.jpeg "Grapevine pitcher Luke Esquivel (1) asks for a timeout to hand his batting gloves and gear to a coach during a UIL baseball game at Grapevine Mustang Field in Grapevine, Texas, Thursday, Apr. 17, 2025.")
Grapevine pitcher Luke Esquivel (1) asks for a timeout to hand his batting gloves and gear to a coach during a UIL baseball game at Grapevine Mustang Field in Grapevine, Texas, Thursday, Apr. 17, 2025.
Bob Booth
Special to the Star-Telegram
Fort Worth area baseball phenom Luke Esquivel has returned to Grapevine High School, his father Lale Esquivel told the Star-Telegram on Wednesday, Oct. 28.
The family’s appeal for athletic eligibility at Southlake Carroll was denied by the University Interscholastic League State Executive Committee in a 4-2 vote Thursday, Oct. 22. In these cases, athletic eligibility remains at the previous school, which is Grapevine.
Esquivel is one of Perfect Game’s top recruits nationwide, an LSU pledge and the 2025 Star-Telegram Player of the Year. He led Grapevine to a Class 5A Division II state championship in 2025 as a freshman, hitting .434 with 31 RBIs and posting a 1.459 ERA with 122 strikeouts on the mound.
The 4-6A District Executive Committee originally ruled Luke Esquivel’s move to Southlake Carroll to be for athletic purposes in a 6-1 vote. His prior athletic participation form was marked for a change of schools for athletic purposes by Grapevine-Colleyville athletics.
Lale Esquivel told the Star-Telegram he scheduled a meeting with Grapevine baseball coach Jimmy Webster, GCISD executive director of athletics Billy Skinner and principal Alex Fingers to discuss Luke’s transition back into the school district.
In the DEC and UIL SEC hearings, Lale Esquivel alleged his son dealt with bullying from students.
“My concern was whether my son could safely and comfortably return in that environment,” Lale Esquivel said at Sept. 16’s DEC hearing.
Esquivel, who is on track to possibly be considered in the 2028 MLB draft, will continue to take online class through iUniversity Prep, the same GCISD online program he was in before enrolling at Southlake Carroll.
This story was originally published October 28, 2026 at 1:34 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.