Aaliyah Chavez leads Top 25 Young Latino athletes to watch in ’25
-
Staff Reports, Staff reports
- January 2, 2025
Aaliyah Chavez billed as next Caitlin Clark
Aaliyah Chavez is still in high school, but the Lubbock Monterey High senior is already a superstar. The 5-foot-11 guard is ranked as the No. 1 girls basketball player in the Class of 2025. She has been called the next Caitlin Clark, and there is no greater compliment than that in women’s hoops these days.
Aaliyah Chavez has scored more than 4,000 points over her four-year career at Monterey High. Chavez has also torn up the travel circuit, regularly proving to be the best player on the court regardless of competition.
In a year deep with top young Latino athletes, one kid stands out above them all. She’s a viral sensation and a star on the court, drawing raves from coast to coast.
No. 1 Aaliyah Chavez
Chavez has been recruited by every major college women’s basketball program. She has yet to make a college decision, but she can go anywhere she wants. It’s rare to see a Mexican American dominate in women’s basketball, but she is clearly the top player in her class.
Trained at The Lab by her father Sonny, Aaliyah Chavez has already set Monterey High’s all-time scoring record. She is considered the best player to ever come out of Lubbock.
Chavez also has 74,200 followers on Instagram. Aaliyah Chavez is a name to watch in 2025 and beyond in American sports.
Here are the rest of the Top 25 Young Latino athletes to watch in 2025.
No. 2: Hannah Hidalgo
A case can be made that Notre Dame sophomore guard Hannah Hidalgo is already the best player in women’s college basketball. She was the 2023-2024 ACC Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
Hidalgo, a preseason All-American, has already been named the national player of the week twice by two separate groups this season. She has been named the ACC Player or co-Player of the Week three times already this season.
One of the best defensive players in college basketball, Hidalgo is also averaging a team-high 26 points a game. This young Boricua from Merchantville, N.J., is one of the favorites to win the Naismith Player of the Year Award.
No. 3. Chad Baker-Mazara
Chad Baker-Mazara, a 6-foot-7 senior forward at Auburn, is a key player on the No. 2 ranked team in men’s college basketball.
The native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, is one of the top small forwards in America. He was one of 20 players named to the watch list for Julius Erving Award, which is given to the best small forward in college basketball.
After helping Auburn win the 2024 SEC Tournament, he is averaging 12.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game this season.
No. 4. Devin Sanchez
When you’re the best high school football prospect in Texas, nothing else needs to be said about you. Houston North Shore High cornerback Devin Sanchez is the top player in Texas in the Class of 2025.
Sanchez is rated No. 5 in the country for the Class of 2025. He signed with Ohio State after drawing interest from every major football power in America.
Sanchez is so good, few opponents dared to test him much in high school. He is expected to contribute early for the Buckeyes as a freshman.
No. 5 Robbie Avila
St. Louis University center Robbie Avila is one of the most fascinating players in college basketball. He has the game and personality to be a household name. The 6-foot-10, 240-pound junior from Oak Forest, Ill., led Indiana State to the Missouri Valley Conference regular season title and the NIT championship game.
Avila was named to the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award watch list. He averaged 17.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists as a sophomore. Few if any basketball player in America garnered as many nicknames last year as Avila, who famously wears goggles.
He has been nicknamed Cream Abdul Jabbar (Kareem), Larry Blurred or Larry Nerd after Indiana State legend Larry Bird and Milk Chamberlain (Wilt).
No. 6 Seth Hernandez
Seth Hernandez is considered the top pitching prospect heading into the 2025 MLB draft. The 6-foot-5, 190-pound right-hander from Chino, Calif., throws 98-mph.
He is committed to Vanderbilt University, but he’ll surely be tempted with millions if he remains healthy and is picked among the top six players in the draft. Baseball America has Hernandez as their No. 5 prospect for the 2025 Draft.
More from Our Esquina
Aaliyah Chavez is ready to ball at Rucker Park
2023 Latina Girls Athlete of the Year: Aaliyah Chavez
Family is key for Ohio State signee Devin Sanchez
“Hernandez has been the top high school pitcher in the 2025 class for years and has only further solidified his status as his draft gets closer,” Baseball America writes. “He pitches in the low-to-mid 90s and touches 98 mph with a fastball that has good extension and might still have another tick of velocity coming as he fills out his athletic 6-foot-4 frame.”
No. 7 Kayson Cunningham
Kayson Cunningham is considered the best high school baseball prospect in Texas. The 5-foot-9, 170-pound shortstop from San Antonio’s Johnson High has a potent swing from the left side.
He has committed to play at the University of Texas, but he’ll be tempted with millions if he’s picked in the first round of the MLB Draft in July, as expected.
“Cunningham might be the best pure hitter in the 2025 class,” Baseball America writes. “He’s one of the smaller players toward the top of the 2025 rankings, but he consistently performs at a high level against top competition.”
No. 8. Bella Hines
Isabella “Bella” Hines, a 5-foot-9 guard, has already made history. In November she became the first high school girls basketball player to sign a multi-year deal with Nike’s Jordan Brands.
The Albuquerque, N.M., native has starred at ABC Prep after spending her first three seasons at El Dorado High. She has signed with LSU.
Hines is ranked No. 31 among girls basketball players in the Class of 2025.
No. 9 Tony Rojas
Penn State sophomore linebacker Tony Rojas is growing into one of the best linebackers in the Big Ten. He was a third team All-Big Ten selection as a sophomore, helping Penn State reach the College Football Playoffs semifinals.
He has 56 tackles with one sack and three interceptions so far this season. Rojas had a season-high eight tackles (five solo) against UCLA. He also had seven tackles (five solo) in the CFP quarterfinal against Boise State.
No. 10 Elijah Melendez
Linebacker Elijah Melendez, who signed with Auburn, is arguably the second best Latino football prospect in the Class of 2025. The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder from Osceola (Kissimmee, Fla.) is rated the No. 4 best inside linebacker in the Class of 2025.
Look for Melendez to make an impact early in the Southeastern Conference.
No. 11 Fernando Mendoza
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza made the most out of his only FBS scholarship offer. He excelled at Cal before hitting the transfer portal and committing to Indiana.
Mendoza threw for 3,004 yards and 16 touchdowns with only six interceptions as a redshirt sophomore at Cal in 2024. He threw for 4,712 yards and 30 touchdowns over the last two seasons.
The Cuban American gunslinger closed out his career at Cal with a victory over Stanford. He also almost led the Golden Bears to upsets over Miami
No. 12 Diego Pavia
Diego Pavia became a cult hero as a graduate transfer at Vanderbilt University in 2024. He even made history by challenging the NCAA in court for another season of eligibility, arguing that his time in junior college shouldn’t count against his eligibility.
On the field, Pavia led Vanderbilt to upsets over Alabama and Auburn. He transferred from New Mexico State and became one of the most popular quarterbacks in college football in 2024.
No. 13 Kevin Concepcion
Wide receiver Kevin Concepcion, a freshman All-American in 2023, has transferred from NC State to Texas A&M. He was one of the most coveted players in the transfer portal. The 5-foot-11, 187-pounder from Charlotte, N.C., had 53 receptions for 460 yards and six touchdowns as a sophomore.
He also rushed for two touchdowns in 2024. Concepcion had 71 receptions for 839 yards and 10 touchdowns as a freshman. If healthy, he could be one of the best receivers in the SEC in 2025.
No. 11 Trebor Peña
Wide receiver Trebor Peña had a breakout redshirt junior season at Syracuse. He had 84 receptions for 941 yards and nine touchdowns in 2024. He also had a rushing touchdown.
Peña’s output was among the biggest surprises in the ACC in 2024. The 6-foot, 184-pounder from Ocean Township, N.J. entered his junior season with only one career touchdown.
No. 14. Gabriela Jaquez
UCLA guard Gabriela Jaquez is a key member of the No. 1 ranked and undefeated UCLA women’s basketball team. She is averaging 10.6 points per game as a junior.
Jaquez excelled over the summer of 2024 with the Mexican Women’s National Basketball team. She’s the younger sister of the Miami Heat’s Jaime Jaquez Jr., the former Pac 12 Player of the Year.
No. 15 Jacob Rodriguez
Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez was a First-Team All-Big 12 selection in 2024 as a redshirt junior.
He was also an honorable mention for the 2024 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Award. Rodriguez led the Big 12 with 127 tackles in 2024. He also had five sacks and one interception.
Rodriguez had a career-high 17 tackles against Colorado. The 6-foot-1, 230-pounder from Wichita Falls, Texas, finished with at least 10 tackles in seven games in 2024.
No. 16 Aminah Vega
Duke second baseman Aminah Vega was a 2024 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) First Team All-American. She hit .369 as a sophomore for the Blue Devils. The 2024 All-ACC First-Team selection helped guide Duke to the 2024 Women’s College World Series.
She was recently named one of three captains by Duke coach Marissa Young. Vega had 20 multi-hit games in 2024. The 2024 ACC Defensive Player of the Year is one of the best infielders in college softball.
No. 17 Angel Cervantes
Right-handed pitcher Angel Cervantes is one of the top high school pitchers in the Class of 2025. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder from Warren High in Downey, Calif., is rated the No. 48 prospect for the 2025 MLB Draft by Baseball America.
He is committed to play at UCLA if he doesn’t sign after the MLB Draft.
“Cervantes has starter traits and is one of the younger pitchers in the class and won’t turn 18 until after the 2025 draft,” Baseball American writes. “He has a sound delivery that he repeats to throw strikes and keeps hitters off balance with feel for his secondaries.”
No. 18 Omar Serna
Catcher Omar Serna is one of three best high school baseball players in Texas. The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder from Lutheran South Academy in Houston has committed to LSU.
Baseball America currently rates Serna the No. 55 ranked prospect in the 2025 Draft.
“Serna has a big, strong frame for his age and two extra-loud tools with his raw power and arm strength, both of which stack up among the best in the 2025 class, with similarities to Gary Sanchez,” Baseball America writes.
No. 19 Flormarie Heredia-Colon
University of Miami outside hitter Flormarie Heredeia-Colon was a Third-Team AVCA Division I All-American. The Dominican Republic native also was an All-ACC selection for the third year in a row and first as a First-Team selection.
She finished the season with an impressive 529 kills, leading the ACC with 490 kills. Heredeia-Colon has had 1,117 kills over her three-year career at Miami.
No. 20 Maria Clara Andrade
University of South Florida outside hitter Maria Clara Andrade was the 2024 American Athletic Conference Volleyball Player of the Year.
The 5-foot-11 Brazilian had a career-high 453 kills in 2024. Clara Andrade has 1,047 kills over the first three years of her career.
No. 21 Aaliyah del Rosario
Aaliyah del Rosario is a former 5-star recruit who is fighting for playing time on a loaded LSU women’s basketball. The 6-foot-6 center from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, averaged 4.7 points per game as a freshman.
She is averaging 2.9 points per game this season.
No. 22 Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa
Columbia College guard Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa is one of the best players in the Ivy League. De La Rosa is averaging 19.4 points per game this season.
The 6-foot-2 guard has been named Ivy League Player of the Week three times already this season. The native of the Santiago, Dominican Republic, appears like an early favorite for Ivy League Player of the Year.
No. 23 Caleb Sanchez
Columbia College quarterback Caleb Sanchez capped his freshman season by earning Ivy League Rookie of the Week honors in the final two seasons. More importantly for the former St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) star, he helped Columbia win a share of the Ivy League title for the first time in 61 years.
Sanchez started Columbia’s last two games of the season. The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder completed 26 of his 51 pass attempts for 531 yards and three touchdowns over three games. He also rushed for one touchdown.
No. 24. Tyler Martinez
New Mexico State linebacker Tyler Martinez had a breakout season as a redshirt junior. He had 94 total tackles (45 solo) and one sack to ear Second Team All-CUSA distinction. He was third in conference tackles per game.
Martinez was also one of the best stories in college football, considering he didn’t receive a single scholarship offer out of high school. After two years at New Mexico Military Institute, he received an offer from New Mexico State. Martinez has made the best of his two season at New Mexico State.
He had a season-high 10 tackles against Middle Tennessee. Then he had nine solo tackles against Texas A&M.
No. 25 Nico Partida
Nico Partida is one of the top three high school baseball players in Texas in the Class of 2025. The right-handed pitcher/shortstop from Pearland (Texas) High has committed to play at Texas A&M.
Baseball America rates Partida the 69th best prospect heading into the 2025 MLB Draft.
“Partida is a two-way player with his future leaning more toward pitching,” Baseball America writes. “He’s 6 feet, 190 pounds with a compact and physically mature frame for his age. He’s already up to 96 mph with good pitchability and was one of USA Baseball’s most impressive pitchers on the 2024 18U team.”
Staff Reports
Staff reports
Stay in the Loop
Get the Our Esquina Email Newsletter
By submitting your email, you are agreeing to receive additional communications and exclusive content from Our Esquina. You can unsubscribe at any time.