The 2024 Texas high school baseball season is quickly approaching and, as usual, excitement is abound throughout the state. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across Texas.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in Austin at the UIL State Tournament in June, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality. We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams across the state as we preview individual teams across Texas. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews, eventually releasing our Preseason Power 30 rankings that’ll carry us into the opening week of action.

Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across the state. Each week we will be releasing our Players of the Week and updating the Power 30 rankings.

Our 2024 preseason coverage continues today.

High School: Hawley Bearcats
Head Coach: Jamie Seago
UIL Classification: UIL Class 2A (District 8)
Team Strengths: Pitching Defense, and Senior Leadership
2023 Record (Playoff Finish): 25-10 (2A Regional Finalists)
Key Players Lost: Will Scott / Kason O'Shields / Hez Parker

 

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TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

+ LHP Westyn Balch (2024; Harding)
+ RHP/1B Creed Ernst (2024; uncommitted)
+ 1B/UTL Brad Newton (2024; uncommitted)

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TOP NEWCOMERS

+ UTL Blake Newton (2024; uncommitted)
+ UTL Keagan Ables (2025; uncommitted)
+ UTL Eli Daniel (2025; uncommitted)
+ UTL Drew Siller (2026)

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FRESHMEN TO FOLLOW

+ CIF Jesse Nieto (2027)
+ UTL Braylen Williams (2027)

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TEAM OUTLOOK

The Hawley Bearcats look to make another strong playoff run in 2024 after finishing as 2A Regional Finalists a year ago. Led by Coach Jamie Seago, the Bearcats expect their strengths in 2024 to be their pitching, defense, and senior leadership.

The senior class is headlined by Harding signee LHP Westyn Balch. Balch will be joined in the pitching staff by senior RHP/1B Creed Ernst (uncommitted) and together, they should make up the team’s one-two punch on the mound headed into the spring. Another senior returning for the Bearcats will be 1B/UTL Brad Newton (uncommitted). New to the varsity squad from the senior class this season will be UTL Blake Newton (uncommitted). This senior group’s leadership will be counted on to bring along the rest of the youth on the roster throughout the course of the season.

A trio of newcomers are expected to join the Bearcats in 2024 in UTL Keagan Ables (2025; uncommitted), UTL Eli Daniel (2025; uncommitted), and UTL Drew Siller (2026). Keep an eye on CIF Jesse Nieto (2027) and UTL Braylen Williams (2027) as potential instant impact freshmen headed into the spring.

With their senior-led group, look for the Hawley Bearcats to make another strong 2A playoff run in 2024.

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Find more information on the 2024 Hawley Bearcats program below:

+ Prep Baseball Texas, Power 30 Homepage

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