Discuss
27
November 18, 2011
Aggie baseball signing class breakdown
photo: Matt Sachs, TexAgs
Rob Childress
Justin Seely
The Texas A&M baseball team recently finalized an 11-man class during the fall signing period. The Aggies added ten high school prospects and one junior college recruit, and all but one of the players in the class comes from the State of Texas.
Here is the complete list of signees set to join the Aggies next fall:
- Eric Brooks – RHP – 6-2 – 195 – R/R – McClennan JC
- Drew Featherston – SS/2B – 5-10 – 170 – L/R – Katy Taylor
- Rex Hill – LHP – 6-3 – 175 – R/L – Tomball
- Danny Holst – INF/OF – 6-1 – 180 – L/R – Parkway South (MO)
- Grayson Long – RHP – 6-6 – 205 – R/R – Barbers Hill
- Hunter Melton – RHP/1B – 6-2 – 225 – R/R – Corsicana
- A.J. Minter – LHP/OF – 6-0 – 190 – L/L – Brook Hill Academy (Bullard)
- J.B. Moss – OF – 6-0 – 175 – R/R – Brook Hill Academy (Bullard)
- Cory Raley – SS/2B – 6-1 – 170 – R/R – Uvalde
- Ryan Rand – OF – 6-4 – 185 – R/L – Langham Creek
- Andrew Vinson – RHP/INF – 6-0 – 160 – S/R – Flower Mound
A&M baseball coach Rob Childress is extremely excited about this talented and supremely athletic group.
“I feel like it’s as good of a group as we’ve signed since we’ve been here,” Childress said. “Coach Seely and Coach Sawyers spent a lot of time on the road, identifying the best players from around the state and the country. We have as athletic of a class as we’ve ever put together, with as so many guys that can do multiple things for us. We signed a lot of athletes … guys that can not only play a position but can pitch as well. It’s a really good group and I can’t wait to get them to campus.
“When you’re limited to only having 11.7 scholarships and having to break them up 27 ways, it’s great to get two-way guys that can help you in a number of ways. I feel good about this class.”
Aggie assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Justin Seely spearheaded the recruitment of this class. He feels this might be the best class A&M has signed in the Childress era.
“I love the guys that we signed,” Seely said. “You always want to sign ability and talent, but you want guys that have the [desire] to get better. These guys all answered that call and we’re really excited about them. It’s a very athletic group and we have guys on the mound that will really be difference makers from day one.”
* Chose A&M over LSU, OSU, TCU
* Chances of him making it to A&M: Average (50/50)
- 55.1 innings pitched for Houston in 2010, before transferring to McClennan JC
- 11-1, 0.89 ERA on the mound as a senior at Taylor HS
- .371, 8 homeruns as a senior
- First Team All-State as a junior and senior
- District 24-3A MVP as a senior
- Touches 96 MHP on the radar
- Former star track athlete in high school
- Could factor in as a closer or a weekend starter
Childress’ Take:
“Eric had a good freshman year at Houston and then transferred to McClennan. He’s a great athlete out of Taylor High School and he’s got a great arm. He’s low 90s with outstanding stuff. He was the Sunday starter at UH as a freshman and threw almost 60 innings. Then he had shoulder surgery and came back 100 percent, but felt like he wanted to go to junior college. He’s anywhere from 92-to-95 miles per hour and is a great, great athlete. He has a chance to be a starter or closer for us.”
Seely’s Scout:
“This guy is as good of an athlete as there is in the state. Watching him throw this summer, I got to see a guy that can run it up to 96 miles per hour. He’s got as good of an arm are there is in Texas junior college baseball. A lot of people were on him this summer and we’re really excited that he chose us. You can put him in the back end of the bullpen and have no problems, but I think he has a chance to develop a third pitch and start for us.”
Drew Featherston – SS/2B – 5-10 – 170 – L/R – Katy Taylor
* Chose A&M over Baylor, Rice, Arkansas, Houston
* Chances of him making it to A&M: Excellent (95/5)
- .450, 10 doubles, 5 triples in 2011
- First Team All-Houston 5A as a senior
- First Team All-District 19-5A
- Brother, Taylor, starred on TCU squad that advanced to the CWS in 2010
Childress’ Take:
“Taylor had a great career at TCU and helped take them to Omaha. He’s in professional baseball now and Drew is from the same family. It’s a great baseball family and Drew can really, really hit from the left side. He can also play anywhere on the infield.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Drew is as good of a hitter as there is in the Houston area. None of them are ever cheap, either. He squares the ball up and hits it all over the ballpark … from foul pole to foul pole. Drew has a chance to be every bit as good as his brother, Taylor, if not a touch better. He will play in the middle of the diamond. I liken him to a left-handed hitting Jeff Kent.”
Rex Hill – LHP – 6-3 – 175 – R/L – Tomball
* Chose A&M over LSU, Rice, Baylor, TCU, OU, Ole Miss
* Chances of him making it to A&M: Good (60/40)
- All-Houston 5A in 2011
- Top 500 player in USA according to Perfect Game
Childress’ Take:
“Rex has a great arm and has a chance to make an impact right away. He’s a low-three-quarter armslot guy that will be mid-to-upper 80s, and will keep getting better.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Rex Hill is the prototypical left-handed pitcher. He’s 6-3, 180 pounds with a low slot. He’s a loose, easy left-handed arm. He’s got a solid breaking ball and a good delivery. I think he’s going to be another great player from Tomball. He was very highly recruited and we were able to win out.”
Danny Holst – INF/OF – 6-1 – 180 – L/R – Parkway South (MO)
* Chose A&M over Missouri, Nebraska, KU, KSU
* Chances of him making it to A&M: Excellent (95/5)
- .488, 3 homeruns, 10 doubles, 21 stolen bases
- All-State in 2011
- Co-Suburban player of the year
Childress’ Take:
“Danny is a guy that we’ve known about for a long time. He’s a left-handed hitter and a very gritty player. He’s a slasher with a great swing who is probably more of a corner outfielder.”
Seely’s Scout:
“When we went to watch Danny play, he got five at bats and was on base every time. By the time he put the third ball in play, they just started walking him … that will tell you what he did in that game. He can really hit and he commands the strike zone. He will probably play outfield for us. He continues to grow and keeps getting stronger. He has a really great attitude to play the game. We were really excited to get him.”
Grayson Long – RHP – 6-6 – 205 – R/R – Barbers Hill
* Chose A&M over Ole Miss (early commitment, before stock skyrocketed)
* Chances of him making it to A&M: Average (50/50)
- Ranked No. 189 in nation by Perfect Game
- Texas Rangers Area Code pitcher in 2011
- First Team All-District 19-4A
Childress’ Take:
“Grayson has a great body. He’s a big, strong, physical guy that is about 6-6 and is very polished. He has a chance to make a difference right away. He’s a profile guy that throws downhill. He’s 88-to-92 and will be better than that during his time here at Texas A&M. He’s going to be very special. I would compare him to Michael [Wacha] and Barrett [Loux]. He fits right into that mold.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Grayson was the first guy in this class to jump on board with us. He’s the best right-handed pitcher and maybe the best pitcher in Texas. He is not just a thrower … he can really pitch. He can get you to 93 or 94 at times but the scouts feel that he is a very polished pitcher and could be the first pitcher taken in the state in the next draft. But I really think that Grayson is fully committed to coming to school. He knows that we will develop him and get him where he wants to go professionally and personally. He needs to develop his breaking ball a little bit but we’re excited about what he’s going to bring to us. This guy has as good of a chance as anybody that we’ve had to start on the weekend as a freshman.”
Hunter Melton – RHP/1B – 6-2 – 225 – R/R – Corsicana
* Chose A&M over Texas, Baylor, Arizona State, Stanford
* Chances of him making it to A&M: Very Good (70/30)
- 13-2, 1.72 ERA in 2011
- .573, 10 homeruns, 16 doubles, 41 RBI in 2011
- Second Team All-State third baseman
- First Team All-District 15-4A; Offensive player of the year
Childress’ Take:
“Hunter is a two-way player that also plays first base. He has really good raw power and a great arm on the mound. He’s anywhere from 88-to-91 on the mound and can really pitch. He will continue to get better.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Hunter is a big kid and a strong ox, but he has great feet and moves really well. He touched 92 at our camps during his sophomore year, and he may have as much power at the plate as anybody in the state. We’ll give him a chance to hit but he’s coming here to make an impact on the mound.”
AJ Minter – LHP/OF – 6-0 – 190 – L/L – Brook Hill Academy (Bullard)
* Chose A&M over TCU, Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, Mississippi State
* Chances of him making it to A&M: Excellent (95/5)
- 8-0 in 2011
- .561, 6 homeruns, 18 doubles
- District MVP
- Ranked No. 338 in the nation by Perfect Game
Childress’ Take:
“A.J. has a great arm with power stuff. He can also play a position for us. He’s upper 80s with a power slider, and also plays in the outfield and can hit. We had to fight a lot of people to get him.”
Seely’s Scout:
“A.J. is a two-way player that is a left-handed pitcher and a lefty at the plate as well. He’s a two-pitch guy that will come out of our bullpen early on while he develops a third pitch. He’s a really physical guy that is 90 miles per hour from the left side. Coming out of the bullpen with a guy that throws 90 and has a cutter in the mid 80s is not something you typically see in college baseball. He also has some left-handed thump at the plate. He’s a good runner for a guy that size. We expect a lot of good things from him.”
J.B. Moss – OF – 6-0 – 175 – R/R – Brook Hill Academy (Bullard)
* Chose A&M over Texas, TCU, Arizona State, OU, Arkansas
* Chances of him making it to A&M: Great (80/20)
- .530, 5 homeruns, 12 doubles
- Three time All-State
- District offensive player of the year
- Ranked No. 366 player in nation by Perfect Game
Childress’ Take:
“J.B. is a very talented, athletic kid that can really run. He’s most likely a straight-up center fielder. He has a great swing.”
Seely’s Scout:
“J.B. will play center field. We expect him to be there and challenge Krey [Bratsen] for a job of Krey comes back next year. He’s that type of an athlete. He runs as well as anyone in the state. J.B. will cover a lot of ground here at Olsen but he’s also a very good hitter. He’s very offensive and is probably a better hitter at this point in his career than Krey was [at the same point in his career]. He’s probably as highly recruited of a guy as we have among the position players, but I feel that he’s definitely envisioning coming to college.”
Cory Raley – SS/2B – 6-1 – 170 – R/R – Uvalde
* Chose A&M over Texas, OU
* Chances of him making it to A&M: Good (60/40)
- .417, 55 RBI, 40 stolen bases as a sophomore and junior combined
- Team MVP in 2010 and 2011
- Two time first team All-District 28-4A
- All-District quarterback in football
- Brother, Brooks, is one of the top players in Childress era at A&M
- Brother, Russell, was a star second baseman at Oklahoma
Childress’ Take:
“Cory is different than his two brothers. Brooks was a left-handed pitcher and outfielder who could really run. Russell played second base at Oklahoma. But Cory is a shortstop and a big, physical guy. He’s a lot more physically mature than his brothers were at the same stage in their career. He can really run and has strength and speed. He has a great swing and has a chance to make a difference right away on the left side of the infield.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Cory is the biggest of the three Raley brothers and looks more like Brooks when Brooks left A&M. He’s a record setting rusher as a quarterback at Uvalde. He’s a 6.5 runner with great size, and can play in the middle of the diamond. He comes from a very competitive background. He’s a premium athlete and I think his name will get a lot hotter in professional baseball circles but I think we’ll be fortunate to get him. He’s not nearly as talkative as Brooks but he’s very competitive. Their family has that thing that is inside of them and you can just see when something is eating at them … and then they go and do something about it. You can’t teach that.”
Ryan Rand – OF – 6-4 – 185 – R/L – Langham Creek
* Chose A&M over Rice, TCU, OU
* Chances of him making it to A&M: Excellent (95/5)
- .356, 23 RBI, 23 runs scored in 2011
- Second team All-District 17-5A
- South Area Code invitee
- Perfect Game national top 500 player
- Previously committed to TCU
Childress’ Take:
“We have had Ryan in our camp since he was 10 or 11. He throws left and hits right, and he has a chance to play outfield and first base for us. He can really run and is a great combination of strength and speed. He has a chance to be a force in the middle of our lineup. He’ll hit doubles and steal bases. He’s a 6.6 or 6.7 60 guy and a very good athlete.”
Seely’s Scout:
“The first time I saw Ryan, I thought of Hunter Pence. He’s a little bit awkward but is incredibly athletic. He ran one of the two best times in the 60 during the South Area Code tryouts. He throws really well. The ball comes off of his bat as well as anybody. He’s got some Brandon Wood in him and is a very good outfielder. He has a chance to be really special.”
Andrew Vinson – RHP/INF – 6-0 – 160 – S/R – Flower Mound
* Chose A&M over Baylor, Arizona
* Chances of him making it to A&M: Excellent (95/5)
- 6-1, 4 saves in 2011
- .387, 3 homeruns, 16 stolen bases in 2011
- First team All-District 8-5A
- Ranked No. 389 in nation by Perfect Game
Childress’ Take:
“Andrew has an electric arm and also plays in the middle infield, and can run. He’s a little guy with a wiry, whippy arm. He’s 90-to-94 miles per hour and can really spin the breaking ball. He’s also a switch hitter and a good player.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Andrew was a shortstop but he came to our camp and showed as quick of an arm on the mound as there is around. He has a super fast arm with good feel for two breaking balls and a changeup. He has four pitches that he can throw for strikes, and for as small as he is in stature, he is as tough of a competitor as I’ve been around. He’s really a bulldog competitor and we’re really excited about what he’s going to bring. He will pitch right away from day one and we’ll give him every opportunity to play in the field as well.”
As is always the case during the fall signing period, you cannot truly measure how great a class is for about nine months, once the Major League Draft comes and goes and the Mid-August signing deadline passes. Childress hopes to get this group on campus and continue to build on the tremendous foundation that has been established under his watch over the past six-plus years.
“You keep hoping that Major League Baseball will push back the signing date from August 15 to July 15 so at least we have a chance to recover before school starts. But if you never sign a good player, you never have a chance to get them to campus. And if you sign them, you have a chance.
“Hopefully these guys will understand that they have an opportunity to go to school, get three years closer to a degree and continue to mature … not only as a baseball player, but as a young man.”
Seely knows that it’s a crapshoot and is all about each prospect’s development throughout their senior year of high school.
“I think we did a really good job of identifying guys that have a chance to make it to college,” Seely said. “It’s just about how quickly they develop. That will determine when they will get their professional career started. A lot of these guys have big league skills and tools, so it’s just a matter of how fast those skills develop.”
*Note: In the “Chances of him making it to A&M’ section, we’re talking about the chances of that recruit avoiding the professional baseball contract and winding up on campus.
Here is the complete list of signees set to join the Aggies next fall:
- Eric Brooks – RHP – 6-2 – 195 – R/R – McClennan JC
- Drew Featherston – SS/2B – 5-10 – 170 – L/R – Katy Taylor
- Rex Hill – LHP – 6-3 – 175 – R/L – Tomball
- Danny Holst – INF/OF – 6-1 – 180 – L/R – Parkway South (MO)
- Grayson Long – RHP – 6-6 – 205 – R/R – Barbers Hill
- Hunter Melton – RHP/1B – 6-2 – 225 – R/R – Corsicana
- A.J. Minter – LHP/OF – 6-0 – 190 – L/L – Brook Hill Academy (Bullard)
- J.B. Moss – OF – 6-0 – 175 – R/R – Brook Hill Academy (Bullard)
- Cory Raley – SS/2B – 6-1 – 170 – R/R – Uvalde
- Ryan Rand – OF – 6-4 – 185 – R/L – Langham Creek
- Andrew Vinson – RHP/INF – 6-0 – 160 – S/R – Flower Mound
A&M baseball coach Rob Childress is extremely excited about this talented and supremely athletic group.
“I feel like it’s as good of a group as we’ve signed since we’ve been here,” Childress said. “Coach Seely and Coach Sawyers spent a lot of time on the road, identifying the best players from around the state and the country. We have as athletic of a class as we’ve ever put together, with as so many guys that can do multiple things for us. We signed a lot of athletes … guys that can not only play a position but can pitch as well. It’s a really good group and I can’t wait to get them to campus.
“When you’re limited to only having 11.7 scholarships and having to break them up 27 ways, it’s great to get two-way guys that can help you in a number of ways. I feel good about this class.”
Aggie assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Justin Seely spearheaded the recruitment of this class. He feels this might be the best class A&M has signed in the Childress era.
“I love the guys that we signed,” Seely said. “You always want to sign ability and talent, but you want guys that have the [desire] to get better. These guys all answered that call and we’re really excited about them. It’s a very athletic group and we have guys on the mound that will really be difference makers from day one.”
BREAKING DOWN THE CLASS
Eric Brooks – RHP – 6-2 – 195 – R/R – McClennan JC (Taylor HS; Houston)* Chose A&M over LSU, OSU, TCU
* Chances of him making it to A&M: Average (50/50)
- 55.1 innings pitched for Houston in 2010, before transferring to McClennan JC
- 11-1, 0.89 ERA on the mound as a senior at Taylor HS
- .371, 8 homeruns as a senior
- First Team All-State as a junior and senior
- District 24-3A MVP as a senior
- Touches 96 MHP on the radar
- Former star track athlete in high school
- Could factor in as a closer or a weekend starter
Childress’ Take:
“Eric had a good freshman year at Houston and then transferred to McClennan. He’s a great athlete out of Taylor High School and he’s got a great arm. He’s low 90s with outstanding stuff. He was the Sunday starter at UH as a freshman and threw almost 60 innings. Then he had shoulder surgery and came back 100 percent, but felt like he wanted to go to junior college. He’s anywhere from 92-to-95 miles per hour and is a great, great athlete. He has a chance to be a starter or closer for us.”
Seely’s Scout:
“This guy is as good of an athlete as there is in the state. Watching him throw this summer, I got to see a guy that can run it up to 96 miles per hour. He’s got as good of an arm are there is in Texas junior college baseball. A lot of people were on him this summer and we’re really excited that he chose us. You can put him in the back end of the bullpen and have no problems, but I think he has a chance to develop a third pitch and start for us.”
Drew Featherston – SS/2B – 5-10 – 170 – L/R – Katy Taylor
* Chose A&M over Baylor, Rice, Arkansas, Houston
* Chances of him making it to A&M: Excellent (95/5)
- .450, 10 doubles, 5 triples in 2011
- First Team All-Houston 5A as a senior
- First Team All-District 19-5A
- Brother, Taylor, starred on TCU squad that advanced to the CWS in 2010
Childress’ Take:
“Taylor had a great career at TCU and helped take them to Omaha. He’s in professional baseball now and Drew is from the same family. It’s a great baseball family and Drew can really, really hit from the left side. He can also play anywhere on the infield.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Drew is as good of a hitter as there is in the Houston area. None of them are ever cheap, either. He squares the ball up and hits it all over the ballpark … from foul pole to foul pole. Drew has a chance to be every bit as good as his brother, Taylor, if not a touch better. He will play in the middle of the diamond. I liken him to a left-handed hitting Jeff Kent.”
Rex Hill – LHP – 6-3 – 175 – R/L – Tomball
* Chose A&M over LSU, Rice, Baylor, TCU, OU, Ole Miss
* Chances of him making it to A&M: Good (60/40)
- All-Houston 5A in 2011
- Top 500 player in USA according to Perfect Game
Childress’ Take:
“Rex has a great arm and has a chance to make an impact right away. He’s a low-three-quarter armslot guy that will be mid-to-upper 80s, and will keep getting better.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Rex Hill is the prototypical left-handed pitcher. He’s 6-3, 180 pounds with a low slot. He’s a loose, easy left-handed arm. He’s got a solid breaking ball and a good delivery. I think he’s going to be another great player from Tomball. He was very highly recruited and we were able to win out.”
Danny Holst – INF/OF – 6-1 – 180 – L/R – Parkway South (MO)
* Chose A&M over Missouri, Nebraska, KU, KSU
* Chances of him making it to A&M: Excellent (95/5)
- .488, 3 homeruns, 10 doubles, 21 stolen bases
- All-State in 2011
- Co-Suburban player of the year
Childress’ Take:
“Danny is a guy that we’ve known about for a long time. He’s a left-handed hitter and a very gritty player. He’s a slasher with a great swing who is probably more of a corner outfielder.”
Seely’s Scout:
“When we went to watch Danny play, he got five at bats and was on base every time. By the time he put the third ball in play, they just started walking him … that will tell you what he did in that game. He can really hit and he commands the strike zone. He will probably play outfield for us. He continues to grow and keeps getting stronger. He has a really great attitude to play the game. We were really excited to get him.”
Grayson Long – RHP – 6-6 – 205 – R/R – Barbers Hill
* Chose A&M over Ole Miss (early commitment, before stock skyrocketed)
* Chances of him making it to A&M: Average (50/50)
- Ranked No. 189 in nation by Perfect Game
- Texas Rangers Area Code pitcher in 2011
- First Team All-District 19-4A
Childress’ Take:
“Grayson has a great body. He’s a big, strong, physical guy that is about 6-6 and is very polished. He has a chance to make a difference right away. He’s a profile guy that throws downhill. He’s 88-to-92 and will be better than that during his time here at Texas A&M. He’s going to be very special. I would compare him to Michael [Wacha] and Barrett [Loux]. He fits right into that mold.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Grayson was the first guy in this class to jump on board with us. He’s the best right-handed pitcher and maybe the best pitcher in Texas. He is not just a thrower … he can really pitch. He can get you to 93 or 94 at times but the scouts feel that he is a very polished pitcher and could be the first pitcher taken in the state in the next draft. But I really think that Grayson is fully committed to coming to school. He knows that we will develop him and get him where he wants to go professionally and personally. He needs to develop his breaking ball a little bit but we’re excited about what he’s going to bring to us. This guy has as good of a chance as anybody that we’ve had to start on the weekend as a freshman.”
Hunter Melton – RHP/1B – 6-2 – 225 – R/R – Corsicana
* Chose A&M over Texas, Baylor, Arizona State, Stanford
* Chances of him making it to A&M: Very Good (70/30)
- 13-2, 1.72 ERA in 2011
- .573, 10 homeruns, 16 doubles, 41 RBI in 2011
- Second Team All-State third baseman
- First Team All-District 15-4A; Offensive player of the year
Childress’ Take:
“Hunter is a two-way player that also plays first base. He has really good raw power and a great arm on the mound. He’s anywhere from 88-to-91 on the mound and can really pitch. He will continue to get better.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Hunter is a big kid and a strong ox, but he has great feet and moves really well. He touched 92 at our camps during his sophomore year, and he may have as much power at the plate as anybody in the state. We’ll give him a chance to hit but he’s coming here to make an impact on the mound.”
AJ Minter – LHP/OF – 6-0 – 190 – L/L – Brook Hill Academy (Bullard)
* Chose A&M over TCU, Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, Mississippi State
* Chances of him making it to A&M: Excellent (95/5)
- 8-0 in 2011
- .561, 6 homeruns, 18 doubles
- District MVP
- Ranked No. 338 in the nation by Perfect Game
Childress’ Take:
“A.J. has a great arm with power stuff. He can also play a position for us. He’s upper 80s with a power slider, and also plays in the outfield and can hit. We had to fight a lot of people to get him.”
Seely’s Scout:
“A.J. is a two-way player that is a left-handed pitcher and a lefty at the plate as well. He’s a two-pitch guy that will come out of our bullpen early on while he develops a third pitch. He’s a really physical guy that is 90 miles per hour from the left side. Coming out of the bullpen with a guy that throws 90 and has a cutter in the mid 80s is not something you typically see in college baseball. He also has some left-handed thump at the plate. He’s a good runner for a guy that size. We expect a lot of good things from him.”
J.B. Moss – OF – 6-0 – 175 – R/R – Brook Hill Academy (Bullard)
* Chose A&M over Texas, TCU, Arizona State, OU, Arkansas
* Chances of him making it to A&M: Great (80/20)
- .530, 5 homeruns, 12 doubles
- Three time All-State
- District offensive player of the year
- Ranked No. 366 player in nation by Perfect Game
Childress’ Take:
“J.B. is a very talented, athletic kid that can really run. He’s most likely a straight-up center fielder. He has a great swing.”
Seely’s Scout:
“J.B. will play center field. We expect him to be there and challenge Krey [Bratsen] for a job of Krey comes back next year. He’s that type of an athlete. He runs as well as anyone in the state. J.B. will cover a lot of ground here at Olsen but he’s also a very good hitter. He’s very offensive and is probably a better hitter at this point in his career than Krey was [at the same point in his career]. He’s probably as highly recruited of a guy as we have among the position players, but I feel that he’s definitely envisioning coming to college.”
Cory Raley – SS/2B – 6-1 – 170 – R/R – Uvalde
* Chose A&M over Texas, OU
* Chances of him making it to A&M: Good (60/40)
- .417, 55 RBI, 40 stolen bases as a sophomore and junior combined
- Team MVP in 2010 and 2011
- Two time first team All-District 28-4A
- All-District quarterback in football
- Brother, Brooks, is one of the top players in Childress era at A&M
- Brother, Russell, was a star second baseman at Oklahoma
Childress’ Take:
“Cory is different than his two brothers. Brooks was a left-handed pitcher and outfielder who could really run. Russell played second base at Oklahoma. But Cory is a shortstop and a big, physical guy. He’s a lot more physically mature than his brothers were at the same stage in their career. He can really run and has strength and speed. He has a great swing and has a chance to make a difference right away on the left side of the infield.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Cory is the biggest of the three Raley brothers and looks more like Brooks when Brooks left A&M. He’s a record setting rusher as a quarterback at Uvalde. He’s a 6.5 runner with great size, and can play in the middle of the diamond. He comes from a very competitive background. He’s a premium athlete and I think his name will get a lot hotter in professional baseball circles but I think we’ll be fortunate to get him. He’s not nearly as talkative as Brooks but he’s very competitive. Their family has that thing that is inside of them and you can just see when something is eating at them … and then they go and do something about it. You can’t teach that.”
Ryan Rand – OF – 6-4 – 185 – R/L – Langham Creek
* Chose A&M over Rice, TCU, OU
* Chances of him making it to A&M: Excellent (95/5)
- .356, 23 RBI, 23 runs scored in 2011
- Second team All-District 17-5A
- South Area Code invitee
- Perfect Game national top 500 player
- Previously committed to TCU
Childress’ Take:
“We have had Ryan in our camp since he was 10 or 11. He throws left and hits right, and he has a chance to play outfield and first base for us. He can really run and is a great combination of strength and speed. He has a chance to be a force in the middle of our lineup. He’ll hit doubles and steal bases. He’s a 6.6 or 6.7 60 guy and a very good athlete.”
Seely’s Scout:
“The first time I saw Ryan, I thought of Hunter Pence. He’s a little bit awkward but is incredibly athletic. He ran one of the two best times in the 60 during the South Area Code tryouts. He throws really well. The ball comes off of his bat as well as anybody. He’s got some Brandon Wood in him and is a very good outfielder. He has a chance to be really special.”
Andrew Vinson – RHP/INF – 6-0 – 160 – S/R – Flower Mound
* Chose A&M over Baylor, Arizona
* Chances of him making it to A&M: Excellent (95/5)
- 6-1, 4 saves in 2011
- .387, 3 homeruns, 16 stolen bases in 2011
- First team All-District 8-5A
- Ranked No. 389 in nation by Perfect Game
Childress’ Take:
“Andrew has an electric arm and also plays in the middle infield, and can run. He’s a little guy with a wiry, whippy arm. He’s 90-to-94 miles per hour and can really spin the breaking ball. He’s also a switch hitter and a good player.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Andrew was a shortstop but he came to our camp and showed as quick of an arm on the mound as there is around. He has a super fast arm with good feel for two breaking balls and a changeup. He has four pitches that he can throw for strikes, and for as small as he is in stature, he is as tough of a competitor as I’ve been around. He’s really a bulldog competitor and we’re really excited about what he’s going to bring. He will pitch right away from day one and we’ll give him every opportunity to play in the field as well.”
As is always the case during the fall signing period, you cannot truly measure how great a class is for about nine months, once the Major League Draft comes and goes and the Mid-August signing deadline passes. Childress hopes to get this group on campus and continue to build on the tremendous foundation that has been established under his watch over the past six-plus years.
“You keep hoping that Major League Baseball will push back the signing date from August 15 to July 15 so at least we have a chance to recover before school starts. But if you never sign a good player, you never have a chance to get them to campus. And if you sign them, you have a chance.
“Hopefully these guys will understand that they have an opportunity to go to school, get three years closer to a degree and continue to mature … not only as a baseball player, but as a young man.”
Seely knows that it’s a crapshoot and is all about each prospect’s development throughout their senior year of high school.
“I think we did a really good job of identifying guys that have a chance to make it to college,” Seely said. “It’s just about how quickly they develop. That will determine when they will get their professional career started. A lot of these guys have big league skills and tools, so it’s just a matter of how fast those skills develop.”
*Note: In the “Chances of him making it to A&M’ section, we’re talking about the chances of that recruit avoiding the professional baseball contract and winding up on campus.
