Five Katy-area baseball players earned spots on the 2026 Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association All-State teams, capping a season that sent one local senior to the MLB Draft and put a pair of sophomores on the statewide radar.

Katy High School senior Ashten Ballew led the local haul with a second-team selection at third base on the Class 6A squad, according to the Katy Times. Ballew, who committed to the University of Arizona, was ranked No. 25 in Sports Illustrated's preseason state rankings after hitting .315 with four home runs and 20 stolen bases as a junior. The Houston Chronicle also named him among its 100 athletes who defined Houston-area high school sports in 2025-26.

Katy High senior pitcher Jayden Stewart earned third-team honors on the 6A squad.

Two outfielders received honorable mention: Paetow High School senior Victor Salazar and Katy High sophomore Scotty Zuehike. Salazar's All-State nod adds to a breakout summer. The Baltimore Orioles selected him in the 19th round of the 2026 MLB Draft on July 11, per USA Today's draft tracker.

The 6A list was released to publications on Monday, Aug. 3.

Over in Class 4A, Freeman High School sophomore Casen Cooley earned a first-team nod at first base, the Katy Times reported. Cooley was the only Katy-area player on the 4A first team and one of the youngest honorees on a roster dominated by juniors and seniors. That list was released July 30.

The TSWA All-State teams are voted on by sportswriters across Texas based on nominations from coaches and media members. Keller senior Cole Koeninger, who went 12-1 with a 1.13 ERA and 138 strikeouts, took home 6A Player of the Year.

Zuehike and Cooley, both sophomores, will return to their respective lineups for the 2026-27 season, giving Katy High and Freeman two of the area's youngest All-State honorees back on the diamond.