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High School  | General | 2/16/2023

Texas Region Preview

Photo: Blake Mitchell (Perfect Game)
High School Preview Index

Regional Previews: Florida | Georgia | Pacific | Deep South

This is the first year that Texas has been a region all to its own, as they have previously shared a region with Oklahoma and Arkansas.  With this years senior class having some notable premium talent with five PG All-Americans but limited depth, that left the very strong and notably deeper junior and sophomore classes to fill in the All-Region berths; the seniors and the underclassman splitting the positions seven to seven.



Six Texas teams are ranked in the PG Pre-Season High School Top 50, led by Pearland High School at 14th and Sinton High School at 18th.

C  --  Cade Arrambide (Jr., Tomball HS, Texas)
Arrambide is the top ranked catcher in the 2024 class and the fifth ranked player overall in that class.  He has elite level defensive tools behind the plate, including one of the strongest arms in the country regardless of class or state.  He also has a strong right-handed bat with lots of power potential.

1B –    Elbert Craig (Jr., Pantego Christian Academy, Texas)
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Craig is one of the strongest players in the 2024 class and has huge right-handed power.  He hit .349-7-29 in 47 PG games in 2022 and .441-2-21 for Pantego Christian Academy in the spring.  Craig is also an outstanding athlete for his size, with a 6.86 sixty and 93 mph arm strength from the outfield.  He also excels on the basketball court and averaged 17 points and 14 rebounds this winter.

MIF – Kayson Cunningham (So., Johnson HS, Texas)
Cunningham is the eighth ranked player in the 2025 class and features elite level hitting ability and barrel control.  A left-handed hitter, Cunningham has hit .451 with 74 walks and only 27 strikeouts in 114 PG games over the last two years to go along with 73 stolen bases.  He’s already a 6.53 runner and throws in the upper 80s off the mound.

MIF --  T.J. Pompey (Sr., Coppell HS, Texas)
Pompey was selected as a PG All-American based in large part due to his high-level defense in the middle infield.  An easy glider with loose athletic actions and long arms and legs at 6-foot-4, 175-pounds, Pompey has great hands and a very high ceiling as he gets stronger.  Pompey is probably best known as a pitcher actually after going 8-3, 1.08 in 58 innings as a junior but his future is as a middle infielder.

3B --  Theo Gillen (Jr., Westlake HS, Texas)
Gillen was a member of the 2019 PG 13U Select Festival and 2020 14U Select Festival teams as a middle infielder.  He’s grown into a strong 6-foot-3, 195-pound athlete with a well rounded tool set with an especially strong left-handed bat.

OF --  Nehomar Ochoa Acosta (Sr., Galena Park HS, Texas)
Acosta exploded as a prospect in 2022 and finished the year as the top ranked outfielder in Texas and the 45th overall prospect in the 2023 class.  He showed his plus-plus power all summer and fall, hitting .358-7-39 in 45 PG games, including .650 with 5 extra base hits at the WWBA 16U National Championships.  Acosta also has plus arm strength and has been up to 95 mph off the mound.

OF –   Kendall George (Sr., Atascocita HS, Texas)
George is one of the fliers of the 2023 class nationally, having run a 6.16 sixty at the PG National Showcase and shown his speed frequently at national level events, especially on the bases.  The left-handed hitter posted .412-2-23/22 stolen bases as a junior at Atascocita High School and is a career .381 PG hitter.

OF –  Sam Erickson (Jr., Flower Mound HS, Texas)
Erickson has a great combination of strength and quick twitch actions, featuring a strong 6-foot, 205-pound build and 6.49 speed in the sixty.  A right-handed hitter and left-handed thrower, Erickson has hit .409-6-38 in 47 PG games over the last two years.  He’s committed to Texas A&M.

LHP Zane Adams (Sr., Porter HS, Texas)
Adams missed almost all of his junior season after breaking an ankle running the bases but rebounded to become one of three PG All-American pitchers from the Lone Star State.  The 6-foot-4, 180-pound southpaw gained 6-7 miles per hour on his fastball from his sophomore year to junior summer and now works in the 91-94 mph range with a full three-pitch mix.

RHP Jack Frankel (Jr., John Paul II HS, Texas)
Frankel also missed the 2022 season with a non-pitching injury, in his case it being his non-throwing arm, but was so good in 2021 that he’s an easy choice here.  Frankel topped out at 94 mph as a freshman to go with an 80 mph breaking ball and low 80’s change up and is a strike thrower, having only walked 22 hitters in 84 career PG innings.

RHP Barrett Kent (Sr., Pottsboro HS, Texas)
Kent has a long and strong 6-foot-4, 200-pound build and a long and loose right arm that produces a 93-96 mph fastball without having to work too hard for his velocity.  He went 10-3, 1.97 with 110 strikeouts in 68 innings as a junior at Pottsboro High School and also hit .382-7-42 at the plate.  A PG All-American, Kent is signed with Arkansas.

RHP Travis Sykora (Sr., Round Rock HS, Texas)
The 6-foot-6, 220-pound Sykora has a valid claim to being the hardest throwing high school pitcher ever, with an electric right arm that regularly touches 100 mph in short outings.  He also features a hard slider and a change up.  A former shortstop before he outgrew the position, Sykora is also a very good all-around athlete

LHP Cooper Williams (Jr., Alvin HS, Texas)
Williams has a very projectable 6-foot-4, 175-pound build to go with a 90-92 mph fastball and outstanding command of his three-pitch mix.  He went 6-2, 1.58 with 72 strikeouts in 48 innings as a sophomore at Alvin High School outside of Houston and was even better in PG play, notching 31 strikeouts vs only five hits allowed in 19 innings.

Utility Blake Mitchell (Sr., Sinton HS, Texas)
Mitchell is the top ranked catcher in the 2023 class and helped lead Sinton High School to a Texas 5A state championship as a junior.  The PG All-American hit .465-7-52 on the spring but rarely actually caught, spending most of his time at shortstop and on the mound, where he went 6-0, 0.40 with three saves and 67 strikeouts in 35 innings.


Texas Region Top Tools


Best Hitter for Average: Kayson Cunningham (So., Johnson HS, Texas)
Despite being only a sophomore, Cunningham is just one of those players who one can confidently can say is going to hit his way all the way up the ladder.  In addition to his .451 average and absurd walk to strikeout ration at PG events the past two years, Cunningham hit .493 with 23 steals as a freshman at Johnson High School.

Best Hitter for Power: Nehomar Ochoa Acosta (Sr., Galena Park HS, Texas)
Acosta has a chiseled 6-foot-4, 208-pound build and top of the scale raw bat speed and power.  The big question for scouts is how often he’s going to be able to get to his power against high level pitching.

Best Runner: Kendall George (Sr., Atascocita HS, Texas)
Scouts have reportedly clocked George as low as 3.40 on a bunt from the left side, which seems believable given his first step burst out of the box.  George’s slashing hitting style puts the ball on the ground frequently.

Best Defensive Catcher: Blake Mitchell (Sr., Sinton HS, Texas)
Texas might have the best defensive catchers in the country in each of the senior, junior and sophomore classes in Mitchell, junior Cade Arrambide and sophomore Omar Serna (So., Dobie HS, Texas), but Mitchell gets the nod here due to his being a senior and because of his superior lower half quickness and athleticism.

Best Defensive Infielder: T.J. Pompey (Sr., Coppell HS, Texas)
The 2024 class in Texas is loaded with talented middle infielders but Pompey’s easy grace at shortstop and strong arm make him stand out.

Best Defensive Outfielder: Derrick Mitchell (Sr., John Paul ll High School, Texas)
A 6-foot-3, 200-pound athlete with 6.5 speed in the sixty and a 92 mph throwing arm, the switch-hitting Mitchell has a very high ceiling if he can make the jump with his bat, as his defense will play.  He is signed with LSU.

Best Defensive Arm: Cade Arrambide (Jr., Tomball HS, Texas)
Arrambide is in a class by himself when it comes to arm strength and it’s the type of tool that everyone stops and watches when he gets a chance to throw, such as at the 2022 PG Underclass All-American games where the LSU commit threw 87 mph from behind the plate and 99 mph from the outfield.

Best Fastball: Travis Sykora (Sr., Round Rock HS, Texas)
Sykora sat 99-100 at Chase Field in the PG All-American Classic and impressively had no problem throwing strikes with that high octane velocity.  Even from a state of traditionally hard throwers, that is special.

Best Off-Speed Stuff: LHP Zane Adams (Sr., Porter HS, Texas)
Both the senior power pitchers in the state, Sykora and Kent, are still developing consistency and feel in their sliders, which leaves Adams and his big breaking curveball and advanced change up to head up this category.

Best Pitchability: LHP Cooper Williams (Jr., Alvin HS, Texas)
Williams has the pitchability of a finesse left-hander to go with a fastball that is getting more and more firm as he matures.  He can add and subtract from his breaking ball to give it both a slider and curveball shape and has confidence in his change up.

Best Multi-Sport Athlete: Taylor Tatum (Jr., Longview HS, Texas)
Tatum plays baseball in the summer for the Marucci Elite Texas and for MLB Breakthrough Series and in the spring for Longview High School but he’s clearly a football-first athlete.  He’s one of the highest ranked running backs in the country and ran for 1,891 yards and 33 touchdowns as a junior.

High School | General | 11/20/2025

Regional Superlatives: Florida

Vincent Cervino
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Most Likely To Make a Huge Jump in the Rankings in 2026 RJ Shields (2027, Venice, Fl.) Shields took some significant strides throughout 2025, especially on the mound. The fastball reached 95 mph in recent months and he projects well with great athleticism and a sharp breaking ball. Shields is also a left-handed bat with good thump in the stick. The Mississippi State commit shot up the rankings following a loud fall and looks poised to continue to climb. -KP High speed BP swing from '27 OF Gavin Ruvalcaba (FL)... #JrNational @Florida_PG https://t.co/OwU9I0u6eY pic.twitter.com/gjYZbmCPGE — PG Showcases (@PGShowcases) June 12, 2025 Gavin Ruvalcaba (2027, Hialeah, Fl.) Ruvalcaba had a very strong 2025 and looks to be continuing on that path. The Duke commit has plenty of athleticism and is very well rounded with good tools across the board. The stroke is smooth and produces...
Tournaments | Story | 12/13/2025

Finest in the Field: Class of 2029

Tyler Russo
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Finest in the Field: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 | Class of 2028 These guys might just be entering high school, but they've certainly already made a name for themselves on the national circuit, especially with their abilities on the defensive side of things.  C: Xavier Rodriguez (Logansville, GA) Rodriguez is a polished defender with real arm strength behind the dish, while showcasing the ability to impact the baseball with authority to all fields evident by thirty of his sixty-five hits going for extra-bases including seven bombs. He handles high-level pitching extremely well, commands his staff and his offensive prowess makes him a true two-way asset. 1B: Cooper Knight (Buda, TX) Knight is a smooth operator at first base with plenty of range, fluidity and agility in his footwork around the bag. Add-in a rocket for an arm, the ability to change slots and to...
Tournaments | Story | 12/12/2025

Scout Stories: Part 5

AJ Denny
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Best Game I Saw: The Dream NTL 18U vs. MBA Scout Team Murphy Jupiter always brings out the best, and we got fireworks from the jump. Turner Marshall gave The Dream an outstanding 4+ innings of work on the mound, holding a lethal MBA team at bay with Chance Dixon, Derrick Carter, and Ellis Appling providing an offensive spark out of the gate for the Georgia based boys. However, it was only a matter of time before the talent on the other side got going, as MBA erased a 3-run deficit in the 5th to take a 4-3 lead led by a Parker Loew HR. The Dream then took command again in the Top of the 6th, before MBA punched right back with a huge 5-run inning in the bottom half capped off by a clutch RBI single from Matthew Kerrigan, ending a wild sequence with tons of notable performances from two very competitive rosters. Best Tournament Performance I Saw: Surely someone has already brought this...
College | Story | 12/12/2025

College Notebook: December 12

Craig Cozart
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Nebraska Cornhuskers 2025 Highlights: The Cornhuskers were a difficult team to figure in ’25 as they finished with 33 wins, played just .500 (15-15) in the Big Ten but had some big wins at various times during the season and got hot at the right time. They knocked off then #16 Vanderbilt in the second game of the year, beat #5 Oregon State 2-out-of-3 at home in late March and then got hot at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha to win the Big Ten Tournament. They beat Michigan State in a 10-inning thriller before taking care of #4 Oregon, knocking off Penn State and then shutout #13 UCLA to punch their ticket to the Chapel Hill Regional. Head coach Will Bolt has now led his alma mater to three conference titles and three NCAA Regional appearances during his six years in Lincoln. No different than when he was a player, Bolt’s teams play with passion and toughness, this was never more...
Tournaments | Story | 12/12/2025

Finest in the Field: Class of 2028

Troy Sutherland
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Finest in the Field: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 You like athletes? You like defenders who can impact a game at any given point? Look not further than this class as it's loaded from coast-to-coast with elite defenders all over the diamond.  C: Brogan Witcher, Bakersfield, CA Our scouting staff got several strong looks at Witcher whether that was at the Summer Kickoff, Sophomore National or the Underclass All American Games where he showcased his strong overall skillset and especially his advanced ability behind the plate. His 6-foot-3,180 pound build looks like one that will fill in quite nicely and be that big and physical catcher’s frame. His arm talent is undeniable where he gets it out quick and runs it up to 79 mph on throwdowns to 2nd (1.84 pop). Besides the standout catch/throw ability, we’ve seen him frame/receive strong arms and block it well during...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 12/11/2025

PG Softball "Toys 4 Tots" Fundraiser 18U division

Dave Durbala
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BURLINGTON, IA - 2025 Perfect Game Softball Toys 4 Tots Fundraiser One Day, December 7, 2025. Kicking off the holiday season, six teams participated in this one day, 3 game guarantee tournament in the 18u Division. We would like to thank those that donated a toy, and know that they will be distributed to area underprivileged children through a local charity organization. Following are some of the top performers from the weekend. Earning Tournament MV-Pitcher was Jolee Strohmeyer (2026 Dubuque, IA), a RHP/UTIL with tournament champion Lady Expos Blue. Strohmeyer shows hitters a consistent and repeatable motion and delivery with good use of the legs in the drive phase, and a quick and aggressive arm whip. Working with a six pitch mix of fastball, change-up, rise, drop, curve and screw, Strohmeyer topped out at 60 mph, and showed good movement  as she worked her rise and curve just out...
Tournaments | Story | 12/11/2025

Scout Stories: Part 4

Tyler Henninger
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Scout Notes: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 Best Game I Saw: Hudson Reed (‘26, GA) torches this ball to deep CF for a solo 💣. Generates easy power that plays to the big part of the yard. Middle of the order traits #UBCWest @PG_Georgia @PG_Uncommitted pic.twitter.com/UXqDVFmUBx — Perfect Game California (@California_PG) June 18, 2025 I was fortunate enough to see a lot of highly competitive games with loads of talent on the field, the game that sticks out to me the most was Alpha Prime 2026 vs. ZT National Prospects at the UBC West. The game was an efficiently played affair with arms dominating on both sides. Graham Schlicht was masterful for Alpha, striking out 12 hitters over 5 dominant innings. PG All-American Julian Cazares came out of the pen blowing smoke, touching 97 mph with the fastball. On the other side, Jake Carbaugh surrendered just one hit and...
Press Release | Press Release | 12/11/2025

PG Believe In Baseball Announces Awards Dinner

Perfect Game Staff
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    667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   THE PERFECT GAME BELIEVE IN BASEBALL FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES DETAILS FOR FIRST ANNUAL “IN THE SPIRIT OF THE GAME” AWARDS DINNER AND AUCTION   Los Angeles, California (Thursday, December 11, 2025) – The Perfect Game Believe in Baseball Foundation, together with Perfect Game leadership of Chairman Rick Thurman and CEO Rob Ponger, has announced the inaugural “In the Spirit of the Game” event, an evening of baseball and laughter, taking place Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the iconic Laugh Factory in Hollywood, Calif. The evening supports the Foundation’s mission to provide financial assistance and resources that allow deserving young athletes to play, learn and grow through the...
Tournaments | Story | 12/11/2025

Finest in the Field: Class of 2027

AJ Denny
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Finest in the Field: Class of 2026 Elite defenders from coast to coast certainly seems to be a strength and to think you could make another top-tier team without thinking, speaks to the real depth this group possesses. The infield is a no-doubt strength of the group, but what catcher Dariel Carrion can do behind the plate is like something we haven't seen in a while in the prep ranks with an absolutely bazooka of an arm.  C: Dariel Carrion (San Juan, PR)  It isn’t often you get a catching prospect as athletic and natural as Dariel Carrion, a big reason why he holds the rank of #1 player in PR and #18 nationally. Metrics wise, the 5-foot-10, 210 pound San Juan native is all you can ask for and more, posting a sub 1.80 pop time with an 84 mph arm behind the dish. He has both contact and clear power threat on the offensive end, ending 2025 with a .337 BA and 4 HRs while also...
Tournaments | Story | 12/10/2025

Finest in the Field: Class of 2026

Tyler Henninger
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The Class of 2026 is one of the deeper prep classes that we have seen in a couple of years. With that being said, there is plenty of talent on the defensive side. Let’s take a look at some of the best defenders in the class.  C: Will Brick, Christian Brothers HS (Memphis, TN) Brick is a newcomer to the class after reclassifying, but immediately became the top backstop. Extremely advanced actions are shown behind the dish with impressive athleticism to go with it. Brick showcases big time arm strength and is consistently accurate on throw downs. He can make playing the position look extremely easy at times. Brick possesses all the defensive tools needed to be a premier catcher.  1B: AJ Curry, University City HS (San Diego, CA) Curry has a bigger and stronger frame with good strength throughout. He has a well-proportioned build that serves him well on the dirt. He’s...
General | Blog | 12/10/2025

Youth Baseball Exec. DeDonatis III Joins PG

Jim Salisbury
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Youth Baseball Executive Don DeDonatis III Joins PG By Jim Salisbury  It’s free-agent season in baseball and Perfect Game has landed a big one. Don DeDonatis III joined PG as a consultant in November. The DeDonatis name is synonymous with youth baseball and softball. Along with his dad, Don Jr., DeDonatis helped build USSSA into a big hitter in the game. He brings decades of experience and knowledge to PG. “We all acknowledge that Donny has moved on from USSSA,” PG CEO Rob Ponger said. “This is a new chapter for him and we hope both sides take advantage of it to help youth sports in general. “The DeDonatis name has a legacy attached to it and we’re hoping that Donny is going to help us. PG is a growing brand and he’s on board to help.” DeDonatis was CEO at USSSA from 2018 until his exit from the company two years ago. “I’m...
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