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High School | General | 2/11/2025

Texas Region Dream Team & Top Tools

David Rawnsley

Regional Previews: Florida | Georgia | Pacific | Deep South

Texas may have a reputation for producing big power arms but the strength of the present high school talent in the state is heavily tilted to position players and especially infielders. Texas’s senior class features five PG All-Americans among their position player class, led by perhaps the country’s best pure hitter in shortstop Kayson Cunningham, but the junior class, especially with middle infielders, borders on the absurd. Four Texas shortstops rank among the Top 18 prospects in the 2026 class, headlined by top overall 2026 prospect Grady Emerson, and six shortstops rank in the Top 63 prospects.

Tomball High School, with two-way standout junior CJ Sampson leading the way, is the top team in the state and ranks fifth in the PG pre-season rankings, followed closely by Dripping Springs HS at 11th and Southlake Carroll HS at 14th. Prestonwood Academy (21st) and Prosper HS (31st) also were recognized as Top 50 teams in the pre-season rankings and history shows that additional Texas teams will make appearances in the Top 50 as the highly competitive season progresses.

C – Omar Serna (Sr., Lutheran South Academy, Texas)

Serna lost much of his 2024 summer to injury but is still the third ranked catcher nationally in the 2025 class and 32nd overall prospect. He has classic power/power tools behind the plate, with enormous arm strength and big over the fence right-handed power potential. Serna is signed with Louisiana State.

1B – CJ Sampson (Jr., Tomball HS, Texas)

Sampson would ideally be the utility player on the All-Texas Region team but senior Nicholas Partida might be the best two-way player in the country. All Sampson did last spring was go 14-0, 0.75 with 115 strikeouts in 93 innings for Tomball High School while hitting .374-3-35. A left-handed hitter, Sampson is a Florida commit who is ranked 64th in the PG 2026 national class rankings.

MIF – Kayson Cunningham (Sr., Johnson HS, Texas)

Cunningham was the 2024 recipient of the Jackie Robinson Award presented by Perfect Game to the top rising senior player at the All-American Classic. The left-handed hitter is the fourth ranked player in the 2025 class and has four tools that grade out at the plus level, with only his power currently falling short. Cunningham is signed with Texas but has a chance to be a top half of the first-round draft pick first.

MIF – Grady Emerson (Jr., Argyle HS, Texas)

Emerson is a three-time PG Select Festival athlete who is the number one ranked player in the 2026 class nationally. He’s a five-tool player who projects to stay in the middle of the field and as a 6-2/180 left-handed hitting middle infielder with outstanding bat speed and eye for the strike zone, has a chance to be an impact offensive player at a premium defensive position. Emerson is committed to Texas.

3B – Lucas Franco (Sr., Cinco Ranch, Texas)

Franco is a primary shortstop but the 6-3/175 PG All-American could easily end up at third base as he fills out his very athletic build. He has very smooth defensive actions on the left side of the infield to go with a smooth and very projectable left-handed swing. Franco has hit .378-5-67 with 25 doubles over the past two seasons at Cinco Ranch High School and 2025 could see a big jump in his over the fence power. He is signed with TCU. Miles Young (Jr., Episcopal HS, Texas), the 18th ranked player in the 2026 class and a very athletic 6-3/210 right-handed hitter, was a strong consideration at this position.

OF – Lash Henderson (So., Prestonwood Christian Academy, Texas)

Henderson is a three-time PG Select Festival athlete who has always looked a bit different than his 2027 peers as a chiseled 6-4/205 hyper-athletic player. He’s a 6.6 runner, even at that size, with 92 mph arm strength and big right-handed power at the plate. Henderson is the fifth ranked player nationally in the 2027 class and the second ranked outfielder.

OF – Taylor Tracey (Sr., Dripping Springs, Texas)

Tracey is a bats right/throws left athlete who is a true two-way prospect who might not find his idea position for a few more years as he matures into his highly projectable 6-6/195 frame. He was an All-District pitcher as a sophomore and has struck out 101 hitters in 51 innings while going 8-0 over the past two years. Tracey was All-State as an outfielder as a junior and hit .402-6-27. He’s a PG All-American who is signed with Tennessee.

OF – Jorvorskie Lane Jr. (Jr., O.D. Wyatt HS, Texas)

Lane has literally played every position on the field at PG events, including pitching and catching, but he likely ends up at a corner outfield position if for no other reason than to maximize his elite-level offensive potential. The right-handed hitter is hitting .548-14-60 with 63 walks and 41 extra-base hits after two years of high school and could make a case for himself as the top hitter in the country regardless of class. He’s presently the third ranked player in the 2026 class nationally and is actually very young for the class and will be 16 years old all spring.

RHP Holden Hering (Sr., Mineral Wells HS, Texas)

Hering’s 91-93 mph fastball doesn’t stand out for a PG All-American pitcher but he’s a sum of the parts pitcher with a very easy delivery that guarantees strikes and a strong and still projectable 6-5/225 build. The 70th ranked player in the 2025 class, Hering is signed with Texas Tech.

LHP Robert X Mitchell (Sr., Prestonwood Christian Academy, Texas).

Mitchell rode an impressive outing at the WWBA World Championships in October to become the top ranked 2025 pitcher in Texas. The highly projectable 6-3/165 southpaw has a simple and easy delivery that produces a 92-95 mph fastball to go with a low 80s curveball, with more there as he continues to mature physically. The 51st ranked player in the 2025 class, Mitchell is signed with Texas.

RHP Trey Rangel (Jr., The Colony HS, Texas)

Rangel first established himself as a skinny 5-11/145 freshman with a fast arm who threw in the low 80’s. He’s now a much stronger 6-1/185 and throwing 90-94 with a nasty upper 70s curveball that is his strikeout pitch. Rangel went 5-2, 0.90 with 65 strikeouts in 39 innings as a sophomore at The Colony High School while also hitting .306-4-19 as a right-handed hitting middle infielder. He is committed to Texas.

RHP Cooper Rummel (Sr., Dripping Springs HS, Texas)

Rummel is a physically mature 6-3/220 athlete who is just as mature and polished with his delivery and ability to mix his pitches as he is physically and academically. A PG All-American, Rummel works 92-95 mph with his fastball with both a curveball and slider and has especially good feel for his fastball location. A Texas signee, Rummel was the closer for the USA 18U National Team, earning a win and a pair of saves in three scoreless outings.

RHP Jack Smejkal (Jr., The Woodlands HS, Texas)

Smejkal is a very similar talent and player to fellow All-Region 2026 pitcher Trey Rangel and the two are ranked 32nd and 40th in the national 2026 class rankings as well as the two top junior pitchers in the state. Smejkal, who is also committed to Texas, is a 6-2/190 athlete who is 90-94 on the mound with a sharp breaking slider and is also a talented middle infielder who hit .403-1-15 in 2024 PG play.

UTL – Nicholas Partida (Sr., Pearland HS, Texas)

Partida was considered more of an infield prospect when he was named to play in the PG All-American Classic but improved so much on the mound over the summer that he is now one of the top two-way players in the 2025 class. He especially stood out for the USA 18U National Team, going 2-0 in 8 innings, striking out 11 while topping out at 97 mph with a power downer curveball. Partida is signed with Texas A&M.

Texas Region Top Tools

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

Cunningham can just flat hit. He’s a .424 career PG hitter in high school with a 90:29 walk to strikeout ratio. He hit .437 with 37 walks as a junior at Johnson High School and hit .417 with the USA 18U Junior National Team last summer. It’s very hard to not imagine him hitting at the professional level as well.

Best Hitter for Power: Jorvorskie Lane Jr. (Jr., O.D. Wyatt HS, Texas)

Lane’s bat speed has to be seen to be appreciated and the 6-0/190 athlete attacks baseballs like he’s angry at them while still maintaining his plate discipline. He’s just as a powerful with a wood bat during PG play as with a metal bat in high school and has hit .462-11-61 in 67 games the past two PG summers with 39 walks and 40 steals added on. Connor Comeau (Jr., Anderson HS, Texas) and his highly leveraged left-handed swing would take this title in most regions in the country. The 6-4/180 athlete hit eight home runs in PG play in 2024.

Best Runner: Jeffrey-Todd Darden (Jr., Cypress Woods HS, Texas)

Darden is also a standout on the football field but is committed to Oklahoma State for baseball. The 6-0/175 outfielder ran a 6.25 sixty as a 16-year old and might blow up some stop watches at major PG showcases in 2025. He’s ranked 148th nationally in the 2026 class. As usual, Texas has deep well of speedy athletes and Darden’s fellow junior, junior shortstop Spencer Browning (Jr., Pleasant Grove HS, Texas) also deserves mention, as does Kayson Cunningham, who stole 37 bases as a high school junior and is 82-85 stealing over the last four years of PG play.

Best Defensive Catcher: Omar Serna (Sr., Lutheran South Academy, Texas)

Serna can still be rough in some of the receiving skills of the position but was throwing in the mid-80’s and posting 1.8 pop times as early as his freshman year and can absolutely stop a running game. He’s very agile despite his 6-2/225 build and could also be a high-level defensive third baseman.

Best Defensive Infielder: Grady Emerson (Jr., Argyle HS, Texas)

Emerson is a very fluid athlete who is always on balance and can make all the plays. Neither his speed or his raw arm strength is truly elite for the class/position but when combined with his action it makes Emerson a surefire next level defensive standout. Texas A&M signee Matthew Boughton (Sr., Covenant Christian Academy, Texas) is worthy of mention as well.

Best Defensive Outfielder: Judson Dowell (Jr., Lamer HS, Texas)

Dowell has that combination of high-end speed (6.53 sixty) and big arm strength that you see in top level defensive outfielders. A strong 6-0/195 athlete who is still 16 years old, Dowell is the 74th ranked player in the 2026 class nationally and is committed to Texas A&M.

Best Defensive Arm: James Jorgensen (Jr., Jesuit College Prep, Texas)

Jorgensen is the whole tool box but the Texas commit especially stands out due to his arm. A primary shortstop who is a top two-way talent, Jorgensen has thrown 98 mph from the outfield and 95 mph from both the infield and on the mound. He struck out 25 hitters in 12 innings of PG play in 2024

Best Off-Speed Stuff: Cooper Rummel (Sr., Dripping Springs HS, Texas)

Rummel’s fastball is a quality pitch but his ability to throw both a curveball and a slider with feel for both pitches make him a lock to be a starter at the next level and likely throughout his career.

Best Pitchability: Holden Hering (Sr., Mineral Wells HS, Texas)

Being named a PG All-American while “only” throwing 91-93 says something about a pitcher’s ability to throw strikes and mix his pitches. Hering stands out in these abilities and is a very strong bet to continue to build on his velocity.

Best Multi-Sport Athlete: Levi Leathers (So., Axtell HS, Texas)

Leathers is a two-time PG Select Festival athlete who is currently ranked 14th overall in the 2027 class as a 6-3/190 power hitting third baseman. He’s also a very accomplished quarterback who started for Axtell High School as a sophomore and also averaged 11 points and 5 rebounds as a freshman starter on the Axtell basketball team. Brady Janusek (Sr., Liberty Christian HS, Texas) is a standout two-way football player as a 6-3/200 wide receiver/safety who caught 176 passes for 2,830 yards and 36 touchdowns in four years on the gridiron but is signed with Oklahoma for baseball.

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