Meet the 2018 All-Concho Valley Baseball Team

SAN ANGELO, TX-- The 2018 baseball season has concluded for area schools and it was a good one.

Nine teams from the Concho Valley made it to the postseason. Wall and Mason made runs to the Regional Semifinals. It was the just the third time the Punchers made it to that far in the playoffs. The Brady Bulldogs won their first playoff trophy with their dominant Bi-District series win over Merkel. TLCA, in head coach Jonathan Paez's second year and with great senior leadership, made it to the playoffs for the first time ever.

As the 2018 University Interscholastic League State Baseball Tournament inches closer, we would like to recognize the athletes in the area that made the season a memorable one.

Most Valuable Player

Dryden Virden, Sr., P/C, Wall High School

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When you hit .545 with an on-base percentage of .590, 54 RBIs, 36 runs scored, 18 extra-base hits including 12 doubles and four home runs, it's easy to make a case for you to be the MVP. Wall's Dryden Virden did just that in his senior season. Virden was also the guy who stepped up and brilliantly filled the missing role that pitcher Ryan Gully left when he was forced out for the season due to Tommy John Surgery. Bound for Weatherford College in the fall, Virden threw 40 innings for the Hawks with 10 games pitched, nine of which were starts, and a 7-1 record. The lone loss came in the Hawks season-ending loss to the Brock Eagles in the Regional Semifinals. Virden also allowed just 11 runs this season, nine of which were of the earned variety, with a team-low 1.57 ERA while striking out 93 batters. What's more impressive was the dominant form the 6-foot tall right-hander enjoyed from the end of the regular season through the postseason. To close out the year, only four earned runs were allowed by Virden in his last six outings on the mound, which included a no-hitter against Grape Creek and a streak of 14 innings without conceding a run across that stretch of 19 innings pitched. Virden also allowed just nine hits with 64 strikeouts in those six games.

Newcomer of the Year

DJ Cavazos, So., SS, Ballinger High School

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Cavazos saw some action in his freshman year at Ballinger, but not much. Just five games to be exact and he was used as a pinch runner. This year Cavazos played in 24 games for the Bearcats. The sophomore righty played 10 of those games on the mound with seven starts. He posted a 5.35 ERA in 35 and a third innings pitched with 35 strikeouts. At the plate, Cavazos posted a .242 batting average with 14 RBIs in his first full season with the Bearcats. 

Pitchers

Jonathan Limon, Sr., Central High School

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Limon was as good as you could ask of a senior ace in arguably one of the most competitive districts in Class 6A. Despite a 3-4 record, it seemed as Limon did, so, too, did the Bobcats. The Sul Ross-bound southpaw saw the lion's share of work for the Bobcats with 53 and two-thirds innings pitched for the Bobcats. Limon had a 3.13 ERA with 81 strikeouts in 2018, which earned First Team All-District honors for the Bobcat's ace. Limon also helped his own cause with a .463 on-base percentage and 15 runs scored. 

Thomas Laney, Sr., Texas Leadership Charter Academy

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When a program with very little history changes their fortune, it's because of senior leadership. Laney was an integral part of the senior group for the Eagles that made their first-ever appearance in the playoffs. The lanky right-hander threw the most innings for TLCA at 39 and a third innings. Laney, a senior and Second Team All-District selection in the tough District 4-3A, posted a 6.88 ERA in 11 appearances on the mound with 44 strikeouts for the Eagles in 2018. 

Ross Kalina, Sr., Miles High School

Kalina was the Bulldog's ace all season and lived up to that moniker in 59 innings pitched. Leading his team in ERA (2.73) and strikeouts (94), Kalina was a key component to the Bulldog's playoff berth in 2018. Kalina also posted a 6-6 record on the mound in 15 games, 13 of which were starts. Kalina was also sound defensively with .948 fielding percentage in 77 attempts. With a .385 batting average, 39 runs scored and 18 RBIs, the District 7-2A Defensive MVP showed he was also valuable offensively in 2018.

Catchers

Nixon Brannan, Jr., Central High School

Brannan featured as the Bobcat's battery for most of the season. In 45 chances, the junior gunned down 18 runners. Brannan also hit .321 this season with 19 RBIs, 18 runs scored and 11 extra-base hits for the Bobcats. A patient hitter, he only struck out 12 times in 131 plate appearances in 2018.

Jon Marcon, Jr., Ballinger High School

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Macron was as good a battery as you could find in 2018. The junior caught over 117 innings for the Bearcats and had just six errors in 164 attempts this season. Macron gunned down 11 would-be-base stealers this season in 60 attempts, an impressive mark at the 3A level. He could also swing the bat, too. Macron posted a .292 batting average and led the Bearcats in RBIs with 24. He was also second on the team in extra-base hits with 12 (10 doubles, two triples).

Infielders

Nicky Perez, Jr., 1B/3B, Miles High School

The junior Bulldog was a dominant force offensively and a defensive net in 2018 for Miles. Perez led the Bulldogs in batting average (.390), hits (32) and RBIs (31) while also committing just seven errors in the field in 29 games played. Perez also was second in on-base percentage with a .495 clip.

Pablo Hernandez, Jr., UTIL, Reagan County High School

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Hernandez played everywhere for the Owls except first base and is regarded as the team's spark plug. In 2018, the three-year letterman posted a .422 batting average with 23 RBIs, 13 extra-base hits and 45 runs scored. Hernandez was a First Team All-District 4-3A selection as an infielder, but pitched 36 innings for the Owls with a 3.05 ERA and 35 strikeouts.

Justin Chavez, Jr., UTIL, Reagan County High School

Chavez, much like his teammate, played everywhere except behind the plate for the Owls and earned First Team All-District honors as an infielder. He led the Owls in batting average with a .505 clip in the best season Reagan County has ever had in baseball. 

Caleb Heuertz, So., SS, Wall High School

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Heuertz was an unsung hero for the Hawks during 2018. A First Team All-District 4-3A infielder, Heuertz also provided much needed depth on the mound for the Hawks. The two-year letterwinner threw 46 and a third innings for the Hawks with a 7-1 record in eight starts as well as a 1.83 ERA and 73 strikeouts. At the plate, Heuertz was just as important with a .391 batting average, 34 RBIs, 45 runs scored, 14 stolen bases, 20 extra-base hits and seven home runs. Heuertz also committed just seven errors in 2018.

Outfielders

Brock Rosenquist, Sr., CF, Wall High School

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Rosenquist hit a respectable .312 this season with 20 RBIs, 26 stolen bases and 46 runs scored in 2018 and was just as impressive patrolling center field for the Hawks. In 38 attempts this season, Rosenquist committed just three errors to earn First Team All-District honors.

Gage Weishuhn, Jr., RF, Wall High School

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Weishuhn was sneaky for the Hawks, usually batting after Virden, who some teams tried to avoid. The Hawk's right fielder made those teams pay by hitting .402 and a team-leading eight dingers to go with 38 RBIs and 40 runs scored in 2018. Weishuhn was also a player opposing offenses wanted to avoid in right field, as he committed just two errors all season for the Hawks. 

Cody Harral, Jr., CF, Ballinger High School

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Harral was Ballinger's spark plug this season, leading the team in batting average (.447), on-base percentage (.500), extra-base hits (13) and runs scored (25). The first team All-District selection was also second on his team in RBIs with 20. Patrolling the outfield, Harral was good, too. He posted an .844 fielding percentage in  attempts.

Utility

Mason Bryan, Jr., Miles High School

Bryan was named the Utility Player of the year for District 7-2A after playing in just about every position for the Bulldogs and posting an .877 fielding percentage in 65 attempts. At the plate, the junior hit .345 with 37 runs scored and 18 RBIs. His patience at the plate was evident as well, striking out just 18 times in 106 plate appearances with 13 walks. Bryan also posted a 3.98 ERA in 12 games with 37 strikeouts for the Bulldogs. 

Coach of the Year

Johnathan Paez, Texas Leadership Charter Academy

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Changing the culture of a program with very little history is tough. Doing that in two years is just as difficult. Paez did just that, with the help of senior leadership, too. Prior to Paez's arrival the Eagles had never made it to the playoffs in baseball. This year, TLCA never sat below fourth place in District 4-3A and looked as though they were contending for one of the top two spots in the district through most of the first half of play. They fought off a four-game losing streak and surging Sonora team to clinch their first-ever playoff berth. The Eagles finished 13-14 after a loss to Alpine in the Bi-District round of playoffs.

Paez had stiff competition for Coach of the Year honors with Wall, under the direction of Jason Schniers, making it to the Regional Semifinals after claiming the district crown and Reagan County, coached by long-time coach Edward Soto, making their third straight trip to the Regional Quarterfinals.