VYPE U Presented by Wells Fargo -- Catching Up with Clopton and Drabek

Click to view image

VYPE U

Former North Houston Stars Hitting Their Strides

By Austin Staton

Brittany Clopton, Montgomery, Softball

Freshman Making Her Mark

Each season, Texas A&M softball ranks among the best teams in the country. This year is certainly no exception to the rule as the Aggies are currently ranked 15th in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll. Helping the Aggies on the field is outfielder Brittany Clopton of Montgomery High school who is having quite the freshman season as a key role player on the squad.

With over 30 appearances and a dozen starts under her belt, the five-foot-five freshman is making her presence known in the Aggies’ dugout. As a four-time Texas Girls' Coaches Association Class 4A All-State Academic selection, and a four-time all-Houston performer, Clopton has posted a .261 batting average with 10 putouts in the field.

Despite her youth, Clopton will factor into the Aggies situational rotation as the season progresses as they compete for a Big 12 championship. As Texas A&M prepares for the transition to the SEC, the former ESPN/Under Armour All-American will be critical to the Aggies long-term success.

Kyle Drabek, The Woodalnds, Baseball

Could This Be His Year?

As a senior at The Woodlands High School, Kyle Drabek was untouchable. Alongside 2011 Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw of Highland Park High School, Drabek was arguably the top-ranked baseball player out of the state of Texas in 2006, which led the Philadelphia Phillies to select him in the first round of the MLB Draft that summer. Although he no longer dons a Phillies uniform, Drabek is currently penciled in as the fourth starter this season for the Toronto Blue Jays.

After a fast start last spring, Drabek lost some of his command on the mound and was sent down to the Jays’ Triple-A affiliate to correct issues with his mechanics. That appears to have paid off as the former Highlander prodigy finished the spring with a 2-0 record with 14 strikeouts in 19.1 innings of work for a 3.72 ERA.

The six-foot-one, 230-pound power pitcher has all of the tools to become a front-end pitcher for the Jays. If he can maintain his consistency, hit his spots and control his pitches, Drabek is primed for a breakout season.