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High School  | General | 2/12/2024

Texas Region Dream Team & Top Tools

David Rawnsley
TEXAS REGION

It’s been widely discussed in the baseball ranks that over the last perhaps five years that Georgia has passed Texas as the country’s third most prolific source of baseball talent behind California and Florida.  It strongly looks like the conversation will be reversed over the next few years regardless of what happens in Georgia.  There is as much talent as there ever has been in the Texas prep ranks right now.



There are 11 players in the 2024 class who are ranked in the Top 100 in the Perfect Game class rankings, led by number ten Cade Arrambide.  That’s an impressive number and narrowly edges Georgia’s 10 in the 2024 class.  But the 2024 class is arguably the weakest of the top three classes in the state, as the Texas 2025 class has 12 Top 100 players, with more knocking on the door and the 2026 class is stunningly loaded, with 16 top 100 players, including top overall sophomore prospect Grady Emerson.

So the reports of the Lone Star state’s demise were pre-mature.

There are six Texas school listed in the Top 50 in the Perfect Game pre-season rankings.  The first two listed are the two teams who met in the 2023 6A state championship game, with champion Flower Mound HS checking in at 8th overall and runner-up Pearland earning the 14th spot.
 

C - Cade Arrambide (Sr., Tomball HS, Texas)

It happens that Texas has the second ranked catcher in the 2024 class in Arrambide, who is also ranked 10th overall in the 2024 class, and the top ranked catcher nationally in the 2025 class in Omar Serna (Jr., Lutheran South Academy, Texas), who checks in at 13th overall among all juniors nationally.  The nod here goes to Arrambide, although Serna’s base arm and power tools and his achievements on the field are basically Arrambide’s younger equal.

1B - Elbert (Trey) Craig (Sr., Pantego Christian Academy, Texas)

Craig is an absurd athlete for someone who is 6-foot-4, 230-pounds, as he’s also a 6.61 runner with a 90 mph fastball off the mound (93 mph from the outfield and first base) who also averaged 17 points and 14 rebounds on the basketball court as a junior.  He also hit .489-3-17 with 28 walks in 23 games for Pantego Christian Academy as a junior.  His 106 exit velocity at the 2023 PG National was one of the best measurements at a PG event all year.

MIF - Kayson Cunningham (Jr., Johnson HS, Texas)

Cunningham can flat out hit, as seen by his .445 career Perfect Game batting average in over 150 games, including batting .444 in 2023 and .457 in 2022.  With the focus on Cunningham’s left-handed bat, it’s sometimes overlooked that Cunningham has 6.53 speed and a 90 mph arm as well.  He’s the top ranked 2025 player in the talented 2025 Texas class and 10th overall and is committed to Texas Tech.

MIF - Grady Emerson (So., Argyle HS, Texas)

Although Texas has two 2024 Perfect Game All-American middle infielders in David Hogg II (Mansfield HS) and Theo Gillen (Westlake HS), it’s impossible not to give this spot to Emerson, the top ranked player in the 2026 class nationally and a player with a top of the draft ceiling if he continues to stay healthy and develop.

3B - Wyatt Sanford (Sr., Independence HS, Texas)

Sanford is a true shortstop on defense but fills a need on this Texas All-Region team at the hot corner.  The left-handed hitter was one of the top players this past fall at the WWBA World Championships and started getting plenty of Day 1 draft talk after that event, talk which could well continue this spring and into the summer. 

OF - Braylon Payne (Sr., Lawrence Elkins HS, Texas)

Payne should be a 2025 by his birthdate and is one of the youngest top prospects in the 2024 class.  He’s a plus athlete who is going to keep improving in his measurables but his best tool is his left-handed bat, which seemed like it improved from almost event to event during the 2023 summer and fall.  A PG All-American, Payne hit .512-2-14 for Elkins High School as a junior while stealing 34 bases in 28 games, giving him a school record 70 steals in 86 career games.  He is signed with Houston.

OF - Sawyer Strosnider (Sr., Brock HS, Texas)

Strosnider, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound left-hander, is an outstanding all-around athlete who began to receive serious scouting attention late in the summer and into the fall.  He has plenty of pop in his bat and was also up to 91 mph off the mound at the 2023 WWBA World Championships.  Strosnider jumped 6-7 in the high jump at the Texas State meet and also excels on the basketball court.

OF - Sam Erickson (Sr., Flower Mound HS, Texas)

Erickson is a rare throws left/bats right player who has an outstanding speed/power combination.  A stocky and strong 6-foot, 210-pound outfielder, Erickson ran a 6.47 sixty at the PG National Showcase and showed his power throughout the 2023 season.  Erickson was the star of Flower Mound’s march to the Texas 6A state championship, hitting .561-4-11 in 14 playoff games, including a two-run home run to clinch the championship game.  He also hit .455-2-14/1.410 in 19 PG tournament games.

LHP  Jack McKernan (Jr., Ridge Point HS, Texas)

McKernan has dominated Texas high school baseball for two years while also excelling at Perfect Game events and for USA Baseball.  He’s a 6-foot-1, 185-pound athletic southpaw with a very mature three-pitch mix on the mound, including a fastball that will top out at 93 mph, a slurve type breaking ball in the 78-81 mph range and a nice change up.  McKernan is the 42nd ranked overall player in the 2025 PG class rankings and the number two left-hander in the class.  He has a commitment to Texas.

RHP  Braydon Bergman (Sr., Plano East HS, Texas)

Bergman opened eyes at the 2023 PG World Championships in October, working in the 95-97 mph range while striking out six hitters in two innings.  That was a step up in velocity for the two-way athlete, who has been All-Tournament at many PG tournaments as both a pitcher and hitter and who also homered in Jupiter.  He is ranked 26th in the 2024 class nationally and is signed with Baylor.

RHP  Jason Flores (Sr., Naaman Forest HS, Texas)

Flores may be better known during the spring as a prolific hitter, as he hit .561-3-23 as a junior, but his future is clearly on the mound.  The Texas signee has been up to 96 mph at PG events and up to 98 at non-PG events to go with a slider and a changeup.  Flores has impressive control for a power pitcher, too, as he only walked 9 hitters in 27 innings of PG tournament play in 2023, while also allowing only 9 hits.    

LHP  Bryce Navarre (Sr. Montgomery HS, Texas)

Navarre only nudges 90 mph on the radar gun but is one of the more effective pitchers in the country and is frequently mentioned as a potential high pick in the 2024 draft.  The reason is a mid-70’s curveball that tops out over 3100 rpm and that is thrown for strikes.  That pitch has proven unhittable at this level and is likely to be just as effective at the upper levels.  Navarre is a Texas A&M commit.

LHP Cooper Williams (Sr., Alvin HS, Texas)

Williams is the 46th ranked player nationally in the 2024 class and the fifth ranked left-hander.  The 6-foot-4, 175-pound Texas A&M signee has been rising on national lists after a strong performance with the USA Baseball Junior National Team this fall.  He features a 90-93 mph fastball that projects more velocity as he gets stronger to go with a slider and a change up.  Williams is 9-2, 1.15 with 132 strikeouts in 85 innings in his two seasons at Alvin High School.

UTL  Luke Billings (Jr., Prosper HS, Texas)

Billings is one of the rare players who plays literally all over the field and looks like each is his primary position.  He’s listed as a primary outfielder but graded out highest of the three drill positions he attempted at the 2023 PG Junior National Showcase as a catcher, where his athleticism really stood out.  Billings also regularly works in the 89-91 mph range on the mound and will touch higher.  He has big power in his right-handed bat and hit .355-4-23 with 15 doubles as a sophomore at Prosper High School.  SS/RHP Casan Evans (Sr., St. Pius X, Texas) also received serious consideration here for his middle infield athleticism and 94 mph arm off the mound.


Texas Region Top Tools

Best Hitter for Average: Kayson Cunningham (Jr., Johnson HS, Texas)

Cunningham’s ability to square up the baseball cannot be over-stated and he might be the best barrel to ball hitter in high school baseball today.  Not surprisingly, his walk to strikeout ratios, 33 to 9 over the last two PG tournament seasons, reflect this as well. 

Best Hitter for Power: Cade Arrambide (Sr., Tomball HS, Texas)

Arrambide won the Home Run Derby over a stacked field at the Perfect Game All-American Classic, which is hard to ignore.  But once Trey Craig makes some adjustments to his swing, one can image the big left-hander hitter surpassing him.

Best Runner: David Hogg II (Sr., Mansfield HS, Texas)

Hogg has a 6.49 sixty to his credit and has the tools to both play shortstop and centerfield at the next level.  He’s also a high-level wide receiver on the football field, where his speed and chiseled 6-foot-2, 190-pound build are both assets.

Best Defensive Catcher: Cade Arrambide (Sr., Tomball HS, Texas)

Arrambide is more advanced in his receiving and blocking skills than his 2025 tool-twin Omar Serna and their arms are a virtual wash.

Best Defensive Infielder: Matthew Boughton (Jr., Covenant Christian Academy, Texas)

Boughton edges out Grady Emerson, Wyatt Sanford and others in what is a loaded middle infield class in the Texas prep ranks.  Boughton reminds some of former Gold Glove shortstop Adam Everett with his slender 6-foot-1, 155-pound frame and his outstanding actions and arm strength.

Best Defensive Outfielder: Braylon Payne (Sr., Lawrence Elkins HS, Texas)

Payne’s instincts in center field are unmistakable and his route running and jumps are even more impressive considering his age and relative lack of repetitions.

Best Defensive Arm: Cade Arrambide (Sr., Tomball HS, Texas)

When you throw 102 mph from the outfield and 90 mph from behind the plate, this category will go to you in every region and in every year.  Interestingly, Arrambide doesn’t pitch despite his power pitcher’s body and elite arm strength.

Best Fastball: Braydon Bergman (Sr., Plano East HS, Texas)

Bergman and fellow senior Jason Flores have similar fastball numbers but Bergman’s dominating performance in Jupiter in front of a huge crowd of scouts is a separator.  Don’t be surprised if any of about a dozen arms in the 2025 class don’t make the jump to the mid to upper-90’s this spring.


Best Off-Speed Stuff: Bryce Navarre (Sr. Montgomery HS, Texas)

Navarre’s curveball is one of the best that scouts have seen in years and its power spin can be surprising for a pitcher who only throws in the upper 80’s with his fastball.  Navarre’s change up is also a quality pitch that will get outs at the next level.

Best Pitchability: Cooper Williams (Jr., Alvin HS, Texas)

Williams is a strike thrower with multiple pitches he can finish hitters off with.  He’s walked only 6 hitters in 30 innings over the last two PG years versus 45 strikeouts and had only 13 walks (versus 60 strikeouts) in 36 innings last spring.

Best Multi-Sport Athlete: Jorvorskie Lane Jr.  (So., O.D. Wyatt HS, Texas)

Lane is a different type of athlete than his father, an oversized full-back who is Texas A&M’s all-time leader in touchdowns and who had a short career in the NFL.  The younger Lane is a fleet footed wide receiver who is already strong at 5-foot-11, 185-pounds.  He’s the ninth ranked player in the 2026 class in the PG rankings and a three-time PG Select Festival participant.  Lane hit .446-4-34 in PG tournament play and hit .493-6-23 with 51 runs scored as a freshman at O.D. Wyatt HS.  Three-sport standout Sawyer Strosnider would have been a great pick here as well.
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