Baseball is unique in that it has a huge summer slate. Unlike many other sports which take off parts or all of June and July, those hot summer months are the heart of America’s pastime. While the Trojan’s high school season may have ended in May, many players in the program compete all summer with different select (travel) teams in the area. These summers are immensely important for the recruitment of these ballplayers at any level, and the Trojans have had players shine all over the diamond, showing much promise for the 2024 season.
The junior tandem that makes up two-thirds of Anderson’s outfield has been showing out all summer at different tournaments and showcases with the Texas Senators 16U Scout Team. Texas commit Ed Small, fresh off being named 2nd team All-State, is showing why he’s considered a household name by Trojan faithful. He’s batting over .300 on the summer with plenty of extra-base hits and hustle plays. He continues to show how big of a factor his speed is as you can see here.
Similarly. the other half of that tandem has shined as well this summer. Gus Begert is slashing over .300 with plenty of pop as seen this weekend when he went 3-3 with a walk-off home run in a big 17U tournament. Begert told me that “This summer season has been a good experience so far, playing against some top-tier competition, and [he’s] excited to see how the rest of the summer and fall play out.” Begert is arguably Anderson’s top uncommitted athlete and with the summer he’s had don’t be surprised to see him find his future home in the next few months. A projectable outfielder standing 6’3 with a big bat, he’ll be a great addition for whichever Division 1 program snatches him up soon.
Incoming senior Andrew Mason will all but likely start at shortstop next spring but can play both middle infield spots and third base comfortably while also bringing some heat on the mound. Mason starts for Austin Wings 17U National and has been killing it on both sides of the ball this summer. His fastball sits in the mid-80s to go along with plus skills on the offensive side of the ball. Great fielding and speed make Mason a true all-around star who could be a sneaky good pickup at any collegiate level.
A year behind Small and Begert, Anderson has another duo of young talent in Connor Comeau and Darek Paiz. The pair play for Canes Southwest and have both made big splashes this summer. Comeau’s shown off his two-way talent running his fastball all the way up to 88 and hitting bombs like the one below. Paiz has also shown talent both on the mound and at the plate. He features a mid-80s fastball with good offspeeds as well as quite a bit of pop at the plate.
These are just a few of the Trojan baseball players shining on their respective summer teams. Catcher Stephen Szygenda is having a great season with Lonestar Baseball Club, as are plenty of other players such as outfielder Drew Mierl, or middle infielder Colin Haines. It’s impossible to fit all of these players into one article, so more updates will come soon on some of Anderson’s other talent. As star outfielder Gus Begert put it, “Trojan baseball is gonna be ready to prove some people wrong in 2024”. Remember to follow us on Twitter and Instagram to get the latest updates on Anderson Athletics.
