Three Texas Softball Teams Sever Ties With Ranked Academy

Three Texas youth softball teams announced on Oct. 29 that they are leaving Athletics Mercado, a nationally ranked academy. The split follows a public complaint filed by former coach Liana Gonzalez on Oct. 27. Gonzalez accused the academy's head coach, Devin Taylor, of sexual harassment and alleged that leadership protected him after she reported his conduct.

Gonzalez stated that Taylor made inappropriate remarks about her body and directed sexual jokes at her, including in front of their 10-and-under team. She also claimed he sent her inappropriate text messages and attempted to share a hotel room with her during travel tournaments. According to Gonzalez, the organization released her from her coaching position after she raised the issue. She identified Jesse Frausto, Jacob Rose, and Brian Tidd as the leaders who she believes protected Taylor.

The first team to announce its departure was Athletics Mercado HTX 20333, based in Houston. In a Facebook post, the team stated that its responsibility extends beyond developing skills to protecting players. The North Texas-based Athletics Mercado Montero-Mijares followed, saying it would rename the team to honor the players' futures. The Central Texas-based Athletics Mercado CTX 14U also confirmed it would leave, writing that it could not stay silent while the values it teaches were challenged.

Athletics Mercado responded to the allegations in a Facebook statement. The organization acknowledged that Taylor is no longer with the group. However, the academy disputed Gonzalez's claim that she was removed from her position because she voiced concerns. The statement noted that the person who raised the concerns was never prevented from continuing to coach.

The Texas branch of the academy said it stands with leadership's decision to terminate Taylor. It explained that when concerns reached Texas Director Jesse Frausto, the matter was elevated to organizational leadership. The statement emphasized that the complaints were not ignored or dismissed. Gonzalez provided screenshots showing that she was told to keep the situation in-house for damage control. She also shared social media posts indicating that Taylor continued to appear in team content, including a birthday message published on Oct. 17.

Gonzalez said she reported the conduct in July and was told the matter would be investigated. She claimed the team continued to operate with practices and training sessions even after leadership told her it was disbanded. The academy and its Texas branch did not respond to further inquiries about the specific timeline of Taylor's removal or the team's status during that period. Gonzalez's posts have received support from former players, coaches, and parents.