WACO, TX - The PBR Texas All-State Games was a huge success on Sunday, November 4. The top talent in from the 2020-2022 classes converged on the campus of Baylor University to compete against players from all over our great state. As usual, we will get started with arms.

Sixteen Pitchers were up to 87 mph or better, and seventeen threw a breaking ball (CB or SL) 74 mph or better. With that being said, there were way too many standouts to include in one article, so we will be releasing several installments over the next couple of days.

2020 RHP Dillon Janac (College Station HS) has a long-limbed, projectable pitcher’s frame with a high ceiling at 6-foot-4, 175-pounds. Working from a high-¾ slot with a clean arm stroke, he creates steep angle on his fastball at 88-89 mph, and threw a hammer curveball that dropped off the table at 80-81 mph. High ceiling, athletic delivery, can see him making another jump in velocity during the spring high school season.

2020 RHP/3B Levi Wells (LaPorte HS) threw 94 across the infield, then hit 92 in warmups, pitching at 88-90, hitting 90 multiple times. The right-hander works from a high slot with an athletic delivery and clean arm swing. His changeup was 80, and he spun a 72-73 mph breaking ball.

2020 RHP Zach Childers (College Station HS) has a durable frame at 6-foot-2, 200-pounds, with an athletic delivery and quick arm swing from a high-¾ slot. His fastball touched 90, sitting mostly 87-89. Only threw a couple of curveballs (74-79), but its a plus pitch with good downer break.

2021 RHP/C Creed Willems (Aledo HS) pumped strikes from a high-¾ slot and made easy work of his inning on the mound. His fastball was 85-88 with downhill plane, while his curveball was 72-76.

2020 RHP Kole Tauzin (Klein HS) works from a high slot with a quick arm and late giddy up on his fastball at 87-89 with arm side sink. Throws a hard breaking slider with tight spin at 77-78 mph.

2020 RHP Perry Burkett (Incarnate Word) is going to be a quality pickup for a recruiting class with his abiltiy to throw a hard, lateral breaking slider at 78-79. His fastball topped out at 88, but he pitched at 85-87 from a ¾ slot with an athletic delivery.

2020 RHP Wesley Kreger (Georgetown HS) is still not done filling out his 6-foot-7, 200-pound frame. The right-hander had a dominant inning as his fastball exploded with late giddy up at 87-89 mph and made hitters uncomfortable. He throws a solid splitty at 70-74 mph for a secondary pitch. Much better command this week than the first time we saw him.

2020 RHP Augustus Gray Harrison (Westlake HS) has an athletic, wiry frame at 6-foot-1, 160-pounds. The right-hander worked a strong inning with his fastball getting up to 88, pitching at 85-87 with good feel for a 12/6 curveball at 71-73 mph.

2020 LHP Mason Brandenberger (Clifton HS) may only be 5-foot-10, 165-pounds, but he is tougher than a coffin nail, and has big league hair. The left-hander was the only arm to throw more than one inning and per usual, the junior carved. With one team down an arm because of a late cancellation, Mason volunteered to hurl an extra inning. He faced ten batters total, allowed only one hit, and pounded the zone with command and feel for three pitches. His fastball was 81-84 mph with slight arm side run. Throws his changeup with fastball arm speed and arm side fade at 71-73 mph. Flipped his curveball for a strike with 11/5 shape at 69-70 mph. 

2021 SS/RHP Drake Varnado (Monsignor Kelly HS) is a South Carolina commit with an athletic 6-foot-2, 165-pound frame with plenty of room to add strength over the next couple of years. Varnado has smooth actions at shortstop and pop in his bat from the right-side. On the mound, he pitched at 86-88 and showed great feel for his changeup at 78-82 mph.

2020 RHP Derek Saenz (King HS) threw a sharp slider at 75-76 mph with late bite. His fastball was 84-87 with tilt.

East Texas is renowned for having competitive players, and 2021 LHP Jeb Drewery (Hallsville HS) fits that same mold. He changes his delivery to keep hitters off balance with a distinct hesitation in his leg lift. The left-hander made quick work of his inning with an 80-83 mph fastball. Really good feel for curveball in - and out of the zone at 70-74 with 2/8 shape and finish.

2020 RHP Trace Blue (Midland Christian) had a stellar outing and will be someone that recruiters will want to track closely as he has a sturdy, projectable frame that appears larger than his listed height of 6-foot-1. Blue pounded the zone with his fastball at 83-84 mph and is likely to make another velo jump in the next year. Good feel for changeup at 78 mph, and spun his curveball at 72-74 mph.

2021 3B/RHP Shane Martin (Grand Oaks HS) is a two-way stud that is committed to Wichita State. Not only did the right-hander launch a double to the right-centerfield gap and post an exit velocity of 92 mph, but he pitched at 86-87, with a 73-74 mph curveball. There is a natural feel for all three facets of the game and he has a high ceiling.

2020 LHP/OF Carson Keithley (Alvin HS) has the natural athleticism as a two way player that college coaches love to see. On the mound, the left-hander has a loose arm swing and pitched at 83-85 with arm side life on his fastball. Really like the feel for the curveball at 73 mph, the pitch has good 1/7 shape and depth to finish. He even choked one for a two-strike swing and miss to a left-handed hitter in the dirt at 79, it was a whammer. In the end, I think Keithley is likely to be an upper-80’s left-hander with a quality curveball.

2021 RHP/SS Alec Grossman (Lake Travis HS) has a quick arm from a ¾ slot and touched 88, pitched at 82-86, with a 73 mph curveball. Nice, all-around athletic player, ran a 6.74 60-yard dash.

Texas News