Final Edition Of The 2016 Rankings Released

June 9, 2016

Trey Sofio
Louisiana Scouting Director

Follow us on Twitter: @PBR_Louisiana

With the completion of the high school season, it’s time to make our final adjustments to the 2016 rankings prior to the upcoming MLB Draft. There have been some players that have made a late push and have continued to move up the board.

It’s been a busy three-plus months since the last Class of 2016 rankings update. The winter and spring months, both on the state and national levels, have shed more light on this talented and deep senior class.

While there have been significant shakeups in the rankings, the top of the list remains largely intact, headlined by INF Jake Slaughter (Ouachita Christian HS). The physical 6-foot-2, 198-pound Louisiana State recruit has continually showed to be the best overall player in Louisiana, despite not having the present carry tool.

OF/INF Zachary Watson (West Ouachita HS) holds firm at the No. 2 slot. The Louisiana State recruit features the biggest carry tool in Louisiana’s 2016 class. The 6-foot Watson runs a 6.5 60 yard dash, 4.00 home to 1^st time, and shows solid bat speed, having a successful senior campaign leading West Ouachita to a state runner-up finish.

SS Josh Smith (Catholic(BR) HS) slides up to No. 3. The most polished player in Louisiana’s 2016 class, Smith joins Slaughter and Watson in Louisiana State’s stellar 2016 recruiting class, and could make an immediate impact for the Tigers.

Also holding firm in the top 10 are a pair of Tulane recruits – INF Michael Kirsch (Brother Martin HS) and RHP Keagan Gillies (Brother Martin HS). Kirsch has arguably the highest ceiling in the class, while the 6-foot-8 Gillies projects very well with a fastball up to 90 mph and an advanced feel to spin a breaking ball.

RHP Haden Erbe (Crowley HS), a hard-throwing 6-foot-3, 200-pounder, is a Louisiana-Lafayette recruit that maintains his hold in the top 10. Erbe burst onto the scene at this fall’s Pre-Season All-State Games, when he topped at 93 mph.

A recent Louisiana Tech commit and the top ranked catcher in the class, Keelyn Johnson (Pineville HS) also maintains his top 10 status. Although still raw overall, Johnson will show flashes of elite level, catch and throw skills, and raw power from the right-side. Speaking of power, Texas recruit, Ryan Reynolds (Ouachita Christian HS) possess the most of anyone in Louisiana’s 2016 class. A switch-hitter, he has shown the ability to hit the ball out of the ballpark at the high school level, and showed well at major national events.

Rounding out the top 10 are a pair of Louisiana State commits, LHP Blair Frederick (Brother Martin HS) and Matthew Beck (Alexandria HS). With a lean, athletic 6-foot, 180-pound frame, Frederick has run his fastball up to 94 mph, on occasion, and showed a potential swing-and-miss slider. However, he struggled to maintain velocity consistently, but should be one to watch out of LSU, as he adds strength. One of the top quarterbacks in the state, Beck has run his fastball up to 93 mph with quality tilt and angle. He is a very good athlete on the mound, and should only get better with increasing mound time.

To see the entire class of 2016 rankings, click HERE.

Below is a look at the Top 10:

Rank	Name	State	School	Class	Pos	Commitment
1	Jake Slaughter	LA	Ouachita Christian	2016	SS	Louisiana State
2	Zachary Watson	LA	West Ouachita	2016	SS	Louisiana State
3	Josh Smith	LA	Catholic (BR)	2016	SS	Louisiana State
4	Haden Erbe	LA	Crowley	2016	RHP	Louisiana-Lafayette
5	Michael Kirsch	LA	Brother Martin	2016	SS	Tulane
6	Keelyn Johnson	LA	Pineville	2016	C	Louisiana Tech
7	Ryan Reynolds	LA	Ouachita Christian	2016	2B	Texas
8	Blair Frederick	LA	Brother Martin	2016	LHP	Louisiana State
9	Matthew Beck	LA	Alexandria Senior	2016	RHP	Louisiana State
10	Keagan Gillies	LA	Brother Martin	2016	RHP	Tulane

Final Edition Of The 2016 Rankings Released

Related Content