ESPNHS Texas

ESPNHS continues its search for the nation’s top high school baseball player, regardless of school year and based solely on on-field performance. Every two weeks, we’ll rank the nine players in order in The Starting Nine. And at the end of the season, whoever is in the top spot will be crowned The Diamond Gem, our award given to the nation’s most outstanding player.

We’re coming down to the wire in The Starting Nine and several players are making their case for the top of the order. Byron Buxton continues to shine on both the mound and at the plate, while Lance McCullers Jr. completed one of the more dominant pitching campaigns in recent memory.

Meanwhile, Wyatt Mathisen has powered Calallen (Corpus Christi, Texas) to the No. 1 ranking in the POWERADE FAB 50.

Making the case to join the fray is Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) senior right-hander Ty Moore, who earlier this year helped lead the Monarchs to the USA Baseball H.S. Invitational crown.

The Starting Nine — May 24th Edition

Through games of May 21

1. Byron Buxton, Appling County (Baxley, Ga.)
OF/RHP, Senior
Previous spot: No. 1
What he’s done: Buxton has strengthened his hold on the top spot and has led Appling County to the Class AA state finals in the process. He’s hitting .523 with a .639 on-base percentage, three homers and 31 RBIs and is 9-0 on the mound with a 1.78 ERA and 125 strikeouts in 67 innings. Appling County begins its state finals series against Pierce County (Blackshear, Ga.) on Saturday.

2. Lance McCullers Jr., Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.)
RHP/SS
Previous spot: No. 2
What he’s done: McCullers’ squad fell to American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.), in the Class 5A state semifinals. However, McCullers pitched strong in defeat, striking out nine in six innings without allowing a run. Overall, the potential first-round pick delivered a monster campaign, going 13-0 with a 0.18 ERA and 140 strikeouts in 77.1 innings. He allowed two earned runs on the year and opponents managed just a .106 average against him. McCullers also contributed two homers and 21 RBIs at the dish.

3. Wyatt Mathisen, Calallen (Corpus Christi, Texas)
C/SS/RHP, Senior
Previous Spot: No. 3
What he’s done: Calallen sits at No. 1 in this week’s POWERADE FAB 50 thanks in large part to the work of Mathisen on the mound and at the plate. In a sweep of Ray (Corpus Christi, Texas) in the Class 4A regional quarterfinals, Mathisen went 2-for-3 with an RBI in the first game and then pitched a shutout with eight strikeouts to clinch the series. Overall, he’s hitting .447 with 16 doubles, three homers and 40 RBIs and is 11-0 on the bump with a 1.08 ERA, seven saves and 86 strikeouts in 65 innings.

4. Kyle Carter, Columbus (Ga.)
OF/LHP, Senior
Previous spot: No. 4
What he’s done: Carter and his Columbus teammates will go for another state crown starting on Saturday against Ringgold (Ga.) in the Class AAA state finals series. Carter is hitting .326 with 14 homers and 31 RBIs and has been walked 25 times. He’s 11-2 on the mound with a 0.80 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 79 innings.

5. Gavin Cecchini, Barbe (Lake Charles, La.)
SS, Senior
Previous Spot: No. 5
What he’s done: Cecchini sparked Barbe to its sixth state title with a 3-2 win over Archbishop Rummel (Metairie, La.) in the Class 5A state championship. Cecchini batted with .467 with a .566 on-base percentage during the postseason and finished the season hitting .413 with a .527 OBP, seven homers, 32 RBIs and 31 stolen bases. Those numbers are even more impressive when you consider Cecchini used a wood bat for most of the year.

6. Courtney Hawkins, Carroll (Corpus Christi, Texas)
RHP/OF
Previous spot: No. 7
What he’s done: Hawkins is hitting .424 with a .569 on-base percentage, 10 homers, 37 RBIs and 17 stolen bases. He’s 3-2 on the mound with a 0.99 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 28.1 innings. Hawkins and FAB 50 No. 13 Carroll will take on FAB 50 No. 15 Sharyland (Mission, Texas) in the Class 5A regional semifinals on Saturday.

7. Ty Hensley, Santa Fe (Edmond, Okla.)
RHP, Senior
Previous spot: No. 9
What he’s done: Hensley tossed a one-hitter and struck out 13 as Santa Fe defeated Stillwater (Okla.) 4-1 in the Class 6A state quarterfinals. Santa Fe fell to Broken Arrow (Okla.) in the state semis the next day. Hensley finished the year undefeated on the mound at 10-0 and struck out a school-record 111 batters in only 55.1 innings to go with a 1.51 ERA. He also hit .447 with 10 homers and 42 RBIs

8. Joey Gallo, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
3B/RHP, Senior
Previous spot: On Deck
What he’s done: Gallo led Gorman to its seven consecutive state title while putting up astounding power numbers along the way. In 40 games, the potential first-round pick hit .509 with 21 homers and 80 RBIs. Gallo had four multi-homer outings, including a four-homer game against Clark (Las Vegas).

9. Ty Moore, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
RHP, Senior
Previous Spot: Not ranked
What he’s done: Moore has been outstanding for the FAB 50 No. 7 Monarchs. He’s 11-1 on the mound with a 0.81 ERA ad 65 strikeouts in 60.1 innings, fanning 14 in a 3-1 win over Rio Mesa (Oxnard, Calif.) in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs. He’s also hitting .415 with three homers and 23 RBIs.

Dropped Out

No. 6 Walker Weickel, Olympia (Orlando, Fla.)
RHP, Senior
Weickel had a strong year, going 12-1. But that one loss came in the Class 8A regional finals when then-FAB 50 No. 1 Olympia was upset by Spruce Creek (Port Orange, Fla.) 8-1.

No. 8 Max Fried, Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)
LHP, Senior
The nation’s top left-hander was 8-3 with a 2.41 ERA and 111 strikeouts in 69.2 innings, but he struggled in his last regular-season start, allowing six runs in 3.2 innings in a loss to Loyola (Los Angeles).

On Deck

Taylor Hawkins
C, Carl Albert (Midwest City, Okla.)
What he's done: Hawkins helped Carl Albert win its third state title in six years by hitting a solo shot in a 6-2 win over Claremore (Okla.) in the Class 5A state final. It was Hawkins' 28th homer of the season and 74th of his career. The Oklahoma recruit also hit .391 this season with 81 RBIs. Carl Albert is No. 19 in this week's FAB 50.

After games on Saturday, May 19

Calallen already staked its claim as the top team in Texas, beating fellow powerhouse CC Carroll. Now, the Wildcats can call themselves the top team in the nation after snagging the No. 1 spot in this week's POWERADE FAB 50. The Tigers did so by moving one step closer to a Class 4A title, sweeping Ray to set up a matchup with Boerne Champion in the regional semifinals.

In Class 5A, a big showdown looms as No. 3 CC Carroll takes on No. 4 Sharyland for the right to move on to the regional final.

Here are this week's rankings (last week's rankings in parentheses):

1. Calallen (Corpus Christi) 33-1 (1)
Nation's new top team beat Ray and moves on to face Boerne Champion in Class 4A regional semifinals.

2. Arlington Martin 32-3-1 (3)
Nick Hendrix's three-hitter pushed Warriors past Coronado and into Class 5A regional semifinals against L.D. Bell.

3. Carroll (Corpus Christi) 28-4 (2)
Tigers needed three games to down Johnson. Will face No. 4 Sharyland in next round.

Click here for the full POWERADE weekly Texas baseball rankings.

After games on Saturday, May 12

It's win or go home for Texas teams and so far, some highly ranked squads have been shown the door. Seven Lakes' impressive campaign came to an end in the first round against Cy Ranch. A similar fate came for Colleyville Heritage and Georgetown.

The top teams in Class 5A and 4A remain in the running, as CC Carroll and Calallen moved one step closer to making good on their preseason hype. They lead the six Texas teams in this week's POWERADE FAB 50.

Here are this week's rankings (last week's rankings in parentheses):

1. Calallen (Corpus Christi) 31-1 (1)
Wyatt Mathisen continues to come up big in the postseason, recording a save and the Wildcats' lone RBI in a 1-0 victory against Victoria West. Will face Ray in Class 4A regional quarterfinals.

2. Carroll (Corpus Christi) 25-3 (2)
O'Shea Dumes was solid on the mound as the Tigers beat Reagan, setting up a matchup against S.A. Johnson.

3. Arlington Martin 30-3-1 (3)
Swept Odessa in two games, move on to face El Paso Franklin.

Click here for the full POWERADE weekly Texas baseball rankings.

ESPNHS continues its search for the nation’s top high school baseball player, regardless of school year and based solely on on-field performance. Every two weeks, we’ll rank the nine players in order in The Starting Nine. And at the end of the season, whoever is in the top spot will be crowned The Diamond Gem, our award given to the nation’s most outstanding player.

Another installment of The Starting Nine means more of Byron Buxton and Lance McCullers Jr. leading the way. But with postseason play underway in most states, it’s a chance for some of the other players to make their move up in the group.

One player has already done that. Stuck in the On Deck spot in recent weeks, Santa Fe (Okla.) star Ty Hensley makes the jump into The Starting Nine after starring on the mound and at the plate. Taking his spot in the On Deck circle is a familiar face — Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) third baseman Joey Gallo, who started the year No. 2 in The Starting Nine before falling out after struggling early in the season.

The Starting Nine — May 10th Edition

Through games of May 6

1. Byron Buxton, Appling County (Baxley, Ga.)
OF/RHP, Senior
Previous spot: No. 1
What he’s done: Buxton, No. 2 in the ESPN 100 and is No. 1 in Keith Law's Top 100 for the 2012 draft, continues to rake at the dish, hitting .545 with a .649 on-base percentage, 51 runs scored, 15 doubles, three triples, two homers and 22 RBIs. He’s fanned only three times in 88 at-bats and is 31-of-32 in stolen base attempts (he was thrown out trying to steal third. His pitching has been just as vital to the success of Appling County (27-1). Buxton is 6-0 with a 1.66 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 46.1 innings.

2. Lance McCullers Jr., Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.)
RHP/SS
Previous spot: No. 2
What he’s done: McCullers gave up his first earned run of the season in POWERADE FAB 50 No. 2 Jesuit’s 9-2 win over Robinson (Tampa, Fla.) in the Class 5A, District 11 championship. He followed by fanning 13 in a win over Bayshore (Bradenton, Fla.) in the regional quarterfinals. McCullers is 12-0 with a 0.11 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 65.1 innings. He’s hitting .277 with two homers and 20 RBIs.

3. Wyatt Mathisen, Calallen (Corpus Christi, Texas)
C/SS/RHP, Senior
Previous Spot: No. 3
What he’s done: Mathisen continues to be a star at both the plate and on the mound for the FAB 50 No. 4 Wildcats. He’s hitting .453 with three homers and 38 RBIs and is 10-0 on the bump with 85 strikeouts in 65 innings. In a 5-0 win over Hidalgo (Texas) in the Class 4A bi-district round of the state playoffs, Mathisen went the distance and was 2-for-3 with a homer and two RBIs.

4. Kyle Carter, Columbus (Ga.)
OF/LHP, Senior
Previous spot: No. 4
What he’s done: Carter has been equally strong at the plate and on the mound for the Blue Devils (25-3), who are No. 18 in the FAB 50. He’s hitting .370 with 14 homers and 28 RBIs and is 8-2 with a 0.72 ERA on the hill.

5. Gavin Cecchini, Barbe (Lake Charles, La.)
SS, Senior
Previous Spot: No. 5
What he’s done: Cecchini is playing his best ball with Barbe now in the state tournament, hitting .406 with a .521 on-base percentage, seven homers, five doubles and 32 RBIs. He’s also been a terror on the basepaths — he’s a perfect 29-for-29.

6. Walker Weickel, Olympia (Orlando, Fla.)
RHP, Senior
Previous spot: No. 6
What he’s done: Weickel was dominant in helping FAB 50 No. 1 win Olympia to a 10-0 win over Boone (Orlando, Fla.) in the Class 8A regional quarterfinals. The Miami recruit allowed only two hits and fanned six in six innings, while teammate Jesse Winker, who could find himself in The Starting Nine soon, went 2-for-3 with a homer and four RBIs. Weickel is 12-0 with a 1.06 ERA and 87 strikeouts and has also hit six homers.

7. Courtney Hawkins, Carroll (Corpus Christi, Texas)
RHP/OF
Previous spot: No. 7
What he’s done: Hawkins has helped Carroll get back into the top 10 of the FAB 50. He’s hitting .457 with 10 home runs and 36 RBIs and 16 stolen bases and is 3-1 on the mound with a 0.83 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 25.1 innings.

8. Max Fried, Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)
LHP, Senior
Previous spot: No. 8
What he’s done: Fried, No. 5 on Law's Top 100, ran his record to 7-2 with a 2.25 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 59 innings. Opponents are hitting just .186 off the lefty, who's also excelled at the plate, batting .438 with a .510 on-base percentage.

9. Ty Hensley, Santa Fe (Edmond, Okla.)
RHP, Senior
Previous spot: On Deck
What he’s done: Hensley has powered Santa Fe to the Class 6A state tournament and the squad is set to take on Stillwater (Okla.) in the quarterfinals on Thursday. Rated No. 35 in the ESPN 100, Hensley is 9-0 on the mound with a 1.59 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 48.1 innings. He’s also hitting .461 with 10 doubles, 10 home runs 42 RBIs.

Dropped Out

No. 9 Albert Almora, Mater Academy (Hialeah Gardens, Fla.)
OF, Senior
Almora had a phenomenal regular season, hitting .603 with six homers, 34 RBIs, 42 runs scored and 27 stolen bases. But a shocking loss to Hialeah-Miami Lakes (Hialeah, Fla.) in the Class 8A district playoffs ended the season of Mater Academy, which failed to qualify for the regional tournament. Meanwhile, the rest of The Starting Nine was still in postseason play through Sunday.

On Deck

Joey Gallo, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
3B/RHP, Senior
What he’s done: Gallo was hitting .382 with two homers and 19 RBIs following the National High School Invitational in March and fell out of the rankings. He’s been on a tear since and is now hitting .561 with a .660 on-base percentage, 14 homers and 62 RBIs. In a game against Clark (Las Vegas), Gallo went 5-for-5 with four homers and eight RBIs. He also tossed a no-hitter with nine strikeouts in a win over No. 50 Gloucester Catholic (Gloucester, N.J.) in the championship game of the Easter Classic.

After games on Saturday, May 5

Nothing is guaranteed come playoff time, especially in Texas, where eight teams are ranked in the POWERADE FAB 50, meaning some are bound to meet up as the postseason wears on. Previously ranked Bellaire and The Woodlands found out the hard way, falling in the first round of the playoffs to Spring Branch Memorial and Klein Oak, respectively.

Here are this week's rankings (last week's rankings in parentheses):

1. Calallen (Corpus Christi) 30-1 (1)
Wyatt Mathisen took care of business to open the 4A playoffs, pitching a shutout and blasting a home run in a 5-0 win against Hidalgo.

2. Carroll (Corpus Christi ) 24-3 (2)
Tigers drew 12 walks in a 9-0 win against Stevens to open Class 5A postseason.

3. Arlington Martin 28-2-1 (3)
Warriors swept Odessa in their playoff opening best-of-three series. Next up: El Paso Franklin.

Click here for the full POWERADE weekly Texas baseball rankings.

(After games of Tuesday, May 1)

One player is chosen from each region of the country. The only other criteria is that no player will be chosen more than once during a season.

EAST

Clark Siebels, York (Yorktown, Va.)
The senior right-handed pitcher helped the Falcons improve to 13-1 for the season in a 6-1 win over rival Poquoson (Va.). Siebels ran his record to 7-0 this season by allowing only two hits, after yielding no hits the first five innings, and struck out 11 in 6.2 innings. Siebels also went 3-for-4 at the plate. He had only pitched one game before this season, but it was a no-hitter last spring against Churchland (Portsmouth, Va.)

SOUTHEAST

Kyle Miller, Estero (Fla.)
The 6-foot-3 senior pitcher/shortstop has been a main reason why the Wildcats have risen to No. 35 in this week’s POWERADE FAB 50. In a 12-0 win last week over Lely (Naples, Fla.) that gave Estero a Class 5A district title, Miller went 2-for-3 with a homer and also pitched a one-hitter with seven strikeouts. The shutout lowered his ERA to 0.27 for the season. He also enters this week’s regional quarterfinals against Cape Coral (Fla.) with 91 strikeouts and just six walks allowed. Miller has signed with Florida Atlantic University.

MIDWEST

Jake Flemmer, Orono (Long Lake, Minn.)
The sophomore catcher became only the third reported state player to record a six-hit game in a 14-8, eight-inning victory over Dassel-Cokato (Cokato, Minn.). The left-handed hitter also had finished his previous game with a single to give him seven straight hits -- all singles. Flemmer's record-tying effort boosted his season average to .639.

MIDLANDS

Eric Gutierrez, Sharyland (Mission, Texas)
As a junior, Gutierrez was Sharyland’s MVP as he hit .566 with 58 RBIs and had a 0.98 ERA for a 28-1 team. It’s hard to imagine a higher batting average, but after he stayed hot by going 2-for-2 with a run scored in last week’s Class 5A playoff win over McAllen (Texas) his batting average stood at .632. In his previous game, Gutierrez went 2-for-3 with four RBIs and another recent game saw him go 3-for-3 with six RBIs. As a pitcher, Gutierrez entered this week’s playoff matchup against Winn (Eagle Pass, Texas) with a 6-1 record and 1.42 ERA. With Gutierrez leading the way, Sharyland also has piled up a 25-3 record and was No. 15 in this week’s Midlands Region Top 20.

WEST

Joey Gallo, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
Rated the nation’s No. 1 third baseman in the ESPN 100, Gallo has been rounding the corners frequently on home runs in recent weeks. Gallo capped last week by homering in a 13-1 win over Sierra Vista (Las Vegas). He also hit one homer with four RBIs in a 10-0 triumph against Western (Las Vegas) and started the week with two homers and five RBIs when the Gaels beat Spring Valley (Las Vegas) 9-5. Over a six-game stretch entering this week, Gallo had hit nine home runs, which includes his epic total of four in one game on April 18 against Clark (Las Vegas).

After games on Saturday, April 28

The regular season ended pretty much where it started, with CC Carroll atop Class 5A and Calallen as the No. 1 squad in Class 4A. Granted, Calallen looks a bit more intimidating after knocking off Carroll last week, but of course nothing is guaranteed in the playoffs, so stay tuned.

Seven teams from the Lone Star State now populate the POWERADE FAB 50, as Colleyville Heritage debuts at No. 27 after winning 19 of their last 20 entering the postseason.

Here are this week's rankings (last week's rankings in parentheses):

1. Calallen (Corpus Christi) 29-1 (1)
Wildcats ended the regular season on the right note, beating Reagan 9-4.

2. Carroll (Corpus Christi) 23-3 (2)
Tigers finished 10-0 in District 28-5A play with 11-1 victory against King. Next up: one-game playoff against Stevens.

3. Arlington Martin 25-2-1 (5)
Warriors somehow turned two total hits into a 3-0 win against Paschal. Next up: Class 5A playoff game against Odessa.

Click here for the full POWERADE weekly Texas baseball rankings.

For the past six weeks we’ve taken a look at the elite Class of 2013 baseball prospects by ranking the Top 5 players at each position. Our final installment this week focuses on the Top 5 middle infielders led by Gaither (Tampa, Fla.) shortstop Oscar Mercado, whose fielding alone could make him an early-round pick next year.

1. Oscar Mercado, SS, Gaither High School (Tampa, Fla.)
Mercado, a 6-foot-1, 175-pound Florida State commit, has outstanding tools that already show up defensively, including good hands and an above-average arm. He projects to hit for some power, but his swing is a bit lengthy at present. He is consistent, however, and times pitches well, suggesting an understanding of sequences and advanced pitch recognition.

2. Tim Richards, SS, Wilson High School (Long Beach, Calif.)
One scout called Richards "a flat-out baller," which is never a bad thing in the game of baseball. He's taller, at about 6 feet, but reminds some of Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia for his high-energy approach to the game. Richards uses a wide setup with his feet but throws his hands at the ball with above-average bat speed, producing more power than expected. He's committed to Cal State Fullerton.

3. Sheldon Neuse, SS, Keller Fossil Ridge High School (Fort Worth, Texas)
Neuse is also a prospect on the mound and could ultimately move to third base or the outfield, but he has the hands, present lateral range and arm strength to stock at shortstop. He does throw off a stiff left leg and hasn't polished off his work around the bag at second. At the plate, Neuse has power from gap to gap and has quiet hands and a limited load, though I don't know how much clubs will like how he uses his front foot as a timing mechanism.

4. Elliott Barzilli, SS/2B, Palisades Charter (Calif.)
Barzilli has terrific hands and a quick release to go with enough range to play shortstop, though his arm may not be ideal for the position. His swing is short and produces line drives and he's an above-average runner, if not plus. The 6-foot-, 165-pound Barzill is committed to Georgia Tech, but if he has a big senior year, he could be a Day 1 consideration.

5. Kramer Robertson, 2B/SS, Midway High School (Waco, Texas)
What Robertson lacks in ideal size -- he's 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds -- he makes up for in actual tools. The LSU commit has a plus arm -- he's hit the 88-90 mph range from the mound -- and is an above-average runner. He's also full of good instincts and plus makeup and projects to hit for enough power -- mostly doubles -- to play regularly. He handles all balls he gets to, but profiles better at second base, at least as a pro.

Others to Watch
Brock Hartley, SS, Pinnacle (Phoenix)
Wesley Jones, SS, Redan (Stone Mountain, Ga.)
Andrew Rosa, SS, Owasso (Okla.)
Jamie Westbrook, 2B, Basha (Chandler, Ariz.)
Brandon Whiteford, 2B, Chapel Hill (Douglasville, Ga.)

Jason A. Churchill covers scouting, player development and the MLB draft for ESPN Insider, as well as Prospect Insider, where he's the founder and executive editor. You can follow him on Twitter @ProspectInsider and email him at churchill@prospectinsider.com.

ESPNHS continues its search for the nation’s top high school baseball player, regardless of school year and based solely on on-field performance. Every two weeks, we’ll rank the nine players in order in The Starting Nine. And at the end of the season, whoever is in the top spot will be crowned The Diamond Gem, our award given to the nation’s most outstanding player.

The top three remain intact in this edition of The Starting Nine, but Kyle Carter of Columbus (Ga.) made the move to the No. 4 spot thanks to his continued two-way dominance. With double digits in home runs and an ERA under 1.00 for the No. 6 team in the POWERADE FAB 50, Carter is closing in on the top of the list.

Three Florida players reached impressive milestones by the end of their regular seasons. Lance McCullers Jr. of Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.) finished the regular season without allowing an earned run in 52.1 innings of work. Walker Weickel of Olympia (Orlando, Fla.) finished the regular season 10-0 on the mound (as did his teammate Michael Hennessey). Albert Almora of Mater Academy (Hialeah Gardens, Fla.) finished the regular season with a batting average over .600 at an impressive .603.

The Starting Nine — April 26^th Edition

Through games of April 22

1. Byron Buxton, Appling County (Baxley, Ga.)
OF/RHP, Senior
Previous spot: 1
What he’s done: Buxton is hitting .566 and getting on base at a .663 clip for the 23-1 Pirates. He has added 14 doubles, 46 runs scored and 18 RBIs from the leadoff spot while also stealing 28 bags. On the mound, Buxton is 6-0 with a 1.97 ERA and 78 punchouts in 39 innings.

2. Lance McCullers Jr., Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.)
RHP/SS
Previous spot: 2
What he’s done: McCullers finished the regular season without giving up an earned run, allowing just 14 hits in 52.1 innings while striking out 97. At the dish, he's hitting .273 with 18 RBIs for the No. 2 team in the POWERADE FAB 50.

3. Wyatt Mathisen, Calallen (Corpus Christi, Texas)
C/SS/RHP, Senior
Previous Spot: 3
What he’s done: Mathisen is hitting a cool .449 with 32 RBIs for the No. 7 team in the FAB 50. He's also 8-0 as a pitcher with a 0.81 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 52 innings.

4. Kyle Carter, Columbus (Ga.)
OF/LHP, Senior
Previous spot: 6
What he’s done: The top player on the No. 6 team in the FAB 50, Carter has launched 11 long balls and totaled 26 RBIs. On the bump, the southpaw is 7-1 with a 0.89 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 45 innings.

5. Gavin Cecchini, Barbe (Lake Charles, La.)
SS, Senior
Previous Spot: 5
What he’s done: Cecchini is hitting .395 with a .514 OBP. He's also cracked six home runs and driven in 27 runs, all while using a wooden bat. On the basepaths, he's 25-for-25 in stolen base attempts.

6. Walker Weickel, Olympia (Orlando, Fla.)
RHP, Senior
Previous spot: 7
What he’s done: Weickel is 10-0 for the No. 1 team in the land, posting a 1.47 ERA and 72 K's in 55 innings. He's also chipping in at the dish with a .322 average, six bombs and 23 RBIs.

7. Courtney Hawkins, Carroll (Corpus Christi, Texas)
RHP/OF
Previous spot: 4
What he’s done: Hawkins and the Tigers lost a 7-1 decision to Mathisen's Wildcats last week. Hawkins pitched 4.1 innings with 3 strikeouts and two earned runs allowed in that contest. For the season he's 3-1 on the mound with a 0.83 ERA and 44 K's in 25.1 innings. He's also hitting .461 with eight homers and 33 RBIs.

8. Max Fried, Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)
LHP/OF, Senior
Previous spot: 8
What he’s done: Fried keeps getting stronger on the mound, with a 6-1 record and 83 strikeouts in 50.1 innings. Opposing batters are hitting just .162 against him. On offense he's hitting .446 with five doubles, 18 RBIs and 12 steals.

9. Albert Almora, Mater Academy (Hialeah Gardens, Fla.)
OF, Senior
Previous spot: 9
What he’s done: Almora finished the regular season with a .603 batting average, six home runs, 34 RBIs and 42 runs scored. He also added 27 stolen bases.

On Deck

Ty Hensley, Santa Fe (Edmond, Okla.)
RHP, Senior
What he’s done: Hensley is firing on all cylinders at the plate and on the mound, but with no one dropping out in this edition he remains in the On Deck spot. Hensley is 7-0 with a 1.40 ERA and 79 K's in 40 innings and he's also hitting .408 with eight homers.

After games on Saturday, April 21

They won't meet in the playoffs, but fans got their dream matchup last week when Calallen and CC Carroll met in a battle of the top teams in Corpus Christi and the state.

This time, Calallen of Class 4A prevailed against CC Carroll of Class 5A by the count of 7-1, thanks to a strong pitching performance from Armando Arevalo, who took a no-hitter into the seventh and is 7-0 on the season. The win could have future rankings implications should the two end up winning state titles.

Nationally, the outcome moved Calallen back into the top 10 at No. 7 in the POWERADE FAB 50, which includes six teams from the Lone Star State.

Here are this week's rankings (last week's rankings in parentheses):

1. Calallen (Corpus Christi) 28-1 (3)
Wildcats picked up a huge win against previous No. 1 CC Carroll, thanks to Armando Arevalo's dominance on the mound during a 7-1 win.

2. Carroll (Corpus Christi) 22-3 (1)
Tigers lost their hold of the top spot after a 7-1 loss to Calallen. The result could have future implications should these two vie for No. 1 in the final rankings.

3. Deer Park 19-1 (4)
Deers have made the state and nation take notice with their consistent play.

Click here for the full POWERADE weekly Texas baseball rankings.

After games on Saturday, April 14

For the first time this season and the first time in 64 games, Calallen has lost a district game. The Wildcats lost 9-3 to Moody, a team they beat earlier this year. A chance at redemption is right around the corner, though, as Calallen will take on new No. 1 CC Carroll on Saturday. Though Calallen is in 4A and Carroll is in 5A, the game could be a needed boost for the winner with the playoffs looming.

In the POWERADE FAB 50, CC Carroll moves back into the top 10 while Calallen drops to 15th.

Here are this week's rankings (last week's rankings in parentheses):

1. CC Carroll (Corpus Christi) 20-2 (2)
Tigers beat S.A. Highlands behind Courtney Hawkins, who went 4-for-4 with three runs and a HR. Big matchup against No. 3 Calallen looms on Saturday.

2. Seven Lakes (Katy) 23-2-1 (4)
Won five straight and 15 of their last 16 games after wins against Strake Jesuit, Morton Ranch and MacArthur. Contest against Spring Branch Memorial on Friday.

3. Calallen (Corpus Christi) 25-1 (1)
Fell to rival Moody 9-3, marking their first district loss in 64 games.

Click here for the full POWERADE weekly Texas baseball rankings.

Each week from now until the end of April, we’ll take a look at the elite Class of 2013 baseball prospects by ranking the Top 5 players at each position. This week, we continue with the Top 5 outfielders led by Austin Meadows of Grayson (Loganville, Ga.). Meadows helped lead the USA Baseball 16U National Team to the gold medal at the IBAF World Youth Championships last summer. Meadows drove in a whopping 28 runs in eight games during the tournament and batted .537.

1. Austin Meadows, Grayson High School (Loganville, Ga.)
Meadows, a left-handed batter and Clemson Tigers commit, brings all five tools to the ballpark, including plus power, plus speed and a strong arm. He's 6-foot-3 and nearly 200 pounds and profiles well in right field, but he does possess the instincts to stay in center if he doesn't simply outgrow the position. He's also a force on the mound, but his future is at the plate.

2. William Abreu, Mater Academy (Hialeah Gardens, Fla.)
The Miami commit is an above-average runner with a good feel for the game and his swing is sound. Abreu, a left-handed hitter who is teammates with elite Class of 2012 prospect Albert Almora, keeps the bat in the zone, producing a nice, easy line-drive swing. The power should show up as he matures; there's enough bat speed, but he entered his junior year lacking the ability to generate loft. He projects to be at least average defensively in a corner with plus arm strength.

3. Justin Williams, Terrebone (Houma, La.)
Williams' raw tools stand out at every turn, despite being just an average runner. He throws well and flashes big power. The LSU commit has performed well in summer showcases and keeps things simple at the plate. There's little to no stride, and he keeps his head still while swinging through the ball, both signs he'll make good contact. Williams has good bat speed.

4. Eric Williams, Sachse (Texas)
Williams, a Texas Tech commit, offers solid hitting tools, including an ability to use the entire field. There's projectable power in the swing thanks to above-average bat speed, and he's a solid athlete with a plus arm — he's been clocked in the 87-90 mph range from the mound. The right-handed hitter has strong hands, quick wrists and plus bat speed, but some scouts aren't fond of his toe tap he uses as a timing mechanism.

5. Anfernee Grier, Russell County (Seale, Ala.)
Grier is raw, but offers above-average or better tools across the board, including a plus arm and bat speed that should produce above-average power. His speed comes from long, quick strides and as a result profiles well in center field, reminding some of former Toronto Blue Jays stand out Devon White.

Others to Watch
Cody Bower, St. Pius X (Albuquerque, N.M.)
Nicholas Buckner, North Shore (Houston)
Josh Hart, Parkview High School (Lilburn, Ga.)
Keenan Innis, Blessed Trinity High School (Roswell, Ga.)
Austin Paschke, Liberty High School (Peoria, Ariz.)
Stephen Smith, Frenship (Wolfforth, Texas)
Stephen Wrenn, Walton High School (Marietta, Ga.)

Jason A. Churchill covers scouting, player development and the MLB draft for ESPN Insider, as well as Prospect Insider, where he's the founder and executive editor. You can follow him on Twitter @ProspectInsider and email him at churchill@prospectinsider.com.

ESPNHS continues its search for the nation’s top high school baseball player, regardless of school year and based solely on on-field performance. Every two weeks, we’ll rank the nine players in order in The Starting Nine. And at the end of the season, whoever is in the top spot will be crowned The Diamond Gem, our award given to the nation’s most outstanding player.

It’s shaping up to be a two-horse race in The Starting Nine with Byron Buxton and Lance McCullers Jr. separating themselves from the rest of the pack as the regular season comes down to the wire. Buxton, who remained No. 1 in Keith Law’s updated Future 50 this week, holds a slight lead over McCullers thanks to his all-around play.

While Buxton and McCullers have held strong in the top two spots, the rest of The Starting Nine has been anything but stable. Three new players have joined the bunch, led by Calallen senior catcher/right-handed pitcher Wyatt Mathisen, who jumps all the way up to the No. 3 spot thanks to his play for the Wildcats, who are 22-0 and No. 2 in the POWERADE FAB 50.

The Starting Nine — April 12th Edition

Through games of April 8

1. Byron Buxton, Appling County (Baxley, Ga.)
OF/RHP, Senior
Previous spot: No. 1
What he’s done: The sign of an elite player is adjusting to what’s thrown to him. In Buxton’s case, he still hasn’t seen a pitch he could go yard with. The No. 2 player in the ESPN 100 is still batting .519 with 10 doubles and three triples. He’s also walked 16 times, striking out only once, and is a perfect 18-for-18 on stolen-base attempts. On the mound, he’s been exceptional, going 6-0 with a 1.65 ERA and 67 strikeouts with just nine walks in 34 innings. His play has helped Appling County to an 18-0 mark.

2. Lance McCullers Jr., Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.)
RHP/SS
Previous spot: No. 2
What he’s done: McCullers has been downright filthy on the mound this season, so much so that he nearly bumped Buxton out of the top spot. He’s still hasn’t given up a run, a span that’s now reached 42.1 innings. He’s 8-0, holding opponents to a ridiculously low .069 batting average and has struck out 79. Jesuit is also No. 3 in this week’s FAB 50. The only thing keeping McCullers from overtaking Buxton at this point is that Buxton has been the better all-around player — McCullers is hitting .279 with two homers and 13 RBIs.

3. Wyatt Mathisen, Calallen (Corpus Christi, Texas)
C/SS/RHP, Senior
Previous Spot: On Deck
What he’s done: Mathisen makes the big jump from On Deck to the three-hole in The Starting Nine based on his play at the plate and on the mound for Calallen (22-0), which is No. 2 in the FAB 50. Mathisen is hitting .460 with a .584 OBP and 26 RBIs and is 6-0 on the mound with a 1.00 ERA, 64 strikeouts and only nine walks in 42 innings.

4. Courtney Hawkins, Carroll (Corpus Christi, Texas)
RHP/OF
Previous spot: No. 4
What he’s done: Hawkins has been doing it all for Carroll, which is No. 13 in the FAB 50. He’s hitting .441 with a .582 OBP, seven homers and 26 RBIs. He’s 2-0 on the mound with a 0.44 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 16 innings.

5. Gavin Cecchini, Barbe (Lake Charles, La.)
SS, Senior
Previous Spot: No. 6
What he’s done: Cecchini has improved at the plate the past two weeks, raising his average from .378 to .409. He boasts a .541 OBP, 28 runs scored, four homers and 19 RBIs and is 22-for-22 in stolen base attempts. He has also only committed one error for Barbe, which is 22-6.

6. Kyle Carter, Columbus (Ga.)
OF/LHP, Senior
Previous spot: No. 7
What he’s done: Carter continues to produce on both the mound and at the plate for Columbus, which is No. 8 in the FAB 50. He’s hitting .354 with eight homers and 17 RBIs and is 5-1 with a 0.95 ERA, two saves and 46 strikeouts in 37 innings.

7. Walker Weickel, Olympia (Orlando, Fla.)
RHP, Senior
Previous spot: NR
What he’s done: The No. 3 player in the ESPN 100, Weickel has powered Olympia’s surprising run to the No. 1 spot in the FAB 50. He’s 8-0 with a 1.24 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 45 innings. He’s also shown some pop at the plate by clubbing six homers.

8. Max Fried, Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)
LHP, Senior
Previous spot: No. 9
What he’s done: Harvard-Westlake has surprised many by staying among the top teams in the nation despite the loss of ESPN 100 No. 1 prospect Lucas Giolito. The Wolverines are No. 7 in the FAB 50 and were the runner-up at the USA Baseball National High School Invitational thanks in large part to Fried, who’s No. 4 in the ESPN 100. He’s 3-1 with a 2.65 ERA and has fanned 54 in 31.2 innings. He’s also been solid at the dish, hitting .434 with a homer and 15 RBIs.

9. Albert Almora, Mater Academy (Hialeah Gardens, Fla.)
OF, Senior
Previous spot: NR
What he’s done:Almora recently moved up to the No. 3 high school prospect in Keith Law's Future 50, and he makes his debut in The Starting Nine as well. He's raking at the dish to the tune of a .603 average, a .671 OBP, five home runs and 28 RBI. He's also added 14 steals.

On Deck

Ty Hensley, Santa Fe (Edmond, Okla.)
RHP, Senior
What he’s done: The No. 35 player in the ESPN 100 is 5-0 on the mound with a 1.87 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 30 innings. He’s also hitting .439 with eight homers and 26 RBIs.

Dropped Out

No. 3 Joey Gallo, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
1B/3B/RHP, Senior
What’s he’s done: This isn’t a knock on Gallo’s talent — he’s clearly one of the top hitters in the nation. But he’s struggled in the past couple of weeks and is hitting .382 with two homers and 19 RBIs. Bishop Gorman also dropped two games at the USA Baseball National High School Invitational, though the Gaels are still No. 12 in the FAB 50.

No. 5 David Dahl, Oak Mountain (Birmingham, Ala.)
OF, Senior
What he’s done: Dahl is hitting .392 with a .529 OBP, two homers, 12 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. But his team is hovering around the .500 mark with a 15-14 record.

No. 8 Kayden Porter, Spanish Fork (Utah)
RHP/OF, Senior
What he’s done: Porter has blasted four homers, hit seven doubles and is 2-0 on the mound for FAB 50 No. 25 Spanish Fork. But the Dons have since fallen to No. 2 in Utah behind FAB No. 22 Bingham (South Jordan, Utah) and Porter has been matched both at the plate and on the mound by senior teammate Hayden Nielsen.

After games on Saturday, April 7

Though Calallen remains atop the rankings, there was lots of movement over this past week in the Lone Star State. Thanks to consecutive losses by Klein Collins, which had won 17 straight, Seven Lakes and Montwood made major jumps in the rankings behind lengthy win streaks of their own.

Also, seven teams now sit in the POWERADE FAB 50, with Calallen coming in at No. 2 and Klein Collins sitting at No. 45.

Here are this week's rankings (last week's rankings in parentheses):

1. Calallen (Corpus Christi) 22-0 (1)
Wildcats face off against rival Moody for the second this season.

2. Carroll (Corpus Christi) 19-2 (3)
O'Shea Dumes struck out seven batters and allowed just four hits to help Tigers beat King 3-0.

3. Arlington Martin 19-1-1 (4)
Mike Hoffman got the win as the Warriors downed Arlington 13-1 last week.

Click here for the full POWERADE weekly Texas baseball rankings.

Each week from now until the end of April, we’ll take a look at the elite Class of 2013 baseball prospects by ranking the Top 5 players at each position. This week, we continue with the Top 5 corner infielders led by Fruitland (Idaho) two-sport star Joey Martarano. The Boise State football commit batted .475 on the diamond last year while adding 16 homers and 50 RBIs to lead Fruitland to a Class 3A state title.

1. Joey Martarano, 1B/3B, Fruitland (Idaho)
Martarano, standing 6-foot-3 and tipping the scales at 230 pounds, generates top-end bat speed and has big, raw power. The swing is lengthy, but the right-handed batter has quick wrists and hits the ball well to right-center field. There's a chance that Martarano outgrows third base and has to move across the diamond, but the power will play anywhere on the field. Martarano could be a first-round pick 14 months from now, but he's also committed to Boise State to play linebacker and could be difficult to sign.

2. Ryan Tellez, 1B, Elk Grove (Calif.)
Tellez has a sweet left-handed swing that produces plus power, and he's shown an ability to use the left-center field gap. He's not a great athlete but has a good arm and terrific hands, suggesting he should be able to handle first base adequately. He showed well at the Area Code Games last summer despite most of the field being a year older.

3. Dominic Smith, 1B, Junipero Serra (Gardena, Calif.)
Smith, committed to the University of Southern California, is a two-way prospect with above-average plate discipline and pitch recognition for a junior. His lefty swing is quick and he shows plus pull-power. On the mound, he's touched 92 mph, and he's played the outfield, where the arm strength would be of more use than at first base, but he's a below-average runner and lacks range.

4. Clint Frazier, 3B, Loganville (Ga.)
Thanks to big-time bat speed and power potential, Frazier projects as a middle-of-the-order bat. His sturdy, quiet lower half allows his immensely strong hands and forearms to whip the bat through the zone with tremendous authority. If his physical skills play through, he could shoot to the top of this list by the time the 2013 draft arrives. Frazier, a right-handed hitter, also runs well and has a good shot to remain at third base. He's committed to the University of Georgia.

5. Cavan Biggio, 3B, St. Thomas (Houston)
Cavan, the son of former MLB star and current St. Thomas coach Craig Biggio, is a good athlete with terrific feet and hands. He’s also got a plus arm and all kinds of potential at the plate. He’s a left-handed hitter and shows an advanced approach to go along with a good overall feel for the game.

Others to Watch
Travis Demeritte, 3B, Winder-Barrow (Winder, Ga.)
Ronnie Gideon, 3B, Hallsville (Texas)
Trey Michalczewski, 3B, Jenks (Okla.)
Jeff Paschke, 1B/3B, Valley Christian (Chandler, Ariz.)
Derek Rustich, 3B, Grossmont (El Cajon, Calif.)
Jason Sierra, 1B, Sarasota (Fla.)