After countless miles driven while eating too many kolaches and endlessly searching for the best local coffee shops near ballparks, Dustin’s Deep Drives is back to guide you through the 2023 high school baseball season. If you’re new to the column, welcome and thanks for landing here. This is where I share thoughts, notes, scouting and more from the high school games I see in person. Obviously, I can’t be everywhere and the same can be said about the hard-working Five Tool staff. But we do try to, as best we can, see as much talent and action as possible and then share those thoughts and footage with readers. 

At the risk of sounding like I’m bickering for no good reason, I need to get something off my chest: I am not a fan of scrimmages. Do I understand why they happen? Of course. Teams need to get competitive reps and they can’t just jump right into games. And I also understand why some scrimmages include upwards of 30 players getting action with no numbers on their jerseys. It just makes evaluating… more difficult. “Cry me a river, baseball guy!” I know. I know. But I am very much looking forward to actual games. 

With that in mind, these notes include just one game, which will hit leadoff in the column, and brief notes on nine other teams I’ve seen in scrimmages. 

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Concordia Lutheran vs. Second Baptist

Early-season baseball has been known to give coaches gray hair. What looked like a powerhouse matchup between two of the top private school programs in the state turned into a non-competitive snoozefest. After one inning, Concordia Lutheran led 8-0 and cruised to a 10-2 victory despite having just four hits and committing three errors. 

Auburn signee and 2023 Five Tool 55 member Alex Petrovic proved to be the star of the game. He went 2-for-3 with a walk and loud RBI knock. The tall right-hander then tossed 2.0 shutout innings to complete the victory. He punched out three, gave up one hit and walked one. Petrovic’s fastball touched 93 MPH and sat comfortably in the 89-92 MPH range; he didn’t come in from the bullpen and “air it out” with max effort and instead stayed within his typical delivery, which strongly suggests his future is in a weekend rotation. 

Petrovic threw what looked like a hard knuckle-curve that he could at times manipulate to look like a harder slurve up to 81 MPH. But the real showstopper was Petrovic’s changeup, which is a low-spin offering with late arm side dive and tumble that steals the soul of left-handed batters. It already flashes as a plus pitch and I’m comfortable putting a future 60, maybe 65-grade on it. For a player of his size, Petrovic is a smooth, fluid mover on the mound. 

John Mitchell, a junior right-hander committed to Air Force, started on the mound and ran his fastball up to 88 MPH and a firm slider at 77-79 MPH. Typically during early-season action, pitchers can struggle with timing on the mound. And that appeared to be the case for Mitchell, who missed up and to his arm side often (six walks). But the stuff and long-term outlook are promising. 

I liked the way Jake Skelly entered the game and competed. An uncommitted senior right-hander, Skelly, a very thin 6-1, was fearless and an intense yet under control competitor. Although he touched just 83 MPH on a cold night, Skelly’s fastball played up, likely the case of how much confidence he exuded on the mound. His changeup was his most promising secondary offering. 

At the plate, Concordia Lutheran did a good job taking its walks and capitalizing on Second Baptist miscues. Nolan Traeger, a 2024 TCU commitment and Five Tool 55 member, again showed he has advanced pitch recognition and strike zone control beyond his years. He didn’t barrel anything, but his bat speed and bat paths again looked promising. He also caught a runner stealing and looked solid behind the dish. 

I liked the way Zachary Daigre, an uncommitted senior who hits from the left side, set the tone at the top of the lineup. Although undersized, he just missed hitting a homer out to right-center field and scored two runs thanks to a walk and being hit by a pitch. Daigre manned center field for Concordia Lutheran. Recently, Daigre scored the game-winning run in his team’s 1-0 victory against The Woodlands Christian. 

After seeing him for the first time, I can see why Texas A&M secured a commitment from 2026 shortstop Ronin McCraw. He’s a smooth operator with confident actions at shortstop and plays with a quick-twitch bounce to his step. Like most of his teammates, he walked twice and didn’t see much to hit. Although he didn’t have anything to show for it, teammate Michael Herndon, a Baylor signee, showed a flash of his future power potential from the left side and also showed what looked like a future plus arm from the outfield. 

On the Second Baptist side, I liked the stuff future Houston Christian pitcher Luke Pettitte showed. The son of legendary lefty Andy Pettitte, who kept a watchful eye from the dugout as a member of the coaching staff, touched 90 MPH with his fastball. Like Petrovic, Pettitte has one of the better changeups in the state and the shape of his curveball is promising long-term. But he couldn’t consistently find the strike zone during the early-season start. I’d be surprised if he didn’t have an excellent season, though. 

Second Baptist was without stars Turner Murdock (knee) and JD Crisp (finger injury). So, that means they were without two of the top players in the Houston area. Ty Baker, a future Texas A&M pitcher, tried to help carry the load offensively and swung the bat well. Ben Feuer looked like a really good get for Southwestern with a long, lean frame and some all-around potential at shortstop. He nearly hit a homer out to center field, which turned into a RBI double and showed some surprising juice from his frame. 

SCRIMMAGE NOTES

San Marcos

Once he toed the rubber, I saw why San Marcos is so high on Alberto “Tito” Santos IV. The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi signee touched 86 MPH with his fastball, attacked any hitter with confidence and showed a slider and changeup to give a promising three-pitch mix. He takes the ball and sets the tone even in a scrimmage setting. 

Coastal Bend College landed a steal in senior right-handed hitting outfielder Major Pellien. He’ll be a force in the middle of the San Marcos lineup. At 6-2, 195 pounds, Pellien sees pitches well out of the hand, has good strike zone awareness and will run into the occasional bomb. He showed a solid arm and quality defensive instincts, too. 

Kutter Gage Webb really caught my attention. After seeing his swing up close, I’m all-in on his hitting ability and he’s a good athlete (played a lot of quarterback last season) with all-around future tools that grade well. He did boot a ball at shortstop when he stayed back to trust his strong arm, but his athleticism is going to give him a good chance to stick on the dirt long-term. The Texas State commitment in the 2024 class is a Five Tool 55 member. 

Uncommitted senior right-handed hitter Stephen Wilder had a strong afternoon with the bat, plating two with a single when he kept his hands and weight back to smack a pitch up the middle. Ripp Soto, a senior lefty, only touched 80 MPH but his changeup routinely made one of the most talented lineups in the state look silly. The thin, 6-2 lefty turns the pitch over in a way that creates some screwball-like life and will baffle hitters all season. College coaches will want to see the velocity tick up, but his changeup alone gives him a chance to pitch somewhere at the next level. 

Uncommitted junior right-handed hitter and pitcher Dylan Nunez showed two-way talent that should impact the team’s ability to win games throughout the season. Tarleton State signee and left-handed hitter Gavin Gomez is athletic with impact bat speed and should be one of the top hitters in the district. 

Smithson Valley

At first glance, I thought Smithson Valley put a football team in its infield. Come to think of it, they are all football players. Good luck finding a more physical lineup in the area and maybe the state. Seniors Ethan Gonzalez (Blinn), Cooper Burgess (Paris Junior College), David De Hoyos, Jackson Elizondo (Baylor) are among the imposing figures in the lineup. Sophomore Bryce Wells (Texas) and junior Zachary Gingrich add even more punch and size to the lineup. 

Gonzalez and De Hoyos have added more muscle and are still power-over-hit prospects who can create some very loud exit velocity and impact. At catcher, Gonzalez moved fine and should stick there at Blinn; De Hoyos played multiple spots in the infield and at the next level looks like a corner infielder, where his raw power should fit. 

As for Wells, he played across multiple spots in the infield and caught during the second scrimmage. He just missed a pitch, which created a sky-high fly out that nearly brought down some rain after a foggy morning. At this point, I think he’s more likely to be an infielder than catcher long-term and should provide some thump in the heart of one of the state’s most powerful lineups. 

Elizondo worked comfortably in the 83-86 MPH range with his fastball, clearly gearing up for the season and not letting pitches fully rip during the chilly, early-season conditions. The very athletic, strong lefty flashed a bat-missing curveball at 75 MPH, what looked like a cutter around 81 MPH and a changeup, too. He also played first base and should be a two-way threat for Smithson Valley. 

I came away most impressed with two uncommitted players - senior Seve Martinez and Gingrich. Martinez, a one-time Texas Tech commitment along with Gonzalez and De Hoyos, is another two-way talent, but his future looks like it’s on the mound. The lean, high-waisted lefty fired his fastball up to 88 MPH from a lower slot that appeared to create the type of jump and vertical attack angle that made it play up. Martinez routinely beat hitters with his fastball and dropped a 68-70 MPH curve with sweep/slurve shape for strikes. The senior showed one changeup with some splitter-like spin and tumble. There’s a lot to like about his fastball foundation, physical outlook and repeatability on the mound. 

Gingrich is a player I’ve been a fan of for a while now, and I didn’t recognize him at first glance. That’s because he added around 30 pounds of muscle, filled out, grew considerably and is an extremely impressive player physically. The right-handed pitcher touched 88 MPH with his fastball, which featured some downward angle and glove side execution; his short, tight curveball racked up whiffs and looked like it had good spin. What’s especially exciting about Gingrich on the mound is there is still a lot of room for skill growth and ability to tap into his physical gifts with his delivery. 

As a hitter, it was a quiet day at the plate, but he’s going to hit leadoff for a great lineup for many reasons. In addition to being able to run, Gingrich has impact bat speed and can punish mistakes with pull-side juice. Need evidence? Take a look below. Division-one coaches in the region better pay attention because those who are are likely going to make a move sooner than later. 

I was also really intrigued by junior left-handed pitcher and outfielder Maverick Minister. In addition to having an excellent name, Minister showed potential on the mound. A long, lean, projectable athlete, Minister’s curveball is a weapon with spin, bite, and quality shape; it’s going to get the best of a lot of hitters this year. Additionally, the lefty touched 83 MPH with his fastball and shows signs of a future velocity jump in the future. 

Now, think of all those pitchers and consider MJ Espinoza (left wrist/hand injury) will soon join the mix. Loaded. 

Alamo Heights

The most popular song from Encanto routinely gets stuck in my head thanks to my two-year-old son, but today we're definitely going to talk about Bruno. I’ve seen Bruno Robles catch and play as a position player in the past, but I’ve never seen him pitch. He showed up, touched 91 MPH with a lively heater that featured some arm side run and overwhelmed hitters. Frankly, the swings created were very ugly and suggested the blazing fastball played above its radar gun reading. A 2024 Incarnate Word commitment, look for Robles to play infield when he’s not pitching and he could become one of the top arms in the area. 

Speaking of Alamo Heights infielders, senior Jackson Duffin played a clean, confident shortstop with good agility and short-area quickness. He also smacked a hard single through the infield and looks like he’s going to be one of the top infielders in his district. Duffin is currently uncommitted. Parks Zunker caught my attention last season as a sophomore starting second baseman when he took good at-bats against future Texas A&M lefty Brandon Arvidson. There’s no reason to think he isn’t going to hit well and play clean defense for Alamo Heights this season. 

Sophomore third baseman and right-handed pitcher Yul Salaburu is a definite prospect to follow. The uncommitted prospect, who appeared to be around 6-0, tracked pitches well and competed each time in the batter’s box. He drilled a RBI triple into the right-center gap off Tito Santos. Then on the mound, the righty sat 82-84 MPH with his fastball, flashed a bat-missing changeup with major promise at 75 MPH and showed a breaking ball that needs to tighten up. He’s poised to be a key contributor for Alamo Heights. 

Junior catcher Will Broderick, a standout on the football field, too, drilled a very loud single the opposite way, moved with agility and athleticism behind the dish and has the type of frame college coaches look for. 

Westlake

Junior shortstop and Texas commitment Theo Gillen immediately made his presence felt when he smacked a screaming liner by the first baseman for a double. The speedy prospect then swiped third base and scored on a sacrifice fly. Later in the scrimmage, Gillen stole another base and ran down the line in 4.04 seconds. He looked healthy and primed for a monster season thanks in large part to a gorgeous, athletic, rhythmic left-handed swing with lightning-quick bat speed. 

In total, Westlake had 13 players listed to throw an inning, which meant the pitcher looks weren’t extensive. Again, these are scrimmages and reports will be more thorough and detailed when the official score is kept. Five Tool Academic Team member Jack Brady touched 86 MPH and is a very good bet to productively throw four pitches for a strike. Don’t be surprised if the uncommitted junior becomes one of the top pitchers in the area because he’s going to get outs efficiently with a distinct arsenal. 

Speaking of pitchers who are going to get outs efficiently, senior right-handed Joe Sockwell creates a sinking fastball from a low slot and a changeup that can create whiffs. He touched 84 MPH, but it looked like there was a bit more in the tank. Regardless, he’s a good athlete who is going to get a lot of outs for one of the state’s top teams. 

Blake Peterson is recovering from a quad injury, but was healthy enough to swing the bat. He just missed pulling a homer. Houston commitment Sage Sanders manned third base, recorded a RBI with a loud one-hopper at the second baseman and should mash in the heart of the lineup. Senior Isaac Beeler, who is heading to Wisconsin-Stevens Point, smashed an absolute bomb to left field and doesn’t even look like the same player from last year thanks to his improved frame and physicality. He’s added some major bat speed and looks like an absolute steal. 

We also talk about standing out by playing hard. Shout out to uncommitted senior catcher Ben Longoria. He sprinted down the line on a routine grounder to second base (4.3 seconds), and nearly beat it out on a bang-bang play. Longoria also popped out of his stance quickly to pick a lost runner off at first base, but his teammate missed the tag. 

Round Rock

I can confirm Travis Sykora is still extremely good and throws extremely hard. The senior right-hander, who signed with Texas, touched 99 MPH with his fastball during a recent scrimmage against Anderson. He sat 94-98 MPH with his fastball, which featured more arm side run than I’m used to seeing. Sykora worked primarily with his heater as he worked to find his rhythm and timing on the mound during the early-season tuneup. The top prospect showed a slider at 83-85 MPH and my notes had one changeup/splitter at 85 MPH. Across 2.0 innings, he struck out three and the only baserunner who reached did so on an error. 

No offense to last year’s Round Rock squad, but there was a stark difference between the overall talent, especially in the batter’s box. Sign me up as a big fan of Blinn signee Cade Algaier, a feisty competitor both on the mound and in the batter’s box. The left-handed hitter has plus, maybe plus-plus wheels and has consistently put together strong, competitive at-bats with gap-to-gap power when I’ve seen him. He can fly around the bases, in the outfield and will also help Round Rock on the mound with a heater capable of beating high school batters. 

Hudson Ellis is a big reason to believe in improvement, too. The junior shortstop committed to DBU this summer and makes playing shortstop look easy, even on dirt. He’s smooth with athletic actions and hammered a deep double into the left-center gap against Anderson. I envision him being on base a lot this season. 

On the mound, Round Rock will receive a lot of help from McLennan signee Cade Waibel and Tyler Junior College signee and Five Tool Academic team member Tanner Jackson. Waibel’s control was a bit loose during Tuesday’s outing, but when he was in the zone with his 88-91 MPH fastball, its live created whiffs; his 73-75 MPH slider with two-plane break showed some arm side execution and bat-missing ability. Waibel has added some strength to his frame and still possesses a lot of signs he’s going to throw harder in college. 

Like Waibel, Jackson’s timing and control were also a bit off during the appearance I saw him against Westlake. But he touched 88 MPH with his fastball, dropped in a tight hook for a strike and should play a huge role this season. 

Also, keep an eye on junior Nick Dunch, who hit cleanup and should provide some extra-base thump. Junior Connor DiGesualdo’s athleticism and speed caught my eye, too. 

Vista Ridge

After a successful campaign that came up agonizingly short in the playoffs, Vista Ridge returns a ton of its 2022 roster. And you can tell Matt Garver emphasizes work in the weight room because many players made gains. Most noticeably, UTSA signee and two-way talent Hank Howard added around 20 pounds of muscle and might be confused with a college Friday night starter if you didn’t know who he was. 

Clearly gearing up for the season and not revving the engine all the way, Howard tossed a clean inning with a fastball up to 86 MPH and a breaking ball that looked more like a slider than the curve he tossed last year. I have no doubt he’s going to be a future workhorse in the UTSA rotation. When I’ve seen him in the past, I thought Howard was clearly more of a pitcher than hitter, and I still believe his long-term future is on the mound. But the bat has made major strides and looks capable of logging some at-bats at UTSA. The big, physical, 6-4 senior has improved his bat speed, swing and paths to the baseball. I don’t see much whiff in the profile, although Howard hasn’t been challenged by great stuff when I’ve seen him with the bat. Regardless, I think he’s going to be one of the best hitters and pitchers in the region and probably the state. 

Recent Grayson signee Jackson Harrell was a hitting machine from the right side and it’s easy to see why Grayson locked him in. Jake Wagoner, a longtime Seattle University commit, caught a runner trying to steal second base, swung the bat well and brings a calm leadership to the club. 

It’s a pretty big statement when a non-senior hits in the middle of this lineup, and junior right-handed hitter Grant Anderson appeared capable of being a major force with the bat. A standout linebacker in football, Anderson has intriguing potential with the bat and played a clean third base. 

After playing through a torn labrum and UCL injury last season, Alex Berndlmaier had surgery and missed the entire summer. But he’s back, healthy, hitting leadoff and is going to be a four-year starter. The right-handed hitting center fielder has a contact-based approach in the batter’s box and ran 4.14 seconds down the line, which included an awkward step. Yeah, he can fly and it impacts the game. An uncommitted prospect, Berndlmaier is absolutely good enough to find a JUCO home. 

And sticking with the theme of talented, uncommitted seniors, Zachary Fetchel touched 90 MPH and sat 84-87 MPH during his 2.0-inning appearance. A thin righty with a loose frame, Fetchel showed a big, 68-70 MPH curve that he can throw for strikes when he wants but could tighten up and improve its shape. He also threw a changeup that was a major weapon and even showed confidence in throwing against right-handed hitters with some feel for arm side execution; it’s going to neutralize lefties and even get whiffs against some righties. Expect a big season from Fetchel. 

Sophomore standout Ethan Sanders wasn’t in attendance Saturday (FFA event). He remains a major talent to watch. Also, I like what I saw form junior Kade Nathman (4.19 down the line; athletic, projectable frame and played some center field), sophomore Alex Reyna and senior Mason Semmelmann (loose, projectable frame with some bat speed and promising defensive actions at shortstop). 

Georgetown

After a 5A state championship last season, Georgetown should again be one of the top 5A teams in the state. It’ll need to replace some key pieces, but it’s one of the most well-coached teams in the state and does a good job of not beating itself. Talent helps, too. And junior Ryley Leininger is prepared for takeoff. 

A physical, left-handed hitter, Leininger unloaded on a pitch, hammering it high, far, deep and just foul; it went so high and far into the trees that I had trouble finding it on video. The power, bat speed and torque are real. There’s a buzz about what he’s going to accomplish this season. He played some shortstop in addition to third base, but he’s definitely a third baseman with a future corner infielder profile. Plus, Georgetown has one of the best shortstops in the state. 

Eli Hellmann was a favorite of mine last season, and McLennan wisely swooped in to sign him. He hit at the top of the lineup when I saw Georgetown and showed a quick bat, competitive approach and added strength packed onto a compact, athletic frame. He moves with an athletic bounce that also displays his quality instincts. 

A few other names to follow: junior outfielder Devin Peterson, junior pitcher Cooper Ashby, senior pitcher Brady Peters and Tyler JUCO signee Nolan Jondahl.

Waco Midway

I didn’t get to see Wichita State signee Jeremiah Arnett and top junior Cameron Johnson pitch. Arnett, obviously, has a college home already. Johnson, meanwhile, is apparently a diamond in the rough for major D1 programs; I phrase it that way because I’m a tad perplexed about the lack of major recruiting attention. He’s going to throw really hard in the future with a potentially dominant sinker-slider combo and has so much upside remaining skill and physical-wise. Among the arms I did see: Bossier Parrish signee and right-handed pitcher Cole Patrick touched 82 MPH and his overhand hook racked up whiffs and called strikes. 

Juniors Noah Breuer and Sawyer Haynes caught my eye. The former had a solid day defensively at catcher and the latter was an on-base machine with impressive athleticism and skill. Also, regional JUCO programs would be wise to ask around or see senior third baseman Alex Martinez. A transfer from Waco High School, Martinez processes the game at an advanced level both offensively and defensively. He sees pitches well in the batter’s box with a very confident, hitterish vibe and dangerously quick hands that can drive the ball over the fence. With the leather, he’ll make the routine play at a high level from the hot corner, and thinks the game well, which was shown when he came home to get a runner who went on contact. 

Anderson

My look at Anderson was a short one and I’m looking forward to seeing them again this season. Ed Small looks the part of a “tooled up” top prospect with football physicality and quick-twitch athleticism. He didn’t struggle in the box against Travis Sykora, although his center field defense was a tad rusty. 

UMHB signee Rylan Unnasch should have a big season and I liked what I saw from junior season baseman Andrew Mason. 

Dustin McComas
Senior Editor