2023 Team Preview: Pineville High School
February 10, 2023
The 2023 high school baseball season is quickly approaching and as usual, our staff is excited for the upcoming spring season. Players and coaches have been working all fall and through December, in preparation for the upcoming season and as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across Louisiana.
Programs across the state have goals and aspirations to finish the year in Sulphur, LA at the LHSAA State Tournament, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes a reality. We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams and players across the state, as we preview many of the great programs from Louisiana. We will take you right up to the first pitch of this season with these team previews and we'll continue providing coverage throughout the spring.
Please keep checking back throughout the season, as we strive to be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across Louisiana. Each week we will release our players of the week, as well as our Power 25 Rankings, which encompasses the top 25 teams in the state, regardless of class.
*Please note that all information is based on team preview questionnaires that were sent out and returned by the participating high school coaches. If you did not receive a questionnaire and would like to fill one out, please send an email to [email protected].
-High School Name: Pineville High School
-Coach’s Name: Cullen Guerriero
-Classification: Class 5A (Non-Select Division I)
-District: 2-5A
-No. of Returning Positional Starters: 6
-No. of Returning Pitchers: 6
-Team Strengths: Experience and Depth
-Top Returning Players: 2023 OF/RHP Greg Willis (Mississippi Valley State commit), 2023 RHP Spencer Bordelon, 2023 OF Lance Dauzat, 2023 INF/RHP Colton Hardy, 2023 1B/LHP Brady Huffman, 2023 OF Amahri Jackson
-Top 2023 Prospects: 2023 OF Greg Willis (Mississippi Valley State commit), 2023 3B Spencer Bordelon, 2023 OF Lance Dauzat, 2023 INF Colton Hardy, 2023 1B/LHP Brady Huffman, 2023 OF Amahri Jackson
-Top 2024 Prospects: 2024 C Matt Warden, 2024 UTIL Jayden Paul
-Top 2025 & 2026 Prospects: 2025 UTIL Aiden Ordner, 2025 RHP Matt Edwards
Team Outlook
Pineville finished the 2022 season with a 14-18 overall record and made a playoff appearance, before losing in the first round to perennial 5A powerhouse Barbe. The Rebels have a lot to be excited about heading into this spring, as they have a lot of guys back who gained valuable experience last season. First-year Head Coach Cullen Guerriero told us that a lot of the guys from last year's team "got thrown into the fire" during district play and they grew a lot because of that experience. Coach Guerriero told us that the goal for this year's team is to make it back to the playoffs and to be playing their best baseball by the end of the year, in order to give themselves the best chance to make a deep push in the playoffs. This year's Pineville senior class is a deep one and each guy brings something to the table. Seniors Greg Willis, Amahri Jackson, and Lance Dauzat were all All-District performers in 2022 and will be relied upon heavily this season. Willis, a Mississippi Valley State recruit, is a physical 6'3" 190 lbs. right-handed hitting outfielder with pull-side power. He also led the Rebels staff in innings pitched last season with 43 and tossed a no-hitter against Ouachita. Jackson is a dynamic and twitchy athlete that hit .429 with 6 HR and 43 R last season. Dauzat had one of the higher OBP% last year for the Rebels and is a consistent and reliable defender in the outfield. Senior Alex Courville battled a knee injury that he sustained during football season, but is now back healthy and ready to make an impact. He'll likely see time at first base, as well as on the mound. Senior Spencer Bordelon also returns this year, after being named the team's Most Valuable Pitcher in 2022, as he led the pitching staff in wins, ERA, and WHIP. Senior Colton Hardy is another dual guy (INF/RHP) for Coach Guerriero this spring and one of the vocal leaders of this Pineville group. Senior Brady Huffman has been a fixture in the Rebels lineup, since his sophomore campaign, and he looks to have an even better year in 2023. The left-handed hitter was at or near the top of every team offensive category last year with a .823 OPS, 8 2B's, 2 HR's, 24 RBI, and 25 RS. Huffman also was tied for the team lead in both wins and strikeouts. Junior Matt Warden came on last year as a designated hitter and backup catcher, but he will be relied upon to step up defensively, to fill the void left by Chris Kelley, who is now at Louisiana Christian. Fellow junior Jayden Paul has made some good strides this off-season and has gotten more physical, so look for him to contribute this year as well. Sophomores Aiden Ordner and Matt Edwards both gained a lot of experience last year as freshmen, and Coach Guerriero expects them to help the team in a bigger way in 2023. The Rebels compete in District 2-5A, where they'll have to compete against the likes of Ruston and last year's Class 5A State Champion West Monroe. Pineville will be battled tested once again coming out of district play, but this year, they'll have more experienced guys, which should equate to more wins. We expect for Coach Guerriero's group to improve on their overall record and make a deeper playoff push this coming spring.
Follow us on Twitter: @PBR_Louisiana
Follow us on Instagram: @PBR_Louisiana
Upcoming Events
| SHOWCASE | DATE | LOCATION |
| New Orleans Rising Stars ID |
2/12/23 | Mike Miley Stadium (Metairie, LA) |
| Lake Charles Rising Stars ID | 5/20/23 | Barbe High School (Lake Charles, LA) |
| Lake Charles Summer Open | 5/21/23 | Barbe High School (Lake Charles, LA) |