Grapevine pitcher Luke Esquivel points to his dugout in celebration after a base hit in the Class 5A Division II state championship game against Kingwood Park on Friday, June 6, 2025 at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas.
Miles Meador
Special to the Star-Telegram
Fort Worth-area baseball prodigy Luke Esquivel has transferred from Grapevine to five-time state champion Southlake Carroll, his father told the Star-Telegram Wednesday.
Esquivel, an LSU pledge and the 2025 Star-Telegram Player of the Year, is Perfect Game’s No. 15 recruit nationwide in the class of 2028. He led Grapevine to a Class 5A Division II state championship in 2025 as a freshman, hitting .434 with 56 hits, 38 runs scored, 31 RBIs, 16 doubles and 25 walks; he was just as dominant on the mound with a 1.459 ERA and 122 strikeouts.
A district executive committee hearing will determine Esquivel’s athletic eligibility, Esquivel’s father said. The hearing has not yet been scheduled.
Esquivel was also a key contributor to Grapevine’s team in the 2026 season. The Mustangs, while searching for a historic championship three-peat, were removed from the playoffs after self-reporting an eligibility violation.
As a prospect, Esquivel has elite tools. His fastball reaches the mid 90s, and he can mix in sliders and change-ups. If he is eligible to play, he’ll be the Fort Worth-area’s top recruit in the 2027 season.
This story was originally published August 26, 2026 at 1:30 PM.
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Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Charles Baggarly is a high school sports editor and reporter for the Fort Worth Star Telegram. He graduated from TCU in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and served as TCU 360’s sports editor. Connect with Charles on Twitter or via email.