This past weekend we covered the Division 1 Varsity portion of the Southwest Homeschool Classic at Melissa and were impressed by a number of teams and individuals. Over the course of the weekend there were many standout performances, but I wanted to take the time to highlight six that I was able to catch live. 

Sebastian Arauz - Austin Texans - 2024 SS - Temple College signee

Arauz was my favorite infield prospect in the event due to his actions at shortstop. As a tall shortstop his agility and ability to throw from multiple arm angles really stuck out. At the plate, Arauz went 5-for-8 with a triple, two doubles and has some real power projection as he continues to fill out. In his current frame, Arauz can stay at short, but I could see him getting into a good weight program and becoming an elite third baseman at the next level that could hit in the middle of the lineup. On the year Arauz is cruising with a .474 average with ten extra-base hits (8 2B, 2 3B) and leads the team with 10 RBI. 

Klayton Bolkema - TACA Storm - 2024 1B/OF - Texas commit

Bolkema came into the event with a reputation of hitting for power and he did not disappoint. Over the course of the weekend Bolkema hammered five doubles, a triple, and a home run while finishing at a 9-or-12 clip. He also showed patience by drawing four walks and eventually scoring nine runs. One impressive facet of Bolkema’s offensive game is his ability to drive the ball out of the yard to all fields. Bolkema is no stranger to being pitched around, but he never got pull-happy and was content to drive the ball the other way with authority. Another notable trait for Bolkema is his passion for the game. There was no denying where a great deal of energy came from for the eventual tournament champions. 

Sam Gerth - HSAA Angels - 2023 RHP - Navarro signee

One pitcher that really impressed me was Navarro signee Sam Gerth. Gerth possessed the best pure stuff on the weekend and overpowered hitters with a fastball that was up to 93 MPH. His ability to drive a multi-planed fastball down-and-in on a righty gives him a major weapon in his arsenal. The physical righty also spun some tight, late-breaking sliders in for strikes and generated some swinges and misses. One thing I liked about Gerth was I got the impression that he was pitching and not just throwing. He attacked with a plan and executed pitches at a high level. His delivery and stuff project as a starter at the next level. 

Owen Lawson - TACA Storm - 2024 P/OF

Arguably the most dominant pitching performance came from TACA Storm’s Owen Lawson. The righty gave up just one infield hit while striking out fifteen and didn't allow a ball to leave the infield. Lawson attacked from the jump and overpowered the opposition with one well-placed fastball after another. Lawson is able to go deep into games with a compact, effortless delivery that is repeatable. With his efficient mechanics Lawson hovers around 90 MPH with the fastball while mixing in a slider and a changeup. That fastball will continue to tick up as he fills out and gets stronger. He will be a definite prospect to keep an eye on over the next eighteen months. 

Aiden McNulty - THESA Riders - 2025 OF/RHP

One of the best offensive performances on the week came from THESA Riders sophomore Aiden McNulty. McNulty possesses a natural feel for hitting as he barrels the ball over and over. In four games, McNulty went 7-for-10 with eight runs, eight RBI, two doubles and a home run. One thing that impressed me was his ability to lock-in, not get bored in some blowout games and continue to hit the ball with authority seemingly every at-bat. Although wiry at this point in his development, there is some definite twitch and pop to his game. McNulty is also an instinctual baserunner that creates havoc when on the basepaths. In the outfield, McNulty takes good angles and plays an aggressive centerfield where he possesses a good arm. 

Austin Parker - OKC Broncos - 2024 OF/RHP

The two-way standout from Oklahoma was very impressive in Melissa as he showed some juice at the plate and on the bump. At the plate, Parker displays an athletic setup and the ability to drive the ball with impressive bat speed. He shows a good feel for the barrel and the ability to sit back and drive the ball where it is pitched. On the mound, Parker was 86-89 MPH and reached back for a few that had some real downward angle and late jump to them. One thing that I particularly liked about his outing was his willingness to throw a right-on-right changeup, which not enough young pitchers seem to utilize. This generated some swings and misses and allowed his fastball to play off when he pitched inside to batters. Parker will be a definite D1 candidate as he heads toward a big summer. 

Drew Bishop