GAMES
RANKINGS
THE TIER LIST: VYPE DFW Preseason Baseball Rankings; Grapevine, FMHS among early favorites
Despite what the weather might suggest, the spring edition of the UIL calendar has officially arrived, marking the midpoint of February.
With fans heading back to the ballpark, a new season of intrigue begins, and the race to Dell Diamond is underway.
In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, our early predictions favor the Grapevine Mustangs. Coming off a historic season in which they secured their second UIL-5A State Championship (the first since 2016), Grapevine enters 2025 with high expectations.
Just behind them are the Lucas Lovejoy Leopards, who made program history last spring by reaching the 5A Final for the first time in their 18-year existence. With a roster loaded with returning talent, Lovejoy is poised to make another deep postseason run.
Flower Mound, aiming for a third consecutive State Tournament appearance, is another contender to watch. Meanwhile, Rockwall-Heath (2021 State Champions) and Southlake Carroll (2022) are eager to reclaim their respective titles.
In addition, programs like Argyle, Boswell, and Rockwall round out the list of preseason heavyweights.
As we look ahead to another thrilling season on the diamond, here are VYPE’s top teams to watch as the 2025 season begins.
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*Parentheses indicates current district
*Last section indicates 2024 result
VYPE DALLAS-FORT WORTH BASEBALL TOP-10 (Class 6A-4A)
1. Grapevine Mustangs (6-5A) -- 40-5; 13-1 in District (UIL-5A State Champions)
2. Lucas Lovejoy Leopards (9-5A) -- 30-8-2; 12-0 (UIL-5A State Runner-Up)
3. Flower Mound Jaguars (5-6A) -- 40-6; 14-0 (State Semifinalists)
4. Rockwall-Heath Hawks (10-6A) -- 34-9; 12-0 (Regional Semifinalists)
5. Southlake Carroll Dragons (4-6A) -- 26-13; 8-4 (Regional Quarterfinalists)
6. Argyle Eagles (6-5A) -- 29-9; 11-3 (Regional Finalists)
7. Boswell Pioneers (3-6A) -- 32-8; 14-0 (Regional Semifinalists)
8. Rockwall Yellowjackets (10-6A) -- 27-12-2; 7-5 (Regional Semifinalists)
9. Pearce Mustangs (7-6A) -- 30-19; 15-1 (Regional Finalists)
10. Forney Jackrabbits (10-6A) -- 31-13-1; 9-3 (Regional Finalists)
Honorable Mentions: Prosper (6-6A), Frisco (11-5A), Keller (4-6A), Lone Star (12-5A), Mansfield Legacy (3-6A), Benbrook (8-4A), Aledo (5-5A), Allen (6-6A), Walnut Grove (9-5A)
STATE SEMIFINALS PREVIEW: Dragons baseball searching for third title in four full seasons
Southlake Carroll baseball is no stranger to the UIL baseball State Tournament. This season marks the team's 10th appearance as they look to get their third state title since 2018 (sixth overall). VYPE DFW takes a look at the Dragons' season so far and lays out what fans can expect from this team.
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A Look Back
The Dragons finished second in their district with a 10-2 district record (32-8) overall. The team has been able to make timely plays and big hits in order to continue their streak of dominance in the Dallas-area. With strong athletes who show up ready to compete each practice and gameday, the Dragons have forged a path for themselves that led right back to the state tournament. So far in playoffs, the Dragons have defeated Keller Fossil Ridge, Hurst L.D. Bell, El Paso Americas, Frenship, Coppell, and most recently last year's state runner up Keller.
Who To Watch:
Defense wins championships. The Dragons defense has been full of playmakers this season. Athletes who are skilled at reading the other team's offense on a regular basis have helped lead Southlake Carroll to the biggest stage in the state. Owen Proksch and Griffin Herring combined to strike out 40 batters and pitch 27 scoreless innings over the last two rounds of playoffs. At the plate, Ben Tryon has been a force to be reckoned with. Tryon is batting .478 with five doubles, one home run, and eight RBIs in the last eight games. In the playoffs, Cole Bedwell has posted a .421 average while Ethan Mendoza is batting .364 with six runs and five RBIs. A skilled pitcher, Proksch is also a great batter- he has recorded seven RBIs.
What To Expect:
Currently on a 14 game win-streak, Southlake Carroll is on a mission this season- to bring the title back home. Fort Bend Ridge Point (35-5) is another team that has an incredible lineup. They aren't going to be a cake walk for the Dragons. In fact, this might be the toughest, most important game that the Dragons play all season. Fans can expect strong defense on both ends with big hitting. This game is going to come down to the wire and keep everyone on the edge of their seats.
The game is expected to start at 4 p.m. on Friday, June 10 at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas.