Baylor Baseball Adds 16 in Class of 2024
WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball has inked 16 players to its 2024 signing class, as announced by head coach Mitch Thompson on Tuesday.
Eleven of the incoming Bears hail from Texas, while the others represent Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Mississippi and Pennsylvania, respectively. The group is a mix of four right-handed pitchers, four outfielders, three left-handed pitchers, three infielders, a catcher and a two-way right-handed pitcher/catcher. All 16 signees will join the Bears prior to the spring 2025 season.
Carson Bailey | LHP | Richardson, Texas | J.J. Pearce HS | R/L | 6-3 | 190
Three-year letterwinner at J.J. Pearce High School for head coach Justin Roland in Richardson, Texas … Helped the Mustangs to back-to-back district titles in 2022 and 2023 … Made eight starts as a sophomore and struck out 65 batters in 35 innings of work … Missed his junior campaign due to injury … Son of Jennifer and Andrew Bailey … Intends to major in sports marketing.
Cayden Baker | RHP | Olive Branch, Miss. | Lewisburg HS | L/R | 6-1 | 190
Three-year letterwinner at Lewisburg High School under head coach Rusty Cagle in Olive Branch, Miss. … Led Patriots to 2023 state championship title and No. 11 ranking in the nation by Perfect Game … Posted a 1.56 ERA and 7-1 record as a junior in 2023 with 92 strikeouts in 72 innings pitched … Owns a career 1.32 ERA and 11-1 record across 95.2 IP with 126 strikeouts entering his senior season … Member of PBR Mississippi 2023 All-State Team … Named Second-Team All-State in 2023 by Mississippi Coaches … Garnered Pitcher of the Week honors on March 6, 2023 … Student Body President at LHS … Member of National Honor Society … Son of Paula and Stephen Baker … Intends to major in kinesiology and exercise science.
Brayden Bergman | RHP | Parker, Texas | Plano East HS | R/R | 6-1 | 200
Prepped at Plano East High School under head coach Tommy Sparks in Parker, Texas … Compiled a 0.20 ERA and 4-2 record with 46 strikeouts across 22 innings pitched … Also hit .330 with a pair of home runs, 32 RBIs and eight stolen bases … Unanimous First-Team All-District pitcher … Volunteers with Keeper of the Game … Son of Jennifer and Brett Bergman … Father, Brett, played baseball at Baylor (1995-98) … Older brother, Caleb, is a sophomore outfielder for the Bears … Major is undecided.
Drew Britton | INF | Pike Road, Ala. | Pike Road HS | L/R | 6-0 | 210
Four-year letterwinner at Pike Road High School for head coach Allen Ponder in Pike Road, Ala. … Hit .446 with 34 RBIs and eight stolen bases … Reached base at a .557 clip … Named a 2023 6A First-Team All-State member … Also played in the 2023 North vs. South All-Star Game … Helped the Patriots to a state championship appearance in 2021 … Also played football for the Patriots ... Son of Melissa Mills Layne and Andy Britton … Major is undecided.
Brytton Clements | INF | Laredo, Texas | Alexander HS | R/R | 6-2 | 170
Four-year letterwinner at John B. Alexander High School under head coach Fernando Lemus in Laredo, Texas … Hit .337 with two home runs, 29 RBIs and 15 stolen bases as a junior in 2023 … Named 2023 All-City Offensive Player of the Year … Has reached district championship game in each year of prep career with the Bulldogs and won the 2022 title … Holds a 4.0 grade-point average … Son of Jannette and Scott Clements … Intends to major in business marketing.
Camden Clewett | RHP/C | Montgomery, Texas | Montgomery HS | R/R | 6-0 | 205
Four-year letterwinner who played two seasons at Servite High School in Anaheim, Calif., before moving to Montgomery High School in Montgomery, Texas, to play for head coach Michael Starkey … Posted a 4-2 record with a 2.80 ERA and struck out 32 batters across 32 innings of work … Slashed .352/.434/.571 with 10 doubles, three triples, three home runs, 19 RBIs and two stolen bases … Named District 21-5A Second-Team All-District performer … Was voted a team captain at MHS … Member of National Honor Society … Son of Allison and Brandon Clewett … Intends to major as a business fellow.
Jack Garza | LHP | McKinney, Texas | McKinney North HS | L/L | 6-4 | 230
Four-year letterwinner at McKinney North High School for head coach Jim Gatewood in McKinney, Texas … Posted an 8-2 record and 2.07 ERA with 122 strikeouts in 89 innings … Named an All-District 13-5A First Team member in 2023 and was voted the MNHS Team MVP … 2022 District 10-5A Newcomer of the Year and MNHS Pitcher of the Year … Two-time Academic All-District selection … Member of National Honor Society … Son of Lisa and Marc Garza … Intends to major in mechanical engineering.
Jack Hickerson | RHP | Corinth, Texas | Guyer HS | R/R | 6-5 | 180
Prepped at Denton Guyer High School under head coach Pat Watson … Posted a 6-1 record with a 1.47 ERA in helping the Wildcats reach the state quarterfinals in 2023 … Struck out 55 batters across 47.1 innings of work … Son of Shelly and John Thomas Hickerson … Major is undecided.
Caleb Jameson | LHP | Paris, Texas | Paris JC | L/L | 6-2 | 175
Transfer from Paris Junior College who posted a 5-2 record and 4.89 ERA across 57 innings with 69 strikeouts in freshman season for head coach Clay Cox … Named a 2023 Texas-New Mexico JUCO All-Star and Region 14 North All-Conference pitcher … Helped the Dragons to a regional championship … Previously a four-year letterwinner at Prairiland High School in Pattonville, Texas … Went 11-0 as a senior at PHS with a 0.20 ERA and struck out 132 batters in 68.2 IP … Tallied six no-hitters during prep career, including one in his final high school outing in the area round of playoffs … Named to multiple all-state teams as a senior and earned District 12-3A MVP honors in 2022 … Was an all-state pitcher in 2021 as well as the District 12-3A and Red River Valley Pitcher of the Year … 2019 District 13-3A and Red River Valley Newcomer of the Year … Son of Katy and Jeff Jameson … Intends to major in kinesiology and exercise science.
Samuel Jenkins | OF | Dallas, Texas | Trinity Christian Academy | L/R | 6-2 | 205
Two-time letterwinner at Trinity Christian Academy under head coach Pat Leach in Dallas, Texas … 2023 state champion with TCA … Led the Trojans in every offensive category while hitting .375 with four home runs, 29 RBIs and 13 stolen bases … Named a First-Team All-Tournament and First-Team All-District selection … Member of National Honor Society … Son of Melissa and Kyle Jenkins … Mother, Melissa, is a Baylor graduate … Intends to major in business.
Landon Karrh | RHP | Frisco, Texas | Frisco HS | R/R | 6-3 | 165
Four-year letterwinner at Frisco High School in Frisco, Texas … Posted a 15-3 record with a 1.85 ERA across 93 combined innings for FHS and Dulins Dodgers in 2023 … Also recorded 88 punchouts on the year … A Second-Team All-State honoree in 2023 and unanimous First-Team All-District pitcher … Two-time Frisco Star Local Media 5-Star Student-Athlete of the Week in 2023 … Also a First-Team All-District utility player in 2022 … Elected a team captain at FHS … Helped the Dulins Dodgers to No. 2 national ranking and 2022 WWBA World Series championship, not allowing a run throughout the tournament … Member of National Honor Society and Fellowship of Christian Athletes … Parents, Jill and Kevin, are both Baylor graduates … Sister, Jordan, is a WGCA All-American golfer at Dallas Baptist … Intends to major in finance.
Anthony Martinez | C | Kutztown, Pa. | P27 Baseball Academy | R/R | 5-10 | 195
Attends P27 Baseball Academy in Kutztown, Pa., and plays for head coach Corey Warner … Helped the Blacksmiths to a district championship … Previously named Rookie of the Year and Freshman of the Year … Son of Anna and Matthew Martinez, who were both collegiate athletes at Wright State … Brother, Matthew, plays baseball at High Point University … Brother, Peter, plays soccer at Randolph Macon College … Major is undecided.
Brayden Mulkey | OF | San Antonio, Texas | Davenport HS | L/L | 5-8 | 175
Four-year letterwinner at Davenport High School in San Antonio, Texas, where he has played for multiple head coaches, most recently Dennis Schluter … A career .388 hitter who has logged 87 hits, 17 doubles, eight triples and four home runs at DHS … Has scored 74 runs, driven in 62, and stolen 82 bases for the Wolves … 2023 THSBCA 4A First-Team All-State selection and Super Elite Team member … Finalist for San Antonio Express News Player of the Year Award … A 2023 Rawlings/Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-Region selection … Earned Express News Player of the Week honors in 2023 … Voted a unanimous First-Team All-District outfielder in 2023 … Named a First-Team All-District outfielder as a sophomore in 2022 and a Second-Team All-District outfielder as a freshman in 2021 … Three-time Academic All-District selection … Also played football during prep career … Member of National Honor Society and Fellowship of Christian Athletes … Son of Patrice and Marc Mulkey … Intends to major in aviation sciences.
Ryder Rutledge | OF | New Braunfels, Texas | New Braunfels HS | R/R | 6-3 | 175
Three-year letterwinner at New Braunfels High School for head coach Bobby Alford in New Braunfels, Texas … Hit .351 as a junior in 2023 and drove in 21 runs … Stole 30 bases in 32 attempts … Unanimous First-Team All-District performer … Academic All-District selection … Voted NBHS team captain and earned the Leadership/Teammate of the Year Award … 2022 and 2023 Texas Rangers Area Code tryout selection … New Balance Future Stats Elite Showcase second-round selection … Best in the U.S. National MLB Showcase selection … Earned a spot on the Texas Premier State Tournament All-Tournament Team … Member of National Honor Society … Parents, Jamie and Clint, are both Baylor graduates … Intends to major in Christian ministries.
Hunter Snow | OF | Carmel, Ind. | Carmel HS | L/R | 6-3 | 190
Four-year letterwinner at Carmel High School in Carmel, Ind., where he has played under multiple head coaches, most recently Tyson Neal … Hit .392 with 12 doubles, four home runs, 48 RBIs and 24 stolen bases … 2023 Preseason All-State honoree … Academic All-Honors recipient … Also a three-year varsity football letterman … Son of Heather and Justin Snow … Father, Justin, played football at Baylor and had a 12-year career with the Indianapolis Colts … Intends to major in finance or accounting.
Brett White | INF | North Liberty, Iowa | Solon HS | L/R | 6-1 | 210
Multi-sport athlete who has earned a combined 13 varsity letters in baseball, football, basketball and track at Solon High School in North Liberty, Iowa … Starred for SHS on the diamond under head coach Keith McSweeney … Owns a career .403 batting average and .580 on-base percentage … Has scored 182 runs, driven in 147 runs, stolen 90 bases and tallied 80 extra-base hits, including 16 home runs … Earned all-conference honors as an eighth-grader and is a four-time First-Team All-Conference performer … Two-time Conference Player of the Year … Second-Team All-State as a freshman, First-Team All-State as a sophomore and Elite Super First Team as a junior … 2022 PBR Futures Games participant … Also an all-state football player who earned District Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2022 … State qualifier in track for sprint relays and a 100-meter dash finalist at the conference meet … Mother, Erin, was a three-time All-Big 12 honoree in softball at Iowa State and two-time Olympian for Canada … Father, Jim, was a two-sport athlete at Cornell in baseball and wrestling … Major is undecided.
QUOTABLE: Head Coach Mitch Thompson
On this year’s signing class…
“I am so very excited about this signing class. Recruiting is the lifeblood of any college baseball program, and we feel confident that this class will help re-establish Baylor Baseball on a national level. We made the 2024 graduating class a high priority and these guys are winners in every sense of the word. We could not be more excited to have them joining our program and are honored they chose Baylor.
“When we evaluate players, we are always looking for three things from every young man we bring into the program. First, we want a talented player that has a future to play this game beyond college. Second, we want a guy who understands the value of an education and has demonstrated the discipline of being excellent in the classroom. Lastly, and most importantly, we are looking for a good kid from a good family. These guys fit our culture in all three areas.
“Today is the culmination of over a year’s worth of work in putting this class together. I want to thank and congratulate our recruiting coordinator, Zach Dillon, and our assistant coaches, Jim Blair and James Leverton, on bringing in a very talented group. It has truly been a team effort and I appreciate their passion for what we are building here.”
On the pitchers in the Class of 2024…
“On the mound, we feel that we improved ourselves with some really big-time arms. These are guys who fill up the strike zone with multiple pitches and have all had some really big wow-type moments for us when we have seen them pitch. This group provides a nice mix of both power and finesse arms that have had great success at getting hitters out and winning baseball games. I expect many of them to have an immediate impact for our team when they arrive on campus.
On the position players in the Class of 2024…
“Position player-wise, we were able to sign a nice mix of both speed and power potential at the plate with a heavy emphasis on left-handed hitters. This is a group of baseball-playing fools who love to play the game. They love to play fast and run the bases aggressively. I love their overall makeup. They have the ability to hit the ball out of the park, steal a base, and play very good defense. We are believers in their work ethic and know they are constantly working to improve their skill sets as players. This will be a very fun group to coach.”