2016 State Draft Report: Texas
| CROP RATING | |
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Banner Year |
| Rating compares this year’s group to what a state typically produces, not to other states | |
There are no bad draft classes from Texas, just good ones or great ones. But scouts know that with the top high school prospects in the state, once you get out of the top couple of rounds, it can often become very difficult to convince players to go pro rather than fulfill their dreams of playing at a major college program.
That will probably be true again this year to some extent, but the state’s high school pitching talent is very deep and as usual, there’s a long list of draftable college and junior college players.
| NATIONAL TOP 500 PROSPECTS |
| BA 500 Scouting Reports |
1. Forrest Whitley, rhp, Alamo Heights HS, San Antonio (National Rank: 18)
2. Kyle Muller, lhp, Dallas Jesuit Prep (National Rank: 25)
3. Jon Duplantier, rhp, Rice (National Rank: 51)
4. Connor Capel, of, Seven Lakes HS, Katy, Texas (National Rank: 62)
5. Nick Banks, of, Texas A&M (National Rank: 88)
6. Mason Thompson, rhp, Round Rock (Texas) HS (National Rank: 105)
7. Hudson Sanchez, ss, Carroll Senior HS, Southlake, Texas (National Rank: 108)
8. Dustin May, rhp, Northwest HS, Justin, Texas (National Rank: 117)
9. Charles King, rhp, Coppell (Texas) HS (National Rank: 126)
10. David Martinelli, of, Dallas Baptist (National Rank: 166)
11. Brigham Hill, rhp, Texas A&M (National Rank: 170)
12. Ray Gaither, rhp, Coppell (Texas) HS (National Rank: 173)
13. Michael Barash, c, Texas A&M (National Rank: 176)
14. David Hamilton, ss/2b, San Marcos (Texas) HS (National Rank: 188)
15. Mark Ecker, rhp, Texas A&M (National Rank: 210)
16. Kyle Weatherly, rhp, Grayson (Texas) CC (National Rank: 227)
17. Devin Smeltzer, lhp, San Jacinto (Texas) JC (National Rank: 244)
18. Joel Kuhnel, rhp, Texas-Arlington (National Rank: 247)
19. John McMillon, rhp/c, Jasper (Texas) HS (National Rank: 252)
20. Ulysses Cantu, 3b/c, Boswell HS, Fort Worth (National Rank: 254)
21. Darick Hall, 1b, Dallas Baptist (National Rank: 265)
22. Brian Howard, rhp, Texas Christian (National Rank: 276)
23. Tres Barrera, c, Texas (National Rank: 285)
24. Jonathan Heasley, rhp, Prestonwood Christian Academy, Plano, Texas (National Rank: 307)
25. Boomer White, 3b, Texas A&M (National Rank: 309)
26. Ryan Hendrix, rhp, Texas A&M (National Rank: 314)
27. Jordan Roberts, lhp, Trinity HS, Euless, Texas (National Rank: 316)
28. Elliott Barzilli, 3b, Texas Christian (National Rank: 319)
29. Morgan Cooper, rhp, Texas (National Rank: 338)
30. Trey Morris, rhp, Taylor HS, Katy, Texas (National Rank: 346)
31. Josh Sawyer, lhp, Texas (National Rank: 380)
32. Blair Henley, rhp, Arlington Heights HS, Fort Worth (National Rank: 392)
33. Ryan January, c, San Jacinto (Texas) JC (National Rank: 393)
34. Andrew Lantrip, lhp, Houston (National Rank: 422)
35. Colin Poche, lhp, Dallas Baptist (National Rank: 433)
36. Jace Vines, rhp, Texas A&M (National Rank: 461)
37. Kyle Simonds, rhp, Texas A&M (National Rank: 470)
38. Hunter Melton, 1b/rhp, Texas A&M (National Rank: 471)
39. Ryne Birk, 2b, Texas A&M (National Rank: 481)
40. Mitchell Traver, rhp, Texas Christian (National Rank: 495)
| OTHER PROSPECTS OF NOTE |
| 2016 Draft Map |
41. Ryan Moseley, rhp, Texas Tech
42. Eric Gutierrez, 1b, Texas Tech
43. Kevin Roliard, rhp, Klein (Texas) High
44. Michael Neustifter, c, Hebron High, Carrollton, Texas
45. Stephen Smith, of, Texas Tech
46. Nick Hernandez, rhp, Houston
47. Shea Langeliers, c, Keller (Texas) High
48. Lael Lockhart, of/1b, Friendswood (High) Texas
49. Liam Scafariello, 1b, San Jacinto (Texas) CC
50. Trace Bucey, of, Carroll High, Corpus Christi, Texas
51. Carter Henry, rhp, Port Neches Groves High, Port Neches, Texas
52. Blake Fox, lhp, Rice
53. Jacob Parrot, of, Lovejoy High, Lucas, Texas
54. Parker Scott, lhp, Flower Mound (Texas) High
55. Montana Parsons, rhp, San Jacinto (Texas) CC
56. Daniel Castano, lhp, Baylor
57. Daniel Sweet, of, Dallas Baptist
58. Zane Gurwitz, of/2b, Texas
59. Austin Listi, of, Dallas Baptist
60. Kacy Clemens, 1b, Texas
61. Cory Raley, of/3b, Texas Tech
62. Tyler Neslony, of, Texas Tech
63. Jordan Wiley, of, Richland High, North Richland, Texas
64. Hunter Coleman, c, Lee High, Midland, Texas
65. Ty Damron, lhp, Texas Tech
66. Trevor Stephan, rhp, Hill (Texas) JC
67. Chandler Eden, rhp, Texas Tech
68. Austin Homan, ss/2b, Texas A&M
69. Andrew Vinson, rhp, Texas A&M
70. Bubba Maxwell, rhp, Houston
71. Eric Walker, rhp, Martin High, Arlington, Texas
72. Jaxx Groshans, c, Magnolia (Texas) High
73. Andrew Sosa, inf, Reagan High, San Antonio, Texas
74. Alex Phillips, rhp, Baylor
75. Chandler Dean, rhp, Bowie (Texas) High
76. Matt Menard, c, Baylor
77. Nick Shumpert, ss/2b, San Jacinto (Texas) CC
78. Jose Quezada, rhp, Howard (Texas) JC
79. Hunter Seay, of, Keller (Texas) High
80. Jorge Gutierrez, c, Sugar Land (Texas) High
81. Paxton DeLaGarza, ss, Angelo State (Texas) HIgh
82. Jordan Trahan, 1b, Tyler (Texas) JC
83. Tanner James, 1b, Robinson (Texas) High
84. J.D. Arrowood, 1b, St. Edwards (Texas) University
85. Dominic Thornton, of, Howard (Texas) JC
86. James Davison, of, Howard (Texas) JC
87. Reece Calvert, rhp, McLennan (Texas) JC
88. Dustin Jourdan, rhp, McLennan (Texas) JC
89. Cory Voss, c, McLennan (Texas) JC
| ADDITIONAL SCOUTING REPORTS |
Ryan Moseley, rhp, Texas Tech – Moseley has expected to be Texas Tech’s ace this season. Instead he quickly fell out of the rotation and found himself banished to the bullpen thanks to his well below-average control and a few disastrous outings. Moseley has a high 80s/low-90s fastball with lots of sink, and his slider and changeup have flashed average but none of them are consistent enough at this point. He has three pitches to start but unless he shows significant improvement to his control, a power-reliever future seems more likely.
Eric Gutierrez, 1b, Texas Tech – Gutierrez has legitimate power, as his 12 home runs and .624 slugging percentage attest. But as a 5-foot-10, righthanded hitting first baseman, Gutierrez does not fit the profile teams usually look for in a first baseman which is why he’s available as a senior sign.
Kevin Rolliard, rhp, Klein (Texas) High – Rolliard sits 88-91 mph and touches better than that while showing the ability to work his fastball to both sides of the plate. He also breaks off a 12-to-6 curveball and has some feel for a changeup. Rolliard is a Texas signee.
Michael Neustifter, c, Hebron High, Carrollton, Texas – Neustifter may not be a pro catcher, but he has power potential and some strength.
Stephen Smith, of, Texas Tech – A consistent performer in three years at Texas Tech, Smith reached double digits in home runs for a second consecutive season. He’s a better athlete than his 6-foot-1, 220-pound frame would initially indicate.
Nick Hernandez, rhp, Houston – One of the top junior college pitchers in Texas at Alvin (Texas) CC in 2015, Hernandez had no trouble moving right into Houston’s closer role as a junior. Blessed with a 92-94 mph fastball, Hernandez struck out 67 in 51 innings.
Shea Langeliers, c, Keller (Texas) High – Langeliers, a Baylor signee, has shown he can handle velocity and he has some bat speed and power as well as a strong, but his approach at the plate is raw.
Lael Lockhart, of/1b, Friendswood (High) Texas – Lockhart has average bat speed with an ability to drive the ball to the gaps. His arm will likely limit him to left field or first base. He’s a Houston signee.
Liam Scafariello, 1b, San Jacinto (Texas) CC – Scafariello ranked No. 398 on the BA 500 last year. Instead of attending Connecticut, he headed to San Jacinto where his combination of power, athleticism and contact issues were all apparent.
Trace Bucey, of, Carroll High, Corpus Christi, Texas – Bucey is a plus runner with wiry strength whose above-average arm could play in right field. He has average bat speed but his swing gets too long at times now and he has to work on his timing at the plate. He’s signed with Texas.
Carter Henry, rhp, Port Neches Groves High, Port Neches, Texas – Henry, a Houston signee, is a tall (6-foot-4) righthander with a fast arm. He sits 88-91 mph with his fastball and breaks off a sharp, short downer curveball.
Blake Fox, lhp, Rice – Fox became an Internet celebrity this spring thanks to a clever pickoff move where he removed his cap with his right hand while he fired a pickoff throw with his left. The senior is crafty when he’s pitching as well. Throwing in the high 80s, Fox doesn’t have a plus pitch, but he’s won 31 games in his career thanks to feel for pitching and location.
Jacob Parrot, of, Lovejoy High, Lucas, Texas – An Oregon signee, Parrot swings with a flat bat path that keeps the bat in the zone and he shows present strength. His average arm plays well in the outfield.
Parker Scott, lhp, Flower Mound (Texas) High – A 6-foot lefty with a high-80s fastball and plenty of feel.
Montana Parsons, rhp, San Jacinto (Texas) CC – Parsons struggled late in the season, but his combination of a 90-93 mph fastball and solid changeup give him enough stuff to succeed at Baylor or to entice a team that believes they can improve his breaking ball.
Daniel Castano, lhp, Baylor – Castano attacks hitters with an 88-92 mph fastball, cutter, curveball approach. Unfortunately for him, his junior year didn’t match the highs of his sophomore season.
Daniel Sweet, of, Dallas Baptist – Sweet is a plus runner who has been drafted twice already (Reds, 23rd round, 2012 and Rangers, 25th round, 2014). As a senior this time, he is expected to sign.
Zane Gurwitz, of/2b, Texas – Gurwitz has some defensive versatility as a second baseman who also is comfortable in the outfield. He’s an above-average runner with a little pop in his compact frame but his tendency to take massive cuts has made him very pitchable at times.
Austin Listi, of, Dallas Baptist – A freshman all-American in 2013, Listi withdrew from school after his sophomore season, but returned after one year off to finish second on the team in home runs (10) and slugging percentage (.562). Power is Listi’s calling card.
Kacy Clemens, 1b, Texas – Clemens, son of 300-game winner Roger Clemens, was thought to be primarily a pitcher when he arrived in Austin, but it’s his bat that’s ended up being hs most impressive tool. Clemens has a potential average hit tool and a decent understanding of the strike zone. But as a first baseman who has yet to turn raw power into productive power, he won’t be a premium pick.
Cory Raley, of/3b, Texas Tech – Raley was a 33rd-round pick of the Indians in the 2012 draft. Since then he’s spent a year at Texas A&M, another at Temple (Texas) JC and now two seasons at Texas Tech. Raley can hit for average–he’s a .344 career hitter for Texas Tech, but the senior swings and misses a lot and he’s still looking for a defensive home. He’s a good athlete who has played shortstop, second base and toyed with playing in the outfield, but he’s ended up primarly as a designated hitter.
Tyler Neslony, of, Texas Tech – A three-year starter for Texas Tech with a career .509 slugging percentage, Neslony’s consistent production could make him a useful senior sign. He’s a left fielder with a fringe-average hit tool and average power.
Jordan Wiley, of, Richland High, North Richland, Texas – A football player with present strength and plus speed, Wiley is a raw outfield prospect who can really drive the ball when he squares it up. He’s committed to San Jacinto (Texas) CC.
Hunter Coleman, c, Lee High, Midland, Texas – A strong-bodied, thick catcher with some contact ability, Coleman is likely to make it to Texas A&M.
Ty Damron, lhp, Texas Tech – A 13th-round pick of the Dodgers out of high school in 2013, Damron is a lefty back-end starter who struggled as a junior (4-2, 6.52). He didn’t pitch long in games and struggled to maintain his delivery, but he survives with an 88-91 mph fastball and a usable slider when he’s repeating.
Trevor Stephan, rhp, Hill (Texas) JC – Stephan is an arm-strength reliever who can fire a 93-94 mph fastball with sink. His secondary offerings are works in progress.
Chandler Eden, rhp, Texas Tech – Eden is already well-traveled. A 36th-round pick of the Marlins out of high school. Eden turned down Miami to pitch for Oregon State. But after throwing only eight innings with the Beavers, he trasnferred to Yavapai (Ariz.) JC. He was a 17th-round pick of the Blue Jays in 2015 but headed to Texas Tech instead of signing. Eden struggled mightily in his first season with the Red Raiders. Eden has a low-to-mid-90s fastball and a potentially plus breaking ball when everything works in his delivery, but those times have been few and far between because of control and delivery issues. Eden walks seven, hit eight batters and threw 12 wild pitches in just nine innings this season.
Austin Homan, ss/2b, Texas A&M – A transfer from San Jacinto (Texas) CC, Homan doesn’t project as a shortstop in pro ball, but he should be able to stay in the dirt and he’s shown he can hit–.369/.406/.443 this year for Texas A&M.
Andrew Vinson, rhp, Texas A&M – A senior sign, Vinson holds Texas A&M’s career record for appearances. He succeeds with a 90-91 mph fastball, a fringe-average curveball and excellent control..
Bubba Maxwell, rhp, Houston – Maxwell missed almost all of 2015 with Tommy John surgery. He returned to form in 2016 as he struck out more than a batter an inning with a low-90s fastball and a solid breaking ball.
Eric Walker, rhp, Martin High, Arlington, Texas – A 6-foot righthander, Walker has feel for a changeup and an ability to flash an average curveball to go with his 85-88 mph fastball. He’s signed with Louisiana State.
Jaxx Groshans, c, Magnolia (Texas) High – A Texas signee, Groshans is a solid defender behind the plate.
Andrew Sosa, inf, Reagan High, San Antonio, Texas – Sosa’s arm will likely limit him to second base as a pro but he has infield actions. The Texas signee is a dead pull hitter.
Alex Phillips, rhp, Baylor – A big (6-foot-4, 240-pound) righthander who transferred to Baylor from San Jacinto (Texas) JC this year, Phi. He sits at 87-89, touching 90 mph with late sink and flashes an above-average changeup that has excellent deception. His curve is less refined but has depth and a 12-to-6 shape.
Chandler Dean, rhp, Bowie (Texas) High – Dean’s best is yet to come, but the present is already pretty good. He presently will hover around 87-88 mph with this fastball, but there is likely more to come as he’s a 6-foot-3 football/baseball player who has never focused full-time on pitching. His mid-70s slider shows plenty of promise, especially if he adds more velocity. He’s signed with Northwest Texas CC.
Matt Menard, c, Baylor – Menard hit .309/.376/.500 to lead Baylor in batting average and slugging percentage this season. He’s a serviceable catcher with an average arm.
Nick Shumpert, ss/2b, San Jacinto (Texas) CC – Shumpert looked over his head at times in his first season at San Jacinto but he finished the season on an upswing. He slid to second base, confirming scouts beliefs that his arm, range and hands play better on the right side of the bag.
Jose Quezada, rhp, Howard (Texas) JC – A sophomore righthander who struck out 11 batters per nine innings, Quezada’s fastball jumped from the high 80s to the low 90s, making his promising slider play better.
Hunter Seay, of, Keller (Texas) High – Seay is a little undersized but he can hit. He doesn’t run particularly well but needs to stay in the outfield as he doesn’t profile at first base. He shows some present bat speed. He’s a Baylor signee.
Jorge Gutierrez, c, Sugar Land (Texas) High – Gutierrez has shown above-average pop times thanks to a quick transfer and average arm strength. He’s signed with Texas A&M. He has a compact swing at the plate, but struggled to hit velocity.
Paxton DeLaGarza, ss, Angelo State (Texas) HIgh – DeLaGarza also pitched for Angelo State, but his plus arm plays better at shortstop.
Jordan Trahan, 1b, Tyler (Texas) JC – As you would expect for a massive 6-foot-1, 270-pounder, Trahan has significant power although his lack of strike zone discipline leads to worries about his hit tool. He also played primarily designated hitter this year.
Tanner James, 1b, Robinson (Texas) High – James has some present power but it’s a pull-heavy approach that leaves him vulnerable to good pitching. He’s a Texas A&M signee.
J.D. Arrowood, 1b, St. Edwards (Texas) University – A 40th-round pick of the Reds last year, Arrowood is a lefthanded power hitter who hit 20 home runs this season.
Dominic Thornton, of, Howard (Texas) JC – An athletic outfielder with opposite-field power, Thornton hit a team-best 18 home runs while slugging .780. He’s an above-average runner with an arm that plays in right field.
James Davison, of, Howard (Texas) JC – A Miami signee, Davison was a 39th-round pick of the White Sox out of high school in 2014. He has plus speed and stole 36 bags this year, but he’s now starting to drive the ball as well.
Reece Calvert, rhp, McLennan (Texas) JC – Calvert has signed with Ohio State. He pairs a 90-92 mph fastball with an average changeup.
Dustin Jourdan, rhp, McLennan (Texas) JC – Jourdan is a reliever who can spot his 90-91 mph fastball to both sides of the plate, setting up a promising breaking ball that he can also locate. He struck out 27 and walked three in 24 innings.
Cory Voss, c, McLennan (Texas) JC – Voss is an athletic catcher with some power potential. If he doesn’t sign with a pro team he’s headed to Arizona.
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