We’re continuing our coverage of the opening weekend of the Texas Twelve Scout League, power by Five Tool with notes on 2026 prospects:

2026 MAROON
The Twelve Baseball program boasts a lengthy list of top catchers and the 2026 Maroon group has a trio that could emerge as some of the best catchers the program has ever had. Do-it-all talent Kason Kolle (Victoria East), who can pitch, hit and play all over the field including center field, showed off impressive agility and catch-and-throw skill with a 1.93 pop time. Texas City prospect Tyler Ramos is already a physical presence behind the dish and moved well, showcasing a strong arm and the ability to throw out runners during the scrimmage. Jordan Garza (Corpus Christi Ray) is another two-way talent who could star with the catcher’s gear or on the mound. His impressive agility, skill and arm strength showed behind the dish and then he got on the mound… 

Garza’s fastball sat 83-85 MPH in a one-inning look and dominated hitters thanks to its shape (had inverted vertical break up to 23 inches on one occasion and settled in around 17-19 inches), ease out of the hand and velocity. From a slight crossfire look, Garza was able to command his fastball to both sides of the plate, executed a slider at 73 MPH and also worked a quality change to his arm side with some pronation at 77 MPH. Major talent. If Garza wasn’t the most impressive arm on the mound, the honor would then probably go to Maroon right-handed pitcher Harper Gates. 

During in-and-out, the Tomball product looked like physically and skill-wise he was two years older than a 2026 prospect and the command of his fastball was even more advanced than that. Gates’ fastball profile for a tall pitcher is the type of profile that baffles hitters: he had release heights around 4’11, which meant he attacked hitters with a good angle that helped create some carry through the zone. He didn’t need it at 84-87 MPH, but the natural strike-throwing and command to accompany spin up to 2200 RPM out of that release height is a great combination. Gates also threw a slider 76-78 MPH and routinely buried it late in counts where he wanted to. 

Karson Reeder was another impressive right-handed pitcher. He fired a lively fastball up to 86 MPH out of a tall, thin frame and his slider buckled right-handed hitters a couple of times. Braddock Raven (Victoria East) showed impressive arm strength, especially from a smaller frame and especially because he doesn’t yet use his lower half in his delivery. Left-handed pitcher and two-way talent Clayton Crosby (Cy-Fair) was intriguing. He didn’t consistently find the strike zone with his promising three-pitch mix – fastball, changeup, curveball – but when he did, it looked right and overpowering. A physical prospect already, Crosby fired a rocket in from center field during scrimmage action to easily throw out a runner. 

The loudest tools on the Maroon roster might belong to Jud Dowell (Houston Lamar). He came up empty multiple times in game action at least partially because he’s still learning how to harness his very impressive bat speed; he doesn’t get cheated. He blasted a ball 99 MPH off the tee during testing, threw 90 MPH across the infield, threw 91 MPH from the outfield, ran a 6.75 60-yard dash and also touched 86 MPH on the mound with fastball spin up to 2200 RPM. Unsurprisingly, Dowell has been a long-time Texas A&M commitment. 

During scrimmage action, right-handed hitting shortstop Daylen Foor (Tompkins) had no issue being on-time to the first fastballs he saw and is an intriguing hitting talent with bat-to-ball skill. Before he stepped on the mound and wowed onlookers, Garza, a right-handed hitter, showed he could sit back on his backside and burned the center fielder for a triple. Gates also proved he could really swing the bat, too. He tracked pitches well with impact barrel feel. Maroon coaches will love having infielders like Bryce Nixon (Hargrove) and Davidenko Rodriguez (Katy Taylor). They both looked like heady, skilled players on both sides of the ball who are going to consistently put together quality at-bats and make a lot of winning plays. 

2026 BLACK 
Perhaps the most impressive hitter of the day during scrimmage action was tall, long left-handed hitter Wyatt Clewett (Montgomery). Heck, he was one of the most impressive players in all areas because he caught my attention at third base, on the mound and in the batter’s box. And he ran a 6.79 60-yard dash, too. For a young, tall prospect with length, Clewett didn’t have a long, slow bat; he easily handled the barrel and created good, quick paths through the zone, which included smacking a fastball up the middle with a 95 MPH in-game exit velocity. Later, he roped a double to the wall in right field.

 

At third base, Clewett fielded a short hop instinctively and made a nice play look easy. On the mound, he touched 84 MPH with a four-seamer that featured 12:00 tilt, up to 21 inches of inverted vertical break and he flashed a true curveball with good shape and 6:00 tilt. Clewett also flashed a true slider, showing he has feel for two distinct breakers. Very impressive upside long-term both as a pitcher and hitter. Right-handed pitcher Hudson Chenard was another impressive arm for the Black team. The Hallettsville prospect ran his fastball up to 84 MPH with good shape and had quick arm speed through his finish after a slight pause in his path. The heater and slider (74 MPH) were both successfully executed to his glove side. 

Caden Hoff (Jordan) and Jeremiah McCranie (Concordia Lutheran) give the Black team two strong shortstop options. The former timed the first fastball he saw with quick, loose hands and smacked a hard base hit before later making the defensive play of the day when he ranged up the middle, made a tough snag, spun and fired to first in rhythm for an out. As for McCranie, he showed a quick arm across the infield, took quality at-bats and bounced around with a good “ballplayer” vibe. 

Tomball prospect Daniel O’Briant took some of the best swings of the day. From the left side, he tracked and timed pitches well, showed advanced feel for the barrel and making contact and profiles as a low-whiff hitter who should develop impact power in the future. Cooper Cortez (Bridgeland) had one of the best at-bats of the day when he sat back on spin and smacked a hard single back up the middle. 

2026 SOUTH TEXAS NAVY
Aiden Shreve had one of the best fastballs of the day. The impressive-looking right-hander from Pieper High School fired heaters up to 85 MPH that overpowered opposing hitters. He also showed a 68 MPH slider, but the fastball was clearly the standout offering and one of the best of the day. 

With the bat, Shreve took some impressive hacks; there was intent and ability to do damage while resisting the urge to swing out of his shoes. Trae Hernandez (Corpus Christi Ray), who has a high-waisted frame and compact delivery, easily fired fastballs up to 83 MPH with 2,100 RPM and flashed a slider and changeup. DJ Garcia (Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial) looked the part of a very interesting long-term prospect who flashed a four-pitch mix and a fastball up to 84 MPH. He is, like many kids his age, still discovering the right breaking ball feel and release, but he easily threw strikes with a promising fastball. Another talented right-hander was Jackson Dippel from Dripping Springs. His curveball flashed as a really interesting future pitch to compliment a fastball up to 85 MPH.

Two-way talent Drayton Mitchell of Calallen took the mound with big, broad shoulders and a very projectable frame. He commanded and executed pitches to his arm side with a fastball up to 79 MPH, a curveball at 69 MPH and a promising changeup at 71 MPH with 1,300 RPM. In the box from the left side, he carried himself with confidence, timed pitches well and hammered a hard line drive single up the middle. Sign me up as a believer in catcher Joshua Hernandez. In addition to showing some advanced catch-and-throw skill behind the dish, the Corpus Christi Ray prospect tracked pitches in the box well and gave up some “hitterish” vibes. Speaking of “hitterish” vibes, Austin Garritano (Boerne Champion) stayed back on a quality changeup and smacked an opposite-field single, which is something you don’t see very often at his age. 

2026 GOLD
On the mound, Byrce Krenek (Katy Taylor) should throw a lot of quality innings this summer from the left side. With command to his glove side, he routinely fired strikes with some weight to his fastball. As a hitter, his hands worked well through the hitting zone, and he showed some promising barrel feel. Luke Sheeren showed a loose, whippy arm on the mound and although it didn’t translate to strikes consistently, The Woodlands prospect looked the part of an interesting, projectable infielder. 

Brody Washbrook from Fulshear should feast on mistakes with a pull-side approach and strong hands with some impact off the barrel. A top swing of the scrimmage came courtesy of right-handed hitter Harris Mann (Houston Lamar), who smashed a liner right at the shortstop. 

2026 SOUTH TEXAS BLUE
A tall, big lefty, Aiden Verrette (Smithson Valley) threw a curveball with promising shape and is an interesting pitcher to project and follow long-term. 

After jumping on a first-pitch fastball and ripping it, Austin Davidson (Navarro) immediately tried to steal second base on the first pitch. I really liked the way he approached the game, competed and also how he played defense in the middle of the infield. Ethan Ramirez, who attends Calhoun High School, took a couple of impressive right-handed swings and hit a deep fly out to center field. Against a good curveball, Ashton Garza (Earl Warren) kept his weight and hands back and hammered a line drive right at the left fielder. I bet the Twelve coaches are going to love being around Bodie Weyman (Reagan). He played with an infectious, positive bounce in his step. Shout out to Brandeis prospect Tanner Hallmark for jumping into a 2024 game during the weekend and competing at a high level. 

2026 SOUTH TEXAS GREY
If you like big, left-handed boppers, Jack Coleman (Acellus Academy) is one of your dudes. He isn’t going to win any footraces, but he drilled a double to the right-field wall and should provide thump in the middle of lineups. 

Dustin McComas
Senior Editor