The inaugural Five Tool Festival was so loaded we need to break our scouting notes into two parts. We'll begin with the eight teams from Texas and there's something for everyone: top MLB Draft prospects; uncommitted seniors who are more than good enough to keep playing; freshmen and sophomores with huge upside and more. 

AMERICAS

In our Five Tool Festival Superlatives story, we gave the whole team the “fearless in the box” designation and it started with 2024 outfielder Andres Suarez at the top. An uncommitted prospect, Suarez isn’t an imposing presence, but he displayed good bat control, competitiveness and set the tone by spoiling pitches until he could get one to handle. Luna Community College signee Gael Bernal drove a couple balls hard into the gaps and had some of the best bat-to-ball skill on the team. 

Hitting in three-hole, UTRGV signee Easton Moomau showed one of the smoothest left-handed swings in the event and made quality contact at a high level. He was a standout on the mound, too. But his future is as a corner infielder who can hit near the middle of the lineup with on-base and bat-to-ball skill. As he matures and gets stronger, he’ll add more gap-to-gap power and should hit a lot of doubles. 

On the mound, Americas rolled out three pitchers who all threw 90 MPH or harder. By now you probably know Stephen Sepulveda, who was named the Most Outstanding Pitcher of the Five Tool Festival. He threw a complete game and gave up just one run on two hits with 11 strikeouts. When his slider really flashed, it was the best of the event and his fastball consistently beat hitters in fastball counts. He could pitch immediately out of the Baylor bullpen but should also compete for a rotation spot as a freshman because of his plus makeup on the mound. 

Santana Hernandez, who is heading to New Mexico Junior College next year, was very impressive and struck out seven across 6.0 innings. Hernandez touched 92 MPH with a fastball that plays up thanks to some deception in the short, quick arm path. He showed one of the best curveballs in the event at 70-72 MPH with a lot of depth, spin and vertical break. 

Like Hernandez, Adrian Quintana was another hard-throwing righty who packed a lot of velocity for a pitcher who isn’t a big, physical presence. Out of the bullpen on a chilly night, Quintana fired fastballs up to 91 MPH with noticeable sink and some weight. He paired with a sharp slider that touched 81 MPH with true, tight shape that played well at higher velocities. An El Paso Community College signee, Quintana isn’t maxed out physically and should continue to add velocity to go along with a strike-throwing profile. 

- Dustin McComas

FLOWER MOUND MARCUS

The only undefeated team in the event, Marcus was carried by MVP Caden Sorrell and Most Outstanding Catcher Van Klein. Sorrell gave MLB scouts in attendance a lot to think about. His quick, whippy left-handed bat path led to three homers, including one that looked like he nearly mishit a homer the opposite way, and he’s proving able to drive the ball out of high school parks to center and left field in addition to pull side power. Sorrell also ran down the line in 4.12 seconds, made a highlight catch in center field and showed his athleticism and arm strength on the mound with a fastball up to 89 MPH and nine strikeouts in 5.0 innings. 

Sorrell carried himself with a lot of confidence and didn’t waste much time in the batter’s box. Typically, if he saw something he wanted to attack early in the count, he didn’t hesitate to put a quick bat in motion. The Texas A&M signee helped solidify his status as one of the top prep prospects in the state and is in the top DFW tier of outfielders, along with Hebron’s Aden Howard and Lovejoy’s Aidan Smith, scouts are heavily evaluating. 

At around 6-3, maybe 6-4 with a frame that’s added some muscle from the summer and still has room for more, Sorrell passed the eyeball test. From a professional sense, scouts will probably pay close attention to the barrel control and whiff percentage; if those two things trend positively, Sorrell could have a really tough and potentially lucrative decision to make in the summer. 

READ: The Five Tool All-Festival Team

As for Klein, he’s undoubtedly one of the best catchers and pure players in Texas. He exudes the type of presence players respect and gravitate towards, one of stern competitiveness that doesn’t require much talking. But when Klein does talk, people listen. He was impressive all-around, controlling the running game, helping Marcus play six games and only give up nine runs, and he also smacked a homer off one of the best pitcher’s in the event, Mater Dei’s Kalani Santos. Air Force is going to get a good player and a future leader. 

Left-handed hitting first baseman and uncommitted junior Major Spence really swung the bat well and should feast in the Marcus lineup because he’ll hit around Sorrell and Klein. He showed a left-handed swing that coaches should bet on with present gap-to-gap power, ability to pull a mistake over the fence and room to grow into more power. Spence played with a feisty competitiveness, too. 

Another uncommitted junior who stood out was Griffin Lewis. A right-handed pitcher with a strong lower half with a future physical and athletic profile, Lewis touched 89 MPH with his fastball in the first inning before settling in at 84-87 MPH. We awarded Lewis as having the best changeup in the event because he threw it to right-handers early, often and effectively in addition to using it as a weapon versus lefties. Lewis’ 76-77 MPH slider showed promise and his command was much better than his stat line; when he missed, he missed where he was trying to pitch and not by much. 

David Hernandez, another uncommitted junior, came out of the pen in a huge situation versus Mater Dei. Late in the game, he was called on with the bases loaded and one out. From a sidearm slot with a fastball up to 85 MPH that was tough for hitters to pick up and a 77 MPH slider with sweep, he struck out back-to-back hitters to escape the jam. He breezed through the final inning to help Marcus earn the win. 

McLennan signee and right-handed pitcher Zach Kirkpatrick threw well and has an easy, repeatable delivery, especially for a bigger pitcher. With the way Kirkpatrick breaks his hands to start his arm path, it adds a wrinkle of deception to his operation on the mound. Speaking of big right-handed pitchers, Logan Boertje, who is heading to Blinn, is a presence on the mound. He has a long arm swing and path, but he made it work out front and threw 4.0 shutout innings against a tough Americas lineup. 

- Dustin McComas

FRENSHIP

Each time we see Brooks Roberson, a 2024 Louisiana Tech commitment, he keeps getting better. Against a loaded Rockwall lineup, the tall, skinny righty threw 5.0 solid innings with six strikeouts. His fastball was up to 89 MPH with a slider at 74-77 MPH and the star of the show was the changeup at 71-74 MPH. Roberson’s breaking ball has improved since the summer and his velocity is making its expected rise. But as long as he has that changeup, he’s going to be at minimum a quality college bullpen arm that can neutralize left-handers. Also, Roberson swung the bat very well. His approach is more contact over power and he smacked line drive singles all over the field with confidence. 

Hudson and Landon Hutcheson, a feared football duo during the fall, are as good as advertised. Both 2024 prospects are uncommitted and both are impressive athletes with present strength and lean muscle packed onto compact, physical frames. Landon, named Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the Five Tool Festival, played center field exceptionally well, ran well, and hit well. He was the total package. 

As for Hudson, he’s going to have a chance to stick at catcher long-term because of how easily he moves and he was a force in controlling the running game. From a crouched stance that showed some leverage and rotation, Hutcheson blasted a home run and can create some loud contact off the bat. 

Brady Boles, another uncommitted junior, hit leadoff and played the game with an unmistakable “ballplayer” vibe. He wanted the baseball, wanted to be involved in big moments and exuded a lot of leadership traits in addition to playing a clean shortstop. From home to first on a big turn, he ran 4.47 seconds and he’s filled out considerably since his sophomore season. His approach in the batter’s box is for contact and can get a little inside-out/opposite-field minded at times, but the bat control and strike zone awareness were consistently present. He’s going to be the type of player that gets in a college program and is beloved. 

Odessa signee and lefty Ryland Morin and tall righty and Howard College signee Nick Blevins both threw well and both give Frenship a formidable rotation. Blevins carried his stuff well deep into his complete game victory. Don’t sleep on big junior righty Nano Mendoza, too. He spun the baseball really well, which showed in the amount of whiffs he generated with a 70-72 MPH curveball. 

Mendoza, who is uncommitted, also manipulated the shape of his breaking ball and showed a cutter, too; although the cutter could have simply been natural with the way he can spin the baseball off his fingers. Mendoza was throwing really well until he lost his timing in his delivery and his fastball touched 85 MPH. Speaking of big, junior Caydin Blakely is an intimidating presence in the batter’s box with noticeable raw power from the right side. 

- Dustin McComas

PROSPER

We’ve covered Luke Billings at length already and one thing we’ll add: his swing and bat speed have improved. Obviously, maturing and becoming more physical help, but the bat paths he showed were better than the end of the summer, when he was likely fatigued as a freshman going through the major summer circuit after a varsity season for the first time. 

Our Drew Bishop has been a fan of shortstop Lincoln Skinner and with good reason: he’s really athletic, is a plus, maybe plus-plus runner and swung the bat well from the right side. Even if shortstop isn’t his long-term home as he moves up levels, he’s a middle-of-the-diamond athlete with an exciting athletic profile. And when he gets on first, he’s immediately thinking of going to second. Cole Giametta joins Skinner to form one of the top double-play duos in the area. He showed impressive range and defensive skill at second base and had some bright moments offensively. 

Five Tool Academic Team alum Aiden White showed intriguing stuff against a talented Magnolia Heights team that drove up his pitch count with lengthy at-bats after the first two innings. White touched 87 MPH and can create a tough look for lefties with a crossfire delivery and low three-quarters slot, which also lets him execute to his arm side against right-handers. 

Another uncommitted junior pitcher who should throw a lot of quality innings for Prosper this year is Erick Thompson. A big, physical presence, Thompson fired his fastball up to 88 MPH with a slider/cutter up to 81 MPH. It was a two-pitch, reliever-type profile with physical upside and even though he showed a long arm action, it worked well out front. 

Nick Nava, an uncommitted junior, covered a lot of ground in the outfield and ran 4.08 seconds down the line from the left side. Sophomore Kaden Robardey is an exciting, switch-hitting outfielder who is physical and moves really well. 

- Dustin McComas

ROCK HILL

Freshman Joshua Viars is the real deal. A very advanced player on both sides of the ball with good instincts, Viars is a great bet to hit at a high level and also defend well, too. We’ll see where his body takes him, but he should be able to stick in the middle of the infield and has an extremely bright future. 

Uncommitted senior Chase Irby should be a popular target of mid-major and JUCO programs in the region because he can play.  A right-handed hitting second baseman, Irby hit over and over and over again, including a walk-off knock. Visually, he had a promising right-handed swing with some bat speed and a path that should translate to success and he’s added some muscle to his frame since last year. His swing-take decisions were sound and he’s poised for a big senior season. 

DBU signee Uriah Walters is working his way back from a finger injury, but that didn’t prevent him from hammering some baseballs. He appeared stronger in his lower half since the summer with a more fluid bat path and more dangerous barrel. Junior Ethan Ho, an uncommitted catcher, should really help Rock Hill in the middle of the lineup. He took some of the best right-handed swings in the team and created loud contact. Ho more than held his own defensively and moved well for a taller catcher. He should fill out considerably in the future. 

Colin Moore was among the “Let the Big Dog Eat!” picks in our superlatives story for mashing three homers and stepping into the box with only one thing on his mind: hit the baseball as hard as he can. He has a definite bat-first, power over contact profile, but there weren’t many players who created the type of exit velocity he did four times. Mac Sillman hammered a deep homer off a quality left-handed pitcher. Danny Lawler, whose speed earned him a spot in our Five Tool Festival Superlatives story, is going to add a lot of athleticism, defensive skill and a major threat on the bases this season. 

- Dustin McComas

ROCKWALL

Coming off a 5-1 weekend in Central Texas, the Jackets proved once again they belong in the state title contender discussion.With a talented, experienced roster, Rockwall can overwhelm its opponents before they know what hit them. 

Leading off for Rockwall, Pearson Riebock has announced his presence with authority to begin the season. The wiry center fielder has gap-to-gap power and can really run. He also has proven to be a patient hitter, drawing four walks in the first three games. On the mound, Riebock has already been up to 92 MPH and can spin a nice breaking ball. Against Flower Mound Marcus, he kept a veteran, feisty lineup at bay only giving up one run in the outing. 

Following Riebock in the lineup, is All-Festival Most Outstanding Offensive player Brayden Randle. Randle is an aggressive left-handed hitter who hits the ball to all fields with power and steals bases at a high clip. With a baseball IQ, he creates an edge for Rockwall in every facet of the game. He finished the Festival 10-for-16 with a home run, triple, double, seven RBI and seven stolen bases.

TCU signee Micah Kendrick gives Rockwall another heady middle infielder who can leave the ballpark. With an advanced feel for the game, Kendrick finds himself on base in a variety of ways. He has shown a knack for getting on base via walk, hit, or handling the bat laying down perfectly executed bunts. Kendrick is also slick with the glove and completes a lethal double-play combo with Randle.

Senior slugger Mac Rose is off to a hot start at the plate and on the mound. Nursing a tweaked hamstring, Rose still found his way on base by banging multiple extra-base hits. On the mound, Rose was impressive while shutting down arguably the most talented lineup in the event in Magnolia Heights. He allowed just two hits while striking out seven in the complete game effort. Up to 91 MPH, Rose also flashed two plus breaking balls and a changeup. 

With one of the loudest starts to the season, 2024 catcher Jake Overstreet has made a name for himself both behind the plate and at it. With Rose pitching and also nursing a hamstring, Overstreet has handled the bulk of the catching more than adequately. With his sturdy frame, the uncommitted prospect uses his athleticism to keep balls in front of him and throw out would-be base stealers. Overstreet stacks quality at-bats and finds his way on base while often going deep into the count. There is a noticeable difference in pop from last year as well and he drives balls to all fields.

One senior who has stepped up and added a quality presence both on the mound and at the plate is Remington Spoerl. Spoerl found himself on the all-festival team for his complete game shutout effort against Frenship. In the outing, Spoerl struck out seven while touching 90 MPH on the radar gun. This outing proved even more impressive as the event carried on with Frenship’s quality of play. The Amarillo College signee showed well at the plate with a home run and a 3-for-3 game where he logged a triple, a double, and four RBI. 

On the mound Keller Lindeman is a guy that really knows how to pitch. His ability to change speeds and move the fastball in and out leads to some really efficient outings. He lives in the mid-80s and is a jump away from being a big-time D1 prospect. 

A sophomore that is making a name for himself is Landyn Locke. On the mound, Locke is poised and competes fiercely. He challenged hitters and attacked a good Edmond Santa Fe lineup. He threw a 6.0-inning complete game allowing only one run. At the plate he added a triple and five RBI on the night. With a thin frame currently, it is easy to see Locke making a jump velocity and stuff-wise as he completes his time in high school. 

One final prospect to note for Rockwall is sophomore catcher Jake Pickering. A taller catcher, Pickering still exhibits above-average athleticism. With Rose not catching this event and with six games on the schedule, Rockwall didn’t have to be afraid to catch its “third” catcher. Pickering impressed with his command of the pitching staff and overall demeanor behind the plate. As he continues to fill out and log more innings behind the plate, Pickering will be a definite D1 prospect.

- Drew Bishop

ROCKWALL-HEATH

Coming off another state tournament berth and losing mainstays Jett Williams, Baylor Baumann, and Jonny Lowe, one might expect Rockwall-Heath to be in a rebuilding year. Far from it. Heath is reloading.

At the plate, junior Drew Smith is expected to provide a spark with his speed and power combo. An uber-athletic player, Smith showed us some highlight reel plays in the outfield. He was in the mix for the Most Outstanding Defensive Player for the event. At the plate Smith possesses gap-to-gap pop and can leave the yard occasionally. 

Caleb Hoover has turned into a two-way force for the Hawks. Known for his power at the plate, Hoover has turned himself into a dominant pitcher as well. Against a potent, experienced Deer Creek lineup, Hoover spun a gem, going 6.0 innings while striking out eight. To help his cause, Hoover added a double. Later in the weekend he launched his first home run of the season.

Senior Collin Liles is someone that has turned himself into a next level player. The lone everyday starting senior in the lineup, Liles provides experience to a group that needs a steadying voice. Liles himself is spending time at a new position - shortstop. Against Santa Fe, Liles had a clutch two-RBI single coming off a two-loss Thursday that allowed Heath to take a deep breath and eventually win two games on the day. There are some colleges starting to take notice this spring. Liles profiles as an offensive second baseman who has an advanced approach at the plate. 

One of the more toolsy players on the Heath roster is 2025 outfielder Brady Ladusau. A physically imposing righty at the plate, Ladusau hit the ball hard throughout the weekend. Although not a ton to show for it, the contact Ladusau made was impossible to miss. Ladusau has a mature approach at the plate and is not afraid to take balls the other way. Watching him continue to make really hard contact, it appears he is not far off from really tapping into his power.

Freshmen Hunter Bulin and Preston Lewis add two talented bats to the lineup. The duo will undoubtedly see their ups and downs over the course of the season, but there is a lot to like between the two of them. Bulin, a lefty, has an easy swing and a frame that you envision turning into an absolute monster. Lewis has proven to be solid behind the plate thus far and more than holds his own at the plate. Both added singles against Magnolia Heights in the tournament finale. 

On the mound, Heath has a number of options it can turn to. Aside from the aforementioned Hoover, Collin Adams is a veteran who will give Heath a known quantity on the mound. The senior Grand Canyon commit knows how to pitch and has not seen a situation that fazes him. He was in midseason form as he faced Mater Dei. Adams knows how to change speeds, which allows his fastball to play up. 

Jack Sharp is a talented 2024 arm fresh off his commitment to Texas A&M. In his outing against Magnolia Heights, Sharp showed a good breaking ball and a fastball that touched 90 MPH. There is some deception in Sharp’s offerings as he has some major spin numbers for those that dive into the analytics. 

Senior Trevor Tranberg is another arm with experience for the Hawks. Currently uncommitted, Tranberg showed two different breaking balls that were able to generate swings and misses. A big, durable righty, Tranberg was up to 91 MPH in his start against Americas. 

Senior Landry Powell tossed a gem against Edmond Santa Fe, striking out nine over 6.0 innings and only giving up one run. Powell possesses a dominant curveball that produces a high number of whiffs. The ETBU signee really knows how to pitch and earned a spot on our superlative list for having one of the best breaking balls in the event.

Junior Ethan Atchley is another arm for Heath that will factor heavily into the mix out of a bullpen. A Five Tool GPA member this fall, nothing Atchley throws is straight. Atchley attacks the hitter and uses a whippy 3/4 slot to spin a swing and miss slider. He has been up to 90 MPH so far this spring.

- Drew Bishop

SOUTHLAKE CARROLL

It should come as no surprise that DBU signee and left-handed hitting infielder Ben Tryon took some of the best at-bats of the event. He’s always raked and always seen the baseball well with an all-fields approach capable of doing extra-base damage to all parts of the park. It also shouldn’t come as a surprise that Cody Cashon looked the part of a top catcher in the area. A 2024 Houston commitment, Cashon was solid defensively and will provide a big presence in the heart of the Dragons lineup this season. 

Southlake Caroll plans a ton of players and a ton of different lineups early in the season as it gears up for defending its state title. In addition to Tryon and Cashon, two-way talent Tyler White should be a mainstay and give Southlake Carroll another good left-handed presence in the heart of the lineup. Of course, once Ethan Mendoza returns, the lineup will become dramatically better. 

Eric Thiel could become a consistent presence. A tall, physical right-handed hitting first baseman, Thiel smacked a homer in Saturday’s final game. Tanner Carson, a Five Tool Academic Team member, played third base very well and his hard work on his swing is paying off because his ability to create loud contact is showing. Sophomore Davis Perkins is a name to watch. He hit leadoff in Saturday’s final game and has advanced bat-to-ball ability with an athletic bounce to his movements.

On the mound, Jared White and Caden Orr should join Tyler White to help Southlake Carroll replace Griffin Herring and Owen Proksch. All three pitchers threw 89 MPH or harder and showed stuff capable of missing bats and racking up strikeouts. Asher Millimet (Vassar signee) entered a jam in the Dragons' final game and ended up throwing 5.0 quality innings in relief with a high-spin breaking ball capable of getting whiffs and a deceptive fastball that played up. Seaver Newby ran his fastball up to 88 MPH with a sharp slider and his arm action creates a deceptive, tough look for right-handers.

- Dustin McComas

Five Tool Staff