2023 Team Preview: John Curtis Christian School

-Top 2024 Prospects: 2024 UTIL/RHP Dagan Bruno, 2024 OF/INF Brad Chaisson, 2024 C/OF Tyler Mitchell, 2024 OF/C Dylan Gilbert, 2024 OF Isaiah Spann

-Top 2025/2026 Prospects: 2025 INF Jason Curtis, 2025 RHP/3B Bryce Hebert, 2025 RHP/UTIL Aiden Karr, 2026 RHP/OF Kolston Martinez, 2026 OF/INF Nate Alario, 2026 C Jeffrey Curtis, 2026 UTIL Conner Micheu (Southeastern Louisiana University commit)

Team Outlook

John Curtis has long been known as the powerhouse football program, in the state of Louisiana, as evidenced by their 28 state championships, the most by any team in Louisiana.  As good as the Patriots are on the gridiron, they're also pretty good on the baseball diamond as well.  The 2022 season was another successful one for Head Coach Jeff Curtis & company, as the Patriots made it all the way to the LHSAA Select Division I State Championship game, falling to eventual champion Catholic BR, by a score of 4-1.  Coach Curtis returns an experienced and athletic group of players for this spring, so expectations are once again high for John Curtis.  The Patriots do have to replace a couple of key players who've moved on to the college ranks in Logan O'Neill, a former Future Gamer who is now at Delgado Community College, and Buddy Micheu, who is now at Belhaven University.  At the top of the list of guys to carry on the tradition at John Curtis is senior OF/LHP Michael O'Brien.  The Mississippi State University signee is a dynamic player, who can do a lot of things on a baseball diamond.  A left-handed hitter, O'Brien has one of the sweeter strokes in the state and has the speed to change a game once he gets on the basepaths and is a quality defender in the outfield.  He'll also be on the pitching staff for Coach Curtis, working his FB in the mid-upper 80's to go along with a CB and CH.  Another returning two-way guy is senior RHP/3B Austin Ackel, who is a four-year starter.  Ackel has a durable and physical 6'2" 210 lbs. frame and should hit in the middle of the Patriots order.  He'll also log innings on the mound, as Ackel is a strike thrower with a mid-80's FB.  Another senior arm to keep an eye on is LHP Cameron Romano.  Coach Curtis believes that Romano has the potential to have a breakout year, as the southpaw has some really good stuff from the left side.  The rest of the staff should be rounded out with guys like junior RHP Anthony Macaluso, sophomore RHP Bryce Hebert, and freshman RHP Kolston Martinez.  The Patriots return another veteran at the key catching position in senior Josh Eames, who is a Delgado Community College commit.  The 6'0" 185 lbs. backstop is an athletic catcher who can really hit and he also has the chance to log innings on the mound as well.  In addition to Eames, O'Brien, and Ackel, Coach Curtis also returns senior OF Syris McClinton and senior 1B Andrew Martinez.  McClinton is a physical 6'1" 230 lbs. left-handed hitter, who can hit for power.  Martinez, a starting offensive tackle on the football team, is another physical hitter who can hit for power.  Junior UTIL Dagan Bruno is a "swiss army knife" for Coach Curtis, as he can play all nine positions on the field, and Bruno also serves as the football team's starting quarterback.  Junior Brad Chaisson missed the majority of last spring with an arm injury, but is now back healthy, after starting as a freshman on the Patriots team that made it to the semi-finals.  Fellow juniors Tyler Mitchell, Dylan Gilbert, and Isaiah Spann are all athletic and versatile players who will contribute to the team's success.  We mentioned Kolston Martinez above, who is one of the Patriots bright young players, but there's plenty more in addition to him.  Freshman UTIL Conner Micheu, a recent Southeastern Louisiana University commit, is a really good defender in the middle infield with a high baseball IQ.  Two-time Jr. Future Gamer Freshman Nate Alario is one of the more dynamic players in the state's freshman class.  Alario is an exceptional runner and according to Coach Curtis, he challenges O'Brien for most athletic on the team.  Sophomore Jason Curtis and freshman Jeffrey Curtis are two coach's kids who are both savvy baseball rats, with the latter being a member of the 2019 Louisiana Little League World Series team.  Sophomore Aiden Karr is another athletic player, who had a good summer and fall for John Curtis.  The Catholic League out of the New Orleans, LA area is always one of the most competitive leagues in the state and in the playoffs there will be defending state champion Catholic BR as well.  Coach Curtis returns an experienced group, with talent across the board, both offensively and on the mound, so we fully expect the Patriots to be there in the end come playoff time.

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