Now that the fall season is in the rear-view mirror, colleges at all levels are assessing their rosters. Players could be on the move out while recruiting priorities continue to shift as programs continue adding to their 2024 classes and plan for the future. Additionally, colleges of all levels continue to host camps because that’s the only way many programs will be able to see high school players in person for months. For colleges still looking to add to their 2024 class, we’ve collected some names of players – many of whom are JUCO-level prospects - who have stood out during the spring and/or summer. We’ll continue with pitchers from Texas before a list of national names from places like Arizona, California and even Utah and Wyoming.

Kadyn Leon – RHP – Lake Travis

Leon burst onto the scene last spring, became one of the best pitchers in the state and touched 94 MPH in two separate in-person looks. This summer, Leon, who was balancing being quarterback during the summer for Lake Travis and occasionally pitching, lived more in the 88-91 MPH range with his fastball, but showed a promising curveball with spin rates around 2700 RPM at the Texas Scouts Association All-Star Game at Minute Maid Park. Back to the fastball: it has always missed bats even in the strike zone and plays up. A good athlete (go watch his highlights as a receiver during the playoffs), Leon should throw strikes at a better rate than he did in the spring and is developing a splitter with feel for a changeup and a cutter in his back pocket. Additionally, he’s an outstanding competitor who was thrown into the fire against Westlake back-to-back games and thrived. 

Jack Sharp – RHP – Rockwall-Heath

Formerly a Texas A&M commitment, Sharp went through the summer trying to regain his form that made him one of the most exciting pitching prospects in the state back in 2022. He might have found it this fall because Sharp was back to looking like the righty who could easily touch 93 MPH with more in the tank in the future; he moved more freely, fluidly and had more confidence. He remains a candidate who could find a new level of success once he gets to a pitching coach at the next level who will unlock even more velocity and help him harness his control/command. Although his Area Code performance wasn’t what he wanted, I thought he showed outstanding competitiveness when he bounced back from a very rough start, kept competing and ended up striking out five of the final six batters he faced on one of the game’s biggest stages. 

Jordan Stribling – LHP – Highland Park

The 2023 season was a rollercoaster for Stribling, who didn’t pitch much, if at all, in the spring because of a shoulder impingement, which also delayed his return in the summer. At around 6-6 and 230 pounds, Stribling is an imposing presence, especially for left-handed hitters. However, he hasn’t been able to harness his physical gifts and consistently throw strikes, which led to a rocky summer. Still, there is a lot to work with, like a low 90s fastball that plays up, a two-plane breaking ball with spin rates around 2600 RPM and a developing changeup. He likely needs to go somewhere where he can get a ton of reps and/or a place with a really, really sharp pitching coach who can unlock more strikes. 

Zachary Applegate – LHP/OF – Burleson Centennial

Another left-handed pitcher who was once a Texas commitment, Applegate didn’t show the velocity on the mound this summer he’s shown in the past. He actually looked like a better left-handed hitter and established himself as a legitimate two-way prospect. It looks like the velocity is back up this fall and considering he’s left-handed, he should have a long list of suitors. Like Stribling, he’d probably benefit most from playing somewhere where he can get a lot of reps to unlock growth. 

Ridge Morgan – RHP – Westwood

An Austin-area product who was originally committed to Texas before re-opening his recruitment, Morgan possesses a unique – for high school pitchers – arsenal that should immediately profile in a college bullpen. He features a very heavy, lively sinker that typically lives in the 87-89 MPH range along with a sharp slider. So, he can move the ball East-West well and typically features quality control and command with a knowledge of how to use his movement to his advantage. But Morgan also will show a curveball, true changeup that he’ll even throw to righties on occasion and a four-seamer with a hint of carry that can get into the low-90s. Some who have only seen Morgan in a short look might think he’s just a sinker-slider pitcher, but if you watch him for a full start, he has a true feel for pitching, can carry his stuff deep into games and features a deep arsenal. 

Griffin Lewis – RHP/UTIL – Flower Mound Marcus

During the 2023 Five Tool Festival, Lewis showed one of the best right-handed changeups I saw all spring. His ability to pronate combined with his sidearm slot leads to some gorgeous circle changeup action that can be demoralizing for left-handed hitters. This summer and fall, Lewis consistently showed upper-80s velocity and a slider that can neutralize right-handed hitters. Although he doesn’t have the physical projection of some of his peers, he has a better pitching feel than a lot of them and can manipulate the baseball pretty easily. As a junior, Lewis had a 1.06 ERA in 39.2 innings with 51 strikeouts and 12 walks. In a pivotal playoff start against a loaded Allen squad, Lewis threw 6.2 shutout innings and punched out 10. 

James Rheaume – RHP/UTIL – Strake Jesuit

At 6-4, 195 pounds, Rheaume can run his fastball into the low-90s and is a really intriguing, projectable pitcher given he’s still learning how to make everything work in his favor on the mound. Compared to when I first saw him early in the summer to my last look in the fall, I thought Rheaume made a lot of strides creating a more repeatable delivery and throwing more quality strikes. I think he probably ends up on the mound at the next level, but he also recorded the top exit velocity off a tee – 103 MPH – during Texas Twelve’s testing at the beginning of the summer. 

(EDIT: working to confirm but believe Rheaume just recently committed to McLennan)

Tommy Mulkern – RHP/INF – Frisco

A really good student who was a Five Tool Academic Team standout, Mulkern can spin a big-time breaking ball up to 2800 RPM and it racks up whiffs during games. He might get overlooked because of his frame as a right-hander who doesn’t consistently throw 90 MPH yet, but Mulkern can fill up the zone with a fastball that can get into the upper-80s and shows his skill and competitiveness as a two-way player, too. 

Lance Gorman – RHP – Brandeis

Gorman features a unique arsenal and is poised for a breakout this spring. Another undersized righty who can run his fastball up to 91 MPH, the San Antonio area prospect can create a lot of vertical movement to his fastball, gyrospin with his slider, and also has a curveball, changeup and splitter, too. It’s simply a matter of Gorman going out and having a full season but by that point a college will likely have grabbed his commitment already. 

Harrison Thayer – RHP – Leander

Skinny 6-2 with some length and I think he continues to fill out. Thayer has length in the arm action in the takeaway, but he rotates shoulders well and arm moves quick through the finish. He missed bats all spring and summer and has a distinct curveball and slider and also has a changeup. Sometimes, his length and delivery can lead to loose control and command but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he really took off this spring with an even better season and louder stuff. 

Michael Dudolski – RHP/3B/1B - Whitehouse

Dudolski was a Texas A&M commitment for a long while before recently re-opening his recruitment. He’s a raw but talented player who naturally does a lot of impressive things on the diamond, like spin a breaking ball and show some bright flashes on the mound. I actually think he might end up being a better left-handed hitter than right-handed pitcher, but he carries a bat-first profile until the third base defense improves. Regardless, Dudolski is a true two-way prospect with intriguing talent who would really benefit from a situation that would provide a chance to develop physically and provide a ton of reps in both areas before the game tells him which one he’s best at. 

Luke Saunders – RHP – Aledo

I’ve long been a fan of Saunders operation on the mound – good delivery, steady head, clean arm. Unsurprisingly, it typically translates to strikes with all his pitches. A one-time Tarleton commitment, Saunders features a traditional three-pitch mix and is going to be a solid add for someone.

Cade Plunkett – RHP – Frisco

Plunkett is a very good student and was up to 92 MPH in a Five Tool Showcase. Although he can feature two breaking balls and a changeup, the curveball typically gets some uncomfortable takes and swings. The Frisco product is likely flying a little bit under the radar because of some minor issues in the past and at 6-4, 215 pounds, there is a lot for a pitching coach to work with at the next level. 

Cole Melton – RHP – Sachse 

Melton has been consistently in the 85-88 MPH range lately, but his standout offering is his curveball, which creates some ugly, overmatched swings from hitters who simply don’t see it well. That’s because he can spin the baseball well and has an advanced feel for the pitch because he can spin a big one for a strike early in the count and bury a sharper one for a strikeout. 

Gavin Brewer – RHP – Tompkins 

Brewer is poised for a big year for Tompkins. He features a relatively easy, repeatable delivery with a promising three-pitch mix: fastball (83-86 MPH), slider (74-76 MPH) and changeup (78-89 MPH). He got whiffs on all three pitches during his AABC Don Mattingly World Series outing and has a feel for spinning the breaking ball into certain spots late in counts. And his late-fading changeup neutralized lefties and helped his fastball. Although he doesn’t have big velocity, his pitching savvy allows his stuff to play up with a chance the velocity makes a notable bump in the future. 

Logan Phillips – RHP – Episcopal

Sharp curveball gave right-handed hitters issues and his circle changeup looked like a quality offering to feature against lefties. Phillips performed at a high level all summer because he could throw strikes with his fastball, curveball and slider consistently with the changeup feel developing command. Like Brewer, he doesn’t light up the radar gun at around 84-86 MPH, but he can really pitch and the spin quality for the breakers is solid. 

Tyler Ryden – RHP/UTIL – Clear Springs

In a short appearance during the summer, Ryden touched 88 MPH and featured one of the best curveballs I saw all summer – a true angry hammer with late bite and spin around 2700 RPM. Additionally, Ryden showed interesting feel for a fading changeup that lefties didn’t react well too. He’s a skinny, undersized two-way prospect, but the curveball is real and with some physical maturation it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the velocity easily tick up. Plus, the operation is solid and repeatable. 

Parker Bowman – RHP – Lebanon Trail

A good performer for one of the nation’s top summer teams after a good spring, Bowman can fill up the zone with a fastball that features some natural sink and a short curveball. He doesn’t possesses attention-grabbing physical projection and there is some effort in his delivery, but he does have the competitiveness and track record to continue pitching at the next level. A strong student, Bowman was selected to participate in the Arizona Fall Classic Academic Showcase game this fall. 

Aidan Moody – RHP/INF – Sinton

Moody is a force on the football field and recently received an offer from Texas Lutheran. But he also made major, major strides on the mound with a fastball that consistently worked in the upper-80s and was boosted by outstanding mound makeup. Unsurprisingly given his football background, Moody looks like a physical linebacker on the mound and is constantly on the attack but in a low-energy, calm heartbeat-type of way. His curveball missed bats this summer and his changeup has promise. With Sinton’s season on the line after Jaquae Stewart and Blake Mitchell were forced to sit out the series-deciding game against a loaded Boerne squad, Moody threw 6.2 shutout innings to lead his team to the next round and literally left it all on the mound. 

Adin Ruiz – Veterans Memorial (Corpus Christi) – RHP 

After a fantastic spring he was among the top performers this summer. Like Moody, Ruiz is a good competitor on the mound but unlike Moody, who is more of a “here it is try to hit it” pitcher, Ruiz has advanced feel for pitching, which helps make up for an undersized frame. He’s been up to 89 MPH this fall and his changeup will flash plus. 

Dustin McComas
Senior Editor