Who should be Texas High School On SI Baseball Player of the Week? Vote for the best (05/13/2025)

Check out the top performers from across Texas high school state baseball playoffs last week, then vote in the poll at the bottom of the page to let us know who should be considered Texas High School on SI Baseball Player of the Week

Levi Payton | May 14, 2025

Who should be Texas High School On SI Baseball Player of the Week? / High School On SI

Texas high school baseball playoffs are in full-force and each of the candidates you'll see for this week's Texas High School On SI Baseball Player of the Week did something, or a number of things, to impact Texas high school playoff history last week.

Congratulations to Deegan Warnock of Pflugerville Weiss, who won last week's poll with 47.43% of the votes after two clutch performances helped his Wolves sweep Bastrop in a first-round playoff series. Warnock is right back on the list again this week after his near-perfect week at the plate helped Weiss sweep Richmond Randle in the area round.

We have no-hitters, walk-off winners and loads of clutch performances among this week's candidates. This week's candidates were drawn from the week of games from May 5-May 11.

Read up on each candidate below and cast your vote in the poll at the bottom of the page. You may vote as many times as you'd like. Voting ends on Tuesday, May 20 at 11:59 p.m. Central time.

Disclaimer: Voting polls are intended to be a fun way to create fan engagement and express support for your favorite high school athletes and teams. Unless expressly noted, there are no awards for winning the voting. Our primary focus is to highlight the abilities and accomplishments of all the athletes and teams included in our poll. You may vote as many times as you'd like and are encouraged to share our polls with others.

Texas High School On SI Baseball Player of the Week candidates

(May 5-May 11 games)

Keegan Ables, Hawley

Ables proved more than capable on the mound against Christoval last week. Starting on the mound in Friday’s series opener in the Class 2A Division I area round, Ables fired a complete-game 1-hit shutout in the 7-0 victory. He struck out five and walked two in seven innings in the dominant effort, firing 52 strikes in 83 pitches.

Juan “JD” Aranda, Dallas Woodrow Wilson

While the season came to and end for Woodrow Wilson in the area round of the Class 5A Division I playoffs, Aranda left it all on the field as he wrapped up his varsity career. He had a monster game in a 3-1 win against Corsicana in Game 1 on Thursday. Starting on the mound, Aranda went the distance, allowing one run on five hits with 11 strikeouts and no walks to earn the win. He helped himself at the plate, too, going 2-for-3 with a solo home run, double, RBI and a run scored. He had a double, walk, and an RBI in Friday’s 4-3 loss to Corsicana, then closed out the final game of his Wildcats career going 3-for-3 with three doubles and a run scored in the 8-2 loss. Across three games the senior went 6-for-9 with a walk, five doubles, a home run, 3 RBI and scored a run.

Aiden Barrientes, Katy

Sporting a mid-90s fastball and knockout secondary offerings, Barrientes set the tone for the series in Game 1. He went the distance on the mound for the Tigers, his only hiccup an unearned run in the second inning, as he scattered three hits with 11 strikeouts and one walk in seven innings in the 4-1 win. Katy went on to win Game 2 and advanced to the region final.

Luke Billings, Prosper

Billings led up to his billing as Prosper’s leadoff man last week. The slugger went 3-for-7 at the plate with two home runs, a double, 4 RBI and scored two runs as the Eagles swept their Class 6A Division I series against Dallas Lake Highlands 7-4, 11-4. He hit a two-run home run in Thursday’s 7-4 win, then set the table going 2-for-4 with a home run, double and 2 RBI in Friday’s series-clinching win.

Blaine Bullard, Klein Cain

He had his hands all over both Hurricanes’ wins as they swept The Woodlands 2-0, 2-1 in the area round of the Class 6A Division I playoffs. Bullard went 5-for-8 across two games with a double, triple, home run, an RBI and scored two runs. He scored both Klein Cain runs in Game 1 on Thursday while going 3-for-3 at the plate with a triple and double. He tripled on the second pitch of the game, scoring later in the inning on an error, and was hit by a pitch to lead off the third and scored on a single by Braden Cox to make it 2-0. In Game 2 he went 2-for-5, smashing a solo home run with one out in the third to tie the game 1-1 before the Hurricanes walked off with a 2-1 win in 14 innings.

Graham Charboneau, Kingwood

Charboneau was Kingwood’s king-of-the-lumber last week. He stung Alvin several times in the Yellowjackets’ Class 5A Division II series sweep against Santa Fe. He smacked a triple in Game 1, finishing with two hits, 2 RBI, scored two runs and drew a walk in an 11-4 win. He came back for even more in Game 2, going 3-for-5 at the plate with a 2-run home run, a triple, 3 RBI and scored three runs as Kingwood ended the series with a 15-5 win.

Aidan Fiala, Danbury

If you want to know what dominance looks like, get a load of what Fiala did in two wins against Thorndale last week. In Game 1 of their Class 2 Division I area series, Fiala was flawless. He pitched a no-hitter with 11 strikeouts and no walks in five innings. The only runner to reach base for Thorndale did so on an error in the top of the fifth inning. Fiala was also perfect at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a walk, 3 RBI and scored a run in the 10-0 win in five innings. After Thorndale won Game 2, Fiala played the hero again in Saturday’s finale. He singled with one out in the top of the first and stole home with two outs to score what turned out to be the game’s only run. He closed out the clinching win by pitching the final two innings in relief, surrendering a leadoff single to the first batter he faced and then striking out the next six in order – slamming the door and sending the Bulldogs into the third round.

Colby Garrett, Wylie

He had a hit in each game of Wylie’s Class 5A Division II area series against El Paso Del Valle last week, but it was the work Garrett put in when his team’s back was against the wall that landed Garrett on this week’s list. After the Bulldogs lost Game 1 on Friday 4-2, Garrett came alive in Saturday’s elimination games. Game 2 was a blowout, as Garrett smacked a triple and a double, scored three runs and led Wylie with 5 RBI in a 14-0 win. After coming on to pitch in relief in the fifth inning of Game 3, Garrett must have felt bad about coughing up the lead in the top of the sixth, because he hit a two-out single to center to drive in the go-ahead run and then slammed the door in a 1-2-3 seventh to send Wylie to this week’s regional semifinals against Grapevine.

Jesse Garza, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo

With the game on the line and a chance to put the Class 6A Division II series away, Garza delivered in a clutch moment on Friday. Locked in a scoreless tie in the bottom of the eighth inning with two strikes and two outs, Garza smacked a walk-off single to center, scoring Devin Hernandez to give the Bears a 1-0 win in extras, a series sweep and a trip to the regional semifinals this week.

AJ Grizzaffi, Boerne-Champion

With his team facing elimination after being shut out by MacArthur in Game 1 of their Class 5A Division II area series, Grizzaffi took the mound and took control of Game 2. The senior southpaw simply returned the favor and evened the series by pitching a 3-hit shutout in the Chargers’ 6-0 win. He dazzled MacArthur with nine strikeouts and walked two. The Chargers went on to another shutout win in Game 3, 10-0, and advanced to the regional semifinals to take on Mission Sharyland.

Isaac Gutierrez, Klein Collins

Trying to help his team avoid elimination, Gutierrez had a clutch performance on the mound on Friday in Game 2 of Klein Collins’ area series against Conroe. With their backs against the wall after losing Game 1, Gutierrez put his team on his back. The junior right hander pitched a complete-game, 1-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts and no walks to force a Game 3.

Cooper Haygood, Whitney

With his team facing elimination after a 6-4 loss to Fairfield in Game 1 of their best-of-three series in the second round of the Class 3A Division I playoffs, Haygood had himself a day. He started on the mound for the Wildcats and picked up the 6-2 win. He went the distance, scattering two unearned runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and no walks in seven innings. He helped his own cause, going 2-for-4 at the plate with a home run, double, 2 RBI and scored a run to force Game 3.

Major McNeese, Littlefield

Littlefield knocked off Denver City in three games in the Class 3A Division I area round of the UIL Texas playoffs after McNeese set the tone in Game 1. Drawing the start on the bump for the Wildcats, he went the distance, firing a 1-hit shutout to earn the win. The southpaw struck out eight and walked one batter in seven innings. He also contributed to the offense in the 5-0 win. Batting leadoff, he went 2-for-3 with a walk, RBI and scored two runs.

Nico Partida, Pearland

One of the top players in Texas, it should come as no surprise that Partida helped his team to a series sweep in the area round of the Class 6A Division I playoffs. Batting leadoff in both games of a 7-0, 5-0 sweep against Houston Summer Creek, Partida went 4-for-8 at the plate with a home run, 2 RBI and scored four runs across the two games. He also picked up the win in Game 2, pitching 6.2 scoreless innings on five hits with seven strikeouts and two walks.

Jake Qualia, Lubbock-Cooper

Going pitch-for-pitch with Horizon starter Franklin Miller, Qualia pulled through in a big spot for the Pirates on Thursday. In a 1-0 finish, Qualia pitched a 1-hit shutout, as the Pirates took Game 1 of an area series in the Class 5A Division II playoffs. Qualia, who also hit a double in the game, picked up the win after scattering seven hits with 11 strikeouts and one walk in seven innings.

Andrew Quick, Whitesboro

Quick is the first player this year to make this list without getting a hit or throwing a pitch all week. He’s here because he changed an entire game, and series, with his legs. In Game 1 of Thursday’s Class 3A Division I area-round series against Pottsboro, Quick stole home twice; with the tying run in the bottom of the fifth and the walk-off run with two strikes and two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Batting eighth, Quick went 0-for-1 at the plate with two walks and three stolen bases. Whitesboro (15-11) got a 4-3 win in Game 1 and completed the sweep with a 5-4 win in Game 2. Whitesboro faces reigning Class 4A champion Texarkana Liberty-Eylau, now competing in Class 3A Division I, in the region final.

Carter Ragsdale, New Braunfels

Batting sixth and playing left field in a pair of Class 5A Division I area games, Ragsdale had a unicorn week for the Unicorns. In Game 1 on Thursday against Southwest, the senior went 3-for-3 with a triple and 5 RBI in a 13-2 victory. He had another big day on Friday, as the Unicorns completed the sweep with a 10-0 win. Ragsdale went 2-for-2 at the plate with a walk, a triple, 3 RBI and scored three runs. In the series Ragsdale batted 1.000, going 5-for-5 with a walk, two triples, 8 RBI and scored three runs.

AJ Ramirez, Iowa Park

Iowa Park swept Jim Ned in a pair of one-run games and Ramirez had a hand in both wins. He started on the mound in Game 1 of the Class 3A Division I series and picked up the 3-2 win after allowing two runs on three hits with 10 strikeouts and three walks in seven innings. He also had a hit at the plate. In Game 2 he went 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and scored a run in the 9-8 series-clinching victory, but it was his arm that came through in the clutch. After Jim Ned scored four in the bottom of the seventh to make it 9-8, Ramirez was summoned to the mound with one out and the tying run at third and he coaxed two infield grounders to nail down the clinching save.

Ryder Sommer, Troy

The Trojans couldn’t get the big hit in Game 1 and lost for only the third time all season. But in Game 2 of their Class 3A Division I showdown, Sommer came through in the clutch. Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the seventh and down to their final two outs before elimination, Sommer stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and clubbed a two-run double to tie it. Kael Brentham, who had gone to third on the double, later scored on a wild pitch to win it, 3-2.

Cutter Stumbo, Ropes

Ropes swept West Texas last week in the area round of the Class 2A Division II playoffs, and Stumbo earned the win in Game 1 with a masterful performance. With a name befitting a pitcher, Stumbo pitched a no-hitter in the 11-1 win in five innings. He allowed an unearned run, which scored on an infield error, with seven strikeouts and two walks.

Zane Underwood, Huntsville Alpha Omega Academy

The Lions won the TAPPS 2025 Division 4 state championship on Friday behind the dominant right arm of their sophomore star. If you want to know what hoisting a state title minutes after pitching a no-hitter feels like, Underwood is the man to ask. That’s exactly what he did on Friday, no-hitting Denton Cavalry in the title game with six strikeouts and one walk in five innings. He also drew a walk at the plate and scored a run in the 13-0 win in five innings.

Deegan Warnock, Pflugerville Weiss

He made this list last week after helping Weiss win its first-round series and he’s back again with more of the same in the second round. Warnock is certainly playing like a young man with a state championship on his mind in these playoffs. The Wolves swept Richmond Randle in the area round last week, and Warnock piled up the knocks. Across both games in the series, he went 6-for-7 at the plate with three doubles, four RBI and scored three runs as Weiss rolled to wins of 21-7 and 8-2. He went 4-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and scored three runs in Thursday’s win, then came back with two hits, including a double, and 3 RBI in Friday’s series clincher.