Portal Transfers & Recruits

Vol Horn 4 Life said:
Rumor on local radio today said that Travis Sykora may be coming to Texas. Only having a 20 round draft and NIL is playing a role in the decision.
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Well, that would be nice.

If Sykora plays for us next year, pencil us in to win the Conference.

Sykora on the mound........take LBJ on his very, very best day, add another 4 mph to his fastball velocity, and with almost no walks. Few college opponents will be able to effectively hit him.
 
Chop said:
Well, that would be nice.

If Sykora plays for us next year, pencil us in to win the Conference.

Sykora on the mound........take LBJ on his very, very best day, add another 4 mph to his fastball velocity, and with almost no walks. Few college opponents will be able to effectively hit him.
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Forgot to mention that being from Round Rock and being well known in the area would make it pretty easy for him to get great NIL money, probably far more than being an undrafted signee.
 
Vol Horn 4 Life said:
Forgot to mention that being from Round Rock and being well known in the area would make it pretty easy for him to get great NIL money, probably far more than being an undrafted signee.
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He may also draw an extra 1,000 fans to the Disch when he pitches.
 
Chop said:
Gage Boehm (97mph Flamethrower JC Transfer, who can also bat)
GageBohem.jpg


2-way Player
RHP and 1B/DH/Power Hitter
Transfer from San Jac JC; played at Blinn JC his Freshman year
6'5"
250 lbs (on a scale that weighs you about 20 lbs light.../big 'ol dude)
From Taylor, Texas
Hutto High School
3.54 ERA :clap:
1.21 WHIP :clap::clap::clap::clap:
28 Innings pitched
29 Strikeouts
16 Walks
Only 1 Homerun allowed (in 28 innings) :clap:
3-2 with 4 saves :clap:
Started 2 games

Mostly used as a Reliever, but has started some games. Fastball clocked up to 97mph. Brings a nifty cutter and breaking ball to the table. Threw up to 94 mph in high school.

He apparently committed to us in high school, but he took a circuitous path to the 40 Acres, going first to Blinn, then to San Jac.

Is regarded as a power hitter as much as a pitcher. 1B or DH power hitter capability. Not shabby on the mound either. Big, hard-throwing right hander.

I think he will mostly be a Reliever next year for us. But if our bats aren't doing well, he could also appear at the plate. I'd like to see a Brooks Kieschnik-like player. Who knows? Maybe Boehm will take over at 1B and Thomas will go to the OF???

"Inside look at our right-handed gunslinger Gage Boehm touching up to 97mph":


From a report on Jul 14, 2021:
"Gage Boehm tore up the Five Tool Summer League
Gage Boehm exploded this summer slashing .397 with 5 HR and 25 RBI over 20 games. The RHH slugged .741 and had an OPS of 1.203. Easy power from a balanced swing. Got a hit in 15 of the 20 games played. Also got it done on the mound with a 1.92 ERA and 32 strikeouts over 28 innings pitched. Fastball reached 89 MPH with a 74-76 MPH curveball and a 73 MPH changeup. Blinn College - RHP/INF"


"Gage brings a power mid-90's arm with a new devastating cutter and hard breaker..."

"Gage Boehm is a 2020 1B/RHP/3B with a 6-5 250 lb. frame from Taylor, TX who attends Hutto. XL frame with broad-shouldered, physical build; ran 60 yard dash in 7.94 seconds. Hits from even-based stance with leg lift trigger, easy and loose stroke with simple, repeatable approach, consistently hard barrel in BP and in games, very good barrel accuracy, drove the ball on a line to all parts of the ballpark, will be a huge home run threat consistently as he continues to lift the ball more and more, impact offensive presence. Worked out well at first base, fields cleanly and shows comfortability in footwork, turns well, clocked up to 87 mph on throws. Also pitched, has two-way upside, offline arm stroke through the back, threw only fastballs and worked in the 85-88 mph range [Note, this is a high school report], lots of life on the pitch, alternates between significant run and bowling ball sink, good upside as a two-way player. Very good student, committed to Hill College, named to 2020 World Showcase Top Prospect List."

https://www.njcaa.org/sports/bsb/2022-23/div1/players/gageboehmoyw8

Posted some numbers on the mound as a Freshman at Blinn JC that I'd prefer not to post here...



Gage Boehm (@g__boehm17) • Instagram photos and videos





gageboehm (@g__boehm) | TikTok

Gage Boehm

Baseball Factory | Top Prospects | Gage Boehm

Gage Boehm | Five Tool

Gage Boehm Class of 2020 - Player Profile | Perfect Game USA
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I was going to skip out on this, but I can't help myself. This guy has a massive bat and serious pitching skills when on, but has a couple nuts loose in his head. I could see him playing first base just for his bat, but he doesn't want that because he insists he's #1 pitcher. If he lands on the 40 and coaches get ahold of him in the right way he could be really good. If not, well, I warned ya and he might not stay around very long.
 
Vol Horn 4 Life said:
I was going to skip out on this, but I can't help myself. This guy has a massive bat and serious pitching skills when on, but has a couple nuts loose in his head. I could see him playing first base just for his bat, but he doesn't want that because he insists he's #1 pitcher. If he lands on the 40 and coaches get ahold of him in the right way he could be really good. If not, well, I warned ya and he might not stay around very long.
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I'd rather Boehm play a Brooks Kieschnik sort of role--a batter and a pitcher. Maybe a P/DH?

Put him in the batting lineup and give him an inning on the mound every weekday game. If he's pitching well, increase his innings and move him up from there on the mound/rotation. He had 4 saves in relief at San Jac last year, so I don't know if he fashions himself as a starter?
 
Keep an eye on RHP Aaron Plotkin, Junior SFA, if he has any desire to hit the portal. He's showing up real well in Summer League Ball, with a 0.82 ERA and 0.73 WHIP in 11 innings of relief pitching, spread over 6 games.

:sfa:
 
With the draft leaving most of our top prospects still on the board after 9 rounds, we'll probably put the brakes on incoming portal transfers. Maybe put the parking brakes on now that we've stopped.
 
OF - Gasparino is our top fielding OF the day he steps on campus. If his bat can hit college pitchers well, we could be set in the OF. Cummings is hitting very well in California, and Belyeu is absolutely destroying the California Summer League. I don't know if Porter Brown will be back, but if he is, then we're completely set in the OF. No need for Thomas to leave 1B.

Borba can play 3B, and maybe 2B if Jack O'Dowd was to go into a deep batting slump. I've often promoted Jack O'Dowd, in the presence of his detractors, and I continue to think he'll do well. Last year, he hit over 0.280 with around 8 homeruns. Not bad. Nothing special, but not bad. I think he can hit North of 0.300 with 10 homeruns this year--that's quite good for a 2B.

The weak batting link(s) appear to be at SS, and C (if G-Wagon isn't back, and if Schuesller doesn't bounce fully back from injury).

SS - Flores either gets it together this year and shows us why he was so highly regarded in HS, or he doesn't. He won't enter conference play as a starter if he's still batting around 0.200 (or less). I think he'll come through, but it will happen, or it won't... That means returnee Gumbo DuPlantier is a possibility. Or Powell, if Borba can take 3B if his bat is good.

C - If G-Wagon is back, it's his. If not, then Galvan needs to bat at least around 0.250 to hold the position. Gotta like Galvan's big-time power, but his batting average can't be much lower than 0.250 by conference play. And hopefully, it won't be. Schuessler had a good bat before his injury. He could be either DH or C. All-everything Michigan HS star Oliver Service should get plenty of meaningful opportunities next year---at C, at DH, and in the OF. He's a phenom athlete with a plus bat. Unless we're hurting badly at C, Service will likely start out as a Utility player for us. Just get him in the batting lineup--and often!
 
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I'm not sure if folks truly appreciate what has just happened.

We could enter next baseball season with more talent stacked on our team than anyone. Maybe LSU goes out and buys every remaining stud in the portal to best us, or maybe they don't.

:ut::ut::ut:
 
Chop said:
I'm not sure if folks truly appreciate what has just happened.

We could enter next baseball season with more talent stacked on our team than anyone. Maybe LSU goes out and buys every remaining stud in the portal to best us, or maybe they don't.

:ut::ut::ut:
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I have it on good authority that everyone should panic after our season-ending loss.
 
mchammer said:
I have it on good authority that everyone should panic after our season-ending loss.
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Remember, it's not about the talent. We should be able to plug and play every year to win the world series. If we don't sweep our way through to the ship by the right margins of vicktree it's a disappointment.
 
Vol Horn 4 Life said:
I was going to skip out on this, but I can't help myself. This guy has a massive bat and serious pitching skills when on, but has a couple nuts loose in his head. I could see him playing first base just for his bat, but he doesn't want that because he insists he's #1 pitcher. If he lands on the 40 and coaches get ahold of him in the right way he could be really good. If not, well, I warned ya and he might not stay around very long.
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Don't like seeing this. Something to keep an eye on. Sounds like he may have an issue with adversity and competition. Hopefully with all the resources around him, he grows, matures into a good representative of the University and makes a great addition to the team in the process.
 
aUTfan said:
Don't like seeing this. Something to keep an eye on. Sounds like he may have an issue with adversity and competition. Hopefully with all the resources around him, he grows, matures into a good representative of the University and makes a great addition to the team in the process.
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Yeah. Or he may just have a very high opinion of himself. He’s got the upper 90s velocity. Of course, so do more than a few D1 pitchers. 4 saves last year. Maybe he could be a closer.
 
With all the incoming players, plus the Freshmen. I think we'll have to trim the roster. Plenty of players are leaving, mostly due to getting passed over or being unlikely to get enough playing time. I'm not sure who all else we lose.

"The NCAA Oversight Committee [back in March 2023] approved a one-year waiver for Division I Baseball programs to have a roster size of 40 players, while also allowing them to spread 11.7 scholarships over 32 players instead of the 27-counter cap that used to be in place."
 
Chop said:
He looks to me like a 2-way player at Closer/late reliever and DH/1st base.
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As hard as he throws he got beat up in juco and never really saw much playing time moving from school to school. But....when his bat touches the ball it goes so I agree with your 1B/DH but probably more middle reliever because if he's off he's off.

A little on his route to Texas:

* In HS committed to Texas, but offer pulled when he got injured
* committed to Tech but never attended and I'm not sure why
* 1 yr at Hill College
* 1 yr at Blinn
* 1 yr at San Jac
* committed to Texas again

Who knows why all the movement, but I think it's his absolute insistence on being on the mound even though that hasn't panned out. When seeing a comment elsewhere about possibly playing first or being a DH, his exact quote was "F*ck that, I'm a pitcher". I can't tell you how I know, I just know.
 
Vol Horn 4 Life said:
* In HS committed to Texas, but offer pulled when he got injured
* committed to Tech but never attended and I'm not sure why
* 1 yr at Hill College
* 1 yr at Blinn
* 1 yr at San Jac
* committed to Texas again
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Are you saying he may have some trouble with commitment...?

Boehm has the tools to be as good as he wants to be. It may be the mental part that makes him a great player, or a bust. A highly confident guy like this can have the mental picture of himself destroyed when an opponent shells him and scores 4 runs against him in one inning during his first or second outing. How he bounces back from something like that, and grows as a pitcher, may determine his future.

I get the sense that we have a really good and encouraging clubhouse atmosphere where the players build each other up, rather than a bunch of catty players cutting each other down, back stabbing, dark sarcasm, rubbing salt in wounds, etc.
 
Vol Horn 4 Life said:
Remember, it's not about the talent. We should be able to plug and play every year to win the world series. If we don't sweep our way through to the ship by the right margins of vicktree it's a disappointment.
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I agree we should be there every year like the stats show. Pierce is not Augie or Gus and until he delivers the trophy it will just be hope. Now he has produced winners each year but just my opinion the one difference in Pierces teams and Augies for sure has to be the pitching. Augie lucked into having Frank Anderson who is the unquestioned best there is save perhaps Wayne Graham who Pierce worked for. We were spoiled for elite production its hard to settle for anything less. This portal stuff has altered everyones teams, just look at what LSU did with the portal last year. Without Skeenes, they dont have the same team.
 
Ka'imi'ikekuokoa (Ka'imi) Kahalekai
RHP
6'8"
205 lbs

Kahalui, Hawaii
Kamehameha Schools -- Maui Campus
Class of 24

92 mph fastball. (gained 7 mph in velocity this past year; he may keep gaining velocity as he fills out his tall/lean frame and adds more muscle) Just turned 17, will get bulkier and stronger.

Throws a 77-79 mph plus curveball with some tricky movement, both vertically and horizontally, that he has good control over and throws for strikes

84 mph changeup

Threw a complete game shut out, with 15 strikeouts.

Likes to work the inside 1/2 of the plate. Some films show him jamming hitters on the inside corners, and also getting a lot of ground outs.

Performed very well in Perfect Game and 5-Tool baseball All-Star/exhibition games.

In the 5-Tool All-Star Game against the Orange County Premier (So. Cal All-Stars) - he threw 4.1 innings, 4 Strikeouts, with a WHIP of 0.92, throwing up to 91 mph. 5-Tool says there's "some new draft talk coming his way."

Good pickup from a small, but good, State for HS football and HS baseball.

Welcome to the TEXAS Ohana Ka'imi!

:bevo::bevo::bevo::bevo::bevo::bevo::bevo::bevo:


 
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Chop said:
Ka'imi'ikekuokoa (Ka'imi) Kahalekai
RHP
6'8"
205 lbs

Kahalui, Hawaii
Kamehameha Schools -- Maui Campus
Class of 24

92 mph fastball. (gained 7 mph in velocity this past year; he may keep gaining velocity as he fills out his tall/lean frame and adds more muscle) Just turned 17, will get bulkier and stronger.

Throws a 77-79 mph plus curveball with some tricky movement, both vertically and horizontally, that he has good control over and throws for strikes

84 mph changeup

Threw a complete game shut out, with 15 strikeouts.

Likes to work the inside 1/2 of the plate. Some films show him jamming hitters on the inside corners, and also getting a lot of ground outs.

Performed very well in Perfect Game and 5-Tool baseball All-Star/exhibition games.

In the 5-Tool All-Star Game against the Orange County Premier (So. Cal All-Stars) - he threw 4.1 innings, 4 Strikeouts, with a WHIP of 0.92, throwing up to 91 mph. 5-Tool says there's "some new draft talk coming his way."

Good pickup from a small, but good, State for HS football and HS baseball.

Welcome to the TEXAS Ohana Ka'imi!

:bevo::bevo::bevo::bevo::bevo::bevo::bevo::bevo:


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when I see his name it reminds of this and it’s fitting cause it feels like Christmas with his commitment ….:coolnana:
 
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