SAN MARCOS, Texas – The first recruiting class under new baseball head coach Steven Trout saw 16 sign with Texas State. The class consists of 12 high school seniors and four junior college transfers.
 
Joining the Bobcats for the 2021 season will be Peyton Benesh, Colby Cooke, Jerry Cuevas, Triston Dixon, Jose Gonzalez, Logan Hamm, Josh Hernandez, Carson Keithley, Cade Manning, Jonathan Martinez, Fabian Mayfield, Rhett McCaffety, Ben McClain, Cade Medlin, Kole Tauzin and Zeke Wood.
 
"I am really excited about this signing class and the future of Texas State baseball. These guys have a chance to come in right away and have an impact on our success," said Trout. "I'm very thankful of all the hard work Josh Blakley and Chad Massengale put in to sign such a talented class. This will always be a special class to me as it will be my first one as the head coach at Texas State. It's an exciting day to be a Bobcat!"
 
Peyton Benesh | SS | R/R | 6-1 | 172
Austin, Texas | James Bowie HS
Benesh is a three-year starter at shortstop for James Bowie High School. This past season saw him finish with a top 15 batting average in the district. As a sophomore, he was named the District 14-6A Newcomer of the Year.
 
The future Bobcat also received offers from Houston and UT Rio Grande Valley.
 
Blakley on Benesh: "Peyton is another player who we have liked for a long time. He has plus defensive actions and is a true shortstop that has the range and arm strength to make every play. Peyton has good feel for his barrel and should develop into a solid all-around player on the left side of the infield."

Colby Cooke | LHP | L/L | 5-10 | 187
Spring, Texas | Oak Ridge HS
Cooke is a three-time letterwinner at Oak Ridge High School in Conroe, Texas. The left-handed hurler helped lead the War Eagles to a 20-9-1 record and the Area Round of the UIL 6A Region 2 tournament. He posted a 5-0 record with a 0.78 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 36 innings as a junior. Opponents hit .153 off him while also posting a .988 WHIP.

With his performance on the mound, Cooke was selected to participate in teh Houston Area Baseball Coaches Association All-State Game.

Blakley on Cooke: "Colby is a player I have been watching for a couple of years. His pitch ability is through the roof as he commands three quality pitches. Last spring, he physically matured and made a big jump in velocity. It is hard to find left-handed pitchers with swing and miss stuff, and we're fired up to see how he can impact our staff."

Jerry Cuevas | RHP | R/R | 6-0 | 190
Southlake, Texas | Southlake Carroll HS
Cuevas is a right-handed pitcher from Southlake Carroll High School. He was named as a Perfect Game Underclass All-American Honorable Mention in 2018. Cuevas was originally committed to Houston before decomitting and signing with the Bobcats. He will be joining fellow Dragon Cade Manning on the team next season.

Blakley on Cuevas: "Jerry is one of the best prep arms in the state of Texas. With a low 90s arm and a couple of wipeout off-speed pitches, he should have the ability to start ball games right away. Jerry's future is bright as a Bobcat."
 
Triston Dixon | RHP | R/R | 6-0 | 175
Conroe, Texas | Angelina College | Brookhaven College | Corrigan-Camden HS
Dixon will have two years of eligibility remaining after arriving in San Marcos from Angelina College. This past spring, he played at Brookhaven College in Farmers Branch, Texas and helped the Bears reach the NJCAA Division III World Series.
 
He made 21 appearances on the rubber and posted a 9-4 mark with one save. Dixon recorded a 3.63 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 74.1 innings to earn All-Region V First Team honors and was twice named the conference's Pitcher of the Week.
 
Dixon graduated from Corrigan-Camden High School. As a senior, he received the District 22-3A Pitcher of the Year award and was selected to the Texas vs. Louisiana All-Star Game. Dixon as an All-District 22-3A First Team selection in 2017 and a second team honoree in 2016.
 
He picked the Bobcats over interest from Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston State, ULM and UT Arlington.
 
Blakley on Dixon: "Triston is one of my favorite guys I have ever recruited. He has an arsenal of four pitches that he will throw in any count and has unreal command of a good fastball. Another proven winner, Triston won nine games last year and led Brookhaven to the NJCAA World Series. His pitchability is unmatched and I look for him to throw high leverage innings for us in 2021."
 
Jose Gonzalez | 1B/OF | L/L | 6-0 | 220
Spring, Texas | Navarro College | Klein HS
Gonzalez is coming off a freshman campaign in which he hit .329 with 12 home runs, 51 RBI and scored 52 runs. He also recorded 12 doubles and drew 32 walks.
 
The future Bobcat helped lead Navarro College to a 41-18 record and the semifinals of the NJCAA Division I Baseball World Series. During the tournament, he hit five homers and drove in 16 runs with a .500 batting average. Gonzalez also became the 12th player in JUCO World Series history, and the first in 10 years, to hit three home runs in a single game, doing so in a 10-6 win over two-time defending champion Chipola. He would go on to be named to the all-tournament team and receive The Homa Thomas Sportsmanship Award.
 
Gonzalez graduated from Klein High School in Klein, Texas. Twice he was an All-District 15-6A First Team selection and was named the district's Newcomer of the Year in 2016 as a sophomore.
 
He signed with TXST over offers from Dallas Baptist, Houston, McNeese, South Alabama and UT Arlington.
 
Blakley on Gonzalez: "Jose is one of the premier left-handed hitters in the state of Texas. He is another former district MVP and an all-conference performer at Navarro College who helped his team to the NJCAA World Series. Jose is an instant impact hitter, who should hit in the middle of an older, talented lineup next season. He gives us some options as he split time between left field and first base last year. Look for him to hit some baseballs out of Bobcat Ballpark."
 
Logan Hamm | C/OF | L/R | 6-0 | 210
Bridge City, Texas | Bridge City HS
Hamm is coming off a 2019 season in which he was named an honorable mention TSWA 4A All-State honoree at both third base and as a relief pitcher. He also earned the All-District 22-4A Offensive MVP accolade this past year after batting .385 with five home runs, 34 RBI, 33 runs and 37 walks. On the mound, he went 3-1 with four saves, a 0.80 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 43 innings.
 
His sophomore campaign at the plate saw Hamm hit .381 with three homers, 18 RBI, 27 runs and draw 35 walks, while the hill he was 3-0 with three saves, a 1.15 ERA and 27 strikeouts over 20 innings. He wrapped up the year receiving THSBCA 4A All-State second team honors at third base while being a TSWA 4A All-State honorable mention selection at both third and as a reliever. Other awards the Bridge City, Texas native picked up as a sophomore were District 22-4A Offensive MVP and All-District 22-4A First Team.
 
As a freshman, Hamm compiled a .327 batting average with four home runs, 23 RBI and 33 runs scored at the dish. He posted a 5-2 record with three saves, 1.83 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 31 innings on the mound. The future Bobcat would go on to be named to the District 22-4A First Team.
 
Hamm choose the Bobcats over offers from Baylor, Houston, Oklahoma, Rice, Texas A&M and Louisiana.
 
Blakley on Hamm: "Logan is another guy we have watched and liked for a couple of years. He is 'tooled up' and has the strength to hit a baseball a long way from the left side of the plate. An elite runner with a big arm, Logan has the ability to play multiple positions and impact the game in many ways. He is a true middle of the order hitter and I look forward to seeing how we can get him on the field early in his career."
 
Josh Hernandez | RHP | R/R | 6-2 | 185
Frisco, Texas | Reedy HS
Hernandez is coming off a 2019 campaign in which he earned All-District 7-5A Second Team honors at Reedy High School. He also played wide receiver for the Lions football team.
 
The future Bobcat played club ball for the Dallas Patriots 2020 and led them to a 20-7-5 record this past summer. He would be named to the 2019 Perfect Game 17U South Invitational All-Tournament Team.
 
Hernandez choose Texas State over offers from New Mexico, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and UTSA.
 
Blakley on Hernandez: "Josh is one of those overly gifted kids who is blessed with a great arm. He is already reaching back and consistently throwing in the lows 90s, and I wouldn't be surprised to see big velocity numbers from him in the future. With some development, he projects as a true frontline arm who could become a major prospect."
 
Carson Keithley | LHP/OF | L/L | 5-11 | 170
Alvin, Texas | Alvin HS
Keithley comes in ranked as the third best left-handed pitcher in the state of Texas for the 2020 high school graduating class by Texas Prep Baseball Report. He was named to the All-District 24-6A First Team earlier this year and was a second team pick as a sophomore.
 
This summer Keithley was selected to play in the Houston Area Baseball Coaches Association All-Star Game.
 
He comes from a baseball family as his dad, Scott, played collegiately at Houston from 1995-97 and was a 72nd round pick of the San Diego Padres of the 1993 draft.
 
Keithley chose Texas State over interest from Houston, Liberty, Pepperdine, Tulane and UTSA.
 
Blakley on Keithley: "Carson is a left-handed pitcher who is one of the most competitive kids I have ever seen. Every time I watch him pitch, he wins. He commands the zone with a three-pitch mix and strikes a lot of hitters out. Carson is also a great athlete who can dunk a basketball at 5'11" and has the ability to really swing the bat form the left side. It will be fun to watch him compete as a Bobcat."
 
Cade Manning | INF | L/R | 6-0 | 185
Southlake, Texas | Southlake Carroll HS
Manning will arrive to San Marcos from Southlake Carroll High School. In 2019, he was named to the UIL 6A All-State Tournament First Team and was a TSWA 6A All-State Honorable Mention selection at third base. He helped lead the Dragons to a 33-11 record and win the UIL 6A State Championship. The team also finished the year ranked 12th in the nation by MaxPreps and 21st in the Xcellent Top 25.
 
The 2019 season saw Manning bat .432 with 28 RBI, 31 runs, 11 doubles, seven stolen bases and a .496 on-base percentage. His performance earned him All-District 5-6A Offensive MVP honors and be named to the all-area team.
 
Manning selected Texas State over offers from Rice, TCU and UT Arlington.
 
Blakley on Manning: "Anytime you get a chance to sign a District MVP and a state champion, it's a good sign. Cade hits from the left side and hit well over .400 in one of the better districts in the state of Texas. He is an elite infielder and has a chance to make an instant impact on our lineup."
 
Jonathan Martinez | RHP | R/R | 6-0 | 215
Mission, Texas | Palmview HS
Martinez is coming off a 9-1 season on the mound with a 0.62 ERA. He struck out 93 in 78.2 innings with four complete games and shutouts. His performance on the hill earned him THSBCA 5A All-State First Team, The Monitor All-Area First Team and the District 31-5A Pitcher of the Year accolades.
 
At the plate, Martinez batted .340 with 25 RBI, 21 runs scored and seven doubles. He helped the Lobos reach the regional quarterfinals.
 
Martinez choose the Bobcats over interest from Houston, Incarnate Word and UT Rio Grande Valley.
 
Blakley on Martinez: "Jonathan was first team all-state last spring and is another district Pitcher of the Year from South Texas. The first time we saw him, he threw a perfect game with 14 strikeouts. He throws a heavy fastball with a nasty slider and finished his junior year ranked fourth in the state in strikeouts. Jonathan has always commanded the zone and should compete for innings from the day he walks on campus."

Fabian Mayfield | INF | R/R | 6-5 | 235
Cypress, Texas | Cypress Ranch HS
Mayfield is a right-handed hitting first baseman from Cypress Ranch High School. Last year saw him lead the Mustangs to a 34-6-1 record and the UIL 6A Regional Finals. He batted .303 with nine doubles, four home runs and two triples. Mayfield also drove in 32 runs and scored 27 times. His performance earned him All-District 14-6A honorable mention honors.

As a sophomore, he played in 17 games on the varsity squad and hit .389 (14-for-36) with three doubles, three homers, 13 runs scored and 12 RBI.

Blakley on Mayfield: "Not many high school aged kids have more raw power than Fabian. His size and strength allow him to miss the barrel and still leave the ballpark at times. We are ecstatic about his potential and the presence he will provide in the lineup."
 
Rhett McCaffety | LHP/OF | L/L | 5-11 | 195
Houston, Texas | Cy-Fair HS
McCaffety will graduate from Cy-Fair High School in Cypress, Texas. The lefty is coming off being named the District 17-6A Pitcher of the Year. He also picked up academic all-district and the team's Defensive Player of the Year honors.
 
During his prep career, McCaffety has pitched two no-hitters and one perfect game. The future Bobcat also struck out 16 in a contest and recorded four wins in the UIL Playoffs.
 
McCaffety plays club ball for the Hunter Pence Baseball Academy. This past summer, he helped the team go 44-8-2 while picking up all-tournament honors five times.
 
The Houston native choose Texas State over offers from Stephen F. Austin, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and UT Rio Grande Valley.
 
Blakley on McCaffety: "Rhett has been one of my favorite players in Texas for a couple of years. He is a true two-way player as a left-handed pitcher and outfielder. Rhett is a great athlete and was the Pitcher of the Year in a tough Cypress district. His velocity made a jump in the later parts of the summer and he continues to impress with his power from the left side of the plate. We are excited to see how he will impact our program."

Ben McClain | OF | L/L | 5-11 | 195
Pearland, Texas | Howard College
McClain is a left-handed hitting outfielder and will have two years of eligibility remaining when he arrives on campus next Fall. Last season with Howard College, he batted .298 with 56 hits, 10 doubles, four home runs and two triples. The future Bobcat drove in 39 runs and scored 66 times. McClain was also 12-for-14 stealing bases and drew 37 walks while striking out just 28 times.

The 2018 season was a redshirt year for McClain at Arkansas. As a prep standout at Lee's Summit West High School in Missouri, he was ranked at the 18th best player in the Show Me State by Perfect Game. McClain helped lead the team to the Missouri Class 5 State Tournament semifinals in 2016.

Blakley on McClain: "Ben is another talented left-handed hitter in this class. He has fantastic barrel awareness and shows the ability to produce a lot of extra-base hits. As a plus-centerfielder, he takes pride in his ability to track down baseballs. Look for Ben to hit in the top half of the Bobcat lineup for the next couple of years."
 
Cade Medlin | RHP | R/R | 6-2 | 195
Diana, Texas | New Diana HS
Medlin had a breakout year on the mound this past spring. He recorded a 4-3 record with a 1.49 ERA in 20 relief appearance. In those games, he struck out 85 and held opponents to a .146 batting average.
 
The Longview News-Journal named him honorable mention All-East Texas and he earned the District 15-3A Pitcher of the Year.
 
Medlin played summer ball for Performance Baseball and helped the team compile a 23-7-2 record. He helped the program reach No. 12 in the Perfect Game rankings while earning multiple all-tournament team accolades.
 
He picked the Bobcats over interest from Air Force, Dallas Baptist and Stephen F. Austin.
 
Blakley on Medlin: "Cade is a physical right-handed pitcher with some high-level stuff. His fastball gets into the low 90s, but his signature pitch is the breaking ball. Cade commands the zone and his slider will give him a chance to get high leverage innings for us right away."

Kole Tauzin | RHP | R/R | 5-11 | 195
Klein, Texas | Klein HS
Tauzin is a three-year letterwinner at Klein High School under the direction of Barry Smith. A right-handed pitcher, last year Tauzin helped the Bearkats go 16-13 and reach the UIL Region 2-6A quarterfinals.

Blakley on Tauzin: "My favorite thing about Kole is his competitiveness when he takes the mound. A standout middle linebacker in football, he has the ability to harness that same aggression when attacking hitters. The breaking ball is definitely a swing-and-miss pitch, and I believe he will improve quickly when given the opportunity to focus on baseball year round. We expect big things from Kole."
 
Zeke Wood | RHP | R/R | 6-6 | 240
Paris, Texas | North Central Texas College | North Lamar HS
Wood made 13 appearances on the mound for North Central Texas College in 2019. He posted a 7-3 record with a 3.18 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 70.2 innings. In his final start of the season, Wood struck out a season-high nine batters over seven innings of a 6-1 win over Midland College.
 
The right-hander hurler graduated from North Lamar High School in Paris, Texas. His junior year saw him be named the District 14-4A Newcomer of the Year. He was also a Texas Scholar and member of the Beta Club.
 
Wood signed with TXST over offers from Central Arkansas, Houston Baptist, Lamar, McNeese, New Orleans, New Mexico, Northern Colorado, Sam Houston State, Texas Tech and UT Arlington.
 
Blakley on Wood: "Zeke is a big dude with a bigger arm as he routinely touches low to mid 90s with plus command of a couple of off-speed pitches. We are bringing him in here to pitch at the top end of our staff and win games for us right away. He has a winning track record as a two-time district MVP and he recently won eight games in junior college in the highly competitive Region 5 North Conference. Look for Zeke to make an instant impact."