The 2024 Texas high school baseball season is quickly approaching and, as usual, excitement is abound 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 Austin at the UIL State Tournament in June, 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, eventually releasing our Preseason Power 30 rankings that’ll carry us into the opening week of action.

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 Power 30 rankings.

Our 2024 preseason coverage continues today.

High School: Midlothian Heritage Jaguars
Head Coach: Justin Blackwell
UIL Classification: UIL Class 5A (District 8)
Team Strengths: Defense
2023 Record (Playoff Finish): 15-16-1 (5A Bi-District Finalists)
Key Players Lost: Hunter Trojacek, Caden Thorne, Rylan Figueroa, Jason Barela

 

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TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

+ UTL Roman Cariaga (2024; Navarro JC) - First Team All-District in 2023
+ OF/LHP Landon Brewer (2024; Southeastern CC)
+ RHP Braedyn Paty (2024; uncommitted) - Honorable Mention All-District in 2023
+ INF Carter Pace (2024; uncommitted) - First Team All-District in 2023
+ INF/OF Cameron Aguillard (2024; uncommitted) - Honorable Mention All-District in 2023
+ RHP/C Carter Rutenbar (2025; Arkansas) - District Defensive MVP in 2023, *2023 PBR Future Games Participant*

*2025 Carter Rutenbar*

+ INF/RHP Cayden Campbell (2025; uncommitted) - Honorable Mention All-District in 2023

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TOP NEWCOMERS

+ INF/RHP Caleb Railey (2024; uncommitted)
+ UTL Brennon Aguirre (2025; uncommitted)
+ OF Trent Pace (2025; uncommitted)

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FRESHMEN TO FOLLOW

+ UTL/RHP Kole Johnson (2027)

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TEAM OUTLOOK

Returning in 2024 as 5A Bi-District Finalists from a year ago, the Midlothian Heritage Jaguars and Coach Justin Blackwell look to return to the postseason again this season. Behind a talented group of upperclassmen and a strong defense, the Jaguars should be an interesting team to follow this season.

Starting with the senior class, the group is headlined by Navarro JC signee, UTL Roman Cariaga, who is currently ranked No. 257 in the state and was First Team All-District in 2023. Cariaga will be joined by recent Southeastern CC commit, OF/LHP Landon Brewer as another senior Jaguar committed to playing at the next level. The rest of the returning senior class includes RHP Braedyn Paty (uncommitted - Honorable Mention All-District in 2023), INF Carter Pace (uncommitted - 1st Team All-District in 2023), and INF/OF Cameron Aguillard (uncommitted - Honorable Mention All-District in 2023). A senior newcomer to varsity for the 2024 season will be INF/RHP Caleb Railey (uncommitted), who will hope to factor in as a two-way player for the Jaguars.

The returning junior class is fronted by Arkansas commit and reigning district Defensive MVP as well as 2023 PBR Future Games participant, RHP/C Carter Rutenbar (2025; Arkansas). Rutenbar really impressed at the Future Games this past summer where he put up impressive metrics during BP to the tune of a 95.3 mph average exit velocity (100.5 mph max) and an average bat speed of 75.9 mph, leading him to be currently ranked No. 27 in the state and No. 288 in the country. INF/RHP Cayden Campbell (uncommitted - Honorable Mention All-District in 2023) will join Rutenbar as the key returning juniors for the Jaguars’ 2024 season. Projected to also join the varsity squad this season is the junior duo of UTL Brennon Aguirre (uncommitted) and OF Trent Pace (uncommitted).

A freshman to follow for 2024 and beyond for Midlothian Heritage is UTL/RHP Kole Johnson (2027), who could see time on varsity to begin his career in various spots on the diamond.

With their returning All-District talent among the upperclassmen levels mixed in with some new faces, the Jaguars look primed for another 5A postseason berth in 2024, while also having pieces to build around for future years.

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Find more information on the 2024 Midlothian Heritage Jaguars program below:

+ <<2024 Schedule>>
+ Follow Midlothian Heritage on X: @JagBaseball16
+ Prep Baseball Texas, Power 30 Homepage

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