A good high school baseball game between two talented, good teams can tell us a lot. Heck, it can even deliver five players to fill an entire Five Tool Five. On that note… 

What is the Five Tool Five? The short, succinct definition: it’s simply a look at five players who recently caught our attention. The long-winded, more detailed explanation: showcasing our coverage from around the United States and highlighting noteworthy baseball talent, skill, performances, news, uncommitted players who colleges should pay attention to and more. We plan to deliver a fresh Five Tool Five every Monday through Friday to help satisfy baseball fans’ hunger for coverage at the amateur level and welcome you to the home of what we believe is the best amateur baseball coverage you’ll find - FiveTool.org. 

Seeing the best of the best excelling in the game’s highest leverage moments is a lot of fun. Dee Kennedy did that last night.

Athletic and competitive

We know Dondreone “Dee” Kennedy is going to make his impact with his bat and glove at Texas. Make no mistake, he’s a middle-of-the-diamond player with one of the prettiest right-handed swings in the 2023 class. But as a top senior at loaded Prestonwood Christian Academy, Kennedy will be asked to pitch some, too. Last night, he was asked to close out a win. 

He shut the door in impressive fashion, striking out the side in the final inning after entering a tied game with two outs and the bases loaded the inning prior. He struck out each batter he faced in a pressure situation. Not too shabby for an infielder. 

Something special about high school baseball, which is sometimes but not consistently replicated in the summer, is the more intense, different types of competitive settings it forces players to perform in. We can learn something about players based on how they perform in these moments, moments that will increase in frequency and intensity at the next level, especially at a place like Texas. 

In addition to Kennedy showing us, through his delivery and strike throwing, more confirmation he’s a good athlete, we also saw his competitiveness and mental toughness in a huge moment. And he touched 91 MPH, which means his arm strength is improving, too.

UTA landed a steal 

Prestonwood Christian Academy’s Will Johnson, an honorable selection for Five Tool’s All-Summer Team, was among our summer favorites because of his hitting production, swing, physical projection and all-around defensive skill. The more I see Johnson, the more it’s obvious UTA landed a steal. He isn't just a ballplayer. He has some real tools, too.

The Mavericks made several shrewd recruiting moves last summer and landing Johnson, who played a clean shortstop last night, might prove to be the best. Last night, the 6-1, 175-pound right-handed hitter showed improved bat speed and still plenty of room to fill into an athletic, loose frame. He has an efficient swing with little wasted movement and naturally creates good barrel paths. If he becomes one of the cream of the crop players in the DFW area, I won’t be surprised. 

An uncommitted 2024 prospect who colleges should be following closely

Prestonwood Christian Academy’s Chris Patterson made our “Just Missed” Five Tool 55 list because of his exciting upside, future tools and athleticism. He can impress with his arm, power display in batting practice, speed on the bases and defensively and his competitiveness. And to be honest, we simply needed to see him a bit more. Last night, we saw a bit more. 

Patterson’s second hit was a huge one and came at the end of a lengthy battle. He tied the game with two outs and eventually helped propel his team to victory. There isn’t much length in Patterson’s swing and I think he has the hands and bat speed to handle top velocity when he sees it. As you can see above, there’s some present barrel feel and the ball comes off the barrel with some impact. 

Defensively, he has the arm strength and ability to profile at multiple places around the diamond. Patterson was invited to participate in the MLB Dream Series and is a two-time selection for USA Baseball’s National Team Identification Series. 

A big, physical home run hitter

Facing a really good pitcher is the best opportunity a hitter has to impress. Last night, uncommitted 2024 prospect Lex Rich faced Xavier Mitchell, one of the premier 2025 pitchers in the nation. 

Yeah, that’s loud. Listed at 6-4, 210 pounds, Rich, a corner infielder who also pitches, looks like he’s going to develop into a physical, strong masher with noticeable raw power. The Brook Hill School product swings a heavy barrel that creates some loud impact and it’s a simple hitting operation with a bat that whips through its finish with the hint of anger. In the future, I think the power will continue to grow as Rich, who is uncommitted, learns to use more of his strong lower half in his swing. 

A 2026 catcher to follow 

While smooth, slick-fielding shortstops and quick, loose arms on the mound top my list of “baseball things I’m a sucker for,” a catcher with a strong arm is up there, too. 

That’s right around a 2.00 pop time (I got 2.04 off video twice) and impressive arm strength, especially for a freshman. Heck, starting as a catcher on varsity is extremely impressive on its own. And after last night, Clements now has three videos of him throwing out runners at second base on his Five Tool profile. So, last night wasn’t a fluke because he’s shown this impressive defensive ability during the fall, too. 

Also, Clements ran 4.42 seconds down the line last night and showed a promising swing that featured relaxed, quick hands. Keep an eye on this guy. Definite follow.

Dustin McComas
Senior Editor