It’s been an extraordinarily long offseason for high school baseball in Texas due to the COVID-19 pandemic causing an abrupt end to last year’s season.
But the offseason officially ends today as teams across the state are holding their first day of practice with new hopes in 2021. As squads return to the diamond and prepare for games and tournaments, which are scheduled to begin Feb. 22, several Rio Grande Valley teams have garnered statewide recognition early on.
La Joya High and Edinburg Vela rank among the top Class 6A teams in Texas, while 5A programs Sharyland High, Sharyland Pioneer, McAllen High and Rio Grande City provide a heavy RGV presence in the state’s second highest classification, according to Texas High School Baseball/Diamond Pro’s Top 20 Preseason Polls.
CLASS 6A
After getting off to a red-hot start last season with a 12-2-1 record, the La Joya High Coyotes come in ranked at No. 18 with eight returning starters from a year ago. Texas Tech commit J.C. Gutierrez is dominant at the head of Coyotes’ pitching rotation, along with a loaded group led by catcher Guti Gutierrez, shortstop Alan Delgado, first baseman/pitcher Angel Solis and utility man Salvador Lopez.
The Edinburg Vela SaberCats are included in the poll’s “Next 10” section at No. 23. The SaberCats have become one of the area’s top programs in recent years and bring back an experienced group with 10 key returners from last season, including catcher and Tarleton State commit Jaime Perez Jr., Incarnate Word commit pitcher/outfielder AJ Sotelo, second baseman Ivan Mendoza, and first baseman/pitcher Matthew Perez.
CLASS 5A
The RGV is well-represented in the Class 5A poll with three teams included in the Top 20 and one in the “Next 10” category.
The Sharyland Rattlers are the highest ranked RGV team at No. 10 in 5A under head coach Barton Bickerton. This year’s Rattlers are built around a solid core of four players in pitcher Victor Sanchez, Jose Garcia, Diego Zuniga and Saul Soto.
Sharyland Pioneer comes in ranked No. 15 with five players back from last season’s 13-3-1 team. UTRGV commit and all-state shortstop Juan Rivera is one of the area’s top position players, while senior pitcher David Lopez is a true No. 1.
McHi is a couple spots down at No. 17 as the Bulldogs have eight guys back from a 14-2-1 team last season, led by Texas State commit and catcher/pitcher Chris Bernal. McHi did plenty of damage through the years at the state’s highest classification, but now the Bulldogs will see how they fare against competition at the Class 5A level in District 31-5A along with Sharyland and Pioneer.
Rio Grande City just made the poll at No. 29. But with seven returning players, the Rattlers are in position to improve on that number throughout the year. RGC will lean on veteran leadership at the top with four four-year lettermen in Marc Perez (shortstop/UTRGV commit), Mike Ramos (pitcher/UTRGV commit), and twins Eddie (third base/Grayson commit)and Emmanuel Garza (catcher/Rice commit).