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: Little Elm Lobos
Head Coach: Matt Harbin
UIL Classification: UIL Class 6A (District 5)
Team Strengths: Pitching, Defense, Speed, and Experience
2023 Record (Playoff Finish): 15-15 (6A Bi-District Finalists)
Key Players Lost: Irvin Leonard (Angelo State), Brayden Howard

 

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TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

+ OF Kendyl Johnson (2024; Texas Tech)
+ RHP Caden Richardson (2024; Texas Tech)
+ SS/RHP Roman Robinson (2024; Angelo State)
+ INF Dylan Terry (2024; El Paso CC)
+ RHP Ashton Creighton (2024; Seward CC)
+ OF Chris Sims (2024; Highland CC)
+ C Ben Heathcock (2024; McCook CC)
+ INF CJ Thayer (2024; Oklahoma Wesleyan University)
+ OF Diego Reyes (2024; uncommitted)
+ OF/LHP Tristan Fielder (2025; uncommitted)

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TOP NEWCOMERS

+ 1B/LHP Thomas McHugh (2025; uncommitted)
+ LHP Zach Bliss (2026) - *2022 Junior Future Games Participant*

*2026 Zach Bliss*

+ RHP Evan King (2026)

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FRESHMEN TO FOLLOW

+ INF Kole Dailey (2027)
+ INF/OF Maddox Green (2027)
+ 1B Declan Conti (2027)

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TEAM OUTLOOK

After making the playoffs in 2023, the Little Elm Lobos look to build off their 2023 finish and make a deeper run this spring. Behind a wealth of experience and talent returning, Coach Matt Harbin should have the pieces to make for an exciting 2024. The Lobos’ experienced roster looks to be built on pitching, defense, and speed entering the spring.

A pair of Texas Tech commits headline the 2024 squad in OF Kendyl Johnson (2024) and RHP Caden Richardson (2024). Johnson is a left-left outfielder who should be the table-setter for the Lobos’ 2024 lineup and is currently ranked No. 50 in the state. Richardson is projected to be the team’s ace entering the spring and is currently ranked No. 104 in the state. Senior SS/RHP Roman Robinson is headed to Angelo State after this season and should contribute as a two-way player this spring. Four senior Lobos will be entering the JUCO ranks next fall after this season in INF Dylan Terry (El Paso CC), RHP Ashton Creighton (Seward CC), OF Chris Sims (Highland CC), and C Ben Heathcock (McCook CC). INF CJ Thayer (2024) is committed to Oklahoma Wesleyan and will man the infield alongside the previously mentioned Robinson and Terry. Joining Johnson and Sims in the Lobos outfield will be a pair of uncommitted players in senior OF Diego Reyes and junior OF/LHP Tristan Fielder.

Expected to contribute on varsity for the first time this spring is junior 1B/LHP Thomas McHugh (uncommitted), and sophomore pitchers LHP Zach Bliss and RHP Evan King. Bliss is a 2022 Junior Future Games alum, and is currently ranked No. 128 in the state. A trio of freshmen to follow entering 2024 are INF Kole Dailey, INF/OF Maddox Green, and 1B Declan Conti.

With eight returning starters committed to playing at the next level, the Lobos should have a strong foundation for the upcoming season. After finishing as 6A Bi-District Finalists last season, look for Little Elm to make a deeper run and more noise in 2024.

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Find more information on the 2024 Little Elm Lobos program below:

+ <<2024 Schedule>>
+ Follow Little Elm on X: @LEBaseball
+ Prep Baseball Texas, Power 30 Homepage

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