Elite 50: The names to know entering the 2026 high school baseball season

By Michael Adams
Austin Sports Journal

Opening day for the 2026 Texas high school baseball season is 12 days away.

The Austin Sports Journal begins its preview of the season with a look at 50 players to know from across the Austin–San Antonio corridor.

This list highlights 50 of the top baseball players across all classifications, including dominant pitchers, impact infielders, power bats and versatile athletes who anchor their teams on both sides of the ball.

Representing programs from across South Central Texas, these are the names to know for the 2026 season as teams prepare for the road to the Dell Diamond.

Austin Sports Journal Elite 50

Round Rock’s Jack Appl (8) tries to beat out a ground ball on his way to first base during a decicive Game 3 of a Class 6A Division I area playoff series on Saturday, May 10, 2025 at TIger FIeld in Dripping Springs, Texas. (Michael Adams/Austin Sports Journal)

Player	SCHOOL	Class	POS
Damian Alonzo	Cedar Park	senior	P/1B
BJ Amann	Salado	senior	C
Jordan Andrews	Liberty Hill	senior	P/1B
Jack Appl	Round Rock	senior	INF/P/OF
Jordan Benjamin	Weiss	senior	SS
Rhema Benjamin	Weiss	junior	C
Bryce Brinkmeyer	Thrall	senior	SS/P
Christian Caro	Rouse	senior	3B
Connor Comeau	Anderson	senior	INF/P
Hudson Cuevas	Cedar Park	junior	INF

Thorndale’s Jaxson Eschberger (3) gets a hit uring a Class 2A regional semifinal on Thursday, May 23, 2024 at the Bastrop High School baseball field in Bastrop, Texas. (Michael Adams/Austin Sports Journal)

PLAYER	SCHOOL	CLASS	POS
Jaxson Eschberger	Thorndale	junior	INF/OF/P
Barrett Fallon	Comal Davenport	senior	3B
Calvin Fedyszyn	LASA	senior	3B/DH
Alex Feiderhoff	NB Canyon	senior	2B
Selvin Garrett	Buda Johnson	junior	SS
Frankie Gonzales	Bartlett	junior	1B
Cole Harkins	Thorndale	junior	INF
Maverick Jacobs	Wimberley	senior	OF
Lance Johnson	Westlake	junior	OF/SS
JP Kazmann	Round Rock	senior	2B

Westlake’s Austin Knox (4) is introduced before a District 26-6A baseball game on Saturday, April 26, 2025 at Woerner Field at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas. (Michael Adams/Austin Sports Journal)

Player	POS	CLASS	POS
Austin Knox	Westlake	senior	INF
Devin Loane	Bowie	sophomore	C
Wyatt Lorenzen	Johnson City	junior	P
Antonio Martinez	Westwood	senior	P/1B
Luke McBride	Lake Travis	senior	P/1B/OF
Tyson McFarlin	Elgin	senior	SS/P
Gentry McGinnis	Wimberley	senior	P/INF
Gus Navejas	Thrall	junior	1B/P
Louis Olmeda	Bowie	senior	P
Derek Paiz	Anderson	senior	C/P

Thrall’s Guss Navejas (21) points back to the dugout after hitting a double in the UIL Class 3A Division II baseball state championship game on Thursday, June 5, 2025 at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas. (Michael Adams/Austin Sports Journal)

PLAYER	SCHOOL	CLASS	POS
Rhett Peterson	Hendrickson	junior	INF
Calvin Phelps	Lampasas	senior	P
Stone Poteat	New Braunfels	junior	P/3B
Ahmad Riley	Manor New Tech	junior	DH
Ethan Robledo	Salado	senior	P
Justin Sandusky	McNeil	senior	3B
Max Satrterwhite	McCallum	senior	1B/OF/P
Jack Schley	Fayetteville	senior	P/INF
Carson Sharp	Liberty Hill	senior	C
Aiden Shreve	Comal Pieper	senior	P

Dripping Springs’ Jason Steele (28) lays down a bunt during a District 26-6A baseball game on Saturday, April 26, 2025 at Woerner Field at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas. (Michael Adams/Austin Sports Journal)

PLAYER	SCHOOL	CLASS	POS
Jake Shoemaker	Cedar Ridge	junior	OF
Jason Steele	Dripping Springs	junior	SS/UTL
Cole Taylor	Pflugerville	senior	1B
Cooper Thomas	Georgetown	junior	OF
Jack Vasquez	San Marcos	junior	P/OF
Aiden Veretta	Smithson Valley	senior	3B
Cooper Voigt	Bastrop	junior	P/INF/OF
Cooper Webb	Lake Travis	senior	P
Drew Wells	Vista Ridge	junior	P/1B
Luke Williams	Smithson Valley	senior	P

Austin Sports Journal Elite 50

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