The 2023 Alex Bregman World Series welcomes many of the top 2026 players and teams from the state of Texas and nearby states. After an opening day filled with impressive pitching performances and a few lineups establishing themselves as the best in the event, Wednesday and Thursday included more of the same as top teams positioned themselves to make a run at the championship. Some notes, thoughts and more:

(All prospects are in the 2026 class and uncommitted unless otherwise noted.)

1) If you have the need for speed, there are a couple of outfielders who made me do a double take at my stopwatch this week: Canes 2026 Futures right-handed hitter Jorian Guinn and Scorpions Easton right-handed hitter Jackson Marshall. Guinn, who was a standout defensive back for Weiss High School last season in addition to being Co-Newcomer of the Year for 12-6A in baseball, hits leadoff for his club and ran down the line in 4.10 seconds after a 4.26-second time earlier in the game. Speed is nice, but his speed really plays because he always busts it out of the box and is intent on hunting for extra bases whenever he hits a ball into the outfield. Guinn showed his defensive back ability in the outfield where he tracked down balls well. 

As for Marshall, he flew down the line in 4.19 seconds, played a strong center field, also hits leadoff and has a right-handed swing and physical frame that suggest he could become a D1 prospect in the future. The Lake Creek product looks like a future major contributor in the outfield and has the tools and skill to become a dynamic player. 

2) Speaking of Guinn, his Canes 2026 Futures team is making some major noise and is among the top teams poised to make a run at the championship. Tall right-handed hitter and future middle-of-the-order bopper Cole Taylor (Pflugerville), who was named Newcomer of the Year in Central Texas by the Austin American-Statesman, hammered two loud base hits in Thursday’s game and added another single when he showed he could cover the outer half of the plate and use the middle of the field; Connor Comeau (Anderson) made an impressive, leaping grab in the infield and continues to look like a very talented, projectable two-way talent with an impact swing from the left side and the same could be said about high school teammate Darek Paiz’s swing; Austin Isom (Rudder) has been an on-base machine with seven walks and has good zone awareness. 

But the guy who caught my eye the most was shortstop Jacob Soliz (Rouse). He flashed impressive actions, skill and range at shortstop and is a player who wants to and is totally comfortably handling the baseball with a good baseball clock. With the bat from the right side, Soliz tracked and recognized pitches well, had notable bat-to-ball skill and created some surprising pull-side pop off the barrel. 

3) A few other shortstops who caught my eye: 2025 prospect Dillon Dryman (Sunnyvale) of Texas Oilers 15U Nowell, Dawson Hinson (Friendswood) of Marucci Elite Texas Biggers 2026, Joshua Viars (Walnut Grove) of UBC 15U Gallegos, Trae Hernandez (Veterans Memorial) of 2026 Texas Twelve Navy and Jeremiah McCranie (Concordia Lutheran). Dryman has a very quick first step defensively; Hinson showed very quick actions to start a double play and created loud contact consistently; Viars is an obvious top prospect who is already physical and can hammer the baseball with some pull-side power; McCranie and Hernandez are both ballplayers who can pick it and impact the game with the leather. 

4) I haven’t seen all the left-handed hitters and, obviously, haven’t seen every at-bat. But I do know there are a few left-handed hitters who are making a strong case as the best in the Alex Bregman World Series: Scorpions 2026 Black’s Nathan Eveler (Kingwood Park), Bowman Stein (Little Rock Catholic; Arkansas) and UBC 15U Gallegos' Brock Burkett (Keller).

All three players have consistently shown advanced bat-to-ball ability, have timed pitches very well and have consistently put the barrel in a good position to create loud contact. Eveler has smacked a lot of topspin line drives into the outfield while Burkett has shown a little more intent in the swing and a little more extra-base pop. Stein has made hitting look easy from the left side with a smooth swing and slow hitting heartbeat. I’d be surprised if both players don’t eventually emerge as one of the best hitters in their respective high school lineups and recruits that colleges pay close attention to. 

5) Once tall right-handed pitcher Jacob Harms (Ranchview) found and established his curveball (called it a curveball, but it was closer to a slider) feel, he was a force on the mound for Canes Southwest 2026 – Correll. Up to 87 MPH with the type of heater that led to weak grounders for his infielders, Harms attacked hitters with a low three-quarters slot that tended to be a tick higher with his fastball compared to his breaking ball. At 6-4 and a good athlete with a promising frame, Harms has the ingredients to continue making strides as a pitcher and should continue to see velocity bumps in the future. 

Another hard-thrower caught my eye: Texas Oilers 15U Nowell’s Jax Robinson (Waxahachie). In relief to close out a win Thursday, Robinson touched 86 MPH with a heavy fastball that showed some tilt and also mixed in a slider (69 MPH) and curveball (64 MPH). Robinson struck out the side and also showed an impressive bat from the left side, which has led to a .667/.786/.778 line so far with four walks and just one strikeout. 

Dustin McComas
Senior Editor