The 2026 Texas high school baseball season is quickly approaching and, as usual, excitement is abound throughout the state. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across Texas.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in Austin at the UIL State Tournament in June, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality. We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams across the state as we preview individual teams across Texas. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews, eventually releasing our Preseason Power 30 rankings that’ll carry us into the opening week of action.

Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across the state. Each week we will be releasing our Players of the Week and updating the Power 25 rankings.

Our 2026 preseason coverage continues today.

High School: Pflugerville Panthers
Head Coach: Dale Waggoner (160 Career Wins … 6 Playoff Appearances in 10 years)
UIL Classification: 23-5A
Team Strengths: Pitching & Defense
2025 Record: 8-18-1
Key Players Lost: N/A

 

---

ROSTER PREVIEW

---

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

• 1B Cole Taylor (2026; Wharton Junior College) - 2025 THSBCA First Team All-State, 2025 THSCA Super Elite Team, 2025 1st Team All-District, 2024 1st Team All District, All Cen-Tex Honorable Mention, 2023 1st Team All-District, All Cen-Tex Newcomer of the Year
• Number of Returning Position Players: 6
• Number of Returning Starting Pitchers: 3
• Number of Returning Relief Pitchers: 1

---

TOP NEWCOMERS

• RHP Sterling Salicki (2026)
• INF/RHP Jackson Walchak (2027)
• CF/LHP Erik Reynaga (2027)

---

FRESHMEN TO FOLLOW

• LHP Miles Brocato (2029)
• INF Trent Tijerina (2029)
• INF Isaiah Smith (2029)
• LHP/OF Benjamin Lemmons (2029)
• OF Finnegan Green (2029)

---

TEAM OUTLOOK

The Pflugerville Panthers enter the 2026 season looking to build on their core strengths of pitching and defense under the leadership of Head Coach Dale Waggoner. After finishing the 2025 season with an 8-18-1 record, the team returns a solid foundation of six position players, three starting pitchers, and one relief pitcher. Notably, the Panthers did not lose any key players to graduation, providing them with a veteran roster continuity that is rare at the high school level.

The roster is anchored by 2026 first baseman Cole Taylor, a Wharton Junior College commit who holds an impressive list of accolades, including 2025 THSBCA First Team All-State and multiple All-District honors. Supporting Taylor is a group of promising newcomers such as RHP Sterling Salicki and multi-positional players Jackson Walchak and Erik Reynaga. Coach Waggoner, who brings 160 career wins and six playoff appearances to the dugout, will also have a quality group of freshmen to watch, including left-handed pitchers Miles Brocato and Benjamin Lemmons, as the Panthers compete in UIL Classification 23-5A.

---

Find more information on the 2026 Pflugerville program below:

+ Pflugerville 2026 Schedule
+ Follow on X/Twitter: @PFHSBASEBALL_
+ Prep Baseball Texas Team Preview Page

---

Related Content