The Brownsville Herald/Valley Morning Star’s 2024 All-Area Baseball Teams and Superlatives
THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD/VALLEY MORNING STAR’S ALL-AREA BASEBALL MOST VALUABLE PLAYER – Carlos Garza, Brownsville Veterans
Garza earned The Brownsville Herald and Valley Morning Star’s All-Area Baseball Most Valuable Player honor after putting together a dominant and record-breaking season as a pitcher and shortstop for the District 32-5A champion Chargers. Garza led Brownsville Veterans with 47 hits, a .465 batting average, 22 RBI and 29 runs scored. He also posted a 10-2 record as a starter with 0.92 ERA with 136 strikeouts in 76 innings pitched. His 136 strikeouts broke a school record previously held by Fred Villarreal.
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR – Tristan Garcia, Port Isabel and Oscar Rodriguez, Brownsville Veterans
Port Isabel’s Garcia and Brownsville Veterans’ Rodriguez split offensive player of the year honors after lighting it up at the plate during their senior seasons. The Tarpons’ catcher Garcia batted .673 with 33 hits, 14 RBI and 16 runs on the year. Garcia is set to play college baseball at Texas Southern in 2025. Meanwhile, the Chargers’ catcher Rodriguez hit a team-high .493 with 37 hits, 28 RBI and four runs to lead Brownsville Veterans. He also had a .974 fielding percentage for the 32-5A champion Chargers.
CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR – Derek Garcia, Los Fresnos and Josh Ruiz, Harlingen South
Los Fresnos’ shortstop Garcia handled everything hit his way to finish with a .972 fielding percentage. He also held a .372 batting average with 34 runs, 21 RBI and 22 stolen bases as the Falcons went on to win the District 32-6A title.
Harlingen South’s Ruiz recorded a .964 fielding percentage at catcher and a 9-2 record as a starting pitcher with a 0.84 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 58 innings. Ruiz also batted .426 with 18 RBI and 18 runs.
PITCHER OF THE YEAR – Joaquin Cavazos, Los Fresnos
THe Falcons’ right-hander Cavazos had one of the top arms in South Texas to finish as the Herald/Star’s All-Area Pitcher of the Year. He posted an 11-1 record for the District 32-6A champion Falcons with a 0.52 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 67.1 innings of work. Cavazos helped lead Los Fresnos to a 27-8-1 record overall.
SUB-5A PLAYERS OF THE YEAR – Christopher Galvan and Joshua Laster, Rio Hondo
Galvan and Laster teamed up to form the top tandem at the sub-5A level. They were the No. 1 and No. 2 pitchers for a Bobcats team that went 25-6 overall and 8-1 in district to win the 32-3A championship, the program’s first since 2008. Galvan finished with a 12-2 record, a 1.16 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 60.1 innings pitched, while also batting .413 with 31 hits, 26 RBI and 18 runs. Laster held down the hot corner with a .616 batting average, 45 hits, 37 RBI and 31 runs to go with a 9-2 record on the mound, a 1.29 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 48.2 innings.
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR – Sebastian Vela, Brownsville Veterans
The sophomore Vela made an immediate impact for the Chargers with a .376 batting average, 19 RBI 16 runs and 38 hits, which ranked second on the team. He stepped in and played a key role for the Chargers all season as Brownsville Veterans captured the District 32-5A championship with a 25-6-2 overall record. Expect Vela to lead the Chargers the next two seasons.
COACH OF THE YEAR – Adam Vera, Brownsville Veterans
Brownsville Veterans was one of the Valley’s top teams from start to finish and fourth-year head coach Adam Vera led them there. Brownsville Veterans won the District 32-5A championship with a 16-2 record in league play, the program’s first in four seasons. Vera coached the Chargers to a 25-6-2 record overall and went on to reach the regional quarterfinal round of the 5A state playoffs.
Brownsville Herald/Valley Morning Star All-Area First Team
P – Omar Banda, Brownsville Porter
P – Bryan Galvan, Brownsville Porter
C – Nehemiah Garcia, Brownsville Lopez
1B – Joaquin Torralba, Harlingen South
2B – Aleck Rodriguez, Los Fresnos
SS – Colby Martinez, Harlingen South
3B – Gael Silva, Lyford
IF – Alejandro Torres, Brownsville Porter
OF – Hector Arellano, Brownsville Lopez
OF – Aiden Olivas-Romo, Lyford
OF – JustinRay Pena, Harlingen South
DH – Jose Jimenez, Brownsville Veterans
Brownsville Herald/Valley Morning StarAll-Area Second Team
P – Mauro Arizpe, San Benito
P – Jace Kushner, Harlingen High
C – Vincent Gonzalez, Brownsville Rivera
1B – Jacob Reyna, Lyford
2B – Christian Lozano, Rio Hondo
SS – Caleb Sandoval, Rio Hondo
3B – Alejandro Rodriguez, Los Fresnos
IF – Mando San Miguel, Brownsville Lopez
OF – Andre Guadarrama, Harlingen South
OF – Aiden Douglas, Los Fresnos
OF – Angelo Villarreal, San Benito
DH – Ruben Castellanos, Rio Hondo
