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: Salado Eagles
Head Coach: Augie Ramirez
UIL Classification: UIL Class 4A (District 23)
Team Strengths: Pitching & Defense
2023 Record (Playoff Finish): 19-12-2 (4A Area Finalists)
Key Players Lost: Caden Strickland P/3B

 

---

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

+ LHP Logan Flores (2024; Midland JC) - First Team All-District
+ RHP Payne Lochridge (2024; Southwestern) - Honorable Mention All-District
+ RHP/1B Dylan Wigley (2024; uncommitted)
+ OF Brody Naegele (2024; uncommitted) - Honorable Mention All-District
+ OF Kase Maedgen (2024; uncommitted) - Second Team All-District
+ OF/RHP Kannon Baird (2025; uncommitted) - Honorable Mention All-District

*2025 Kannon Baird*

+ INF Owen Curtis (2025; uncommitted) - Honorable Mention All-District
+ INF Jace Light (2025; uncommitted)
+ C BJ Amann (2026) - District Newcomer of the Year

---

TOP NEWCOMERS

+ INF Brody Cole (2025; uncommitted) - *Transferred in from Holland HS*

---

FRESHMEN TO FOLLOW

+ INF Landen Noske (2027)
+ OF Reed Myers (2027)
+ C Brayden Naegele (2027)
+ LHP/1B Jamison Stephens (2027)
+ INF Aezea Martinez (2027)

---

TEAM OUTLOOK

With seven All-District players returning in 2024, the Salado Eagles should be an intriguing team to follow within the state’s 4A class this season. Led by Coach Augie Ramirez, the Eagles will be built on their pitching and defense entering this spring with two senior arms committed to playing at the next level.

Midland JC signee LHP Logan Flores (2024) and Southwestern signee RHP Payne Lochridge (2024) will look to lead the Eagles’ pitching staff entering their final high school season in 2024. Flores is a southpaw that runs his fastball routinely in the low-to-mid 80’s and is currently ranked No. 286 in the state following a junior season that saw him earn First Team All-District. Lochridge also runs his fastball in the low 80’s and was a standout last season earning himself Honorable Mention All-District. Also returning on the mound for the Eagles in 2024 is senior RHP/1B Dylan Wigley (uncommitted) and junior OF/RHP Kannon Baird (uncommitted), with Baird earning Honorable Mention All-District last season. Baird is also currently ranked No. 163 in the state and has real two-potential, showing quick hands at the plate and an arm that plays on the mound.

On the defensive side, the Eagles bring back three outfielders who were All-District award winners in 2023 in the previously mentioned Baird (Honorable Mention), as well as seniors Brody Naegele (uncommitted - Honorable Mention) and OF Kase Maedgen (uncommitted - 2nd Team). On the infield, the Eagles bring back juniors Owen Curtis (uncommitted) and Jace Light (uncommitted), with Curtis earning Honorable Mention All-District last season. The reigning District Newcomer of the Year is back this season for Salado in sophomore C BJ Amann, and he should be a strong battery mate for this Eagles pitching staff. The Eagles also bring in some help on the infield with Holland HS transfer, Brody Cole (2025; uncommitted) joining the team this spring.

Salado brings in five freshmen to keep tabs on for the foreseeable future in INF Landen Noske, OF Reed Myers, C Brayden Naegele, LHP/1B Jamison Stephens, and INF Aezea Martinez.

With their returning pieces on the mound and on defense, the Eagles look primed for another 4A playoff run in 2024.

---

Find more information on the 2024 Salado Eagles program below:

+ <<2024 Schedule>>
+ Follow Salado on X: @BaseballSalado
+ Prep Baseball Texas, Power 30 Homepage

---

Related Content