Baseball season is here, and that means the Five Tool staff is out there working, evaluating and filming. If you know anything about Five Tool, you know we capture a lot of baseball video. A LOT. And that means we see a lot of amazing plays and excellent performances. 

Each week, we’re going to share with readers, fans and baseball junkies 10 of the best plays and performances we recorded and covered from across the nation during the previous week. Now that we’re off and running in Texas, California, Arizona and beyond, we’ll undoubtedly be forced to leave some recognition on the bench to keep this to 10. 

This week’s list is dominated by some clutch, exciting defense from infielders, outfielders and catchers. Let’s take a look:

10) A lot of hustle and good baseball happening here, but Brent Lee of Grapevine emerged the winner of this play. He dove in the hole at second base, made a tough stop and completed the athletic throw from his knees just in time to get the runner as he went head-first into the base.

9) With barely time to set his feet, Julian Minor showed impressive athleticism and arm strength to get to a ball and field with his backhand deep in the hole at shortstop before turning and throwing off-balance to get the out. That’s a big-time play by the Paschal shortstop and future Hill College infielder.

8) L.D. Bell outfielder Nick Kumpel covered a ton of ground to chase down a fly ball deep in foul territory and the 2024 prospect smoothly completed the play with a slick slide to keep him from running into the fence. To run that far that fast and keep a steady head to make the catch is impressive. 

7) Robbery! The Horizon (Arizona) duo of shortstop Andrew Grenert and second baseball AJ Keely used a favorable hop off the mound to start and complete an outstanding, 6-4-3 double. Big-time athleticism. 

6) Justin Cherrington made sure one from Horizon robbed this ball in play before he sent it screaming on a line over the wall in center field. The uncommitted 2024 prospect from Chaparral (Arizona) showed some big power this past week. 

5) Grapevine 2023 third baseman and Odessa signee Jace Christian owned the hot corner. In addition to reacting quickly to dive and stab a very hard line drive, he made a tough play on a ball to his left that most high school third basemen wouldn’t make. 

4) Off the bat, this looked like a surefire bunt single and almost perfectly placed. But Ryler Smart, a 2024 Pearland lefty committed to Tennessee, showed impressive quickness, athleticism and agility to chase the ball down, go to a barehand and flip as his momentum carried him to the grass. 

3) Sophomore Drew Allen showed some maturity in a huge moment by coming off the bench to deliver a game-tying, two-RBI single with one out in the bottom of the seventh. This was an intense atmosphere and a very dramatic, back-and-forth game. So, it was even more impressive Allen calmed his nerves and came through for his team. 

2) With the bases loaded and two outs, Grapevine senior Michael Northup made a tough, clutch sliding grab near the right field line on a shallow fly ball with some slice. This kept his team in front 2-1 after six innings.

1) Gunned down at the plate! With some help from his catcher, Brady Aduddell field a grounder in right field and fired a rocket home to cut down the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth inning. How big was the play? Check out the reaction from his teammates.

Five Tool Staff