The summer season has arrived, and it began with some usual suspects providing standout performances while some new names established themselves as dudes to follow the next couple of months. Some takeaways from the Kickoff events in both Dallas and Houston:

WILDCATTERS 15U BENDER
The entire team deserves a mention because we came away very, very impressed with this club’s performance, which resulted in a 16U Houston Kickoff championship. Port Neches Grove right-hander and 2026 Arizona State commitment Eli Curtis looked the part of a major prospect, firing 5.0 shutout innings with three hits and four strikeouts. 

He overpowered hitters with a heater up to 87 MPH that created whiffs up and down in the zone; his combination of arm speed and future physical build suggests he’s going to throw very hard in the future. He also wasn’t the only 2026 prospect to touch 87 MPH. 

Landon Brown, an uncommitted right-hander from Iowa Colony, also overpowered hitters with his fastball and showed an intriguing three-pitch mix. Unlike Curtis, Brown attacked hitters with a low three-quarters, near sidearm slot that created some life to his fastball. Like Curtis, Brown showed noteworthy shoulder rotation and arm speed, two traits that suggest his velocity will continue to grow as he fills into his frame. Perhaps more importantly, Brown didn’t have issues – sometimes, lower slot pitchers do – spinning a curveball without much tilt and his changeup looked like a future average pitch at worse. 

Summer Creek right-handed pitcher Trevyn Turner was up to 88 MPH and looks like a future physical, imposing, hard-thrower with power stuff. Jace Barron (Porter) was also a standout on the mound and looks like a future strike-thrower with command in addition to being a talented hitter. 

At the plate, left-handed hitting outfielder Ty Higginbotham (Atascocita) smashed a three-run bomb, threw out a runner at home easily from the outfield and routinely took great swings the entire event. Higginbotham used impressive hand speed; the knob of his bat could be seen pointed straight towards the pitcher with his barrel pointed straight back the other way before flying – and staying – through the hitting zone. Oh. He also flashed one of the best curveballs of the entire event, a tight hook with good shape. 

BRAYDEN BERGMAN AND DALLAS TIGERS OPEN SUMMER IN IMPRESSIVE FASHION 
The high school season didn’t go like Plano East hoped, which probably means Brayden Bergman was a little more excited than usual to get back on the field for the Dallas Tigers. And he showcased his intriguing two-way ability as one of the best 2024 prospects in the state. Bergman, a Baylor commitment who is coached by his father in the summer, had some loud moments with the bat. But his work on the mound opened some eyes because he keeps refining and developing a full arsenal. As his feel for spin continues to improve, his scouting interest will grow because the arm strength is clearly present, improving and not going anywhere.

Bergman won’t be the only one on his team attracting pro scouts’ attention. Sawyer Farr showed good barrel feel and the smooth actions were used to seeing. He continued to look like one of the top prospects in the state. Teammate Cooper Strawn packs such a strong, powerful punch in the batter’s box that I wonder if he’ll get some meaningful at-bats at Weatherford despite being known as a pitcher first. 

Speaking of two-way prospects, Rockwall-Heath’s Caleb Hoover was up to 90 MPH on the mound. Although his high school was just eliminated from the postseason, Hoover swung the bat well, showcasing his physical, strong left-handed approach that can do pull-side damage. Hoover has done a good job in the weight room adding muscle to his frame. Catcher and 2024 ACU commitment Brady Gray had more impact in his bat since last summer and OU signee Dasan Harris’ intriguing tools and long-term upside were on full display one game when he went 3-for-3 with a speedy triple. 

A COUPLE 2025 STANDOUTS
After being an all-summer selection in 2022, Sachse’s Jailen Watkins looked like he’s going to make the list again in 2023. Listed at just 5-9, 165 pounds, Watkins packs some surprising pop from the right side of the plate thanks to his athleticism and quick-twitch actions. He does a good job of leveraging his strength and athleticism into his swing, which showed when he pulled a homer over the left field fence. The uncommitted prospect almost made a leaping grab at shortstop and looked the part of a good ballplayer. He didn’t show it this past weekend, but he can get on the mound and bring some heat, too. 

Guyer left-handed hitting catcher and outfielder Ethan Ball used a promising left-handed swing with good rhythm and bat path to blast a homer over the Red Monster and also showed he can move well by burning the center fielder for a triple. Physically, Ball looks like the type of 2025 prospect who still has plenty of physical maturation to come and is far from a finished product. 

2024 UNCOMMITTED PITCHERS TO TRACK
Donnie Edgar, who was the 5-5A Pitcher of the Year for Saginaw High School, was up to 90 MPH with a true overhand curveball with good shape. Dallas Tigers teammates Caden Richardson (Little Elm) and Berkeley Roddy (Boswell) both showed noteworthy arm strength with fastballs up to 89 and 90 MPH, respectively. 

YOUNG PITCHERS MADE A STATEMENT
Carl Albert (Oklahoma) right-hander and 2027 prospect Cole Dunlap used a good, true slider to rack up a ton of whiffs against overmatched right-handed hitters and also showed advanced arm strength with a fastball up to 84 MPH. He’s definitely one to follow in Oklahoma. 

Aledo lefty Lucas Nawrocki, a 2026 prospect, ran his fastball up to 87 MPH and commanded the pitch down to both sides of the plate form a sidearm slot. 

2024 SHORTSTOP FLASHES THE LEATHER
Little Elm’s Dylan Terry is the early leader for Defensive Play of the Summer because his diving stop of a grounder up the middle, spin and throw was incredible. Sure. You’re probably saying, “well, I’ve seen a play like that often.” And you’re right. But watch how quickly Terry gets to his feet and throws after diving to make the stop. That’s attention-grabbing, quick-twitch athleticism that not many players possess. 

In addition to creating some buzz with his glove, Terry was solid at the plate too. He utilizes a contact-over-impact approach, but runs well and has some bat-to-ball skill. 

REMEMBER THIS 2026 NAME…
Luke Bussman. 

We left this weekend extremely impressed with the 2026 prospect from Southlake Carroll, who was playing with NTXBC Dirtbags 2025 Orange. Good luck finding a more productive hitter during the Kickoff weekend because Bussman put the bat on the ball and ended up on base over and over and over again. It’s more than safe to say the right-handed hitter has advanced hitting feel and a right-handed swing that looks like a good bet to propel him to being one of the top hitters in the area as he matures. Behind the dish, Bussman caught a runner stealing at second base with a quick transfer and release bolstered by solid agility and actions. 

Dustin McComas
Senior Editor