Texas Tech Baseball has it's best recruiting class ever at this point in the season, signing several potential MLB draftees and potential starters for Tech. Here's a look a them
Texas Tech had a successful season in 2014, on and off the field. They went to the College World Series and had a #13 recruiting class when it was all said and done. They are already off to a good start for the 2015 season, getting the #14 recruiting class after the early signing period. Now this rating may change after the MLB draft and late signees, but this is basically where Texas Tech is going stand when it's all said and done. Three players are ranked in the top 31 high school prospects in the nation (Clark, Naylor, Santillian) and another is one of top JUCO players in the Nation (Eden). It's the highest Tech has been at this point in the process, so kudos to the coaching staff for getting great players in Lubbock.
Here are some current players on the team that will be playing their final season:
Tim Proudfoot
Dominic Moreno
Cameron Smith
Bryant Burleson
Corey Taylor
Heath Harrington
Starting SS
Key Reliever
Starting Pitcher
Starting 2B
Key Reliever
Reserve OF
Those players have had good careers as Red Raiders and will be missed. Make sure to cheer extra loud for those guys. Here are some players that could leave for the MLB after this season:
Eric Gutierrez
Tyler Neslony
Starting 1B
Starting OF
There are other Juniors on the roster (15 all together), but I either don't think they'll go high enough to leave or don't know what they can do yet to say they can go pro.
I'm going to just be using the list TexasTech.com put out there for the 2015 class. There are a couple other ones rumored, but I'm just going to use their list right now. They likely can get inside Perfect Game's ranking (inside a paywall) and probably know more than I do. Now let's take a look at the 2015 class.
Trenton Clark - Outfielder
(Richland Hills HS, Fort Worth, TX)
Height
Weight
Throw/Bats
AVG
R
HR
6'0"
200 lbs
L / L
.441
48
10
RBI
BB/K's
SB
OBP
SLG
60-yard Dash
38
28/6
19
.556
.870
6.4
Trenton Clark is the highest rated commit in the 2015 class. He is the 9th ranked prospect according to Prefect Game and has plenty of accolades to back it up. Clark was an All-State selection, Under Armor All American, made Prefect Game's 1st Team and was a member of Team USA (18U). Pretty good accolades. He plays at Richland Hills currently and dominated his junior season (his stats are above). While playing for Team USA 18U, he led the team in average, RBIs, hits, stolen bases, runs and walks. According to TexasTech.com, Tadlock said this about Clark:
Trent is a five-tool player. His instincts are off the chart. He has shown the ability to lead and is a very confident and humble young man. We feel like Trent is `The Best High School Hitter in the Country' and can play the outfield with the best in the game
He is predicted to go in the middle of the 1st round in the MLB draft, which means he will likely go pro. Still, Tech's class is deep enough (18 commits according to TexasTech.com) to lose 5-6 commits to the MLB draft, They still will have a great class if those guys decide to go pro.
Aaron Coates - Left Handed Pitcher
(Glasgow HS, Newark, DE)
Height
Weight
Throws / Bats
ERA
Average
6'1"
205 lbs
Left / Left
1.86
.489
Fastball
Curveball
Slider
Change-Up
90 mph (86-90)
71 mph
79 mph
77 mph
Aaron Coates is the #1 pitcher out of Delware who choose the Red Raiders over nearby Maryland. He was an All State Selection as a utility man, Perfect Game 2014 Honorable Mention and helped his team get the back to the .500 mark this past Spring. This article (NewarkPostOnline.com) explains his baseball journey in high school. He began at one school before transferring to Glascow, immediately making their baseball team better. His coach said he worked in the offseason is make himself better and motivating his teammates to do the same. Here is what his high school coach said about his play on the field:
Aaron is a bulldog on the mound," Glasgow coach Mack Haman said. "He doesn’t give in easily and has great command for a young man at this level. And he can flat out hit for average and power."
Here is what Tadlock said about Coates according to TexasTech.com:
"Aaron has shown a quick arm with easy arm action. We just caught him one time in Florida and really liked what we saw."
Looks like Coates travels to Florida paid off for him, as he now has a scholarship to play baseball at Texas Tech.
Robert Dugger - Right Handed Pitcher
(Cisco College, Magnolla, TX)
Height
Weight
Throws / Bats
Fastball
Curveball
Change-Up
6'2"
165 lbs
Right / Right
87 mph (84-87)
76 mph
76 mph
Record (JC)
ERA (JC)
K's (JC)
BB's (JC)
Record (HS)
ERA (HS)
K's (HS)
BB's (HS)
5-5
5.40
45
25
7-2
1.22
83
21
Robert Dugger was a successful High School pitcher who went to JUCO route and will be joining Tadlock's staff next year. He was a talented all-around player for Tomball High School and led his team to the 4A State Championship in 2013. According to this article (HoustonChronicle), Dugger allowed only 6 hits and had 4 RBIs in the 6-1 victory in the title game. He would be named the MVP of the game. Robert would get a scholarship to Cisco JC out of high school and join the team as a pitcher. It looks like he'll join the Red Raiders as a pitcher in 2016, and improve an already great group of pitchers. He will also be the lone Cisco College alum on the roster, with former Cisco alum Corey Taylor and Heath Harrington playing their final season this year. Here is what Tim Tadlock has to say about Robert Dugger (TexasTech.com):
"Robert has added strength and velocity while pitching for Whitey at Cisco and has always had a feel for a change-up."
Chandler Eden - Right Handed Pitcher
(Yavapai College, Yuba City, CA)
Height
Weight
Throw / Bats
Fastball
Curveball
6'4"
175 lbs
Right / Right
92+ mph
Unknown
Record (OSU)
ERA (OSU)
AVG (OSU)
K's / BB's (OSU)
Wins (HS)
ERA (HS)
Strikeouts (HS)
AVG (HS)
0-0
6.75
.250
6 / 4
6 wins
1.83
119 K's
.110
Chandler Eden committed to Texas Tech over Cal State Fullerton and Arizona this fall after transferring out of Oregon State after the baseball season. He was supposed to join the weekend rotation for one of the top teams in the country (OregonLive), but transferred to Tavapai College. Now he'll join an already deep Red Raider pitching staff in Lubbock next year. In High School, Chandler Eden was the 98th rated High School prospect, but went in the 36th round in the 2013 MLB Draft. He was dominant with low 90's fastball and tight curveball. In the Cape Cod league this summer, he was teammates with Red Raider Ryan Mosley, which helped in the recruiting process. Here is what Tadlock had to say about Chandler Eden (TexasTech.com):
"Has shown a high ceiling and has tremendous sink on his fastball. His relationship with Ryan Moseley is very unique and could lend itself to a friendly competition weekly that could be fun to watch."
Chandler Eden is also someone that could be taken the 2015 MLB Draft, but I'm not sure how high he could go. However, I do think he COULD go high enough to head to the pros. We'll see on draft day (in June). Below is his MLB Draft profile and here's a 40 minute video of Eden.
Cody Farhat - Outfielder (Plano Senior, Plano, TX)
Height
Weight
Throws / Bats
AVG
OBP
5'11"
175 lbs
Right / Right
.395
.469
2B / 3B
HRs
K's
SB
RBI's
12 / 3
3
13
34 of 40
31
Corey Farhat committed to Texas Tech this past summer over schools like Arkansas and Oklahoma. The Plano Outfielder was ranked the 27th outfielder in the state of Texas and made 2nd Team All State according to ETVarsity. Cody was also District MVP as a Junior and was First Team All Conference. He helped led his team to the Semi-Finals last year in 5A and finished 3rd in the State at the end of the tournament. Unfortunately, Farhat tore is ACL this past football season, so I doubt he'll play his senior year of high school baseball. Hopefully he'll have a successful recovery and be able to play baseball for the Red Raiders in 2016. Here is what Tim Tadlack had to say about Farhat (TexasTech.com):
"Cody is going to be a very good college hitter and center fielder. He is very aggressive and a great teammate."
Tyler Fowler - Infielder (Cleburne HS, Cleburne, TX)
Height
Weight
Throws / Bats
AVG
SLG
6'0"
170 lbs
Right / Switch
.345
.644
2B
3B
HR
RBI's
SB
5
3
5
29
10
Tyler Fowler has been committed to Texas Tech for a while now, being the first INF to commit to the 2015 class. Tyler was 3rd Team 4A this past season (as a DH) and was county MVP the season before. What makes him special though is his versatility. Tyler has the ability to play all 3 skilled infield positions (2B, SS and 3B) along with the ability to be a pitcher if he really needs to. He's also a switch hitter, which gives him an advantage when playing against several college pitchers. Tadlock has noticed it too, and has been recruiting Fowler since basically high school. According to CleburneTimes, the Cleburne coach told Tadlock about Fowler when he was at OU, before Fowler was even in High School. This is how Fowler got a scholarship and committed to Tech:
"I put Tyler’s name on Tim Tadlock’s list when Tyler was going into the ninth grade," Taylor said. "He was signing Ty [Taylor] at OU when he was an assistant coach there, and he said, ‘Do you have anybody else?’ And I told him we have a kid who’s going to start for us as a freshman next year at shortstop and you really need to put him on your list and keep an eye on him.
"Then later when Tyler was playing for the Texas Stix, they went down to Tech and he hit two home runs in a game and Tadlock flipped through his stuff and saw Fowler’s name on his list. That same weekend, I think Tyler basically made a verbal commitment and Tadlock stayed true to his word."
Here is what Tadlock had to say about Fowler:
"Tyler is a polished switch hitter who will benefit from performing in the Big 12. He can play all three infield spots and really likes to play. Coach Taylor had this one right early on when Tyler was just starting out his high school career."
I could not find any film on Tyler Fowler.
Ty Harpenau - Right Handed Pitcher
(Southside, Fort Smith, AR)
Height
Weight
Throws / Bats
Record
ERA
K's / BB's
6'1"
175 lbs
Right / Right
3-2
2.40
43 / 15
Fastball
Curveball
Slider
Change-Up
92 mph (84-87)
76 mph
78 mph
82 mph
Ty Harpenau committed to Texas Tech in September over schools like in-state Arkansas, Wichita State and Houston. The #466 prospect in the nation was a 2nd Team Perfect Game Preseason All American and is the son of a collegiate coach. According to TexasTech.com, Coach Hayward formed a relationship with his father, which gave an edge to Texas Tech in recruiting. It also gave Ty a feel for College Baseball. He didn't play a full season last year due to an injury, but he'll likely be back for his senior campaign. I think Ty has a chance to get drafted in the upcoming draft, but I doubt he goes pro. He'll likely end up at Texas Tech and be able to contribute right away to the Red Raider pitching personnel. This is what Tadlock had to say about Ty Harpenau (TexasTech.com):
"Ty grew up around college baseball. He has shown a very quick arm and feel for pitching. Coach Hayward's relationship with Dale and reputation definitely helped lure Ty to Lubbock. Ty could go pitch for anyone right now."
Hayden Howard - Left Handed Pitcher
(Seward County CC, Carrollton, TX)
Height
Weight
Throws / Bats
Record
ERA
K's / BB's
6'4"
185 lbs
Left / Right
8-3
1.69
65 / 33
Fastball
Curveball
Change-Up
89 mph (86-89)
74 mph
69 mph
Hayden Howard committed to Texas Tech over Oklahoma. Harden played at Sweard CC his freshmen season (the stats above), then transferred to Texas A&M, where he was redshirted. Now it appears he's going back to Seward CC before heading to Lubbock in 2016 for his RS Junior year, 3 years removed from high school. While in high school, Howard won 3 Creekview Cy Young's and was drafted in the 39th round of the MLB Draft after his first season at Seward CC. He went on to have a successful freshmen year that allowed him to earn a scholarship to A&M. Fun Fact: Jake Barrios was also an alumni from Seward CC. Here's what Tim Tadlock had to say about Hayden Howard (TexasTech.com):
"Hayden has shown a good fastball and secondary pitches. He has always had a feel for spinning the ball."
I couldn't find any video for Hayden Howard.
Erikson Lanning - Left Handed Pitcher
(Sequoyah HS, Woodstock, GA)
Height
Weight
Throws / Bats
Record
ERA
K's / BB's
6'2"
165 lbs
Left / Switch
6-4
2.44
65 / 30
Fastball
Curveball
Slider
Change-Up
93 mph (87-93)
74
Unknown
78
Erikson Lanning committed to Texas Tech over NC State, Arkansas, Clemson, UNC and Florida State this past fall. Lanning started his high school career at Flower Mound Marcus before moving to Georgia after his sophomore year. While at Flower Mound, he had a 0.58 ERA, the 3rd lowest in school history (according to TexasTech.com). This is when Tadlock started recruiting Lanning, before he heading east. At Sequoyah, he became the #284 rated High School prospect and the #3 LHP in Georgia. He named to the All-Georgia 2nd Team and also was a 2nd Team Perfect Game Preseason All American. Erikson is a very talented Left Handed Pitcher that a lot of schools wanted, but Tech was lucky enough to drag him by the Texas. Here is what Tadlock said about Erikson Lanning (TexasTech.com):
"Erikson has a good fastball and has shown a good breaking ball and change-up. When we started to recruit him he was at Flower Mound Marcus High School and we really thought he would stay out east when his family moved to Atlanta. It will be great to have him return to the state of Texas as a Red Raider. He has a chance to develop into a special guy for us during his career at Tech."
Here is some film on Erikson. He could be drafted in the upcoming draft, but I don't believe it would be early enough to go pro. We'll have to wait and see on draft day to find out which direction he'll end up going. But as of now, I think he'll end up at Texas Tech.
Davis Martin - Right Handed Pitcher / Outfielder
(Central HS, San Angelo, TX)
Height
Weight
Throws / Bats
AVG
RBI's
2B / 3B
HR's
BB's
SB
6'2"
220 lbs
Right / Left
.345
24
15 / 2
3
22
6
Fastball
Slider
Record
ERA
K's / BB's
88-92 mph w/sink
Unknown
11-1
1.05
125 / 22
Davis Martin committed to Texas Tech a few months ago over rivals schools like TCU, Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Arkansas. The Tech legacy is the #275 ranked High School prospect in the nation and was a 3rd Team 5A All-State and was a 1st Team 5A All-State selection according to the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association. He also was 1st Team All-District his sophomore and junior year. Davis is a batter and pitcher, but is obvious to see that he excels as a pitcher. In 12 starts, he had an eye popping 11-1 record, 1.05 ERA and 125 strikeouts. All those starts were complete games and 7 of them were shutouts. No wonder he was an All-State selection. This article describes how he has grown as a baseball player and why he choose Texas Tech:
"It felt like home," Martin said. "The coaches just welcomed me in. I loved the team and I loved the campus. I wouldn’t want it any other way.
"I went on my visit and I looked at my dad and said ‘This is the place where I want to go to college.’"
"Davis is a huge part of the success we’ve had," Penry said. "He has gotten the personal awards, but we are really team-oriented. Davis is a team player and he wants team success above any personal success. He is No. 1 a competitor and No. 2 a team guy and that makes him a joy to coach."
Y'all should really read the whole article. Good read and quotes about Martin. Here is what Tadlock had to say about Davis Martin (TexasTech.com):
"Davis is a two-sport guy who loves to compete. His arm slot makes him unique and we really like his make-up. His father, Steve, is a Tech graduate and talked about wanting his son to go to Texas Tech with the chance to go to Omaha and that became a reality to them in 2014. Davis is a great example of what our run in 2014 did for this recruiting class. He could go pitch for anyone right now."
Davis Martin could be taken the MLB Draft, but I think he's someone who ends up at Texas Tech
Bret Mathis - Left Handed Pitcher
(Bosqueville HS, Waco, TX)
Height
Weight
Throws / Bats
Record
ERA
Strikeouts
6'0"
175 lbs
Left / Left
8-1
0.70
102
Fastball
Curveball
Change-Up
87 mph (82-87)
76 mph
80 mph
Texas Tech went to Baylor's backyard and grabbed LHP Bret Mathis from Bosqueville HS. The left handed prospect was the District Newcomer of the Year as a Freshmen, and was District Pitcher of the Year his sophomore and junior year. Not only that, but he was 2nd Team All-State selection as a sophomore and a Honorable Mention Perfect Game All American. Bret is the #67 ranked high school recruit in the State of Texas and the #4 LHP in Texas. His team is also one of the best 1A schools in the state. Here is what Tadlock had to say about Bret Mathis (TexasTech.com):
"Early on Bret showed really good arm strength and has a very high ceiling."
There is currently no film on Bret Mathis
Josh Naylor - 1st Baseman / Outfielder
(St. Joan of Arc, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada)
Height
Weight
Throws / Bats
AVG
OBP
SLG
6'1"
225 lbs
Left / Left
.435
.527
.715
RBI's
K's
2B
3B
HRs
SBs
51
12
12
3
7
10
Josh Naylor had offers from some of the best baseball programs, including Arizona State, Kentucky, Miami and Auburn. Where does he go? Why, Tech of course. Texas Tech goes across the border (not Mexico) to grab the best 1B in the 2015 class and the #31 prospect overall. Josh was an Under Armor All American, 1st Team Perfect Game All American and participated in the Aflec All American Game. He played in the summer (while using wooden bat) with fellow signee Erikson Lanning and also played for Team Canada. Naylor also finished 2nd in the Junior HR Derby. They don't compare him to Prince Fielder for nothing. This is what Naylor said about his recruiting process and the draft just a few days before committing to Texas Tech (PrepBaseballReport):
"I think about both school and the draft to be honest," he said. "And I obviously want to beat whatever my average was last year and do completely better than last year to show people that I've upped my game a bit. Then I still think about school and signing at a good school....I'm going to visit Kentucky, Texas Tech and Arizona State right now."
"I want to make my parents proud of me," he said. "I want to do as best as I can this year so they don't have to work another day in their lives. I just want to do my family well and represent the Ontario Blue Jays and Team Canada well in the draft, find a good school and hope everyone is proud of me and make sure they are."
Here is what Tadlock had to say about Josh Naylor (TexasTech.com):
"Josh is a legit power bat. He is the type of hitter who will punish pitchers any day of the week. The best hitter in Canada in the 2015 class."
Josh Naylor is projected to go in the first 5 rounds of the MLB Draft, so I expect him to go pro. However, if he falls below that, I think he has a chance to choose to go to Texas Tech. It really all depends on what happens in the draft. I sure hope he comes to Tech. He would fun to watch at Dan Law Field.
Jon Nicholson - Right Handed Pitcher
(Abilene Cooper, Abilene, TX)
Height
Weight
Throws / Bats
Record
ERA
K's
6'4"
240 lbs
Right / Right
3-2
2.93
44
Jon Nicholson committed in July over West Virginia, Abilene Christian and UT-Arlington. Jon is returning to Lubbock to play for the Texas Tech Baseball team. He grew up in Lubbock and played Little League Baseball in the Hub City (according to TexasTech.com). He is the #146th ranked prospect in the state of Texas and also plays football (with D-1 offers as well). He was 1st Team All-District his sophomore year (as a DH). Unfortunately, I couldn't find a lot of info on Jon Nicholson, but it looks like he has a sinking fastball along with another pitch in his arsenal. Here is what Tim Tadlock had to about Jon Nicholson:
"Jon is a two-sport guy that loves to compete and has shown a sinking fastball with a second pitch."
I couldn't find any film on Nicholson.
Blaine Prescott - 2nd Baseman (Midland College, Amarillo, TX)
Height
Weight
Throws / Bats
AVG
OBP
SLG
5'10"
185 lbs
Right / Right
.371
.414
.610
RBI's
R's
2B / 3B
HR
SB
BB's
49
78
13 / 13
8
27 of 30
19
Blaine Prescott committed to Texas Tech over TCU, giving the Red Raiders a local kid. Prescott grew up down the road in Amarillo and then went 240 miles south to play at Midland College. According to this article, Prescott has always been a Tech fan, plus his sister went there. He said Tech is "kind of been a family school". While in High School, he was named on the All-Distrcit Team and was First Team 4A All State. At Midland College, he was a 1st Team Western JCAA All-Conference, reached the NJCAA CWS, was named the World Series Tournament team and was a 16th Round Pick of the MLB Draft in 2014. Pretty good accomplishments at the JUCO level. Tech has had success recruiting at Midland CC. Both Reid Redman and Hunter Redman came from Midland CC, and both thrived at Tech and became Pro baseball players. Hopefully Blaine Prescott does the same. Here is what Tadlock had to say about Prescott (TexasTech.com):
"Blaine is a great runner with feel for finding the barrel at the plate. While playing for Coach Coleman he has really established himself as a threat offensively that could step into our lead-off spot right away."
I bet Prescott gets drafted again this year, but I'm not sure if he'll go higher or lower. If Prescott went in the 16th round last year and didn't go pro, I don't think going up a few rounds will change his decision. We'll see this summer.
Tony Santillan - Right Handed Pitcher / Infielder
(Seguin HS, Arlington, TX)
Height
Weight
Throws / Bats
Fastball
Curveball
Slider
6'3"
195 lbs
Right / Right
94 mph (91-94)
80 mph
82 mph
Tony Santillan committed to Texas Tech earlier in the year, giving the Red Raiders the #29 High School Prospect in the nation and #3 prospect in the game of Texas. He led his baseball club to the Anniversary Connie Mack World Series Championship and was the MVP the Series, and made the All-Series Team. At Seguin HS, he was 2nd Team All-District his Freshman year (DH) and 1st Team All-District his Junior year (SS). Tony was also a 3rd Team Perfect Game Preseason All-American his sophomore year. Tony can play the infield and pitch, but he likely be a pitcher in college with his high powered fastball and good speed on his movement pitches. That is, if he makes it to college. Santillan is the #29 rated High School prospect, so he'll likely be draft in the first 5 rounds and forgo college to play in the pros. There's a chance he stays in college, but I think he'll go high enough to go pro. Here is what Tim Tadlock had to say about Tony Santillan (TexasTech.com):
"Tony is a two-way prospect who can play the left side of the infield and definitely has a future on the mound. As an infielder, he has impressive arm strength and instincts. His stuff can be a shut-down type fastball and breaking ball. He seems to always be bringing home MVP trophies whether it is in Farmington (AABC Connie Mack World Series) or playing in the Battle of the Borders."
I couldn't find any highlights of Santillan, just this film of him talking.
Ryan Shetter - Right Handed Pitcher
(Friendswood HS, Friendswood, TX)
Height
Weight
Throws / Bats
Record
ERA
K's / BB's
6'2"
190 lbs
Right / Right
5-1
0.61
52 / 10
Fastball
Curveball
Slider
Change-Up
86 mph (84-86)
75 mph
79 mph
78 mph
Ryan Shetter committed to the Red Raiders in July over Dallas Baptist and Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Ryan did well in his summer league this year (stats above) and preformed well in High School, with a 2.33 ERA and .310 AVG. He was First Team All-District, won Defensive Player of the Year in his District his Junior year and helped his team get to the semifinals. This is what Shetter said about his commitment to Texas Tech (YourHoustonNews):
"I feel like I will fit in good; I like the school," Shetter said. "And they went to the College World Series, which helped a lot too."
Here is what Tim Tadlock said about Ryan Shetter (TexasTech.com):
"Ryan has impeccable command and will compete well in the Big 12. Has a chance to develop into a prospect with added velocity down the road."
I couldn't find any video on Ryan Shetter.
Mark Simon - Right Handed Pitcher
(New Mexico JC, Houston, TX)
Height
Weight
Throws / Bats
Record
ERA
K's / BB's
6'1"
200 lbs
Right / Right
8-2
3.58
64 / 19
Fastball
Change-Up
85 mph (81-85)
74 mph
Mark Simon choose the Red Raiders over New Mexico and Rice (which is in his hometown of Houston). Texas Tech is used to recruiting at New Mexico JC, as they got Cameron Smith and Devon Conley from NMJC, along with newcomer Kholeton Sanchez . Mark Simon gives Texas Tech another right hander in their arsenal, and one with experience at a high level. Those pitches above are from high school (he was the #66 RHP from Texas), so I'm sure they are faster now, with possibly more pitches. Tadlock has had success adding JUCO pitchers thus far (Chris Sadberry, Cameron Smith), so I like this addition to the class. This is what Tadlock had to say about Mark Simon (TexasTech.com):
"Mark is a two-pitch guy (fastball, slider) and this fall showed an average second pitch. He will benefit from pitching in the Big 12."
Here is some film I found from Simon during his senior year of High School.
Braden Williams - Catcher (Nimitz HS, Irving, TX)
Height
Weight
Throws / Bats
AVG
HRs
RBI's
CS
5'9"
160 lbs
Right / Left
.381
3
20
Threw out 50% of base runners
Braden Williams choose Texas Tech over TCU to give Texas Tech the lone catcher of the 2015 class. He is the #215 prospect in the state of Texas and the #26 Catcher in Texas. He was Honorable Mention Perfect Game All American his sophomore and junior season. Braden was also Defensive Player of the Year in his district his sophomore year and made 1st Team All - District his Junior year. Tadlock likes defensive catchers and he's getting exactly that with Braden. This is what Tim Tadlock said about Braden Williams (TexasTech.com):
"Braden has arm strength and is solid behind the plate. He has shown a knack for blocking and handling a staff."
I couldn't find any film on Braden Williams.