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: Wichita Falls Rider Raiders
Head Coach: Jeremy Crouch
UIL Classification: UIL Class 5A (District 5)
Team Strengths: Speed
2023 Record (Playoff Finish): 21-15 (5A Area Finalists)
Key Players Lost: 12 Seniors

 

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TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

+ C Owen Hooper (2024; Stephen F. Austin) - Second Team All-State, First Team All-District in 2023
+ INF Chris Chavez (2024; Rose State College) - Honorable Mention All-District in 2023
+ OF/RHP Alex Wilburn (2024; uncommitted) - Honorable Mention All-District in 2023

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TOP NEWCOMERS

+ UTL Grey Johnson (2025; uncommitted)
+ OF Brady Pope (2025; uncommitted)
+ OF Champ Wall (2025; uncommitted)

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FRESHMEN TO FOLLOW

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TEAM OUTLOOK

After losing 12 seniors from a 2023 team that finished as 5A Area Finalists, the Wichita Falls Rider Raiders will try and build off of that finish behind an older roster in 2024. Led by Coach Jeremy Crouch, the Raiders will return three seniors from 2023 that earned All-District honors for their respective performances while also welcoming a key trio of juniors to the varsity squad this season.

The 2024 Raiders will be led by Stephen F. Austin signee C Owen Hooper (2024). Hooper will help bring along the pitching staff this season and was also a Second Team All-State and First Team All-District player in 2023. Also returning from the senior class is Rose State commit, INF Chris Chavez (2024), who was awarded Honorable Mention All-District last season. Uncommitted OF/RHP Alex Wilburn (2024) comes back in 2024 after also earning Honorable Mention last season. Wilburn was a standout at our Dallas Tigers Scout Day this past September where he showed well in all facets. At the event, Wilburn ran a 6.86 60, threw 94 mph from the outfield, had a max exit velocity of 93.3 mph, and worked his fastball up to 89.9 mph as well.

Joining the fold in 2024 are a trio of juniors expected to make big impacts this season in UTL Grey Johnson (uncommitted), OF Brady Pope (uncommitted), and OF Champ Wall (uncommitted). These three in addition to the trio of seniors previously mentioned, look to be the core of this 2024 Raiders squad and will be pivotal in taking this team where they want to go this season.

Coach Crouch will have a roster composed of mainly seniors and juniors this season, and that veteran roster should lead to stability throughout the season. Despite losing as many pieces as they did off their 2023 team, look for the Raiders to be competitive again within the 5A class.

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Find more information on the 2024 Wichita Falls Rider Raiders program below:

+ <<2024 Schedule>>
+ Follow Wichita Falls Rider on X: @ROHO_Baseball
+ Prep Baseball Texas, Power 30 Homepage

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