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: University Laboratory School

-Coach’s Name: Justin Morgan

-Classification: Class 3A (Select Division II)

-District: 6-3A

-No. of Returning Positional Starters: 5

-No. of Returning Pitchers: 5

-Team Strengths: Leadership

-Top Returning Players: 2023 RHP Cameron Robbins, 2023 SS Brandon Daugherty, 2023 C Wils Melton, 2023 OF Blake Abney, 2023 OF Trip Singer, 2023 RHP Reed Braun, 2024 RHP Camden Sunstrom (University of Southern Mississippi commit), 2024 RHP/OF Cole Connor, 2024 C Harry Beacham

-Top 2023 Prospects: 2023 RHP Cameron Robbins, 2023 SS Brandon Daugherty, 2023 C Wils Melton, 2023 OF Blake Abney, 2023 OF Trip Singer, 2023 RHP Reed Braun

-Top 2024 Prospects: 2024 RHP Camden Sunstrom (University of Southern Mississippi commit), 2024 RHP/OF Cole Connor, 2024 C Harry Beacham

-Top 2025 & 2026 Prospects: 2025 Jacob McCann, 2025 Zachary Joubert, 2025 Ethan Hopkins, 2026 Lane Mixon, 2026 William Martin

 

 

Team Outlook

University Lab finished the 2022 season with an overall record of 23-13, making it all the way to the state championship game of the Select Division II playoffs, before losing in the finals to Vandebilt Catholic.  The Cubs exceeded expectations last year, as they were coming off of a 14-15 overall record in 2021, and looking ahead to this season, there's plenty of reason for optimism.  Head Coach Justin Morgan returns five positional starters and five arms from last season's team that finished as state runner-up, but Coach Morgan told us that there are still some question marks at certain areas, and that this year's team can not take last season's success for granted.  Leading the way on the mound for the Cubs will be junior RHP Camden Sunstrom, who was a 1st team All-State selection in 2022.  The Southern Miss recruit finished last season with a 9-1 record and 1.43 ERA over 68 1/3 IP to go along with 73 K's.  Sunstrom was also a member of our Future Games team last summer and was brilliant in his three innings of work, as he was able to command his mid-80's FB to all four quadrants, while mixing in a true "12-6" CB and a late-fading CH.  Senior RHP Cameron Robbins also returns to the mix for the Cubs this season, after going 3-3 with a 5.55 ERA in 2022.  Fellow seniors Blake Abney and Reed Braun, both RHP's, also return after logging a combined 24 innings last spring.  Junior RHP Cole Connor is another arm to keep an eye on this spring, as he finished 2022 with a 1-1 record and 4.85 ERA over 13 IP last spring.  Connor will also be relied upon at the plate, as he finished hitting .295 last season, earning himself 2nd team All-District honors.  The Cubs are also excited to return 1st team All-District catcher Wils Melton.  The senior backstop hit .402 last spring with 2 HR, 11 2B, and 17 RBI.  Senior Blake Abney returns in the outfield as well, after hitting .333 last year, which earned him 1st team All-District honors.  Fellow seniors Brandon Daugherty and Trip Singer are two other experienced guys back in the fold as well, with Daugherty in the infield and Singer in the outfield.  Junior Harry Beacham is another returner for Coach Morgan, who finished 2021 hitting .274 with 18 RBI.  U-High will again compete in the Select Division II playoffs, which is shaping up to be a competitive division in 2023, with the likes of St. Louis Catholic ('21 State Champions), Vandebilt Catholic ('22 State Champions), Teurlings Catholic, and Parkview Baptist all returning really good clubs.  Coach Morgan told us that the road back to the title game won't be easy and his team understands that.  The Cubs have a good nucleus of veterans that went through the grind of making it all the way to the title game last spring, and they return one of the best arms in the state, in Sunstrom.  We fully expect U-High to be in the mix for a Top 4 seed in the Division II playoffs, which would set them up nicely for another run to the state tournament, with the opportunity to bring home the school's first baseball state championship.

 

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