Team Texas Future Games Recap: Hitters
August 4, 2023
TEXAS - Team Texas Kicked off Future Games week by going through a workout on Wednesday, July, 26 where the team put up respectable numbers across the board. We then moved into games Thursday-Saturday where we took on Indiana, New Jersey, and Georgia. Three quality teams that brought top players from their respective states. Team Texas looked good on the mound throughout all three games and we take a closer look at each position player today.
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Carter Rutenbar C / 3B / Midlothian Heritage, TX / 2025Rutenbar was one of the stars of the workout day with his loud BP. The LHH from Midlothian Heritage has a lot of bat speed, and is always swinging with intent. He hit multiple balls out during BP and got into the triple digits with his exit velocity. In the games, Rutenbar had great swings all week. He showed his ability to use the whole field with a 97 mph line drive the other way in a game. He does a good job of staying in the strike zone and not expanding. Rutenbar should be able to stay behind the plate long term, but he also showed some potential in the OF during game 3 with a couple of nice plays. Overall, a really good week for Rutenbar
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Mitchell Morton C / 3B / Plano West , TX / 2025Morton had a week to remember behind the plate. He was a star defensively that saw him take home the Diamond Krew Frozen Frame award for best defensive catcher at future games. He threw out guys in every game, including 3 in the 1st 3 innings of the first game. At the plate, Morton offers plenty of bat speed and a frame that projects for some power. He is really back side focused, but when he gets out front the ball jumps off his bat.
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Blake Beheler 1B / 1B / George Ranch, TX / 2025The first thing that always sticks out to me is how good of an athlete Blake is for his size. He moves well around the bag at first and runs the bases well. Beheler produces easy exit velo numbers that can register in the triple digits, and it carried over to the games where he had a couple barrels north of 100 mph. He has a repeatable swing that stays short for his size. When he is staying gap to gap is when he is most dangerous. Beheler also had an active week around the bag at 1st showing good feet and soft hands.
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Kash Wood 1B / OF / Sinton, TX / 2025The Sinton native earned his way to Future Games this summer by really performing at PBR events throughout the summer. During the Wednesday workout, Wood took some of the best BP for Team Texas. The RHH has good rhythm in the box, with good timing, and is always looking to do damage. He had a 2B against Georgia that showed off his bat speed and power potential. Wood also offers some positional versatility, as he can be a really athletic first baseman or he can go play RF with a + arm that has been up to 93 this summer. Wood is also a 4 star punter for Sinton, making him even more intriguing.
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Jarret Halter SS / 2B / Pleasant Grove, TX / 2025Halter had a really good week overall doing a little bit of everything on the field. He can play all over the field, but has a home up the middle. He can play 2nd or SS, with 2nd probably being the best fit. He has good range laterally and plenty of arm for all of the throws. At the plate, Halter had a couple of loud barrels throughout the games, including a 2B that short hopped the LC wall. He showed the ability to handle velocity, and grind out at bats. He has a slight leg kick to get his swing going, and then keeps the barrel flat through the zone for a long time giving him the ability to drive the ball to all fields. Halter plays the game with bounce and confidence, and is the type of player that makes your team better.
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Cayden Mitchell 3B / RHP / Mansfield Timberview , TX / 2025This was Mitchell’s second appearance at Future Games, and the athletic 3rd baseman from Mansfield flashed a high level hit tool throughout the week. Mitchell always looks like he is going to hit the ball hard when he is in the box. Mitchell doesn’t have a lot of wasted movement, but can generate some loud contact with really quick hands. He isn’t afraid to let the ball get deep and use the whole field. His big hit of the week was a bases clearing triple he smoked to RC. He let the fastball travel and then shot it the other way. He also had another hit on the week that registered above 100 mph on the exit velocity. In the field, Mitchell has a strong, accurate arm from third and can throw from any platform. He his good at coming in on the ball, and has a good 1st step.
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Joseph Sandusky SS / 3B / Mcneil, TX / 2025Rankings StateRank: 100 / POS: 22
Sandusky has a physical frame and is a bouncy athlete in the middle of the infield. He shows good range and lateral quickness at short, and has an arm that can get to 90 mph across the diamond. At the plate, Sandusky shows good bat speed and can produce exit velocities into the upper 90’s. At the plate, Sandusky shows off good bat speed and has some power potential to the pull side. Sandusky is a premium athlete who has strength and will be able to stick up the middle long term.
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Conner Helms SS / 3B / Dripping Springs, TX / 2025Rankings StateRank: 52 / POS: 9
Helms is another centex middle infielder who shows a lot of high end tools across the board. Helms is a wiry 6-1 right now, and has a frame to dream on. He should get a lot stronger and more physical over time. In the field, he has the arm to make any throw on the left side of the infield. I think his home will be on the left side at the next level. At the plate, Helms has some loud blast numbers. His bat speed can creep into the mid 80’s and generates a lot of torque in his swing. He is at his best when he is staying gap to gap and letting the ball travel. He will get a little long sometimes trying to generate power, but with a good offseason in the weight room and added strength, I think that will take care of itself. Helms has a lot of tools, and I think we will continue to see him make big jumps. |
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Brady Janusek OF / 3B / LIBERTY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL, TX / 2025Rankings StateRank: 76 / POS: 13
If we had to pick an offensive MVP for Team Texas for the Future Games, it would be Janusek. The 6-2 OF from Argyle had a great workout showing plus speed and an Arm that can play all 3 spots. Then in the first game, he decided to go 3-3 with a Backside no doubt bomb that was really really impressive. The swing is his own, it isn’t the most traditional but he gets the barrel to the ball and consistently impacts the baseball. The one thing I was really impressed with over the week is how Janusek self corrected throughout an ab and made in bat adjustments. Overall, Brady had a great week and is one of the top uncommitted players from Texas in the ‘25 class.
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William Van Wie OF / OF / MEMORIAL, TX / 2025Van Wie, much like Janusek, is a freakishly good looking athlete. He is 6-2, can run in the 6.6’s and has an arm that can play anywhere in the outfield. The Houston native had some really good ab’s throughout the week and shows flashes of some big power potential. He has quick hands and can handle velocity with ease. He is another hitter that has the ability to impact the baseball to all fields, and is at his best when he slows it down and lets the ball travel and uses the whole field. Van Wie has all the tools to be one of the top players in the state for his class. |
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Andrew Baay OF / 1B / Memorial, TX / 2025Baay is a player that every coach wants on their team. Throughout the week, he handled everything with a purpose and was going hard the whole time. Baay is a good runner and takes good routes in the OF, he profiles best as a LF at the next level. At the plate, he has a super flat swing through the zone that allows him to have really good contact rates. He fouls off a lot of pitches and grinds out long ab’s. He recognized spin well throughout the week, and had good ab after good ab. Baay is a super high academic student as well, who takes care of his work off the field as well.
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