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HTX Wood Bat Classic: 2022, 2023, 2024 Notes
10/27/2021

As usual, a Five Tool event at Premier Baseball in Tomball featured baseball of all ages. While the 2022 class, especially some uncommitted prospects, commanded most of my attention during what was the last select event for many seniors, I did squeeze in 2023, 2024 and 2025 looks. Let’s go rapid fire with some quick-hitters on players who caught my eye during the Houston Fall Wood Bat Classic:

2023 SCOUT NOTES

Not long after reading a shallow fly ball well off the bat, taking a great route to the baseball and making a diving catch in center field, Alec Fontenot (Montgomery) smashed a no-doubt two-run homer off the bat complete with the appropriate reaction out of the box. Fontenot, currently uncommitted, showed some athleticism, skill, projection, functional strength and even threw well on the mound later in the weekend. The Team Venom player looked like a do-it-all stud in the 2023 class. 

Speaking of guys who looked like do-it-all studs, Fontenot’s teammate Samson Pugh (Lake Creek) checked that box too. I watched Pugh make all the plays, with relative ease, at shortstop and also watched him charge a single and easily throw out a runner trying to go first-to-third from center field. Pugh swung the bat well all weekend, made it down the line in 4.47 seconds on a grounder and profiles as a definite must-follow in the 2023 class. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see him off the mound, but he reportedly touched 92 MPH this fall. 

Alvin and Lonestar Baseball National Winkler center fielder Boston Lee looked like a promising blend of projection, production and athleticism. Playing against top 18U competition, Lee more than held his own, created some pop off the bat and didn’t look at all overwhelmed. 

Cypress Woods outfielder Kolvin Davis remains a player to follow closely in the 2023 class. Like he did in looks this summer, Davis showed an intriguing blend of athleticism, length, projection and his bat speed stands out. 

Consider me a fan of 5 Star Performance HTX 2023 Avalos’ Anthony Avalos (Pearland). Simply, he’s a ballplayer. He routinely put the ball in play, took pride in his defense, and his mind was always thinking ahead to try to get him involved in the action. 

2024 SCOUT NOTES

The most intriguing 2024 arm I put eyes on this past weekend was GPS Legends 15U Weikert right-hander Oscar Salazar. From Rouse High School, Salazar touched 85 MPH, carried 81-83 MPH deep into his outing thanks in part to present physicality. Salazar, listed at 6-1, 180 pounds, threw a sharp 68 MPH curve with bite and also featured a 71-73 MPH changeup thrown with fastball conviction and what appeared to be a unique, lower-than-usual spin rate. A competitive young righty, Salazar showed arm speed through the finish, which helped his stuff. 

Perhaps the best performance from a 2024 pitcher came courtesy of BVR Maroon’s Maddox Keo (Willis). With a simple, athletic delivery, the lefty’s lively fastball dominated opposing hitters with the help of his curveball. 

Especially for a young player who has yet to hit a growth spurt and mature athletically and physically, Team Venom 2024 designated hitter Logan Olguin showed some surprising pop with a wood bat. He covered the plate and pulled a homer over the left field fence. 

Nola Monsters 15U shortstop Brad Chaisson (John Curtis, Louisiana) showed some talented hands in the batter’s box and some advanced skill defensively at shortstop. The right-handed shortstop routinely put the ball in play hard throughout the weekend. 

Before he was forced to take off the gear because a foul ball injured his left hand, Nola Monsters 15U catcher Corey Cousin (Slidell, Louisiana) caught my attention with impressive catch-and-throw skill and a strong arm; his arm strength showed on the mound too where he occasionally blew fastballs by overmatched hitters. Cousin moved well behind the dish and swung the bat with some strength. 

2025 SCOUT NOTES

For the second-straight weekend, Texas Twelve 2025 Yankees standout Lucas Franco looked like the best left-handed bat I watched in his class. In addition to having a gorgeous lefty swing with balance, rhythm, and barrel feel, Franco’s swing consistently produced impressive results in games, including hard extra-base hits. Listed at 5-11, 140 pounds, the Cinco Ranch product handled shortstop fine and has immense upside. 

Franco’s teammate in the infield, 6-3 right-handed third baseman Nathan Johnson, is another player with immense upside and projection. In the batter’s box, the Seven Lakes prospect handled velocity easily and played third base with soft hands and a slow heartbeat. 

GPS Legends 15U Weikert shortstop Joseph Sandusky (McNeil) played shortstop with impressive range and confident, natural defensive actions. 

Brayden Renz, playing third base for Nola Monsters 15U, caught my attention with his bat speed, athleticism and quickness on the bases, and how he played his position defensively. The Midland Christian prospect is one to follow in 2025. 

Texas Twelve 2025 Tigers right-handed pitcher Owen Sherrill (St. John’s School) touched 80 MPH with an explosive fastball and got downhill in his delivery well. His teammate Conner Helms (Fulshear) possesses very intriguing upside on the mound with a quick arm and big fastball. Their catcher, Cypress Woods prospect Cameron Neumann, played the position with noticeable catch-and-throw skill and a big-time arm to handle the running game. At the plate, Seven Lakes left-handed hitter Carter Nannini lifted the baseball with some authority. 

Wyatt Davis, leadoff hitter for Texas Twelve 2025 Astros, swung the bat with some of the best bat speed and hand quickness for his class. He carried himself very confidently and should be a future impact player at Lake Creek High School. Shortstop and teammate Cole Lanclos was an advanced defender at shortstop with good arm strength; when he moved behind the dish, his catch-and-throw skill and strong arm resulted in an easy caught stealing. 

On the mound for Texas Twelve 2025 Astros, Sinton’s Kash Wood fired fastballs with good arm strength after showing a big-time arm at third base with a promising bat and defensive actions. Caleb Holifield (The Woodlands) occasionally blew four-seam fastballs by hitters and threw a curve with promising shape for strikes.

The GPS Legends 15U Markee tall, projectable, left-handed hitting duo of Aiden Rogers and Ashton Preston has the potential to develop into major hitters in the 2025 class. While undersized at 5-5, teammate Hudson Depriest handled catching duties admirably with excellent energy, noticeable skill and caught a runner stealing easily. A Round Rock prospect, Depriest also swung the bat and created some surprising pop in the air. 

Left-handed C2 Baseball 2025 Silver starting pitcher Caden Robertson (Friendswood) repeated his simple delivery well with athleticism and has a nice base to build upon as a future starting pitcher. Teammate Andrew Martinez (Clear Falls) ran the bases with intelligent aggressiveness and hit the ball hard multiple times while Tanner Hill (Dawson) used some present physicality to hit the ball hard. 

Premier Baseball Land left-handed hitter Austin Glasscock swung the bat well thanks to a controlled, short stroke with very promising projection as he matures and gains strength. 

Dustin McComas
Senior Editor
Five Tool Baseball

Aiden Rogers, Alec Fontenot, Andrew Martinez, Anthony Avalos, Ashton Preston, Austin Glasscock, Boston Lee, Brayden Renz, Caden Robertson, Cameron Neumann, Carter Nannini, Cole Lanclos, Conner Helms, Corey Cousin, Joseph Sandusky, Kash Wood, Kolvin Davis, Lucas Franco, Maddox Keo, Nathan Johnson, Oscar Salazar, Owen Sherrill, Samson Pugh, Wyatt Davis
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