The 2024 high school baseball season is quickly approaching and as usual, excitement abounds throughout the state.  Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across Louisiana.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in Sulphur, LA, home of the LHSAA State Championships, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality.  We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams across the state as we preview individual teams across Louisiana.  We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews, followed by our Power 25 Rankings release, and our popular Game of the Week segment. 

Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across the bayou state.  Each week, we will be releasing our players of the week, updating our Power 25 Rankings, and many more pieces of content.  

*Please note that all information is based on team preview questionnaires that were sent out and returned by the participating high school coaches.

 

High School Name: C.E. Byrd

Head Coach: Greg Williams

Classification: Class 5A (Select D-I)

District: 1-5A

2023 Record: 23-16

2023 Playoff Finish: State Quarterfinalist

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 1

No. of Returning Pitchers: 2

Team Strengths: Strike-Throwing & Balanced Offense

Top Returning Players: 2024 INF Ryan Lee, 2025 INF Zach Wilburn, 2026 C Rowan Arnold

 

Team Outlook

Byrd finished last season with a 23-16 record, which earned them the #10 seed in the LHSAA Select D-I playoffs.  The Yellow Jackets had a first round bye, before upsetting #7 seed Brother Martin in the second round.  Their season unfortunately ended in the quarterfinals, at the hands of Jesuit, for the third consecutive year.  Head Coach Greg Williams has built a winning culture in Shreveport, LA, but will have a tough challenge this season, as Byrd only returns one starting position player and two pitchers from last year.  Junior Zach Wilburn is the lone returning position player from last season and is an outstanding hitter, who has been a starter since his freshman year.  Senior Ryan Lee is another infielder that Coach Williams and the staff are excited about for this spring.  Coach Williams described Williams as a fantastic athlete, who works hard and leads by example.  An underclassman to keep an eye on is sophomore Rowan Arnold, who projects to be the team's starting catcher and has tremendous upside.  District 1-5A is one of the toughest districts in the northern part of the state with the likes of Airline, Benton, Haughton, Captain Shreve, Parkway, and Natchitoches Central always being contenders.  This year's Byrd team will have a lot of new faces, but one thing is for certain, they will be prepared and well-coached, as any Greg Williams team always is.  They may go through some early season struggles, but we fully expect the Yellow Jackets to be playing their best baseball toward the end of the season, which will give them a chance to make a run in the playoffs. 

 

 

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