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: Woden Eagles
Head Coach: Brad Stevens (Record at Woden: 178-146 … 232 career wins … District Champions 2008 (Hemphill), 2017 (Woden), 2018 (Woden) … Regional Finals appearances 2008, 2017, 2018 … State Semi-Finals 2018)
UIL Classification: 23-2A
Team Strengths: Pitching
2025 Record (Playoff Finish): 16-11 (2A Bi-District Finalists)
Key Players Lost:

• 1B/P Wade Stanaland - 1st Team All-District Infielder
• LHP/OF Brayden Bridges - 1st Team All-District Pitcher
• 3B Angel Velasco - 2nd Team All-District Infielder

   

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ROSTER PREVIEW

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TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

• INF/RHP Jakson Ortiz (2026) - 2nd Team All-District Infielder 2025
• OF/RHP Brayden Dichard (2026) - 1st Team All-District Outfielder 2025
• C Josh Hernandez (2026) - 2nd Team All-District Catcher 2025
• OF Kaesyn Kennedy (2028) - 2nd Team All-District Outfielder 2025
• SS/RHP Landon Nerren (2028) - District Newcomer of the Year 2025
• OF Landon Williams (2028)
• 3B/1B Caedyn Stewart (2028)
• Number of Returning Position Players: 7
• Number of Returning Starting Pitchers: 2
• Number of Returning Relief Pitchers: 2

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TOP NEWCOMERS

• UTL/RHP Logan Balderas (2029)

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FRESHMEN TO FOLLOW

• UTL/RHP Logan Balderas (2029)
• UTL/P Kason Little (2029)
• 3B Ryder Garrett (2029)
• 1B Cash Taylor (2029)

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COACH’S QUOTE

“We will be a young team with good senior leadership. Our pitching should take some pressure off a young offense.”

- Brad Stevens, Woden Head Coach

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TEAM OUTLOOK

The Woden Eagles enter the 2026 season looking to build on a resilient 2025 campaign that saw them finish as 2A Bi-District Finalists with a 16-11 record. The team demonstrated significant grit last year, securing their postseason berth by winning five of their final six district games. While they must replace key All-District talent like Wade Stanaland, Brayden Bridges, and Angel Velasco, the Eagles return a strong core of seven position players and four pitchers to the 23-2A classification.

Pitching is expected to be a primary strength for this year's roster. The staff is led by experienced arms including Jakson Ortiz and Brayden Dichard, both of whom earned All-District honors in 2025. They are joined by standout sophomore Landon Nerren, the reigning District Newcomer of the Year, who will play a vital role as a shortstop and right-handed pitcher.

Complementing this veteran core is a wave of young talent ready to make an immediate impact. The freshman class features several players to follow, including Logan Balderas, Kason Little, Ryder Garrett, and Cash Taylor. With a blend of proven upperclassmen and a promising group of newcomers, Woden is well-positioned to build off their postseason berth from a year ago.

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Find more information on the 2026 Woden program below:

+ Prep Baseball Texas Team Preview Page

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