Fort Worth-area high school baseball: 85 elite players, top prospects to watch
The Texas high school baseball season is in full swing.
Here are 85 elite prospects to watch from the Fort Worth area. Additional information was provided by coaches.
Editor’s Note: Miss your chance to nominate? Contact Star-Telegram High School Sports Editor Charles Baggarly at cbaggarly@star-telegram.com.
The Top 10 Fort Worth area prospects: Best of the Best
1. Jorvorskie Lane Jr., 2026, FW Wyatt, UTIL
When it comes to Fort Worth baseball, Jorvorskie Lane Jr. is the No. 1 player to watch. He is Perfect Game’s No. 3 recruit nationwide in the class of 2026 and the No. 2 overall recruit in Texas. He was committed to Texas A&M but decommitted; his recruitment is now open. As a sophomore, his numbers were off the charts. Lane tallied a .588 batting average and a 1.789 OPS en route to Star-Telegram Offensive Player of the Year honors. He had 50 hits, 5 triples, 8 home runs and 37 RBIs. He is also one of the fastest players in the area and had 61 stolen bases last season.
2. Luke Esquivel, 2028, Grapevine, LSU, P/LF
Esquivel is the No. 1 2028 recruit in Texas and also the No. 1 freshman first baseman nationwide. For Grapevine, he is playing left field and is also the Mustang’s Tuesday night starting pitcher. Esquivel is a member of the 15U Team USA squad. According to coach Jimmy Webster, he is highly competitive and can throw four pitches for strikes with strong command and an understanding of pitch sequencing. So far, he is batting .448 with 10 doubles, 18 RBIs and 18 runs in his first varsity season. As a pitcher, he has a strong 1.27 ERA with 59 strikeouts in 38.2 innings pitched.
3. Cole Koeninger, 2026, Keller, SS/P, Tennessee
To play at Tennessee, you have to be a premier prospect, and that’s just what Koeninger is at Keller. He is the No. 7 overall 2026 prospect in Texas and the No. 16 shortstop in the nation. He is a two-way player with a four pitch mix and a fastball that sits in the 93-97 range with a 98 mph max.
4. Holden Hering, 2025, Mineral Wells, RHP, Texas Tech
Hering is arguably the premier class of 2025 commit in the greater Fort Worth area. Is the No. 2 class of 2025 right-handed pitcher in Texas and the No. 19 right hander in the nation. He earned Perfect Game All-American honors as a junior. In his first district play start with Mineral Wells as a senior, he tossed 6.2 scoreless innings with 13 strikeouts.
5. Matthew Boughton, 2025, Covenant Christian, SS, Texas A&M
Boughton is undoubtedly the top class of 2025 private school prospect in the Fort Worth area. He is the No. 4 shortstop in Texas. So far in 2025, he has a .438 average with 2 home runs and 13 stolen bases. The highlight of his game is arguably his athletic and rangy defense at shortstop.
6. William McIntire, 2027, Boyd, RHP, INF, C
McIntire, arguably the best class of 2027 pitcher and overall player in the greater Fort Worth area, had a phenomenal debut season with Boyd. As a pitcher, he had a 0.359 ERA with 72 strikeouts, 11 walks, 2 earned runs and 4 saves in 39 innings pitched. As a hitter, he tallied a .353 average with 41 hits, 12 extra base hits, 28 RBIs and 30 runs. In 2025, he has picked up where he left off. As a pitcher, he has a 4-0 record with 35 strikeouts and zero runs allowed. He throws in the 89-92 range and has a four-pitch mix. As a hitter, he has a .340 average with 16 RBIs. As an uncommitted recruit, Boyd is expected to garner the interest of several top programs.
7. Ethan Baiotto, 2025, Southlake Carroll, P, Tennessee
Baiotto, in 2024, earned District 4-6A MVP honors with a fantastic 1.1 ERA with 72 strikeouts in 70 innings. His fastball, a sinker, reaches 96 mph and he also commands a strong slider that draws swings and misses. He is the No. 8 right-handed pitcher in Texas and the No. 53 right-hander in the nation.
8. Braxton Van Cleave, 2025, Mansfield, OF, Kentucky
Braxton Van Cleave, also a quarterback for Mansfield, led the Tigers to an 8-3 record on the gridiron, leading an offense that was one of the best in the area. On the baseball field, he is an even more productive player. Van Cleave is Perfect Game’s No. 6 outfielder in Texas. He has strong power with an ability to hit home runs 400-plus feet, and he also has strong speed with a 6.5 second 60-yard dash. Van Cleave’s bat speed is nationally elite at 83.1 mph.
9. Colton Gallardo, 2027, Chisholm Trail, RHP
Gallardo has a promising future as Perfect Game’s No. 4 right-handed pitcher in Texas and No. 28 right-handed class of 2027 pitcher. His speed has room for improvement and he commands a fastball with terrific movement.
10. Camden Dean, 2028, Southlake Carroll, OF
Dean has already made a huge impact on the high school baseball scene as a freshman. He is Perfect Game’s No. 2 freshman outfielder in Texas and has helped lead the Dragons to a strong 13-5-1 overall record.
Best of the Rest: 60 more Elite Recruits
Jarrett Boswell, 2025, Grapevine, 1B, Odessa College
Boswell had the Texas high school baseball moment of the year, delivering Grapevine a state championship last season with a walk-off. In 2024, he was named the MVP of District 7-5A and earned THSCA All-State honors and Max Preps junior All-American honors. As a junior, he had a strong .398 average with 16 extra base hits, 38 RBIs and 34 runs. According to coach Webster, he can hit for power, contact and has a good eye. In 2025, he has a strong .367 average with 9 extra base hits, 20 RBIs and 18 runs.
Gianni Corral, 2026, Grapevine, C
Note: Corral was committed to Texas A&M but reopened his recruitment. He has three years of varsity experience as a catcher. He is a two-time district Defensive Player of the Year and “commands the game,” according to coach Webster. In 2024, he hit .327 with 10 extra base hits and 26 RBIs. In 2025, he has added some strength, which has helped his game. In 2025, he has a strong .340 average with 13 RBIs.
Lale Esquivel, 2026, Grapevine, OF
Esquivel, a First Team All-District selection and key player in the Mustangs’ state championship run, tallied a .271 average with 29 RBIs as a junior. As a senior, he has taken a massive jump in his game in all phases, according to coach Webster. He is hitting .443 with 11 extra base hits, 24 RBIs and 10 runs. As a pitcher, he has a phenomenal 0.35 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 20 innings pitched. Esquivel has only allowed one run, 14 hits and 4 walks so far this season.
Zackary Goldstein, 2026, Grapevine, OF
Goldstein was a key member of Grapevine’s state championship run, earning First Team All-District honors as a sophomore. He also made the state tournament All-Tournament Team. He is having a slower start to 2025, but has strong potential. In 2024, he hit .360 with 14 RBIs and 17 runs.
Elijah Webber, 2026, Boyd, RHP, Richmond
In 2025, Webber has a .222 average with 9 RBIs and 21 walks. It has been a slow start but he has great potential. As a sophomore, he had a .333 average with 29 RBIs. As a pitcher, however, he has had a phenomenal start, posting a 5-0 record and a 0.612 ERA with 46 strikeouts through April 3.
Colton Patton, 2026, Boyd, OF/P
Patton had a successful sophomore season with a .417 average and 36 RBIs. In 2025, he has shown improvement in his contact and power with a .460 batting average and six home runs.
Lucas Nawrocki, 2026, Aledo, OF
Brody Kahle, 2025, Home School, RHP
Luke Gladchuck, 2027, Aledo, OF
Nomar Torres, 2026, Hurst L.D. Bell, C
Cayden Mitchell, 2025, Timberview, 3B, Arkansas
Evan Oconnor, 2026, Brock, LHP, Arizona State
Tanner Carson, 2025, Southlake Carroll, 3B, McLennan CC
Murphy Page, 2025, Granbury, RHP, Texas Tech
Nathan Green, 2028, Burleson, C
Davis Perkins, 2025, Southlake Carroll, SS
Jaxon Rickert, 2025, Mansfield, RHP
Trent Furgal, 2028, Southlake Carroll, SS
Sebastian Castillo, 2027, Byron Nelson, SS
David Salas, 2028, Fort Worth Christian, INF
Brooks Burdine, 2025, Aledo, OF, Air Force
Caden Mackey, 2027, Southlake Carroll, LHP
Reid Williams, 2027, Byron Nelson, C
Rayne Rojas, 2028, Keller Timber Creek, C
Malachi Cunningham, 2026, Cleburne, OF
Colton McClure, 2025, Weatherford, SS
Colton Quesada, 2026, Arlington Lamar, 3B
Easton Bleeker, 2027, Granbury, 1B
Corbin McDaniel, 2027, Mansfield Legacy, 3B
Connor Davenport, 2026, Keller, OF
Weston Ballard, 2025, Colleyville Heritage, SS, Amarillo College
Gabriel Winans, 2025, Birdville, RHP
Benjamin Reed, 2026, Colleyville Heritage, RHP
Tyler King, 2027, V.R. Eaton, OF
Kayden Mansell, 2026, Lake Ridge, RHP
Ethan Jackson, 2027, Colleyville Heritage, OF
Lane Furr, 2026, Byron Nelson, OF
Jonathan Meza, 2025, Timberview, C
Cade Julius, 2025, Mansfield, RHP
Blake Burdine, 2025, Aledo, OF
Aidan Simons, 2025, Mansfield, OF, Frank Phillips
Jack Fuller, 2025, Southlake Carroll, LHP, Weatherford College
Cooper Newby, 2027, Southlake Carroll, C
Jaiden Lacour-Loyd, 2027, Mansfield Lake Ridge, SS
Hunter Ortiz, 2025, Byron Nelson, RHP, Weatherford College
Griffin Bourland, 2026, V.R. Eaton, RHP
Braxton Roberts, 2027, Joshua, C
Grayson McKelvey, 2025, Aledo, RHP, Abilene Christian
Hudson Harbuck, 2027, Fort Worth All Saints, RHP
Evan Robson, 2025, Southlake Carroll, 3B, NYU
Blaze Grider, 2027, Decatur, RHP
Alex Stumm, 2025, Keller, SS
Smith Washington IV, 2025, Lake Country Christian, RHP, New Jersey Tech
Nicholas Foster, 2025, Aledo, RHP, Angelina College
Max Wu, 2025, Southlake Carroll, RHP, Yale
Jaxon Wylie, 2025, Mansfield, 1B, Howard College
Luke Hamm, 2025, Keller, 3B, Angelina College
Morgan Garrett, 2025, Arlington Heights, RHP, Cisco JC
Devin Miller, 2025, Aledo, RHP, Cal State Fullerton
Ryan Kelley, 2025, Colleyville Heritage, OF, Colorado Springs
Cole Stanley, 2025, Brock, RHP
Under the Radar: Players to Watch
Jax Heid, 2025, Boyd, SS, Yavapai
Heid had a strong junior season, hitting .439 with 21 extra base hits and 41 RBIs en route to First Team TSWA All-State honors. In 2025, he has picked up where he left off with a .420 average and 22 RBIs through April 3.
Isaiah Henderson, 2025, Arlington Bowie, SS/RHP, Pratt Community College
Henderson, a four-year starter, has been the driving force in a very successful season for Arlinton Bowie thus far. In 2024, he posted solid numbers: .371 average, 22 runs and 57 strikeouts en route to Second Team All-District honors. In 2025, he took the next step. Through March, he had a .429 average, 18 RBIs, 2 HRs, 6 doubles and a 4-1 record on the mound with a 1.38 ERA and 39 strikeouts.
Christopher Bravo, 2026, FW Diamond Hill-Jarvis, P/CF/1B
Bravo hit .400 with 12 extra base hits in 2024 on his way to 26 RBIs. As a pitcher, he had a 2.27 ERA, 55 strikeouts and 23 walks in 37 innings. He earned First Team All-District honors.
In 2024, his pitching has taken a sizable jump. Through March, he has a 1.033 ERA and only 3 earned runs in 20.1 innings pitched. According to coach Alonzo Herrera, Bravo has great command and can mix up batters with effective off-speed pitches.
Giovanny Basurto, 2025, FW DIamond Hill-Jarvis, C/SS/3B
Basurto, in 2024, hit .352 with 10 extra base hits and 24 RBIs. In 2025, he is off to a solid start with a .300 average and 10 RBIs through March. He is a First Team All-District selection. Coach Herrera said he has great range, a sure glove and good arm strength from all positions.
Elijah Esqiuvel, 2025, North Crowley, OF/INF/RHP
Esqiuvel had a monster year in 2024, earning District 3-6A Utility Player of the Year honors. He hit .420 with a .520 on base percentage. He hit two home runs, drove home 16 runs, and stole 10 bases. In 2025, he has improved his game with a .433 average, 18 RBIs and 13 stolen bases through March. Esquivel has a few JUCO offers but is still uncommitted.
Jerry Tubbs, 2025, North Crowley, OF
Tubbs is a defensive gem in the North Crowley outfield with only two errors over the past two seasons. He took a sizable jump with his batting over the offseason. In 2024, he hit .255, and in 2025, he has posted a .358 batting average with 3 home runs and 16 RBIs through March. He has also tallied eight stolen bases. Tubbs is committed to Dallas College-Richland.
Jesse Orozco, 2025, Brewer, P/SS
Orozco has been an absolute force for Brewer and has shown great improvement. He has a stellar .510 batting average through March. He also has 2 HRs, 16 RBIs, 16 runs and 14 stolen bases. As a pitcher, he has four wins, one loss and 30 strikeouts in 27.1 innings pitched. Coach Art Senato said he has good speed, arm strength, fielding ability, and a good hitting approach. Senato added that he has command of three pitches, pounds the strike zone and shows great leadership.
Garrin Graves, 2025, Azle, RHP, Amarillo College
Graves, an Amarillo College commit, was a 2024 All-State Selection and also the District 5-5A Offensive Player of the Year.
Ethan Hadaway, 2025, Azle, OF, Redlands College
In 2024, Hadaway was a First Team All-District selection.
Sebastian Martinez, 2026, FW Benbrook, P/UTIL
Through April 2, Martinez has been a force for the Bobcats with a .442 average, 3 HRs and 34 RBIs.
Jax Stockton, 2025, FW Benbrook, P
Stockton, a key member of Benbrook’s 2024 squad that made the regional semifinals, has had a terrific start to the 2025 season. Through April 2, he has three wins and 33 strikeouts with a strong .940 ERA.
Hudson Stockton, 2026, FW Benbrook, P
Stockton has been a key player for Benbrook in 2025 with two wins and a loss through April 2. He was also a key contributor to the Bobcats’ regional final run in the 2024 season.
Ethan Smith, 2025, FW Benbrook, OF
Smith has been an offensive machine so far for Benbrook, tallying 17 RBIs and 22 runs with a phenomenal .482 average.
Austen Govea, 2025, Chisholm Trail, P/UTIL
With strong leadership, Govea has been an anchor for Chisholm Trail. In 2024, he posted a 2.49 ERA with 39.1 innings pitched. In 2024, he has a 2.23 ERA in 40.2 innings. He has taken a huge jump as a hitter, and through April 8, he has a .343 average with a .832 OPS.
Morgan Garrett, 2025, Arlington Heights, P/UTIL
Garrett has been one of the Yellow Jackets’ main pitchers and has been extremely effective with a 1.44 ERA and 46 strikeouts through April 11.
Mitchell Carpenter, 2025, Arlington Heights, P/1B/OF
Carpenter is a jack of all trades with a .339 batting average and two home runs. As a pitcher, he has a 1.86 ERA and 38 strikeouts through April 11.
Caleb Eager, 2025, Arlington Heights, C/3B
Eager is an offensive force with a ridiculous .500 batting average through April 11. He also has 20 RBIs and 9 walks.
Noah Castillo, 2025, Arlington Heights, CF/P
Castillo has a terrific .468 average with 17 runs through April 11. As a pitcher, he has a solid 3.2 ERA.
This story was originally published April 10, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
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