16-6A’s flock of aces targets next challenge
Like a massive firing squad, they raised their guns in unison — dozens of them, all aimed at Luken Baker.
These were radar guns, of course.
They belonged to the 63 major league baseball scouts who showed up for Oak Ridge’s season-opening game against Magnolia, which Baker limited to four hits and one unearned run in a 3-1 victory.
“They got snowed out up in Dallas, so they all came down to Houston, and they were interested in Luken, so we had two scouts from each team and some with more,” Oak Ridge coach Mike Pirtle said. “It was cool. It really was.”
The Eagles haven’t had that many scouts at a game since, but they saw a handful every time out in District 16-6A, which boasts at least three pitchers who could be selected in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft in June.
Baker, The Woodlands’ Chris Andritsos and College Park’s Beau Ridgeway headline the list of pitching stars, but Atascocita’s Anthony Pagano isn’t far behind. Summer Creek’s Keagan Bear and Tyler Miller, and Ridgeway’s teammate, Tyler Mortenson, are turning heads as well.
“It’s unbelievable, but this is the way it should be,” College Park coach Jason Washburn said. “If you have a competitive bone in your body, then you like it this way. We love teeing it up every time we take the field.
“We’re facing some of the best pitchers around, and that’s awesome.”
Showcase of talent
Now they’re hoping that translates to playoff success.
Oak Ridge, College Park, Atascocita and The Woodlands, which rallied for fourth place in 16-6A, open the Class 6A playoffs this week.
“We’ve got close to 10 games against stateranked teams, and everybody in our district who made the playoffs is battletested,” The Woodlands coach Ron Eastman said.
“It reminded us of when we were state champions in 2006 and we had to go through Klein Collins, Klein Oak and Klein in our district, and you really are ready.”
Andritsos has been ready.
The standout senior is the district’s best-known pitcher after helping The Woodlands capture a state championship two years ago. His team struggled at times this season, finishing 5-7 in district, but Andritsos hasn’t.
The 6-2, 220-pounder, who’s projected to go in the top half of the draft, struck out 15 while hitting two home runs, including the game-winner in the 10th inning, last month against Atascocita.
He threw a shutout in a 7-0 victory over Summer Creek last week.
“Offensively, people have pitched around him all year,” Eastmand said. “So if we’re going to do something offensively, guys are going to have to pick up the slack and have competitive at-bats against good pitchers.”
Baker, who has soared up the prospective MLB draft charts this season, grows more comfortable with every outing. He’s projected as a first-round pick.
The 6-4, 240-pound senior was 6-0 with 59 strikeouts, nine walks and a 1.32 ERA through 37 innings, helping Oak Ridgge go 12-0 in district.
“Luken’s a special talent, no doubt about it, (and) he’s attracting a lot of attention and deservingly so,” Washburn said.
Headed to Big 12
Washburn’s pitcher also is impressive.
Ridgeway was 6-0 with a 2.08 ERA and 34 strikeouts through 40⅓ innings.
“(Andritsos and Baker are) bigger (and) a little more physical,” Washburn said. “Beau’s strong, but he’s a different kind of strong. He’s more wiry strong than those guys. They just have more mass behind them.”
Ridgeway, 6-2 and 180, probably is a late-round selection in the draft, making him the most likely to stick with his college choice.
As of now, they’ll all compete in the same conference again next year.
Ridgeway’s a Texas Longhorns signee, Andritsos is committed to Oklahoma and Baker has pledged to TCU.
“My personal opinion is the best thing for (Ridgeway) would be to go to the University of Texas and pitch there and get better pitching against some of the best in the nation,” Washburn said.