – Houston Lamar
OF – Jax Marshall – McKinney Christian (Houston commit)
OF – Landon Hutcheson – Frenship

Clark looks like one of the top left-handed hitters in the state with above-average, maybe plus wheels who has been committed to Arkansas for over a year. He’s a player we’d definitely like to see more of. The gridiron might ultimately be where Bittle stars, but he has an exciting set of tools and physical outlook as a baseball player. Speaking of football, both Sam Lee and Jaxon Miller are football players who can absolutely fly with noteworthy tools and projection. Miller also stars in track, too, and is a candidate for baseball skill to take off once he focuses on that specifically.

Although his swing is a tad unorthodox, Hayes is a very interesting player with present strength, impressive athleticism, bat speed and what looks like plus-plus speed. Another outfielder who is very athletic and can fly, Wallace is a candidate to make a leap sooner than later with impressive bat speed and a strong arm. Yes, another potential dude from loaded Flower Mound. I really liked what DeMars showed this summer. District Newcomer of the Year, the right-handed hitter has impressive size with projection and can cover the hitting zone with a natural feel. Van Huis swung the bat well this summer, creates some surprising pop given his frame because he leverages his strong lower half, and has a ton of of strength, too.

When Watkins connects with the barrel, the ball flies. Some swing-and-miss does accompany the hitting profile, but there’s a lot to like about the future power and physical makeup. A couple more outfielders who can really make the ball fly are Houston Lamar’s Ryan Selvaggi and McKinney Christian’s Jax Marshall. Both players have similar swings from the right side and it’s immediately obvious how much the hand and bat speed can create the type of pull-side damage that people can hear in the parking lot. Selvaggi is currently uncommitted and has a strong arm, too.

I left the Pudge Rodriguez World Classic a big fan of Hutcheson’s left-handed swing and the way he could impact the game with his physical traits. And I wasn’t surprised to learn he stands out as a football player, too. He’s a little more physically advanced than some of his peers, but he has athleticism to match his present strength. Rutledge is a tall, lean athlete who tracked the ball very well in center field for the Five Tool Academic Team, swung the bat well with bat speed, and has plus speed.

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