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: Lutcher

Head Coach: Ryan Jensen

Classification: Class 4A (Non-Select D-II)

District: 7-4A

2023 Record: 26-8

2023 Playoff Finish: State Quarterfinalist

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 8

No. of Returning Pitchers: 6

Team Strengths: Experience & Pitching

Top Returning Players: 2024 OF/LHP Luke Babin (Nicholls State commit), 2024 2B Brock Louque (Nunez Community College commit), 2024 1B Colin Roques, 2024 C/RHP Caleb Hastings (LSU-Eunice commit), 2024 RHP/OF Quinn Smith (Southeastern Louisiana commit), 2024 UTIL/RHP Kai Brown, 2024 OF Chaduthaddeus Carter, 2025 RHP/SS Marshall Louque (Louisiana State commit)

Top 2024 & 2025 Prospects: 2024 OF/LHP Luke Babin (Nicholls State commit), 2024 2B Brock Louque (Nunez Community College commit), 2024 1B Colin Roques, 2024 C/RHP Caleb Hastings (LSU-Eunice commit), 2024 RHP/OF Quinn Smith (Southeastern Louisiana commit), 2024 UTIL/RHP Kai Brown, 2024 OF Chaduthaddeus Carter, 2025 RHP/SS Marshall Louque (Louisiana State commit), 2025 UTIL/RHP Ethan Detillier

Top 2026 & 2027 Prospects: 2026 C Bryson Keller, 2026 SS/RHP Dane Bodin

 

Team Outlook

Lutcher enjoyed what most would call a very successful season in 2023, as they finished with an overall record of 26-8.  The reason that we say "what would most would call a very successful season", is because the Bulldogs entered the LHSAA Non-Select D-II playoffs as the #1 seed, and seemed like a sure-fire bet to make it back to the state tournament to defend their 2022 state title.  Unfortunately, their season ended in the quarterfinal round at the hands of Lakeshore.  Lutcher won the first game in the best of three series by a score of 8-2, before dropping the next two games, which abrubtly ended their season.  Head Coach Ryan Jensen is confident that last year's experience of losing in the quarterfinal round of the playoffs has fueled his team this off-season.  Coach Jensen also told us that he's challenged this year's team to play consistent, TEAM baseball everyday.  He told us that last year's team won a lot of games, but it never felt like they really settled in and played to their capabilities.  This year's Bulldog team returns eight everyday starters from last year and they also return 163 of the 226 innings pitched in 2023.  On the mound, Lutcher will once again be led by junior Marshall Louque.  The LSU recruit went 8-1 last year with a 1.00 ERA to go along with 84 K's across 62 IP.  Lutcher also has a really good #2 behind Louque in senior Quinn Smith.  The Southeastern Louisiana recruit has a FB that will touch 90-91 mph, and he had a really successful summer season for the Bulldogs.  Coach Jensen told us that he also believes that Smith's role as the starting quarterback this fall is going to amplify his success on the diamond this spring.  Seniors Kai Brown, Luke Babin, and Caleb Hastings, as well as junior Ethan Detillier and sophomore Dane Bodin will all play key roles on the mound for Lutcher this spring.  Speaking of Hastings, when he's not on the mound, he'll be the team's everyday catcher for another season.  The LSU-Eunice recruit was a standout at our Senior Games event this past fall thanks to his powerful left-handed stroke and consistent sub-2.00 pop times.  Coach Jensen told us that Hastings is best defensive catcher that he's had in his time at Lutcher.  When looking at the Bulldogs offense, Marshall Louque will once again be a run-producing threat in the middle of the order, after hitting at a .386 clip last season with 6 HR and 36 RBI.  Senior Luke Babin was the team's leading hitter last season and really blossomed into a fantastic player for the Bulldogs as a junior.  The Nicholls State recruit takes consistent, quality at-bats and is one of the leaders of the team.  Fellow senior Brock Louque is back at second base again this season and will leave Lutcher as a three-year starter.  The Nunez CC recruit is an excellent defender who has come up with a lot of clutch hits over the course of his career.  Senior Colin Roques projects to be the starting first baseman and the coaching staff is really excited about the strides that he made last season and over the summer.  Senior Kai Brown is the Bulldogs version of a "swiss-army" knife, as he saw time at SS, 3B, OF, C, and P last season, and also posseses a good deal of power at the plate.  Senior Chad Carter had a breakout junior year in 2023 that saw him hit at a .330 clip, and is a guy that Coach Jensen and company will rely on to turn the lineup over.  Carter is also a really good runner and is a major threat on the basepaths.  A couple of underclassmen to keep an eye on are sophomres Bryson Keller and Dane Bodin.  Keller is a really good hitter and could see some time as a designated hitter and catcher this season.  Bodin posseses a high baseball IQ and can fill multiple roles for the team thanks to a stellar glove and strong arm on the infield.  District 7-4A has three teams (Lutcher, Vandebilt Catholic, and South Terrebonne) that have won state titles in the last two seasons, so it should once again be an action-packed district.  As Coach Jensen mentioned to us, if this year's team can use last year's quarterfinal upset as motivation, while playing TEAM baseball for each other, then the sky is the limit for the 2024 Lutcher Bulldogs.  

 

 

Follow on Twitter: @PBR_Louisiana
Follow on Instagram: @PBR_Louisiana

 

+ Click HERE to create a free profile.

+ Click HERE to purchase a subscription which gives you access to additional information on the site. 

 
Related Content: