Texas 2019 Rankings Updated

Toby Bicknell & Shooter Hunt

Twitter: @PBR_Texas
IG: pbr_texas

It has been a busy five-plus months since the last official update to the Texas class of 2019 rankings. Today the list extends to 150 prospects, as the spring and summer season allowed the Prep Baseball Report scouting staff to track down emerging talent at high school games, tournaments and showcases.

+ Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (Colleyville Heritage HS) remains No. 1 in the rankings. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Oklahoma recruit, was impressive all summer, including his most recent standout performance at the Area Code Games in Long Beach, CA. Witt Jr. showed off his usual, gap to gap power during batting practice sessions as he banged balls off the wall. He has lightning-quick hands that whip the bat through the zone, and the ball jumps off at an impressive speed. He was even better in the game where he roped a triple to right-center field, and showed off his plus speed. He would later double down the rightfield line after a tough at-bat. The most impressive moments on the day for him came when he went to a knee backhand before rifling a strike across the diamond for an out, and then later as he laid out up the middle after covering an impossible amount of ground before hopping to his feet a gunning the runner out at first. Witt plays the game like he constantly has something to prove, and appears to be constantly challenging himself to get even better.

+ Still at No. 2 is right-handed pitcher Matthew Thompson (Cypress Ranch HS). The 6-foot-3, 180-pound Texas A&M recruit, put together a stellar performance at the Area Code Games in Long Beach, CA. He came out pumping 91-93 with his fastball, and controlled the pitch to the bottom of the zone while working both sides of the plate. He has a whippy, loose, and electric arm that, combined with his plus athleticism, makes him an elite prospect. While his arm strength, alone, would make him one of the highest profiled arms in the country, it is his entire arsenal that takes him to another level. Thompson showed command of a late-sinking changeup, thrown with fastball arm speed, that he felt comfortable throwing in any count. His curveball is an absolute 11/5 hammer that is thrown firmly at 79 mph.

+ Moving up to No. 3 is OF Logan Britt (Colleyville Heritage HS). The Texas A&M recruit stands 6-foot-5, 200-pounds, with a long limbed, athletic frame and high ceiling. Britt showed elite tools this summer, including being one of two players to make both Area Code Teams. On multiple occasions, the right-handed hitter turned around 90+mph velocity with a compact swing, easy rhythm, bat speed and strength in the barrel. Britt moves easy on the field with long strides, he runs a sub-7 60-yard dash (6.92), and throws 92 mph from the outfield. 

+ Moving up to No. 4 is RHP Jared Southard (Rouse HS, TX), a Texas commit, turned in one of the most impressive outings on the mound on day 2 at the Underclass Area Code Games. Equipped with a thick, 6-foot-2, 205-pound, pitcher’s frame, Southard has a strong lower half that helped him sit 87-89 with his fastball. He utilized a methodical delivery before driving down the mound, peering over his front shoulder as he let his loose, strong arm work before delivering out of high ¾ slot. His 79 mph slider was a swing and miss pitch that showed tight spin with tilt, and was late-breaking out of the zone. The pitch shows promise as possible future plus-pitch, and will be a weapon moving forward.

+ Coming in at No. 5 is RHP Jacob Meador, a TCU commit. Meador showed some of the more electric stuff at the Underclass Area Code Games as his fastball sat 88-90 from a long, whippy arm stroke. What separates Meador from the other talented pitchers is his ability to control his breaking ball. He has great feel for a tight curveball that he can throw early in counts with sharp, bigger break and 12/6 shape, and then later in counts is able to put hitters away with a filthy slider at 75-77 mph. His changeup was 83-84 mph, and will be a weapon in the future. Meador attacks the zone and has a bulldog mentality. He may only be 5-foot-11, 170-pounds, but he has the arsenal of a future starter, and will likely be called upon to get big outs in Fort Worth.

Top 10

>>CLICK HERE to view the entire 2019 Texas Rankings.