South Texas Underclass Games: Quick Hits

COLLEGE STATION, TX - Some of the top underclass talent from South Texas converged on the campus of Texas A&M on Tuesday for the PBR Underclass Games. Here is a very brief look at just a portion of the talented 2020-2022 grads that were in attendance.

There were a number of shortstops for college coaches to see.

+ College recruiters that are still looking for high-level defenders will want to make sure they see 2020 SS Sergio Galvan (Laredo Alexander). At 6-foot, 170-pounds, the rising junior has the rhythm and tempo at shortstop - to go along with smooth actions and an accurate arm (85 mph) - that should attract a number of offers. The right-handed hitter has a simple, balanced swing, with quick hands and good barrel awareness. I really like the path and the middle of the field approach.

+ 2020 SS Drew Woodcox (Lamar HS) ran a 6.95 60-yard dash and stroked a couple of balls during the game, lining out to shortstop and crushing a curveball in the six-hole with two strikes, running a 4.26 down the line. Woodcox took a great round of BP, posted an exit velocity of 91 mph off the tee, and showed good awareness and soft hands at shortstop.

+ Really liked what I saw from 2020 SS Garrett Thompson (New Braunfels HS), who is a 6-foot tall left-handed hitting shortstop. Thompson has quick hands at the plate that allow him to generate solid bat speed (88 mph) as he makes hard contact during batting practice. His current athleticism and smooth actions on the infield should be drawing the attention of college recruiters already.

+ 2020 SS Elijah Uribe (Oak Ridge HS) has a ton of arm strength across the infield (86 mph), and his arm works easy with elbow dominant action and a quick exchange. The right-handed hitter has loose hands and creates a lot of whip in the barrel with good lag through the zone. Uribe stroked a couple of balls during the game, including a single to left field.

+ 2020 SS Thomas Schreck (Needville HS) has a high motor on the infield and you can tell he loves to play. Quick-twitch actions, soft hands, accurate arm, fast exchange, and the ability to play on the run suggest that Schreck will be a great addition to a recruiting class as he can really pick it in the middle of the field.

+ 2020 SS Cameron Yadon (Bridge City HS) is an impressive athlete that ran a 6.87 60-yard dash. The SS has a super fast-twitch frame at 5-foot-11, 140-pounds, with plenty of upside. Yadon plays with intent and flies around the field. The right-handed hitter is on time, and on the barrel during batting practice, working with a smooth load as he pushes back before striding forward with a balanced leg kick, landing with good separation as he whips the barrel through the zone with excellent lag in the barrel and a loose finish.

+ 2020 SS/2B Jacob Anthony Garcia (Ridge Point HS) plays with conviction. The right-handed hitter wasted no time making himself known during the game by hammering a double into the left-centerfield gap for an RBI, running a 4.66 on the turn. He also scorched a ground ball to third base. Garcia has line drive power with a simple, easy path that keeps the barrel in the zone a long time.

Pitchers and 2-Way Guys

+ 2020 3B/RHP Kauner Porter (Samuel Clemens HS) is already strong for his class at 6-foot-3, 198-pounds with broad shoulders and muscular lower half. He topped out at 90 across the infield, and posted an 89 mph exit velocity. The right-handed hitter took a solid round of batting practice, making hard, loud contact. In one inning of work on the mound, Porter was mostly 86-88 with angle on the fastball, topping out at 89. Also broke off a couple of snap-dragon curveballs at 75 mph. College coaches will want to make sure they see Porter hit and pitch.

+ 2021 RHP Chase Pelter (Kinkaid) is one of the top arms in the sophomore class. The 6-foot-2, 198-pound right-hander was 86-88, touched 89, and worked in a 74-75 mph slider from a ¾ slot.

+ 2020 RHP Peyton Havard (Bridge City HS) continued to impress on the bump, running his fastball up to 91, hitting 90, and 89, sitting mostly 86-88. He shows feel for a 72-73 mph curveball, while mixing in a slider at 76, and a changeup at 80.

+ 2020 3B/RHP Logan Hamm is a two-sport athlete (football) from Bridge City HS south of Houston. Hamm threw 91 from the outfield, and has a smooth left-handed swing with quick-hands and strength in the barrel. On the mound, the right-hander topped out at 90, pitching mostly in the 87-88 range. College coaches from across the country will be able to see Hamm at the PBR Future Games in early August.

+ 2020 RHP Gray Harrison (Westlake HS) still has upside in his wiry frame at 6-foot-1, 155-pounds. The right-hander works from a high slot, creating tilt on his fastball at 85-88, and is still able to spin a curveball with good 12/6 shape at 70-73 mph.

+ 2020 RHP Cale Wagoner (Reagan HS) was 82-84 form a high slot with a long arm swing and athletic delivery, topping out at 86. Mixed in a 10/4 shape curveball at 73-75 mph.  

+ 2020 RHP Konnor Baird (Salado HS) may have been the last arm to throw on Tuesday, but he was certainly not the least. Working from a high-¾ slot, Baird’s fastball was 85-87 with some glove side cut to it, and he mixed in a curveball that was mostly 75-77 with 11/5 shape.

+ At 6-foot-3, 170-pounds, 2020 RHP Jacek Karczewski (Nacogdoches HS) has all the makings of an arm that will likely make a jump in the near future. Working from a high-¾ slot, with a medium arm stroke and quick hand speed, his fastball was 82-85, topping out ounce at 87. Spun a 73-75 mph curveball and showed feel for a 75-76 mph changeup.

+ 2020 RHP Nicholas Perry (Denton Braswell HS) has a strong frame at 6-foot-4, 215-pounds. The right-hander was 83-85 mph, with a sharp curveball with good downer shape at 72-73 mph.

+ 2020 OF/LHP Braden Olson (Lake Travis HS) is a solid, all around player with a sturdy 5-foot-10, 175-pound frame. The left-hander has a smooth arm swing and throws with high-level accuracy from the outfield with a top velocity of 85 mph. On the mound, Olson was 81-82, and mixed in a couple of really good curveballs - including one for a punchout - at 72-74. A right-handed hitter, Olson also posted one of the top exit velocities of the event at 91.

+ 2020 RHP/1B Oscar Zepeda (Incarnate Word Academy) was a picking machine at first base during the infield workout. He has soft hands and quick footwork around the bag. On the mound, the right-hander was 83-86 as he turned his fastball over at release, creating some heavy arm side action. Also recorded a couple of punchouts on curveballs at 72 mph, and banged a double to left field.

+ 2020 LHP Joshua Cordova (Klein Collins HS) made quick work of his inning, working 81-83 with arm side run from a ¾ slot. The left-hander showed pinpoint command of three pitches, including a 71-73 mph slurve that has 2/8 shape with good depth. He was able to spin it early in the count for a get me over, and back foot it to right-handed hitters for a punchout. Also threw a 70-72 mph changeup with arm side fade. The ball is tough to pick up out of his hand and he gave hitters fits.

More Positions

+ 2020 OF Christopher Stallings (Kinkaid) is a high end athlete with a projectable, lean-muscular frame at 6-feet, 165-pounds. The right-handed hitter pounded a deep fly ball to centerfield during the game, and showed loose-quick hands with some thump during BP. In the outfield, he threw posted a top velocity of 89 mph. Even though he ran a 7.25 on a slower surface, I think the overall athleticism and upside should be enough to garner significant attention in the near future.

+ 2020 1B/C MJ Rodriguez (Veterans Memorial HS) is one of the top offensive players in his class. The right-handed hitter posted an exit velocity of 105 (off the tee), showed strength throughout his swing during batting practice with natural lift and quick-strong hands. Rodriguez also threw 76 mph from the crouch with 2.04-2.15 pop times. He also has soft hands at first base and made numerous picks during the infield workout.

+ 2020 Cole Smajstrla (Pearland HS) is going to be fun to watch over the next couple of years as he continues to develop. The 5-foot-9, 165-pounder has great fundamentals and feel for the game. He hammered a couple of balls during the game, posted an exit velocity of 86 mph during BP, and threw 88 from the outfield. To put it simply, he does everything really well.

The catching portion of the workout had a ton of talent, including:

+ 2020 C Carter Pool (Keller HS) has a loose, easy arm swing and threw thigh-high strikes to second base with pop times of 2.00, 2.08, 2.04, and 2.11.

+ 2020 C Sam Canales (CC Ray) posted pop times of 2.04, 2.01, 2.07, and 2.11 with great carry through the bag. The right-handed hitter has loose hands and made hard contact during BP.

+ 2020 C Christopher Wattinger (Bridgeland HS) has a quick, clean exchange with smooth footwork. Posted pop times of 2.0, 2.01, 2.12, 2.14, and 2.15. The bat has really started to come along for Wattinger, as he has started to add strength to his frame, and the swing works.

+ 2020 C Beau Preston (Prosper HS) has an ultra-quick arm behind the plate, posting an 82 velocity from the crouch with pop times of 1.93, 1.94, 1.94, 2.07, and then a 2.04 from his knees. Preston also doubled to right-centerfield and did a nice job blocking balls in the dirt during the game.

Some younger players to keep an eye on:

+ 2021 SS/OF Reece Parrott (Newman Smith HS) can really pick it at shortstop. The rising sophomore has smooth actions to go with an accurate arm and great glove actions. He made a stellar back-handed play on a hard shot one-hopper at third base, diving toward the line and picking the hop, then gunning it over to first base.

+ 2021 C Gabriel Herrera (Reagan HS). The rising sophomore has a projectable, high-waisted frame at 6-foot-1, 170-pounds. Herrera is an athletic backstop that moves easy behind the dish and receives with soft hands. His pop times were 2.03-2.19 with a top velocity from the crouch of 72 mph. When you combine the defense with the way the right-hander swings the bat, Herrera has a bright future.

+ 2022 2B/SS Max Childress (College Station HS) is a young, left-handed hitter with easy rhythm and quick hands.

+ 2021 C Jonas Holloway (Kingwood Park HS) made strong, accurate throws to second base with his four best pop times of 1.93, 1.93, 2.0, and 2.07.