The 2024 Texas high school baseball season is quickly approaching and, as usual, excitement is abound 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 Texas.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in Austin at the UIL State Tournament in June, 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 Texas. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews, eventually releasing our Preseason Power 30 rankings that’ll carry us into the opening week of action.

Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across the state. Each week we will be releasing our Players of the Week and updating the Power 30 rankings.

Our 2024 preseason coverage continues today.

High School: La Grange Leopards
Head Coach: Robert Barber
UIL Classification: UIL Class 4A (District 22)
Team Strengths: Pitching Depth
2023 Record (Playoff Finish): 14-15 (4A Area Finalists)
Key Players Lost: Trenton Barnes (Galveston College, MVP of District), Cody Kruse

 

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TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

+ INF Bennett Barber (2024; Panola JC) - Second Team All-District
+ RHP/CIF Brock Loehr (2024; uncommitted) - First Team All-District
+ UTL Brayden Horton (2024; uncommitted) - Honorable Mention All-District
+ INF Ty Stark (2025; uncommitted) - Second Team All-District
+ UTL Max Dixon (2025; uncommitted) - Honorable Mention All-District
+ RHP/CIF Kyler Lamza (2025; uncommitted) - First Team All-District

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TOP NEWCOMERS

+ INF Colton Klesel (2024; uncommitted)
+ UTL Hunter Sabo (2025; uncommitted)
+ UTL/RHP Eli Gillum (2027)

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FRESHMEN TO FOLLOW

+ UTL/RHP Eli Gillum (2027)

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TEAM OUTLOOK

After finishing as 4A Area Finalists in 2023, the La Grange Leopards bring back six players from that team who earned All-District honors heading into 2024. Led by Coach Robert Barber, the Leopards expect their pitching depth to be the strength of the team this spring.

On the mound, the Leopards return a pair of First Team All-District arms from 2023 in RHP/CIF Brock Loehr (2024; uncommitted) and RHP/CIF Kyler Lamza (2025; uncommitted). Joining the fold on the mound is expected to be freshman UTL/RHP Eli Gillum, who could become a foundational piece for the La Grange program for the next few years.

Elsewhere on the diamond, the Leopards bring back Coach Barber’s son and Panola JC commit INF Bennett Barber (2024). Barber earned Second Team All-District in 2023, and will be joined three fellow All-District players in senior UTL Brayden Horton (uncommitted - Honorable Mention), as well as juniors INF Ty Stark (uncommitted - Second Team) and UTL Max Dixon (uncommitted - Honorable Mention). Joining the varsity fold in 2024 will be senior INF Colton Klesel (uncommitted) and junior UTL Hunter Sabo (uncommitted).

With their pitching depth and intriguing pieces throughout the diamond, the La Grange Leopards should be a team to watch again in 2024 in the state’s 4A class.

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Find more information on the 2024 La Grange Leopards program below:

+ <<2024 Schedule>>
+ Follow La Grange on X: @leps_baseball
+ Prep Baseball Texas, Power 30 Homepage

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