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: Rains Wildcats
Head Coach: Brandon Kajihiro
UIL Classification: UIL Class 3A (District 12)
Team Strengths: Starting Pitching & Lineup.
2023 Record (Playoff Finish): 28-5-1 (3A Regional Quarterfinalists)
Key Players Lost: Eric Bacon - Coffeyville Community College

 

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TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

+ RHP/OF Nick Bowman (2024; Paris JC) - Third Team All-County, District Most Valuable Player

*2024 Nick Bowman*
 
+ C/UTL Grant Guidry (2024; Northwestern College) - First Team All-County, First Team All-District
+ LHP/OF Shawn Robertson (2024; SAGU) - First Team All-County, First Team All-District
+ RHP/INF Zach Sheppard (2024; uncommitted) - First Team All-District
+ OF/C David Springer (2025; uncommitted) - Second Team All-District
+ INF Toby Herndon (2025; uncommitted) - Honorable Mention All-District

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TOP NEWCOMERS

+ INF Carson Blalock (2025; uncommitted)
+ OF Trent Kirby (2025; uncommitted)
+ INF Franki Payne (2025; uncommitted)
+ RHP/INF Memphis McNew (2025; uncommitted)
+ C Hunter Chandler (2026)
+ RHP/INF Samuel Haney (2027)

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FRESHMEN TO FOLLOW

+ RHP/INF Samuel Haney (2027)

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TEAM OUTLOOK

Nearly winning 30 games a year ago, the Rains Wildcats bring back another strong group for 2024. With six key returners earning All-District in 2023, this year’s WIldcats group has the chance to make another deep run in the 3A playoffs. Led by Coach Brandon Kajihiro, Rains will have three seniors who are committed to playing at the next level.

Leading things off for the Wildcats’ senior class is Paris JC commit RHP/OF Nick Bowman. Bowman, who is coming off a 2023 season that saw him earn Third Team All-County as well as the District’s Most Valuable Player award, looks to be the team’s ace entering 2024. Currently ranked No. 146 in the state, Bowman is a hard-throwing righty that works his fastball routinely in the upper-80’s (T88 mph). His primary battery mate is also back in 2024 in Northwestern College commit C/UTL Grant Guidry (2024). Guidry was a First Team All-County player in 2023, as well as First Team All-District. Expected to join Bowman on the pitching staff is SAGU commit LHP/OF Shawn Robertson (2024). Like Guidry, Robertson was also First Team All-County and First Team All-District last season.

Elsewhere in the senior class, the Wildcats bring back RHP/INF Zach Sheppard (uncommitted), who was First Team All-District in 2023. Joining Sheppard in the senior class will be infielders Leo Centeno (uncommitted) and Brayden Juarez (uncommitted), outfielder Kadin Oakes (uncommitted), and RHP/UTL Riley Ogle (uncommitted).

In the junior class, Rains brings back a pair of All-District recipients in OF/C David Springer (uncommitted - 2nd Team) and INF Toby Herndon (uncommitted - Honorable Mention). New to the varsity squad for 2024 among the junior class is projected to be INF Carson Blalock (uncommitted), OF Trent Kirby (uncommitted), INF Franki Payne (uncommitted), and RHP/INF Memphis McNew (uncommitted). A pair of underclassmen are also projected to join the fold this season in C Hunter Chandler (2026) and RHP/INF Samuel Haney (2027).

After finishing as 3A Regional Quarterfinalists last year, the Rains Wildcats have a lot to be excited about entering 2024. With their returning pitching depth and the potential of their lineup, look for the WIldcats to make another deep 3A playoff run this spring.

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Find more information on the 2024 Rains Wildcats program below:

+ Follow Rains on X: @BaseballRains
+ Prep Baseball Texas, Power 30 Homepage

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