Fort Worth Christian’s Grady Emerson (left), Jesuit’s James Jorgensen (center) and Prestonwood Christian’s Trent Vilade (right).
SportsDay Staff
Below are The Dallas Morning News’ first-, second- and third-team selections from the Dallas area for the 2026 Texas high school baseball season.
First team
Pitchers
James Jorgensen, Jesuit, Sr.
The Texas pledge finished with a sub-one ERA and 77 strikeouts while still batting .441 at the plate with two home runs.
Luke Esquivel, Grapevine, So.
The star sophomore for Grapevine finished with nine wins on the mound and 75 strikeouts. The LSU pledge also hit .393 with a team-high 13 doubles.
Tyler Scarborough, Lovejoy, Sr.
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Lucas Lovejoy pitcher Tyler Scarborough (11) delivers a pitch to a Mission Sharyland batter during the top of the 3rd inning of play. The two teams played their Class 5A Division ll state championship baseball game at Dell Diamond in Round Rock on June 6, 2026.
Steve Hamm/The Dallas Morning News
Cooper Harris, Flower Mound, Sr.
Cooper Harris and his 95 mph fastball finished with a 0.46 ERA and 104 strikeouts. He only allowed five earned runs all season.
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Jax Robinson, Waxahachie, Senior
Whether he was behind the plate or stepping up to it to hit, Robinson was one of the most reliable players in Texas this season. The Texas signee finished with a .533 batting average and seven home runs.
SS Grady Emerson, Fort Worth Christian, Sr.
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1B Zach Scheppler, South Grand Prairie, Sr.
Scheppler was named MVP of District 8-6A after batting .381 and recording 10 doubles. He also had a sub-one ERA when he was on the mound.
3B Cullen Scott, Melissa, So.
Melissa High School relief pitcher Cullen Scott (25) is congratulated after getting out of the fourth inning as Lovejoy High School hosts Melissa High School in a baseball game played at Lovejoy High School in Lucas on Friday, April 11, 2025.
Stewart F. House/Special Contributor
Cullen Scott was named to the THSBCA All-State team and hit over .500 during his breakout sophomore campaign.
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3B Trent Vilade, Prestonwood, Sr.
OF Jacob Pruett, Denton Guyer, Sr,
A First-Team 6A THSBCA All-State selection as well, Pruett hit .447 with 11 doubles, 27 RBIs and struck out just seven times all year.
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OF Hudson Leonard, Sunnyvale, Jr.
Hudson Leonard hit .460 for Sunnyvale and was named to the THSBCA All-State Second Team.
OF Pearson Fouts, Prosper, Sr.
Fouts racked up seven home runs as a senior with 29 RBIs while also hitting .330 at the plate. Against Plano West, he went 4-for-4 at the plate.
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OF/P Logan Corley, Lovejoy, Sr.
The future TCU Horned Frog hit .422 and helped lead Lovejoy to its first-ever state championship this fall. He also had a fielding percentage of .907 and finished with an ERA of 1.918 with 103 strikeouts.
IF/OF/P Davis Stokan, Frisco Panther Creek, So.
Name something that Davis Stokan didn’t do for Frisco Panther Creek. The list is very small. He hit .421, had 27 stolen bases, finished without committing any fielding errors and had a 0.39 ERA with 11 wins on the mound.
IF/P Nick Grissom, Frisco Memorial, Sr.
Grissom was also named to the THSBCA All-Elite Team after hitting .327 and having an ERA of 2.07.
Hudson Holt, Rockwall, Jr.
Rockwall starting pitcher Hudson Holt throws during the fifth inning of game one of a Class 6A Divison I state semifinal baseball series against Keller at Horner Ballpark on Thursday, May 28, 2026, in Dallas. Rockwall defeated Keller 5-2.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
The Texas pledge led Rockwall in hits with 26 but also finished with a 1.49 ERA on the mound.
Carson Herlehy, Celina, Sr.
The senior was named the MVP of District 9-4A and was a THSBCA All-Elite selection after posting a 0.54 ERA with 75 strikeouts.
Colby Caldwell, Waxahachie, Sr.
Caldwell was named to the THSBCA All-State Second-Team as Waxahachie’s main arm as the team advanced to the regional final.
Travis Sample, Mansfield, Sr.
The TCU pledge was named to the THSCA All-State Third Team and was also the MVP of District 3-6A and finished with over 200 career strikeouts.
Oliver Minyard, Woodrow Wilson, Sr.
The Rice pledge finished with a .486 batting average and 36 hits with three home runs. He was also named to the THSBCA All-State All-Elite team.
SS Sebastian Castillo, Byron Nelson, Jr.
Castillo had 17 stolen bases and batted .438 at the plate with 35 hits as a junior and was a THSBCA All-State First-Team selection.
SS Joshua Viars, Prosper Walnut Grove, Sr.
Viars was named the Defensive MVP of District 9-5A and finished his career with over 100 hits. He’s signed to play baseball at West Virginia.
SS Dylan Cheek, Rockwall, Sr.
The Arkansas pledge helped lead Rockwall within one game of the state final while hitting .304 with 20 RBIs and a .955 fielding percentage at shortstop.
SS Keno Castillo, Ennis, Sr.
The unanimous MVP of District 15-5A ended his senior season batting .437 with 38 hits and 32 stolen bases.
OF Cole Bush, Denton Ryan, Sr.
Bush hit .387 with 11 doubles and 23 RBIs as a senior and was a THSBCA Second-Team selection in Class 5A.
OF Drake Hawpe, Argyle Liberty Christian, Jr.
Considered to be one of the top prospects in the Class of 2027, Drake Hawpe, an LSU pledge, helped guide Liberty Christian to the TAPPS Division I state semifinals.
OF Luis Garcia, North Dallas, Jr.
Garcia put up staggering numbers during his junior season, hitting .618 with 42 hits and 16 doubles for North Dallas. He was also named Third-Team All-State by the THSBCA.
OF/P James Crain III, South Oak Cliff, Sr.
James Crain III did it all for South Oak Cliff leading the team with 31 hits and batting .456 at the plate. He was also the team’s star pitcher with a 2.04 ERA.
IF/P Logan Brown, Keller, Sr.
Keller starting pitcher Logan Brown delivers a pitch against Byron Nelson Tuesday night.
Steve Nurenberg/The Dallas Morning News
Whether they needed him on the mound or at first base, Logan Brown was Keller’s other star senior who helped lead the program to its first-ever state title this spring. He recently committed to play at Texas Tech.
UTIL Jorvorskie Lane Jr., Grapevine, Sr.
Lane was named the Offensive MVP of District 6-5A and hit .365 as a senior and can be deployed anywhere on the field.
Tyler Cochran, Flower Mound, Sr.
The under-the-radar second man on the mound at Flower Mound, Cochran was named to the District 5-6A first team.
Jack Jacob, Frisco Reedy, Sr.
Jacob was named the District 12-5A Pitcher of the Year after posting a 0.176 ERA and 72 strikeouts as a senior. He also had two no-hitters.
Connor Davenport, Keller, Sr.
Davenport closed out Keller’s state championship game and finished with a 1.46 ERA and 32 strikeouts. He’s committed to Abilene Christian.
River Kirkhuff, Rowlett, Sr.
Kirkhuff finished his high school career with a .049 ERA and was named the Pitcher of the Year in District 9-6A. He also had 90 strikeouts and a 9-0 record as a starter.
Roman Dericweiler, Jesuit, Jr.
The Penn pledge finished batting .517 at the plate with 11 doubles and 31 hits as a junior.
2B Kenson Buth, Byron Nelson, Jr.
A Baylor pledge, Buth ended his junior campaign batting .438 with five home runs and 42 hits.
SS Easton Mitchell, Flower Mound Marcus, Sr.
Mitchell was named to the THSBCA All-State third team and committed to Utah Valley towards the end of his senior season.
SS Cole Flashnick, Highland Park, Jr.
Flashnick, an Arkansas pledge, was named to the THSBCA All-State third team and also the Offensive Player of the Year in District 12-5A.
SS Landon Bonner, Hebron, So.
Hebron shortstop Landon Bonner signals to the dugout after hitting a double against Euless Trinity during the 6A Division I Region I semifinals game 2, Friday, May 15, 2026 played at Hebron High School in Carrollton.
Steve Nurenberg/The Dallas Morning News
The standout sophomore ended his sophomore season batting .412 and 42 hits. He also had 25 stolen bases and 18 RBIs and was named the MVP of District 5-6A.
Jaeden Wilson, Allen, Sr.
Wilson hit .356 with 36 hits while also stealing 29 bases for Allen as a senior. He was the Offensive Player of the Year in District 6-6A.
Payne Cearnal, Arlington, Sr.
Cearnal was named to the THSBCA All-State second-team. He’s committed to play for Dallas College Eastfield.
Shaun Malone, Life Waxahachie, Sr.
The senior standout for Life hit .541 this past spring while also posting a .952 fielding percentage with just one error. He was named the District 12-4A Offensive Player of the Year.
Utility
IF/P Jean Pierre Paternina, Hillcrest, Sr.
Molina’s Orlando Manrique is tagged out by Hillcrest’s Jean Pierre Paternina at second base during the seventh inning of a high school baseball game, Friday, April 24, 2026, at Molina High School in Dallas. Hillcrest won 5-2.
Chitose Suzuki/The Dallas Morning News
Paternina played in the field and was a reliable starter on the mound. The senior hit .354, recorded 22 RBIs, posted a 1.47 ERA and a .930 fielding percentage.
1B/P Evan King, Little Elm, Sr.
King hit .378 with 31 hits and also struck out 14 batters. He was also the District 5-6A Offensibve Player of the Year and was named Second-Team All-State by the THSBCA.
OF/IF Connor Leos, McKinney North, Sr.
Leos, a UT-Tyler pledge, was named the District 9-5A Utility Player of the Year after playing right field, third base, pitcher and first base for McKinney North.