Be sure to click on the photo of Rob and the okay button to get an in-depth roundtable discussion with Childress and Seely. Good stuff!
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Texas A&M Baseball
Childress, Seely break down Aggie Baseball's 2017 signing class
After watching the Texas Aggie baseball team this fall – with freshman after freshman leading the way offensively – and judging by what Rob Childress and Co. are getting done on the recruiting trail, it is evident that the future is extremely bright at Olsen Field.
Last week, the Aggies officially inked 13 players – 11 high school players and two junior college prospects – in the Class of 2017. The class is ranked No. 14 nationally by Perfect Game USA.
“We are very excited for this recruiting class,” A&M head coach Rob Childress said. “We have the best recruiting coordinator in the country in Justin Seely, who does such a great job identifying talent that fits who and what we are. The character has to match, and being at Texas A&M, we don’t have to sacrifice one for the other. The 13 guys that we signed have a chance to make an impact right away on and off the field.”
“We feel great about this recruiting class,” added assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Justin Seely. “The overarching goal is to strive for balance between position players and pitchers. I thought we got some great left-handed bats that we needed. We got some right-handed arms, but we were also able to add some quality left-handers, also.”
Ten of A&M’s signees hail from the state of Texas. Both JUCO signees are out of Lincoln, Nebraska and both currently play for Hutchinson Junior College in Kansas. A&M also signed one international player, Adam Hall from London, Ontario, who might be the top MLB Draft prospect in the Aggie class.
"This year we have had some things fall our way and have been able to recruit some guys outside of the state, with the SEC being a big factor.
"Guys from up north like to come play down where the weather is warmer.
"But we are always going to work from home out. We were able to get outside of the state a couple of times in this class, and I think we will continue to do that as well.”
Seely and fellow assistant Will Bolt are both Texas high school products that played together at Nebraska, where Childress served as pitching coach. The staff utilized their strong Cornhusker ties to land all three out-of-staters in the 2017 class.
“To go into the Midwest and get guys is nice,” Childress said. “We have had success going out of state, but we don’t have to go out of state very often because there is so much talent in Texas. There has to either be a need or a tie somewhere or one or the other. We recruited two kids from Kansas Junior Colleges, who are both Lincoln products.
"The right-handed pitcher, Logan Hoffman, is ready to step in and be impactful right away. Michael Helman is just a baseball player. We recruited the middle infielder, Adam Hall, from Canada. He played for one of Coach Seely’s former teammates (at Nebraska). He is a special player, and we were able to get on him early. He can be a special player the moment he steps on campus.”
The class also features a bevy of big, strong, hard-throwing right-handers … a hallmark of the A&M program throughout the Childress era.
“All of the pitchers fit in, and they are all big, strong, physical guys that have a chance to overpower you and pitch right now,” Childress said. “When you have that combination, you feel like those guys can come in right away and be impactful. We are certainly going to need that with guys that we feel like we will lose to graduation and the Draft (after the 2017 season).”
“I feel comfortable that we will get a big chunk of these guys on campus,” Seely said. “We have a lot to offer these guys come draft time. Our development now is better than it ever has been. We had 13 guys drafted (last year), which led the country. I do not see that trend stopping. We have a lot to sell, and that all starts with Coach Childress.”
“There is such an advantage to developing here over the next three years,” Childress added. “There are a number of guys that leave this league as a junior and less than a year later they are making their debuts (in the big leagues). That is what it is all about. Your dream and your goal is to become a big leaguer, and what sets yourself up to do that is being in college. You get to see the finish line of becoming a big leaguer if you attend college.”
Texas A&M's 2017 Baseball Signing Class:
Asa Lacy - LHP – 6-4, 200, L/L – Kerrville, Texas (Tivy HS)
“Asa Lacy is a guy who grew up in College Station, so he has a lot of maroon in his blood and an understanding of what Texas A&M University and Texas A&M baseball is all about. He plays for Chris Russ, who is one of the all-time greats here at A&M and a former GA here. Chris has done a great job with him. Asa is a very athletic, long bodied kid who has a great arm, and he keeps getting better. He is 6-3, 195 with a power arm that will only get better. We feel very lucky to have him committed and to get him back in Aggieland.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Asa commands the baseball, and he is going to have a power left-handed arm. He will throw the changeup and will throw the breaking ball. He is a good athlete who hits in the middle of the lineup for his high school team, as well. His dad was a tennis player, and he is a kid who gets bigger every time I see him. Asa kind of popped up on the scouts’ radar this fall. We will fight that in terms of the draft. He is a guy that grew up here and wants to be here. We feel good about our chances of getting him here. It is jut a matter of how the spring goes.”
Dustin Saenz – LHP – 5-10, 180, L/L – Corpus Christi, Texas (King HS)
Childress’ Take:
“Dustin Saenz does a lot more than you think will come out of his body being 5-10. If he doesn’t lead the state in strikeouts he has to be in the top three. He has a very quick arm and throws three pitches for strikes. He is extremely competitive and is a guy that we got on this summer and are very blessed to have him in our program. He will be ready right when he steps on campus because of his ability to throw strikes. He has a very quick arm and will be in the upper 80s and low 90s, and his ability to spin the ball and throw the changeup is second to none.”
“Dustin has a three-pitch mix and will throw strikes. A guy with his size and with the velocity and command is ready-made. He has an opportunity to pitch right away because he can make pitches right now.
He is one of the top pitchers in strikeouts because he can change speed and throw strikes.”
Jack Conlon – RHP – 6-4, 210, R/R - Sugar Land, Texas (Clements HS)
Childress’ Take:
“Jack Conlon is an easy player to identify early in his career. He is a big, strong, physical guy. He has an over-powering fastball and polish on the mound. He is a guy that we continued to watch after he committed, and he looks good in maroon (playing for Twelve Baseball Academy). We are excited that he is coming in, and because of his advanced pitch-ability, he can come in and make an immediate impact.”
Seely’s Scout:
“The thing that got me really excited about Jack Conlon is that he can throw the changeup well. It is obviously a pitch that we use quite a bit. He really competed hard, and we recognized that. He has done nothing but get better as he has gotten older. His command has become better every time he takes the mound. He was the first guy we offered in this class.”
Childress’ Take:
“Tylor Fischer is a guy that we identified early. Coach Seely saw him and thought he was a very athletic, skinny, quick-armed kid. He was probably 6-1, 170 and we took a chance on him at 88-91 MPH. Now he is 6-3, 185 and is throwing 91-94 and has a quick arm and is very athletic. With work in the weight room, he has a chance to continue his ascent to being one of the best to come through Texas A&M.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Tylor reminds me so much of Corbin Martin from an ability standpoint. Corbin was probably more advanced in his strength at equal times, but Tylor has that quick of an arm and he will throw the ball hard. He is going to spin the ball well. He is a 6.6-runner. He plays centerfield for his high school team and is an incredible athlete. I think the opportunity to work with Coach McMillan (strength coach) and Coach Childress means the sky is the limit once he gets here and once he gets into a consistent routine and repeats his delivery on a day-in and day-out basis. He has really special ability.”
Nolan Hoffman – RHP – 6-3, 195, R/R – Lincoln, Nebraska (Southeast HS/Hutchinson JC)
“Nolan Hoffman is similar to Kyle Simonds in the fact he wasn’t ready to be a Division I guy out of high school. (Like Simonds), he went to Hutchison CC, which is one of the better ones in Kansas. We felt a need to sign an older guy with the turnover that we are going to have. He fit the mold and had a great freshman year. He has a nice three-pitch mix and throws a ton of strikes. He is very athletic and a hardworking kid who will only get better. He is going to have a great sophomore year at Hutch, and we feel very good about him being in our program. He is everything that we are about, and he is going to be a guy that pitches for us a lot and leads this team.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Nolan Hoffman was a slam dunk. It took 10 pitches to know that we had to go get that guy. He can pitch, and he can pitch with some stuff. He is a late bloomer who learned to pitch first and the stuff came later. Nolan has a chance to pitch for us form the day that he steps on campus for us.”
Christian Roa – RHP – 6-3, 190, R/R – Houston, Texas (Memorial HS)
Childress’ Take:
“Christian Roa just keeps growing and developing. He is a very good athlete who has a polished knowledge for pitching. He plays receiver for Memorial High School. He has an understanding of his body and his delivery and repeating that. He has an opportunity to have an immediate impact because he can flat-out pitch.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Christian Roa is a late bloomer and is a bit like Nolan. He can already pitch and his stuff is coming along. He is an extremely competitive guy. On top of his competitive nature, he has ability and that makes you feel good. We felt really good about him and we (are thrilled we were) able to solidify a commitment from him.”
Childress’ Take:
“Alex Scherff is as talented a pitcher as there is in the country. He has been at every All-American game across the country. He will be in the mid-90s when he is feeling good. Alex has beautiful arm action and has an incredibly advanced changeup. He has a chance to dominate the game right away. Alex is a player that we feel very lucky to get. He made a commitment to another school very early in his career … probably too early. He opened things back up and we got a chance to recruit him and we feel very blessed to have him in our program. To get him to campus will be special because he will make an impact right away. He is a guy that is very concerned about his diet and works very hard in the weight room and that hard work has helped propel him into being one of the top players in his class.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Alex has always been very talented. The thing that makes me feel the best about Alex is that he has gone through a stage in his maturation where his talent went backwards because of his work habits. Now he has alleviated that issue and his work habits are as good as any kid in the country. I would challenge anyone to see if they work as hard as he does. He has seen the results from that. The changeup is what will separate Alex. We have guys who will throw hard and Alex is one of them, but he can really throw the change and he can get guys off of the barrel. He has won a lot in his career. We are fortunate to have him and he can fill so many roles due to his versatility. We are excited to get him on campus.”
Zach DeLoach – OF/RHP – 6-1, 195, L/R – Lewisville, Texas (Hebron HS)
“Zach DeLoach just looks like a baseball player. He is incredibly competitive and is a great kid with a great makeup. He is coming in more on the position player side of things rather than being a pitcher. Pitching will be something we won’t take a hard look at and we will let him be a position player first. He is a left-handed hitter with an advanced swing who has a chance to be an everyday guy for us right away. He has all the makings of a guy who will be very special player for at least three years.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Zach has been the best left-handed hitter in his class in the DFW area for quite some time. He pitches out of necessity because he is the best athlete on the field. He is very competitive. His competitiveness and intensity matches his ability. He never throws away an at bat or inning and is always locked in on the field. He has a chance to have early success because he will not let an hour pass by that he won’t use in the proper fashion to give himself the opportunity to be successful. He thinks he will be a big leaguer but he thinks he will do it by going through college. He can play all three outfield positions and can pitch. For a guy who is left-handed, he has great versatility.”
Cam Haller - C – 5-10, 200, R/R - Marshall, Texas (Marshall HS)
Childress’ Take:
“We were excited to go back into the Piney Woods and get Cam Haller. We want to keep that (East Texas) pipeline hot. Cam is a special athlete and is the running back for his high school team. He is over 1,000 yards again this season has had a very special high school football career. He could have gone a lot of places for football but baseball is in his heart. He passes the eye test and is very physical and competitive on the baseball field. He can receive, block and throw and has great strength in his bat. He is a guy that we are blessed to have signed and he has all the makings of a guy that can be the straw who stirs the drink for us with his competitiveness and football background. The leadership qualities that he has gravitates players to him.”
“Everyone believes in Cam Haller and he believes in himself. He will never talk about himself and it is always about the team.
"When I see Cameron, I see flashbacks of (former 1st round draft pick) Courtney Hawkins. You cannot deny the strength and hand-eye coordination that Cameron possesses.
"People hold him in high regard and it is undeniable what he has an ability to be as a player and a person, and I want to be around a guy like that.”
Aaron Walters - C – 6-0, 195, L/R - Kerrville, Texas (Center Point HS)
Childress’ Take:
“Aaron is a coach’s kid. His sister is a catcher here for our softball team who is a great hitter herself. Aaron has a beautiful left-handed swing and a very advanced bat. He has a chance to be a guy that hits for us right away. He has a (great) look about him. The thing he will do for us is flat out hit. His maturity will allow him to get on the field at an early age. But his swing is going to allow him to be successful too.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Aaron can hit. When he stands in the box, he reminds me of Cole Lankford. He just has a little more strength than Cole did at the same age. He receives like Cole and throws a little better than Cole did at catcher. His dad is a coach and his sister is a catcher who can also hit. Aaron just has the indicators that show you he has the leadership qualities. He is a quarterback that scores just about every point that their high school scores. He can hit a line drive to left or can hit a ball over the right field fence. He can kind of do it all from an offensive standpoint.”
Childress’ Take:
“We were excited to get Will and he is not just limited to being a first baseman. He can play third and he is a big, strong, physical presence in the box who is not done growing yet. He is every bit of 6-4 and weighs 215 pounds and may not be finished [growing]. Will has a chance to hit and hit for power too. That is what is exciting about him. He is a hitter and can excite you in BP when he starts trying to elevate the ball to the pull side.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Left handed power is always hard to get and especially get to campus. With Will, the thing that made us feel good was his hitting tool and the eventual power to come. He obviously has power, but the ability to barrel up the ball and have the hand-eye coordination in high school is rare. He has the ability to do that in the SEC and he has some things that we think we can do to make him better. He is a better athlete than you would think he is. His lateral movement is good. He catches the ball well. He will play third base for his high school team and some first base. He is a well-rounded player that happens to be a big man. He has the ability to hit and we think the power will really come.”
Michael Helman – INF – 6-0, 190, R/R – Lincoln, Nebraska (Pius X HS/Hutchinson JC)
“We are excited to get (two) guys out of the Midwest by way of Hutchinson Community College. The thing that stands out about Michael is that he is great teammate. He played second base last year and hit over .400 with ten home runs. He can play all three infield spots and he makes all of the other players around him better.”
Seely’s Scout:
“You always want to make sure you are strong up the middle and Michael can do that for you. He can play third base as well. He brings experience to a class that will have a lot of freshmen and sophomores. He can do a lot of things. He was 24-of-25 on stolen bases. He hit ten home runs. He is competitive and athletic. You just feel like that guy has a chance to really impact your team, whether it is on defense or on offense or in the clubhouse. The addition (of Helman) was an easy one for us. Once we decided that we had room, we determined it was a need and we had to go after Michael. We’re fortunate to get him after he had a ton of offers late.”
Adam Hall – INF – 6-0, 180, R/R – London, Ontario, Canada (A.B. Lucas Secondary School)
Childress’ Take:
“This is the first guy from Canada we have signed. Adam plays for Adam Stern who played with Will and Justin (and for me) at Nebraska. He turned us on to Adam Hall and we were able to get him into a camp. The thing that stood out about him is his speed. He can really run and is a 6.2-6.3 runner who can play shortstop and swing the bat. He has continued to develop physically and his game has developed around that. He is a guy that we are going to work really hard to get to campus next fall. He resembles a Trea Turner-type of player who played at N.C. State.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Adam and (former A&M outfielder) Krey Bratsen are almost equal runners and with equal feel when running the bases. Both could really run around the bases. Adam’s feel to hit is far advanced for his age, which is the separator for him. He can really find the barrel. He is not a huge guy, but he is strong. I would liken him to Trea Turner who plays for the Nationals. I think Adam believes he will be a big leaguer, it is just how he will do it (college for pro out of high school). He could be along the lines of Alex Bregman, Dansby Swanson, and Trea Turner … guys who played in college and are great athletes. They can hit and get fast tracked to the big leagues. Adam has the chance to do that.”
Last week, the Aggies officially inked 13 players – 11 high school players and two junior college prospects – in the Class of 2017. The class is ranked No. 14 nationally by Perfect Game USA.
“We are very excited for this recruiting class,” A&M head coach Rob Childress said. “We have the best recruiting coordinator in the country in Justin Seely, who does such a great job identifying talent that fits who and what we are. The character has to match, and being at Texas A&M, we don’t have to sacrifice one for the other. The 13 guys that we signed have a chance to make an impact right away on and off the field.”
“We feel great about this recruiting class,” added assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Justin Seely. “The overarching goal is to strive for balance between position players and pitchers. I thought we got some great left-handed bats that we needed. We got some right-handed arms, but we were also able to add some quality left-handers, also.”
Ten of A&M’s signees hail from the state of Texas. Both JUCO signees are out of Lincoln, Nebraska and both currently play for Hutchinson Junior College in Kansas. A&M also signed one international player, Adam Hall from London, Ontario, who might be the top MLB Draft prospect in the Aggie class.
We will work from College Station to Houston and to the rest of Texas and then we will branch out for need. This year we have had some things fall our way and have been able to recruit some guys outside of the state.
“We will always work from Texas out,” Seely said. “We will work from College Station to Houston and to the rest of Texas and then we will branch out for need. "This year we have had some things fall our way and have been able to recruit some guys outside of the state, with the SEC being a big factor.
"Guys from up north like to come play down where the weather is warmer.
"But we are always going to work from home out. We were able to get outside of the state a couple of times in this class, and I think we will continue to do that as well.”
Seely and fellow assistant Will Bolt are both Texas high school products that played together at Nebraska, where Childress served as pitching coach. The staff utilized their strong Cornhusker ties to land all three out-of-staters in the 2017 class.
“To go into the Midwest and get guys is nice,” Childress said. “We have had success going out of state, but we don’t have to go out of state very often because there is so much talent in Texas. There has to either be a need or a tie somewhere or one or the other. We recruited two kids from Kansas Junior Colleges, who are both Lincoln products.
"The right-handed pitcher, Logan Hoffman, is ready to step in and be impactful right away. Michael Helman is just a baseball player. We recruited the middle infielder, Adam Hall, from Canada. He played for one of Coach Seely’s former teammates (at Nebraska). He is a special player, and we were able to get on him early. He can be a special player the moment he steps on campus.”
The class also features a bevy of big, strong, hard-throwing right-handers … a hallmark of the A&M program throughout the Childress era.
“All of the pitchers fit in, and they are all big, strong, physical guys that have a chance to overpower you and pitch right now,” Childress said. “When you have that combination, you feel like those guys can come in right away and be impactful. We are certainly going to need that with guys that we feel like we will lose to graduation and the Draft (after the 2017 season).”
Childress and Seely are confident that a large majority of the 13 recruits will be wearing maroon and white when the dust settles.
Speaking of the Draft, it is always difficult truly grading a signing class in baseball until the June Draft comes and goes and you find out exactly which prospects actually make it to campus. The same goes for this class, as no fewer than a half-dozen signees will have a shot at hearing their name called in June of ’17. But Childress and Seely are confident that a large majority of the 13 recruits will be wearing maroon and white when the dust settles.“I feel comfortable that we will get a big chunk of these guys on campus,” Seely said. “We have a lot to offer these guys come draft time. Our development now is better than it ever has been. We had 13 guys drafted (last year), which led the country. I do not see that trend stopping. We have a lot to sell, and that all starts with Coach Childress.”
“There is such an advantage to developing here over the next three years,” Childress added. “There are a number of guys that leave this league as a junior and less than a year later they are making their debuts (in the big leagues). That is what it is all about. Your dream and your goal is to become a big leaguer, and what sets yourself up to do that is being in college. You get to see the finish line of becoming a big leaguer if you attend college.”
Texas A&M's 2017 Baseball Signing Class:
- Asa Lacy - LHP – 6-4, 200, L/L – Kerrville, Texas (Tivy HS)
- Dustin Saenz – LHP – 5-10, 180, L/L – Corpus Christi, Texas (King HS)
- Jack Conlon – RHP – 6-4, 210, R/R - Sugar Land, Texas (Clements HS)
- Tylor Fischer – RHP – 6-4, 175, R/R – Houston, Texas (Langham Creek HS)
- Nolan Hoffman – RHP – 6-3, 195, R/R – Lincoln, Nebraska (Southeast HS/Hutchinson JC)
- Christian Roa – RHP – 6-3, 190, R/R – Houston, Texas (Memorial HS)
- Alex Scherff – RHP – 6-2, 195, R/R – Colleyville, Texas (Grapevine HS)
- Zach DeLoach – OF/RHP – 6-1, 195, L/R – Lewisville, Texas (Hebron HS)
- Cam Haller - C – 5-10, 200, R/R - Marshall, Texas (Marshall HS)
- Aaron Walters - C – 6-0, 195, L/R - Kerrville, Texas (Center Point HS)
- Will Frizzell - 1B – 6-5, 220, L/R - Rockwall, Texas (Rockwall HS)
- Michael Helman – INF – 6-0, 190, R/R – Lincoln, Nebraska (Pius X HS/Hutchinson JC)
- Adam Hall – INF – 6-0, 180, R/R – London, Ontario, Canada (A.B. Lucas Secondary School)
Breaking Down the Class of 2017
Asa Lacy - LHP – 6-4, 200, L/L – Kerrville, Texas (Tivy HS)
- Chose A&M over Texas, TCU and Baylor
- Chance he makes it to campus: 80%
- 2016 Perfect Game Underclass Honorable Mention All-American
- All-District 27-5A Second Team in 2016
- Played for the 2016 Texas Rangers Area Code team
- Ranked 87th prospect in Texas by MaxPreps
Asa Lacy is a guy who grew up in College Station, so he has a lot of maroon in his blood and an understanding of what Texas A&M University and Texas A&M baseball is all about.
Childress’ Take:“Asa Lacy is a guy who grew up in College Station, so he has a lot of maroon in his blood and an understanding of what Texas A&M University and Texas A&M baseball is all about. He plays for Chris Russ, who is one of the all-time greats here at A&M and a former GA here. Chris has done a great job with him. Asa is a very athletic, long bodied kid who has a great arm, and he keeps getting better. He is 6-3, 195 with a power arm that will only get better. We feel very lucky to have him committed and to get him back in Aggieland.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Asa commands the baseball, and he is going to have a power left-handed arm. He will throw the changeup and will throw the breaking ball. He is a good athlete who hits in the middle of the lineup for his high school team, as well. His dad was a tennis player, and he is a kid who gets bigger every time I see him. Asa kind of popped up on the scouts’ radar this fall. We will fight that in terms of the draft. He is a guy that grew up here and wants to be here. We feel good about our chances of getting him here. It is jut a matter of how the spring goes.”
Dustin Saenz – LHP – 5-10, 180, L/L – Corpus Christi, Texas (King HS)
- Chose A&M over Baylor, Houston, Oklahoma and A&M-CC
- Previously committed to A&M-CC
- Chance he makes it to campus: 99%
- 2016 Perfect Game Underclass Honorable Mention All-American
- 9-1 with a 0.58 ERA and 124 strikeouts in 73.0 innings in the 2016 campaign
- Ranked second among all Class 6A pitchers with 124 strikeouts as a junior
- 2016 Class 6A All-State First Team by Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association
- 2016 6A All-State Honorable Mention by the Texas Sports Writers Association
Childress’ Take:
“Dustin Saenz does a lot more than you think will come out of his body being 5-10. If he doesn’t lead the state in strikeouts he has to be in the top three. He has a very quick arm and throws three pitches for strikes. He is extremely competitive and is a guy that we got on this summer and are very blessed to have him in our program. He will be ready right when he steps on campus because of his ability to throw strikes. He has a very quick arm and will be in the upper 80s and low 90s, and his ability to spin the ball and throw the changeup is second to none.”
A guy with his size and with the velocity and command is ready-made.
Seely’s Scout:“Dustin has a three-pitch mix and will throw strikes. A guy with his size and with the velocity and command is ready-made. He has an opportunity to pitch right away because he can make pitches right now.
He is one of the top pitchers in strikeouts because he can change speed and throw strikes.”
Jack Conlon – RHP – 6-4, 210, R/R - Sugar Land, Texas (Clements HS)
- Chose A&M over Texas, TCU, LSU, Arkansas and Miami
- Chance he makes it to campus: 75%
- All-District 23-6A Second Team in 2016
- Notched a 1.56 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 22.1 innings in 2016
- 2015 Perfect Game Underclass 2nd Team All-American
- 2016 Perfect Game Underclass 1st Team All-American
- Earned Top 10 honors in his age group at the 2015 Under Armour All-America Pre-Season Tournament
- 2015 Under Armour Futures Texas Showcase
- 2016 Under Armour All-America Game
- Selected to play for the Texas Rangers Area Code Team in 2016
Childress’ Take:
“Jack Conlon is an easy player to identify early in his career. He is a big, strong, physical guy. He has an over-powering fastball and polish on the mound. He is a guy that we continued to watch after he committed, and he looks good in maroon (playing for Twelve Baseball Academy). We are excited that he is coming in, and because of his advanced pitch-ability, he can come in and make an immediate impact.”
Seely’s Scout:
“The thing that got me really excited about Jack Conlon is that he can throw the changeup well. It is obviously a pitch that we use quite a bit. He really competed hard, and we recognized that. He has done nothing but get better as he has gotten older. His command has become better every time he takes the mound. He was the first guy we offered in this class.”
With work in the weight room, he has a chance to continue his ascent to being one of the best to come through Texas A&M.
Tylor Fischer – RHP – 6-4, 175, R/R – Houston, Texas (Langham Creek HS)- Chose A&M over Texas, Rice and Houston
- Chance he makes it to campus: 50%
- 2016 Perfect Game Underclass 1st Team All-American
- Ranked 37th in Texas, 286th nationally by MaxPreps
- 6-2 with 49 K’s and an ERA of 3.12. Hit .371 with 8 doubles, 5 triples, 4 home runs and 27 RBI in 2016.
- All-District 17-6A First Team outfielder.
- Selected to play for the Texas Rangers Area Code Team.
Childress’ Take:
“Tylor Fischer is a guy that we identified early. Coach Seely saw him and thought he was a very athletic, skinny, quick-armed kid. He was probably 6-1, 170 and we took a chance on him at 88-91 MPH. Now he is 6-3, 185 and is throwing 91-94 and has a quick arm and is very athletic. With work in the weight room, he has a chance to continue his ascent to being one of the best to come through Texas A&M.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Tylor reminds me so much of Corbin Martin from an ability standpoint. Corbin was probably more advanced in his strength at equal times, but Tylor has that quick of an arm and he will throw the ball hard. He is going to spin the ball well. He is a 6.6-runner. He plays centerfield for his high school team and is an incredible athlete. I think the opportunity to work with Coach McMillan (strength coach) and Coach Childress means the sky is the limit once he gets here and once he gets into a consistent routine and repeats his delivery on a day-in and day-out basis. He has really special ability.”
Nolan Hoffman – RHP – 6-3, 195, R/R – Lincoln, Nebraska (Southeast HS/Hutchinson JC)
- Chose A&M over Arkansas and Nebraska
- Chance he makes it to campus: 65%
- 3.06 ERA with an 8-3 record and 87 strikeouts at Hutchinson Community College in 2016
- Worked five complete games and one shutout in 2016
- 2016 All-Jayhawk Conference Second Team
Nolan Hoffman was a slam dunk. It took 10 pitches to know that we had to go get that guy. He can pitch, and he can pitch with some stuff
Childress’ Take:“Nolan Hoffman is similar to Kyle Simonds in the fact he wasn’t ready to be a Division I guy out of high school. (Like Simonds), he went to Hutchison CC, which is one of the better ones in Kansas. We felt a need to sign an older guy with the turnover that we are going to have. He fit the mold and had a great freshman year. He has a nice three-pitch mix and throws a ton of strikes. He is very athletic and a hardworking kid who will only get better. He is going to have a great sophomore year at Hutch, and we feel very good about him being in our program. He is everything that we are about, and he is going to be a guy that pitches for us a lot and leads this team.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Nolan Hoffman was a slam dunk. It took 10 pitches to know that we had to go get that guy. He can pitch, and he can pitch with some stuff. He is a late bloomer who learned to pitch first and the stuff came later. Nolan has a chance to pitch for us form the day that he steps on campus for us.”
Christian Roa – RHP – 6-3, 190, R/R – Houston, Texas (Memorial HS)
- Chose A&M over Texas and Virginia
- Chance he makes it to campus: 99%
- 2016 Texas Prep Class 6A All-Houston Honorable Mention Utility Player
- 2016 All-District 18-6A First Team
Childress’ Take:
“Christian Roa just keeps growing and developing. He is a very good athlete who has a polished knowledge for pitching. He plays receiver for Memorial High School. He has an understanding of his body and his delivery and repeating that. He has an opportunity to have an immediate impact because he can flat-out pitch.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Christian Roa is a late bloomer and is a bit like Nolan. He can already pitch and his stuff is coming along. He is an extremely competitive guy. On top of his competitive nature, he has ability and that makes you feel good. We felt really good about him and we (are thrilled we were) able to solidify a commitment from him.”
Alex Scherff is as talented a pitcher as there is in the country. He has been at every All-American game across the country. He will be in the mid-90s when he is feeling good.
Alex Scherff – RHP – 6-2, 195, R/R – Colleyville, Texas (Grapevine HS)- Chose A&M over Texas, TCU and Arizona State
- Previously committed to ASU
- Chance he makes it to campus: 25%
- Ranked #6 in 2017 MLB Top 100 Prospects
- 2016 Under Armour All-American Game
- 2016 All-DFW Third Team
- 2016 TAPPS 5A State Champion
- 11-0 record and a 0.75 ERA in 2016
Childress’ Take:
“Alex Scherff is as talented a pitcher as there is in the country. He has been at every All-American game across the country. He will be in the mid-90s when he is feeling good. Alex has beautiful arm action and has an incredibly advanced changeup. He has a chance to dominate the game right away. Alex is a player that we feel very lucky to get. He made a commitment to another school very early in his career … probably too early. He opened things back up and we got a chance to recruit him and we feel very blessed to have him in our program. To get him to campus will be special because he will make an impact right away. He is a guy that is very concerned about his diet and works very hard in the weight room and that hard work has helped propel him into being one of the top players in his class.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Alex has always been very talented. The thing that makes me feel the best about Alex is that he has gone through a stage in his maturation where his talent went backwards because of his work habits. Now he has alleviated that issue and his work habits are as good as any kid in the country. I would challenge anyone to see if they work as hard as he does. He has seen the results from that. The changeup is what will separate Alex. We have guys who will throw hard and Alex is one of them, but he can really throw the change and he can get guys off of the barrel. He has won a lot in his career. We are fortunate to have him and he can fill so many roles due to his versatility. We are excited to get him on campus.”
Zach DeLoach – OF/RHP – 6-1, 195, L/R – Lewisville, Texas (Hebron HS)
- Chose A&M over Texas, TCU, Baylor and Oklahoma State
- Chance he makes it to campus: 75%
- 2016 Class 6A All-State First Team by Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association
- 2016 TWSA Class 6A All-State Third Team as outfielder and Honorable Mention as a pitcher
- Named 2016 District 6-6A MVP
- 2016 Perfect Game Underclass 2nd Team All-American
- 2016 Texas Rangers Area Code team
- Posted a 9-3 record with a 0.65 ERA and 108 strikeouts over 75.0 innings in 2016
He is a left-handed hitter with an advanced swing who has a chance to be an everyday guy for us right away. He has all the makings of a guy who will be very special player for at least three years.
Childress’ Take:“Zach DeLoach just looks like a baseball player. He is incredibly competitive and is a great kid with a great makeup. He is coming in more on the position player side of things rather than being a pitcher. Pitching will be something we won’t take a hard look at and we will let him be a position player first. He is a left-handed hitter with an advanced swing who has a chance to be an everyday guy for us right away. He has all the makings of a guy who will be very special player for at least three years.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Zach has been the best left-handed hitter in his class in the DFW area for quite some time. He pitches out of necessity because he is the best athlete on the field. He is very competitive. His competitiveness and intensity matches his ability. He never throws away an at bat or inning and is always locked in on the field. He has a chance to have early success because he will not let an hour pass by that he won’t use in the proper fashion to give himself the opportunity to be successful. He thinks he will be a big leaguer but he thinks he will do it by going through college. He can play all three outfield positions and can pitch. For a guy who is left-handed, he has great versatility.”
Cam Haller - C – 5-10, 200, R/R - Marshall, Texas (Marshall HS)
- Chose A&M over a college football career
- Chance he makes it to campus: 99%
- 2016 Perfect Game Underclass Honorable Mention All-American
- Batted .370 with five doubles, one triple, six home runs, 24 runs and 18 RBI as a junior
- Threw out 23 of 39 attempted base stealers in 2016
- Varsity career BA .388 BA, .518 OBP, 59 hits, 41 RBIs, .989 Fielding %
- 2016 Class 5A All-State Third Team by Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association
- 2016 Texas SportsWriters Association Class 5A All-State Honorable Mention
- All-time leading rusher in Marshall High School history
Childress’ Take:
“We were excited to go back into the Piney Woods and get Cam Haller. We want to keep that (East Texas) pipeline hot. Cam is a special athlete and is the running back for his high school team. He is over 1,000 yards again this season has had a very special high school football career. He could have gone a lot of places for football but baseball is in his heart. He passes the eye test and is very physical and competitive on the baseball field. He can receive, block and throw and has great strength in his bat. He is a guy that we are blessed to have signed and he has all the makings of a guy that can be the straw who stirs the drink for us with his competitiveness and football background. The leadership qualities that he has gravitates players to him.”
When I see Cameron, I see flashbacks of (former 1st round draft pick) Courtney Hawkins. You cannot deny the strength and hand-eye coordination that Cameron possesses.
Seely’s Scout:“Everyone believes in Cam Haller and he believes in himself. He will never talk about himself and it is always about the team.
"When I see Cameron, I see flashbacks of (former 1st round draft pick) Courtney Hawkins. You cannot deny the strength and hand-eye coordination that Cameron possesses.
"People hold him in high regard and it is undeniable what he has an ability to be as a player and a person, and I want to be around a guy like that.”
Aaron Walters - C – 6-0, 195, L/R - Kerrville, Texas (Center Point HS)
- Chose A&M over Texas and Texas State
- Chance he makes it to campus: 99%
- 2016 Perfect Game Underclass High Honorable Mention All-American
- Had a .539 batting average with 14 doubles, 7 home runs, 26 RBI and 27 Runs in 2016
- 2016 29-2A District MVP
- 2016 Texas Sportswriters Association All-State Second-Team
- Selected to the 2016 Texas Rangers Area Code Team
- Sister, Ashley, is the starting catcher on the Texas Aggie softball team
Childress’ Take:
“Aaron is a coach’s kid. His sister is a catcher here for our softball team who is a great hitter herself. Aaron has a beautiful left-handed swing and a very advanced bat. He has a chance to be a guy that hits for us right away. He has a (great) look about him. The thing he will do for us is flat out hit. His maturity will allow him to get on the field at an early age. But his swing is going to allow him to be successful too.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Aaron can hit. When he stands in the box, he reminds me of Cole Lankford. He just has a little more strength than Cole did at the same age. He receives like Cole and throws a little better than Cole did at catcher. His dad is a coach and his sister is a catcher who can also hit. Aaron just has the indicators that show you he has the leadership qualities. He is a quarterback that scores just about every point that their high school scores. He can hit a line drive to left or can hit a ball over the right field fence. He can kind of do it all from an offensive standpoint.”
With Will, the thing that made us feel good was his hitting tool and the eventual power to come. He obviously has power, but the ability to barrel up the ball and have the hand-eye coordination in high school is rare.
Will Frizzell - 1B – 6-5, 220, L/R - Rockwall, Texas (Rockwall HS)- Chose A&M over Arkansas, Ole Miss, Oklahoma State and Pepperdine
- Chance he makes it to campus: 99%
- 2016 Perfect Game Underclass High Honorable Mention All-American
- 17U National Development Program Alternate
- Participant in the 2016 Under Armour Baseball Factory Team One Showcase
- Named All-District 11-6A First Team in 2016
Childress’ Take:
“We were excited to get Will and he is not just limited to being a first baseman. He can play third and he is a big, strong, physical presence in the box who is not done growing yet. He is every bit of 6-4 and weighs 215 pounds and may not be finished [growing]. Will has a chance to hit and hit for power too. That is what is exciting about him. He is a hitter and can excite you in BP when he starts trying to elevate the ball to the pull side.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Left handed power is always hard to get and especially get to campus. With Will, the thing that made us feel good was his hitting tool and the eventual power to come. He obviously has power, but the ability to barrel up the ball and have the hand-eye coordination in high school is rare. He has the ability to do that in the SEC and he has some things that we think we can do to make him better. He is a better athlete than you would think he is. His lateral movement is good. He catches the ball well. He will play third base for his high school team and some first base. He is a well-rounded player that happens to be a big man. He has the ability to hit and we think the power will really come.”
Michael Helman – INF – 6-0, 190, R/R – Lincoln, Nebraska (Pius X HS/Hutchinson JC)
- Chose A&M over Houston, Alabama, Arkansas and Kansas State
- Percent chance he makes it to campus: 99%
- 2016 ABCA/Rawlings NJCAA Division I Baseball Gold Glove Team as a second baseman
- 2016 All-Jayhawk West First Team
- 2016 All-Region VI First Team
- Hit .416 with 20 doubles, 2 triples, 9 home runs, 58 RBI and 64 runs with 30 multi-hit games in 2016 and stole 24 bases in 25 tries
The thing that stands out about Michael is that he is great teammate. He played second base last year and hit over .400 with ten home runs.
Childress’ Take:“We are excited to get (two) guys out of the Midwest by way of Hutchinson Community College. The thing that stands out about Michael is that he is great teammate. He played second base last year and hit over .400 with ten home runs. He can play all three infield spots and he makes all of the other players around him better.”
Seely’s Scout:
“You always want to make sure you are strong up the middle and Michael can do that for you. He can play third base as well. He brings experience to a class that will have a lot of freshmen and sophomores. He can do a lot of things. He was 24-of-25 on stolen bases. He hit ten home runs. He is competitive and athletic. You just feel like that guy has a chance to really impact your team, whether it is on defense or on offense or in the clubhouse. The addition (of Helman) was an easy one for us. Once we decided that we had room, we determined it was a need and we had to go after Michael. We’re fortunate to get him after he had a ton of offers late.”
Adam Hall – INF – 6-0, 180, R/R – London, Ontario, Canada (A.B. Lucas Secondary School)
- Chose A&M over Michigan
- Chance he makes it to campus: 35%
- 2016 Perfect Game Underclass 2nd Team All-American
- 2016 Yankees Area Code Games
- Participant in 2016 Perfect Game All-American Classic (only Canadian player)
Childress’ Take:
“This is the first guy from Canada we have signed. Adam plays for Adam Stern who played with Will and Justin (and for me) at Nebraska. He turned us on to Adam Hall and we were able to get him into a camp. The thing that stood out about him is his speed. He can really run and is a 6.2-6.3 runner who can play shortstop and swing the bat. He has continued to develop physically and his game has developed around that. He is a guy that we are going to work really hard to get to campus next fall. He resembles a Trea Turner-type of player who played at N.C. State.”
Seely’s Scout:
“Adam and (former A&M outfielder) Krey Bratsen are almost equal runners and with equal feel when running the bases. Both could really run around the bases. Adam’s feel to hit is far advanced for his age, which is the separator for him. He can really find the barrel. He is not a huge guy, but he is strong. I would liken him to Trea Turner who plays for the Nationals. I think Adam believes he will be a big leaguer, it is just how he will do it (college for pro out of high school). He could be along the lines of Alex Bregman, Dansby Swanson, and Trea Turner … guys who played in college and are great athletes. They can hit and get fast tracked to the big leagues. Adam has the chance to do that.”
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