BEAUMONT, TX - On Saturday, January 13 The Prep Baseball Report hosted The I-10 Border Battle at Lamar University. The event featured some of the top players from PBR Louisiana and PBR Texas’ coverage area. Here are some of the quick highlights from the event.

LHP’s Make Velo Jumps

2019 LHP Parker Moye (Evadale HS) pitched 87-90 mph with his fastball. The left-hander has an aggressive delivery and a strong, sturdy frame at 6-foot-2, 235-pounds. His curveball came in at 68-72 mph, and he threw a 78-80 mph changeup.

2019 LHP Austin Teel (College Station HS) continues to make strides leading up to the high school season. Teel topped out at 87 mph, sitting mostly 84-86 mph. But it was the command and sharpness of the curveball (67-69 mph) that has improved since the last time we saw him. Also has good feel for a 77-79 mph changeup.

We have seen 2020 LHP Mason Brandenberger (Clifton HS) pitch all fall, and the left-hander simply continues to carve up hitters. His fastball still sat 81-83 mph with arm side run, and topped out at 86 mph. The breaking ball continues to be a solid pitch with good shape and depth at 68-70 mph, and he also mixes in a solid changeup at 77-78 mph with fastball arm speed.

Strong Showing From 2019's

2019 RHP/SS Nicolas Gullo (Dripping Springs HS) had himself a solid all-around day. The left-handed hitter roped a double to right-centerfield during the game, and pitched 85-88 mph with tons of arm side run from a ¾ slot. His curveball has really good depth and bite at 71-73 mph, and he mixes in a 74-75 mph changeup. Gullo is now committed to Lamar University.

2019 3B/RHP Garrett Arrendondo (George Ranch HS) is a name to remember in the junior class. The right-hander works from a high-¾ slot with a clean, short arm stroke. His fastball sat 85-87 mph with some heavy arm side action. His breaking ball varies in shape and what he calls a slider actually varies between a curveball (72-74 mph) and more of a slider (76-77 mph). Either way, the pitch comes in with good shape and rotation, and I could see him making a jump this spring. He moves well for his size at third base, has a strong arm across the infield, and is a projectable right-handed hitter.

Uncommitted 2019 SS Michael Cervantes (Clear Springs HS) has quick actions and an accurate arm at shortstop with plenty of feel for all three infield positions. The right-handed hitter was on the barrel all day yesterday, including a double to right field, a single through the left side, and a deep fly ball to centerfield. Took a solid round of batting practice, driving the ball from gap-to-gap with carry.

This was our first look at 2019 SS Keagan Vance (Clear Lake HS). Vance was impressive during BP, showing a balanced approach with quick hands, loose finish, and strength at contact. On the infield he moves with easy actions and has an accurate arm with good carry across the diamond.

2019 OF Tommy Ivey (Kingwood Parks HS) has a quick-twitch, athletic frame at 5-foot-10, 170-pounds. The right-handed hitter has life in his hack and consistently shows up on the barrel. Playing centerfield during the game, Ivey ran down a sure triple in the left-centerfield gap, catching the ball on a full sprint with his back turned to the infield. He registered an exit velocity of 89 mph, single to lead off game one, threw 82 mph from the outfield with a loose arm swing, and ran a 7.1 60-yard dash.

Really liked the way 2019 OF Ben Leisure (Huffman Hargrave HS) swung the bat during batting practice. Projectable frame at 6-foot-2, 185-pounds, has a loose hack with a leg kick and strong hands at contact, barrel stays in the zone a long time. Hit a sharp ground ball to shortstop during the game.

2019 SS/2B Ommar Jackson (Mansfield HS) is a switch-hitter that ran a 6.7-second 60-yard dash, threw 88 from the outfield, 80 on the infield, and had an exit velocity of 89 mph off the tee.

2019 RHP/3B Braden McGary (Denver City HS) showed a loose swing from the left side and had one of the better curveballs on the day. The right-hander works from a high slot with a long, loose arm stroke. His fastball was only 82-85 mph, flashing some angle, but his curveball had really good downer shape and depth at 71-74 mph. Could see him making a jump this spring.

Talented Sophomores

Really liked what I saw from two sophomores from Southlake Carroll HS, SS Jorge Figueroa, and C Yanluis Ortiz, both Miami commits. Ortiz has a strong presence in the box, and he showed advanced power (94 exit velo) during batting practice and the ability to drive the ball with authority. During the game he singled sharply to the outfield on a two-strike curveball that he hit off his front foot. Behind the plate, he threw 83 mph from the crouch and posted pop time of 2.05-2.15. Shortstop Jorge Figueroa is a confident player and communicates at a high level, he ran a 7.04 60, showed quick footwork and smooth actions on the infield. He has a fluid swing at the plate with loose hands, and flashes pop to the pull side. He collected two knocks during the game, a double to left-centerfield where he ran a 4.5 on the turn, a single through the left side, and he beat out a ground ball to third base with 4.33 down the line.

Talented players continue to pop up from Colleyville Heritage HS. Sophomore Edison Ramos is an all-around athletic left-handed hitting outfielder. At 5-foot-11, 170-pounds, Ramos has a smooth swing with projectable power, he showed up on time and on the barrel during batting practice, driving the ball from the middle to pull side. Ramos is an athletic defender with an accurate arm.

SS Hunter Cramer (Oak Ridge HS) is committed to Arkansas and has an athletic, lean-strong frame. Cramer had a solid infield workout where he threw strikes across the diamond to first base. The right-handed hitter has an aggressive hack at the plate and does not get cheated. 

Freshman Hitters

3B/SS Josh Phillips (Bridgeland HS) is currently ranked No. 13 in Texas and has a strong frame at 6-foot-2, 205-pounds. The left-handed hitter has a loose hack with easy rhythm at the plate and hammers the ball deep during batting practice. Moves well at third base and is a projectable power hitter at the next level.

Catcher Max Soliz (Homeschool), another Arkansas commit, has a strong, projectable frame at 6-foot-2, 190-pounds. Soliz threw 76 mph from the crouch to second base and has pull side power at the plate.

Catcher Brandon Nelson (Ridge Point HS) is a left-handed hitter with a smooth swing, projectable power, and natural lift.

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