FAYETTEVILLE — A Texas right-handed pitcher committed to Arkansas' class of 2019 on Thursday.
Trey Valka (6-3, 175 pounds) is a junior at Oak Ridge High School in Conroe, a northern suburb of Houston. Perfect Game ranks him the No. 170 prospect in his class nationally and No. 20 prospect in Texas.
"He tries to be a power pitcher," said Michael Molina, who has coached Valka the past two years with the Woodlands Express summer team. "He tries to work with his breaking ball; I think that's his best pitch....I think his breaking ball has always been a pitch he keeps in his back pocket. He likes to show it and work off that."
Valka's fastball sits between 88 and 90 mph, and has been clocked as fast as 91 mph.
"I think he shows the breaking ball to make the fastball look faster," Molina said. "He's a three-pitch guy - fastball, curveball, changeup. He mixes speeds really well and has a good feel for his secondary pitches."
Arkansas assistant coach Nate Thompson first noticed Valka during a July showcase event in Georgia, Molina said. Valka visited Arkansas' campus twice this summer, including with his parents for the TCU football game last weekend.
"They invited him to their camp in August and he pitched in front of their coaching staff," Molina said. "They liked what they saw and showed him around campus, and offered him a scholarship."
Valka had other scholarship offers from Wichita State, Texas State and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. He is the 12th commit in Arkansas' class of 2019.
Verbal commitments are not binding.
2019 Arkansas Baseball Commitments
Blake Adams, RHP, 6-2, 190, Springdale (Har-Ber), Ark.
Bryce Matthews, OF, 6-4, 185, Parker (Chaparral), Colo.
Zack Morris, LHP, 6-2, 228, Cabot, Ark.
Travis Odom, SS, 6-1, 160, Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Jesse Pierce, SS/3B, 6-2, 170, Las Vegas (Arbor View), Nev.
Nathan Rintz, RHP, 6-0, 155, Schaumburg, Ill.
Xander Rojahn, RHP, 6-3, 190, Elk Grove Village (Elk Grove), Ill.
Nate Stevens, C, 5-11, 160, Madison (Waunakee), Wisc.
Dominic Tamez, C, 5-10, 190, San Antonio (Johnson), Texas
Cason Tollett, C, 6-1, 185, Little Rock (Christian), Ark.
Trey Valka, RHP, 6-3, 175, Conroe (Oak Ridge), Texas
Nolan Wosman, SS, 6-2, 180, Palmyra, Mo.