More notes on many of the top performers from around the state over the last week. 

2021 INF Brennan Holt (Parkview Baptist HS) - Louisiana State Recruit - Smaller framed left-handed hitting infielder with bounce. Springy athlete with a plus run tool. Versatile ball player that can defend on the dirt with more of a second base profile but has the speed and athleticism to play center which. Quick twitch left-handed stroke with bat speed and solid strength. Top/bottom of the order type guy that can spray liners around the park and use his speed with the bunt game. We were able to catch a pair of extra base hits and a bunt single in live action last week.

2022 OF Luke Yuhasz (Sam Houston HS) - Texas A&M Recruit - Big Physical kid with big tools. Towering 6-foot-4, 200+ with present strength in frame. Above average runner with developing instincts in centerfield. Moves well, with above average range and advanced arm strength. Offensively, continues to show progression. Lots of raw ability and he's been able to really tap into it this summer. Balanced setup with simple toe tap load into and efficient right-handed swing with easy bat speed and strength at contact. Beginning to flash adjustability in swing. The more he plays the better he gets. The size and speed combo will be fun to track over the next 2 years. 

2021 RHP Chan Welch (Holy Cross HS) - Pitchability right-hander that has been as consistent as anyone this summer. Worked an inning in relief where he attacked hitters in the zone with feel for 3 pitches. Came back later in the week for yet another outstanding outing. 

2021 RHP Kade Woods (Ouachita Christian HS) - Alabama Recruit - Tall frame, lean build with present strength. Worked 87-89 mph in a relief appearance pitched around a lead off walk. Looked more comfortable out of the stretch as he moved the fastball around the zone while mixing in a 76 mph breaking ball.

2024 C Grant Mathieu (St. Louis Catholic HS) - Strong physical hitter with present bat speed and strength.  Mathieu has a balanced set with a simple compact stroke that produces back spin  and a ton of pull side pop. In the Tri-State Championships Mathieu showed off his power and barrel control going 6 for 8 with a home run. Mathieu will be a hitter to watch as he continues to develop.

2023 MIF Gage Trahan (Sulphur HS) - Gage Trahan has certainly made a name for himself over this summer and it definitely showed on Wednesday afternoon.  Hitting in the two hole, Trahan went 3-4 on the day, showing why he has created a buzz.  Trahan has an athletic, physical build for a MIF in the 2023 Class and hits from a balanced stance, with his hands held above shoulder length, which produces a direct bat path and a balanced swing.  Trahan showed off his hit tool by hitting two singles up the middle and one to the pull side, with two of those being with two strikes.  Trahan is a “throwback” style player, hustling on and off the field in between each inning and playing with a ton of energy.  He will be a name to remember in what is starting to look like a great 2023 class for the Sulphur Tors. 

2023 MIF Tyson Leblanc (North Vermillion HS) - Leblanc aided the Team Louisiana (Ardoin) offense Wednesday by hitting a double to right center field.  Leblanc has average height and an athletic build with the potential to add more strength.  He hits from a slightly open, balanced set up; focusing on bringing his hands inside of the baseball to make solid contact.

2023 MIF Samuel Ardoin (Sam Houston HS) - Ardoin had himself quite the day at the plate, showing the ability to hit to all fields, going 2-2 with 2 singles (one to LCF and one to RCF).  Average height, lean, wiry body type; Ardoin has plenty of room to add strength.  Ardoin hits from a tall, slightly open, upright stance and really uses his hands to stay through the baseball a long time.  He is another prospect that comes from a baseball family with his father, Danny, being a former major leaguer and his brother, Silas, currently a catcher at the University of Texas.  Ardoin has an advanced hitting approach for his age and will be one to watch closely as he continues to grow and add strength. 

2023 MIF Reese Mooney (Denham Springs HS) - University of Houston Recruit - The Denham Springs product showed why the University of Houston committed him as a freshman.  Mooney did a stellar job at SS for Team Louisiana (Ardoin) by making plays to his backhand, forehand, as well as turning a nice 4-6-3 double play to end an inning.  Mooney has an athletic build and showed advanced, smooth actions at SS.  Offensively, Mooney showed advanced plate discipline for a player of his age by drawing a couple of walks. 

2023 OF/LHP Griffin Cooley (Kinder HS) - Cooley was able to impact the game, by hitting a hard single deep in the 4 hole, beating the second baseman’s throw by running a H-1st time of 4.28 seconds.  Cooley has a tall, lean, athletic frame with plenty of room to add strength and is a raw athlete.  He hits from a slightly open stance, with his hands held right at shoulder length which allows him to get his barrel behind the ball, keeping his swing flat through the zone a long time.  Cooley comes from a baseball family, as his brother Welles just finished his career up at McNeese State University.  He will be one to keep an eye on as he continues to develop his game.

2023 RHP Tate Hess (Singer HS) - Hess did a good job of coming in relief after Jake Brown by pounding the zone with a two pitch mix.  His FB sat 80-83 mph, topping out at 84 mph.  He was also able to pitch backwards to the middle of the order hitters for Lonestar Baseball Club by landing his CB 64-67 mph.  Hess has a physical, strong frame with a short, quick arm action and uses his lower half well to generate velocity. 

2023 LHP Jake Brown (Sulphur HS) - Louisiana State Recruit - Brown had himself quite the day on the mound, earning the win for Team Louisiana (Ardoin) with a stat line of: 4 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 5 K, 1 BB.  He dominated the game by locating fastball to both sides of the plate; with his FB velocity sitting at 80-82 mph, topping out at 83 mph.  Brown was also able to land his breaking ball that sat 66-68 mph in any count.  He also flashed his developing CH (70-72 mph) a few times.  Brown comes in at 6’0” with plenty of room to add strength.  He was already one of the most well-known arms in the 2023 class in Louisiana and will only continue to rise in the ranks with performances like today.

2023 3B Cole Cranford (Catholic BR HS) - Cranford showed Friday why he is one of the top 2023 players in Louisiana.  Hitting from an upright, balanced stance with rhythm in his hands; Cranford hit a loud double to LF. Defensively, playing 3B, Cranford made a leaping catch on a line drive and showed off his hands by playing through a slow roller nicely and firing a strike to first base.  Cranford looks to be another solid player for Coach Brad Bass and the Catholic Bears over the next 3 years.

2023 OF Landen Chustz (Catholic BR HS) - The 6’2” athletic Chustz in another Catholic High School product to continue to watch this summer.  Chustz hits from a balanced, athletic stance, with his hands held right below shoulder height.  On Friday, Chustz took good swings, with one being a loud out right at the LF.

2023 2B/OF Donavan LaSalle (Barbe HS) - LaSalle has been a growing name this summer in the 2023 class and he’s started off this weekend showing why.  On Thursday afternoon, he hit a homer before and followed it up with a 1-3 with an RBI performance on Friday.  LaSalle hits from a tall, balanced stance, striding out to get in his legs to generate power.  His bat path is very direct, which is why he has produced a lot of hard contact this summer.  Defensively, LaSalle has been developing his game at 2B and during Friday morning’s game he made a leaping catch on a line drive hit at him, turned a 4-6-3 double play, as well as made a good running catch down the RF foul line.  LaSalle will be a close follow in what is shaping out to be another special class for perennial powerhouse Barbe High School. 

2023 3B Reid Snider (St. Louis Catholic HS) -  As a freshman in 2020, Snider was hitting in the middle of St. Louis Catholic High School’s order, and on Saturday, he showed why they had so much confidence in him.  Snider has a tall, physical frame and hits from an athletic stance with rhythm in his hands.  He has an advanced hitting approach; being able to hit and hit for power to all fields.  On Saturday, Snider went 2-2 with a triple and 2 RBI.  Both of his hits were barreled into the opposite field gap.  Defensively, Snider showed off his soft hands on a play in the six hole, playing through the ball athletically and setting his feet to deliver a strike to first base with carry on his throw.  He also made a great diving play down the third base line and showed his arm strength by delivering a long throw to 1st for the out.

2023 CF Keilon Parnell (Pascagoula, MS HS) - Mississippi State Recruit - Parnell did it all on Saturday and showed why the Mississippi State Bulldogs committed him as a freshman in high school.  Hitting from a slightly open, balanced, athletic stance; Parnell went 2-2 with a RBI on Saturday and stole a base as well.  He showed his ability to hit to all fields by lacing a single to left centerfield.  Parnell also flashed his run tool on that single, by posting a 4.39 second H-1st time on the turn.  Defensively, Parnell roams around centerfield, taking good routes to balls and making the position look easy. 

2023 OF/RHP Dylan Biddick (Lafayette HS) - Louisiana-Lafayette Recruit:  A high motor, high energy player; Biddick showed off multiple facets of his game on Saturday.  Offensively, Biddick went 1-2, with a double and a RBI, lacing the double to the opposite field gap.  Biddick came in relief for the Knights on Saturday and was a strike machine.  Biddick is another tough, hard nosed player that will be a force for the Lafayette Lions for the next three years. 

2023 OF Barrett Newman (Parkway HS) - Hitting from a tall stance, with a coiled leg lick load into a physical left-handed pass with pull side power potential; Newman went 1-3 on Saturday for the Knights with a single to right field. 

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