By Michael Adams
madams@onthesidelinessports.com

The 2024 Texas high school baseball season gets underway on Monday, the first day the University Interscholastic League allows interschool games and tournaments.

Here is a preview of the upcoming season for Austin-area teams. We look at teams to watch, players to watch and release our preseason rankings.

Players to watch

Hudson Ellis, Round Rock, senior utility

A Dallas Baptist signee, Ellis had a .410 batting average with an on-base percentage of .500 as a junior. He contributed 38 runs scored with 21 RBIs. He plays multiple positions in the infield and occasionally in the outfield.

Jack Brady, Westlake, senior pitcher

Brady mastered a 9-0 record on the mound for the Chaparrals with a 0.95 earned run average, helping Westlake reach the UIL Class 6A state tournament. He fanned 74 batters in 66 1/3 innings pitched.

Rayner Heinrich, Rouse, senior, outfielder

A Tarleton State signee, Heinrich blasted 50 hits and finished with a .410 average at the plate. He had 26 RBIs, five home runs and 12 doubles. He was near-perfect in the field and had a .965 fielding percentage.

Cole Taylor, Pflugerville, sophomore outfielder

Pflugerville’s dual-sport athlete hit .307 with a .437 on-base percentage as a freshman, helping the Panthers reach the postseason. He had 11 doubles, 23 RBIs and 23 runs scored.

Dominick Hartman, Taylor, senior shortstop

A first-team all-district selection, Hartman had a .900 fielding percentage and was clutch at the plate with a .400 batting average, 46 hits and two home runs.

Theo Gillen, Westlake, senior shortstop

A Texas-signee, Gillen helped the Chaps reach the UIL Class 6A state tournament with his .455 batting average. He had 25 RBIs, 37 stolen bases and scored 35 runs.

Sam Stevens, McCallum, senior infielder

Last year’s District 24-5A co-most valuable player had .422 batting average with 22 RBIs and nine doubles. He also pitched for the Knights, going 7-0 on the mound and struck out 68 batters.

Ed Small, Anderson, junior outfielder

Small decommitted from Texas to play baseball in January to pursue playing college football. The Anderson junior is a talented two-sport athlete and hit .431 as a sophomore with 21 RBIs.

Austin Miller, Elgin, senior infielder

A standout infielder for the Wildcats, Miller scored 24 runs and stole 18 bases as a junior and had a .419 batting average.

Ridge Morgan, Westwood, senior pitcher

A Texas signee, Morgan had a 1.09 earned run average with a 9-3 record on the mound for the Warriors. He struck out 88 batters en route to helping Westwood reach the playoffs.

Zac Kahn, LASA, senior infielder/pitcher

Kahn was the Raptors’ top pitcher with 104 strikeouts and a 2.50 earned run average. When he wasn’t on the mound, he was terrorizing opponents at the plate with a .515 batting average with 36 RBIs and 30 runs scored.

Kade Davis, Cedar Park, senior outfielder

As a junior, Davis drove home 22 runs and finished with a .385 batting average. He had 47 hits and heled the Timberwolves reach the third round of the playoffs.

Kadyn Leon, Lake Travis, senior utility

A dual-sport athlete, Leon does it all for the Cavaliers baseball team. He had a 7-2 record on the mound with a 1.74 earned run average. He fanned 92 batters in 57 innings pitched.

John Duran, Buda Johnson, junior utility

As a sophomore, Duran had a .357 batting average with a .457 on-base percentage.  

Maverick McAllister, Thrall, junior utility

McAllister was one of the Tigers’ best hitters as a sophomore, finishing with a .462 batting average with 32 runs batted in. When he wasn’t frustrating opponents at the plate, he was doing it from the mound.

Ryley Leininger, Georgetown, senior infielder

Leininger played multiple positions in the infield for the Eagles and was the District 23-5A most valuable player as a junior. He had a .426 batting average and helped Georgetown reach the third round of the postseason.

Teams to Watch

Westlake (40-5)

The Chaparrals was the Austin-area’s lone representative at last year’s state baseball tournament, falling to Pearland in the Class 6A semifinals. Westlake is considered the favorite in a very competitive District 26-6A.

Lake Travis (29-9-2)

The Cavaliers finished second last year and will compete with Westlake for the District 26-6A championship in 2024. San Antonio Johnson defeated Lake Travis in a three-game regional quarterfinal series last season.

Round Rock (31-8-1)

The Dragons are a perennial powerhouse and went 14-0 in District 25-6A last season en route to the district title. Expect Round Rock to continue that trend in 2024 as the Dragons look for redemption from a regional quarterfinal series loss to Westlake a year ago.

Rouse (23-12-1)

A young Rouse team made an improbable run to the Class 5A-Reigon IV finals in 2023 after finishing. The Raiders knocked off district champion Cedar Park in the regional quarterfinals with a 9-8 victory in a one-game playoff. The Raiders will be strong competitors in 2024 in a talented District 25-5A.

Taylor (31-5-1)

The Ducks were regional finalists a year ago, falling to China Spring in the Class 4A-Region III championship series after taking the first game. Taylor went 9-1 in District 22-4A and was the district champion. A more experienced team has its eyes set on the state tournament in June.

Rankings

Class 6A

Class 5A

Class 4A-below