Fifth in a series of six

Grapevine’s Esquivel earns 5A player of year honors

BRYAN – Grapevine freshman Luke Esquivel was the player of the year honors on the Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association Class 5A all-state baseball team.

Esquivel batted .434 with 56 hits, 16 of them doubles. He scored 38 runs and knocked in 31 with 25 walks. The 16-year-old was 11-1 as a pitcher in helping the 36-3 Mustangs win the Division II state title. The left-hander, who is committed to LSU, had 122 strikeouts and only 23 walks in 86 1/3 innings with a 1.46 earned run average. 

BLUE BELL/TSWA CLASS 5A ALL-STATE BASEBALL

FIRST TEAM

Pitchers – Devin Miller, Aledo, sr.; Nolan Moore, New Braunfels, sr.; Benjamin Chen, Grapevine, sr.

Relief pitcher – (tie) Turner Corey, Frisco Wakeland, sr.; Luke Sandefur, Aledo, jr.

Catcher – Carter Rutenbar, Midlothian Heritage, sr.

First baseman – Tye Briscoe, Abilene Wylie, sr.

Second baseman – Mateo A. Garcia, La Joya Palmview, sr.

Shortstop – Ben Reed, Whitehouse, jr.

Third baseman – King Hatley, South Oak Cliff, sr.

Outfielders – Luke Esquivel, Grapevine, fr.; Brooks Perez, Boerne, sr.; Dylan Perez, Boerne, sr.

Designated hitter – Lucas Nawrocki, Aledo, jr.

Player of the year – Esquivel, Grapevine

Coach of the year – Jimmy Webster, Grapevine

SECOND TEAM

Pitchers – Zeke Alexander, Frisco Wakeland, sr.; Korey Alston, SA MacArthur, sr.; Javier Garcia, James Nikki Rowe, sr.

Relief pitcher – Owen Kuhl, Boerne Champion, soph.

Catcher – (tie) Kason Kolle, Victoria East, jr. and Nate Everler, Kingwood Park, jr.

First baseman – (tie) Edwin Chavez, Dallas Sunset, sr.; Garrett Hutchins, Lovejoy, sr.

Second baseman – (tie) Daren Garcia, PSJA North, sr.; Jojo Adams, Whitehouse, soph.

Shortstop – Trae Hernandez, Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial, jr.

Third baseman – Easton Autrey, Corsicana, jr.

Outfielders – Ryan Steele, Victoria East, jr.; Aidan Ortiz, Corpus Christi Ray, sr.; Logan Corley, Lovejoy, jr.

Designated hitter – Jaedyn Yamaguchi, Boerne Champion, jr.

THIRD TEAM

Pitchers – Jordan Garza, Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial, jr.; Zachary Hampton, Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial, sr.; Brooks Nelson, McKinney North, jr. 

Relief pitcher – Cooper Gibson, Smithson Valley, soph.

Catcher – (tie) Carson Sharp, Liberty Hill, jr.; Clayton Namken, New Braunfels, sr.

First baseman – (tie) Jarett Boswell, Grapevine, sr.; Erik Herrera, PSJA North, sr.

Second baseman – (tie) Landon Barnes, Aledo, jr.; Brett Holmes, Keller Fossil Ridge, sr.  

Shortstop – Cayden Campbell, Midlothian Heritage, sr.

Third baseman – Romeo Castillo, San Antonio Southwest, sr.

Outfielders – Antonio D’Amore, Melissa, sr.; Cole Haisler, Belton, sr.; Juan Aranda, Dallas Woodrow Wilson, sr.

Designated hitter – (tie) Drake Bentke, Brenham, jr.; Joshua Viars, Prosper Walnut Grove, jr.

HONORABLE MENTION

Pitchers – George Ferguson, Abilene, soph.; AJ Grizzaffi, Boerne Champion, sr.; Aundre Guadarrama, Harlingen South, sr.; Winn Harriss, Whitehouse, sr.; Brandon Holley, Lake Belton, sr.;  Joseph Perillo, New Caney Porter, sr.;  Jobe Reed, Colleyville Heritage, jr.; Aiden Verette, Smithson Valley, jr.; Max Vetkoetter, Frisco Wakeland, soph.; Jordan Andrews, Liberty Hill, jr.; Isaac Arrieta, El Paso Americas, sr.

Relief pitchers – Caden Whitworth, Montgomery Lake Creek, jr.

Catchers – Gianni Corral, Grapevine, jr.; Caleb Eagar, Arlington Heights, sr.; Jonny Meza, Mansfield Timberview, sr.; Reese Ogden, Lovejoy, sr.; Dane Perry, Friendswood, sr.; Brady Shelton, McKinney North, sr.; Bryce Wells, Smithson Valley, sr. 

First basemen – Andrew Bonilla, Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial, soph.; Grayson Chancellor, Saginaw, sr.; David Fluitt, Georgetown, sr.; Gavin Massey, Joshua, sr.; Max Satterwhite, Austin McCallum, jr.; Aidan Smith, Boerne Champion, sr.; Cole Taylor, Pflugerville, jr. 

Second basemen – Christian Caro, Leander Rouse, jr.; Bryce Davis, Lake Belton, sr.; Hector Arrieta Granados, Galena Park, sr.; Jimmy Mowles, Dallas White, sr.; Jesse Orozco, Fort Worth Brewer, jr.; Nick Smith, Mansfield Timberview, jr.; James Tidwell, New Caney Porter, sr.; Matt Turrubiartez, Waco University, sr.

Shortstops – Gavin Barker, Frisco Reedy, sr.; Marco Barrera, Corpus Christi King, sr.; Cade Corcoran, College Station, sr.; Connor Comeau, Austin Anderson, jr.; Gus Cook, Lubbock Cooper, sr.; Gray Emerson, Argyle, jr.; Bryan Garcia, El Paso Del Valle, jr.; Garrin Graves, Azle, sr.; Dalton Hart, Brenham, jr.;Denim Harris, Mansfield Timberview, sr.; Ian Melendez, Canutillo, sr.; Jimmy Mowles, WT White, sr.; Connor Ray, Grapevine, soph.;  Fabrizio Salinas, Sharyland, sr.; Jeziel Serrano, Nederland, sr.; Dunn Smith, Hallsville, sr.; Garland Whitehead, Boerne Champion, jr.

Third basemen – Bentley Blinka, Victoria East, jr.; Lale Esquivel, jr.; Adriano Fernandez, Buda Hays, sr.; Jake Qualia, Lubbock Cooper, sr.; Orlando Ruiz, Corpus Christi Ray, jr.; Diego Villalobos, El Paso Del Valle, jr.

Outfielders – Matthew Eben, Rosenberg Terry, jr.; Marcus Finney, Frisco Reedy, sr.; Blake Heckman, Kingwood Park, sr.; Grant Hoogland, Corpus Christi King, soph.; Grey Johnson, Wichita Falls Memorial, sr.; Victoria Ryder McLeod, Port Neches-Groves, soph.; Ethan Miller, Hallsville, sr.; Austin Sluder, Amarillo, jr.; Connor Thompson, Leander Rouse, sr.; Luke Trager, Aledo, sr.; Grayson Youngblood, Victoria East, sr.