Thu January 26, 2023
The 2023 high school baseball season is underway with practice having started and as usual, excitement abounds throughout the state. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across Texas
Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in the Austin at the State Tournament, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality. We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams across the state as we preview individual teams across Texas. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews and eventually releasing our preseason Top 30 teams in the state.
Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across the state. Each week we will be releasing our players of the week and updating the Top 30 teams in the state.
*Please note that all information is based on team preview questionnaires that were sent out and returned by the participating high school coaches.
High School Name: Vista Ridge
Coach’s Name: Matt Garver
Classification: 6A (District 25)
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 8
No. of Returning Pitchers: 5
Team Strengths: Experience, athleticism, and frontline pitching
Top Returning Players:
2023 RHP/1B Hank Howard (UTSA)
2023 C Jake Wagoner (Seattle)
2023 2B Jackson Harrell
2024 3B Grant Anderson
2023 LHP Aiden Cooper
2023 RHP Zach Fetchel
Top 2023 Prospects:
2023 RHP/1B Hank Howard (UTSA)
2023 C Jake Wagoner (Seattle)
2023 2B Jackson Harrell
2023 CF Alex Berndlmaier
2023 LHP Aiden Cooper
2023 RHP Zach Fetchel
Top 2024 & 2025 Prospects:
2024 3B Grant Anderson
2024 C Brody Miller
Team Outlook
The 2022 Vista Ridge team finished .500 on the season with a 15-15 record, but got hot in district and finished 9-5 with a 3rd place finish and a trip to the playoffs. This year, the Rangers return 8 position players and 5 pitchers and have a district title on their mind.
Coach Garver has a lot of seniors this year, and they are led by 2023 RHP/1B Hank Howard (UTSA). He was the district pitcher of the year last year and gives the Rangers a staff ace. His battery mate will be 2023 C Jake Wagoner (Seattle), who gives them a talented veteran catcher to help the pitching staff. Wagoner also offers Offensive upside as well. Offensively, Vista Ridge returns the offensive player of the year in the district in Sr. Inf Jackson Harrell. Sr. OF Alex Berndlmaier was also an All District performer last year that adds to the depth of the lineup.
Joining Howard on the mound is Zachary Fetchel who also garnered all district honors on the mound. Aiden Cooper is another veteran who has varsity innings under their belt.
Vista Ridge has high expectations this year after building the foundation last year. They face some big names in district play, but there may not be a deeper team in district 25-6A this year.
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| SHOWCASE | STATE | DATE | LOCATION |
| Houston Rising Stars ID | TX | 02/25 | Cotton Ranch Sports Complex |
| DFW Rising Stars ID | TX | 04/08 | Lake Dallas High School - Corinth, TX |
| DFW Summer Open | TX | 05/30 | Lake Dallas High School - Corinth, TX |
| East Texas Summer Open | TX | 06/14 | Tyler Junior College (Mike Carter Field) - Tyler, TX |
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