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2026 Louisiana Preseason Standouts

January 21, 2026
Alex Armand
Louisiana Scouting Director

Our Preseason ID series is unique in several ways. It serves as an identifier heading into the spring season, giving our scouts as well as college recruiters, a list of prospects to follow as they plan their spring coverage.

We also tend to see prospects’ best performances in the Preseason, as most athletes are fresh and coming off of strict and targeted off-season training programs that have resulted in big gains, primed for updating their Prep Baseball profile.

All of which lends the perfect opportunity to secure invitations to some of the summer's biggest invite-only events such as the Louisiana Top Prospect Games, Louisiana State Games, and Prep Baseball Future Games.

Our staff strategically hosted Preseason ID events throughout the state (Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans) in search of players who have taken advantage of the offseason, identifying new prospects to add to our follow lists or players our staff is already familiar with who are on the rise.

Below, we highlight a group of uncommitted players that showed well at one of our three Preseason ID events.

LAKE CHARLES PRESEASON I.D. (01/03/26)

Grant Oustalet 3B / C / Sam Houston, LA / 2028

Rankings  StateRank: 13 / POS: 2

5-foot-10, 200-pound stout, strong build. Oustalet finished last spring as the Broncos’ third baseman and has since begun transitioning behind the plate, where he looked very comfortable from the crouch on Saturday. He showed good hip mobility and flexibility, allowing him to present a consistent, pitcher-friendly target. Defensively, Oustalet flashed athletic footwork, a quick, clean release, and an accurate throwing arm, recording throws up to 78 mph to second base with pop times ranging from 1.96–2.09.

Offensively, he continues to show a consistent feel for the barrel. He sets his hands high above the back shoulder and works on a direct, efficient path to contact with level extension through the zone, producing gap-to-gap impact with exit velocities reaching 99.3 mph.

 

 

Lane Holubec RHP / OF / West Monroe, LA / 2028

Rankings  StateRank: 26 / POS: 7

Physical 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame. The former Jr. Future Gamer turned in a solid bullpen outing on Saturday and looks poised for a breakout spring with the Rebels. Holubec works exclusively out of the stretch from the first-base side of the rubber, striding across his body to create a tough cross-fire look. He delivers the ball from a low three-quarter slot, adding an element of deception for hitters.

The right-hander consistently filled the zone with an 84–86 mph fastball that featured heavy arm-side sink and run(19.2 inches of average horizontal movement). He complemented it with a 74–76 mph slider that showed big sweepacross the zone (-18.8 inches of average horizontal movement). The combination of his lower release point and sinker/slider mix makes Holubec a very uncomfortable at-bat, particularly for right-handed hitters.

 

 

Brock Trahan RHP / 3B / Sulphur, LA / 2028

Rankings  StateRank: 116 / POS: 20

Physical 6-foot-2, 195-pound frame. The Sulphur product emerged as one of the premier two-way prospects at Saturday’s event and left evaluators eager to see more moving forward. Trahan arguably turned in the top batting practice round of the day, consistently driving the ball to the opposite-field gap with authority, posting exit velocities up to 99.6 mph.

On the mound, he showed a short, quick arm action while working from a three-quarter slot, allowing him to repeat his delivery and throw strikes. Trahan commanded an 84–88 mph fastball to both sides of the plate and flashed feel for a short, tight slider at 75–78 mph, spinning the pitch up to 2,402 rpm.

The arrow is clearly pointing up for this sophomore prospect out of Southwest Louisiana.

 

 

Logan Maricle LHP / 1B / Grace Christian School, LA / 2028

6-foot-2, 170-pound wide-shouldered frame with significant room to add strength. The sophomore left-hander went 7–4 with a 1.47 ERA and 72 strikeouts as a freshman for the Warriors, and the underlying traits make that success easy to understand. Maricle works through a quick, athletic delivery, sinking into his back hip as he moves down the slope to create quality extension toward the plate. He features a longer arm swing and releases the ball from a three-quarter slot, allowing his stuff to play with added deception.

The southpaw showed both a four-seam and two-seam fastball in the 84–87 mph range, along with a developing low-70s slider and a mid-70s changeup that flashed late fade. With his physical projection and feel for multiple pitches, Maricle appears to be just scratching the surface, and it’s easy to envision meaningful jumps as he continues to mature.

 

 

Kannon Keiser SS / RHP / Sam Houston, LA / 2028

Rankings  StateRank: 19 / POS: 3

Don’t let the 5-foot-6, 160-pound frame fool you—Keiser is a true ballplayer who continues to trend upward every time we see him. The switch-hitting Sam Houston product turned in one of his best offensive showings to date on Saturday, repeating a simple, efficient swing from both sides of the plate. He stayed compact and connected through contact, consistently producing hard line drives to both gaps.

Defensively is where Keiser truly separated himself. His arm strength continues to improve, now up to 84 mph across the diamond, but it’s his advanced infield instincts that stand out most. He shows a strong understanding of cutting angles to create favorable hops, pairs that with a clean glove-to-hand transfer, and delivers quick, accurate throws from multiple arm slots. Keiser can make every play in the infield, which drives his overall value.

Beyond the tools, every rep during the workout was taken with clear purpose and intent—a trait that consistently shows up and should not be overlooked.

 

 

Brodie Taylor 3B / RHP / West Monroe, LA / 2029

Rankings  StateRank: 2 / POS: 1 OverallRank: 80 / POS: 9

6-foot-1, 190-pound athletic, physical frame with long limbs and plenty of remaining projection. Taylor debuted at No. 2 overall in our 2029 State Rankings last month and on Saturday made a strong case for the top spot. The West Monroe product boasts a true power profile, and it showed throughout the workout.

Taylor hits from an upright stance and uses a controlled toe-tap load to get centered before delivering a heavy barrelthrough the zone. The result is consistently loud contact, as he averaged 96 mph off the bat, peaked at 101.5 mph, and produced his longest batted ball at 371 feet.

 

 

NEW ORLEANS PRESEASON I.D. (01/04/26)

Tanner Rouse RHP / Metairie Park Country Day School, LA / 2028

There are always prospects who break out during our Preseason ID events, and Rouse was one of the biggest movers at last Sunday’s showcase. The Country Day product boasts a 6-foot-1, 175-pound lean frame with long limbs and considerable room to add strength moving forward. He worked exclusively out of the stretch from the first-base side of the rubber, showing a loose, quick, and easy arm action before releasing the ball from a three-quarter slot.

Rouse’s 85–89 mph fastball jumped out of his hand with riding life through the zone, averaging 19.6 inches of induced vertical break. He also flashed feel for spin, pairing the fastball with a 72–73 mph slider that showed short lateral break and spin rates up to 2,453 rpm. While it was more control than refined command on Sunday, there’s plenty to dream on, and Rouse will be firmly on our radar moving forward.

 

 

Austin Sanchez OF / 1B / Hahnville, LA / 2028

Rankings  StateRank: 16 / POS: 3

6-foot, 180-pound frame with a stronger lower half, showing noticeably improved physicality on Sunday. Sanchez delivered one of the loudest batting practice rounds of the weekend and continues to trend upward offensively. A left-handed hitter, he starts from an athletic, balanced stance with his hands set slightly away from his body before working into a simple, controlled load. Once his front foot gets down, Sanchez unleashes an aggressive lower-half turn, whipping the barrel out front with intent to do damage to the big part of the field.

He consistently drove the ball gap-to-gap, posting exit velocities up to 95.3 mph. Defensively, his long-term home—whether at first base or a corner outfield spot—remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Sanchez has established himself as one of the premier left-handed power bats in Louisiana’s 2028 class.

 

 

Cale Bricker RHP / OF / Northshore, LA / 2028

Rankings  StateRank: 29 / POS: 8

This marked our first look at Bricker since the Super Sophomore Games in August, and he has clearly taken a step forward since then. The Northshore product features a 6-foot, 180-pound sturdy frame with a strong lower half and works from the first-base side of the rubber through a simple, repeatable delivery. He uses a slightly longer arm swing before releasing the ball from a three-quarter slot with a 4.7-foot release height.

Bricker consistently pounded the strike zone with an 86–89 mph fastball, representing a +3 mph jump since August. He complemented it with a low-70s, top-to-bottom curveball that showed good bite and spin rates north of 2,500 rpm. A sophomore arm out of Southeast Louisiana, Bricker looks primed for a big spring and should continue to trend upward.

 

 

Luke Gab OF / 1B / Brother Martin, LA / 2027

Physical 5-foot-11, 185-pound frame. This was our first look at Gab, and it was an impressive introduction. He opened the day by running a 6.98 laser-timed 60-yard dash on what proved to be a slow track, then showed an accurate, above-average arm from the outfield, reaching 86 mph.

At the plate, the left-handed hitter sets up in a balanced stance with his hands held just below shoulder height and a slight lean over the plate. He employs a simple, efficient load and maintains a flat path through contact and into his finish, consistently driving the baseball with authority up the middle. Gab posted a max exit velocity of 98.8 mph, further highlighting his offensive upside.

An uncommitted junior, Gab should be firmly on the radar of college recruiters looking to add an impact bat to their 2027 class.

 

 

Gregory Ruiz III SS / OF / Holy Cross, LA / 2027

Rankings  StateRank: 39 / POS: 7

Wiry, athletic 5-foot-10, 170-pound frame. Ruiz is a player who continues to trend upward every time we see him. The Holy Cross product ran a 6.92 laser-timed 60-yard dash on Sunday on what proved to be a slow track, and we’ve seen him dip into the 6.7 range at previous events.

Defensively, Ruiz showed improved infield actions and the athleticism to handle the outfield with ease. Offensively, there’s plenty of fast-twitch in his swing. He features quick hands and a fluid, efficient path, consistently driving the baseball back through the middle while also flashing sneaky pull-side power.

An uncommitted junior out of the New Orleans, Louisiana area, Ruiz is well worth following as he heads into the spring.

 

 

Kamber Keller SS / 2B / Brother Martin, LA / 2028

Rankings  StateRank: 46 / POS: 7

Sunday marked our first look at Keller in nearly two years, and he has clearly made strides across the board. The Brother Martin product features a stocky 5-foot-9, 160-pound build and turned in one of the top infield defensive workouts at the event. He showed crisp, confident actions, receiving the baseball with soft hands out front and funneling it cleanly to his midline. His throws across the diamond were accurate with true backspin and carry, and he also demonstrated the ability to throw on the run.

Offensively, Keller was consistently on the barrel, showing a short, direct path to contact and a willingness to work the ball back through the middle with firm, line-drive contact.

 

 

BATON ROUGE PRESEASON I.D. (01/11/26)

Jiazan Chanthavongsy RHP / Cecilia High School, LA / 2028

6-foot-1, 170-pound wiry frame with plenty of room to continue adding strength as he matures. Chanthavongsy emerged as one of the more intriguing arms from our three Preseason ID events. A smooth mover down the mound, he works with a loose, easy arm action that makes his stuff play up. The Cecilia product showed the ability to command his 83–84 mph fastball to all four quadrants, while his 71–72 mph breaking ball featured tight, 11–5 shape. He rounded out his arsenal with a 76–77 mph splitter that kills spin and dives late. With his projectable build and effortless arm, there’s plenty more in the tank for the sophomore right-hander.

 

 

Brady McCluskey OF / LHP / Brother Martin, LA / 2027

Rankings  StateRank: 26 / POS: 6

5-foot-10, 185-pound compact and sturdy frame with a strong lower half. This was our first up-close look at the Brother Martin product after seeing him last spring with the Crusaders, and he continued to impress. McCluskey is a quality overall athlete, posting a 7.10 laser-timed 60 on a slower track, with his true speed likely playing a tick better. He also showed a strong, accurate arm from the outfield, topping out at 86 mph. Offensively, he starts slightly open with a toe-tap load and stays well connected through an aggressive turn, getting the barrel behind the ball early and keeping it on plane through extension. A key piece of Brother Martin’s run to the state tournament in 2025, McCluskey looks poised to take on an even bigger role this spring.

 

 

Will Oliver RHP / Saint Paul's, LA / 2027

6-foot-3, 175 pounds with long limbs and plenty of room to continue adding strength. Oliver emerged as one of Sunday’s biggest winners at the preseason event. He works with a quick, up-tempo delivery and a compact arm stroke that releases from a high three-quarter slot. The St. Paul’s product showed feel for both a four-seam and two-seam fastball in the 87–88 mph range, consistently working the zone. His 80–83 mph slider flashed short, tight lateral bite, while a firmer 80–81 mph changeup showed arm-side run and sink. An uncommitted junior out of the Northshore area, Oliver is a name college coaches will want to keep a close eye on this spring.

 

 

Nathan Sprankle RHP / Benton High School, LA / 2027

Rankings  StateRank: 37 / POS: 8

Athletic and lean at 6-foot-2, 175 pounds, Sprankle continues to trend upward after jumping into the Top-40 in our most recent state rankings update—and he has a chance to keep climbing this spring. The Benton product works exclusively from the stretch, turning his upper body slightly inward at the top of his leg lift to create deception while hiding the baseball well. A quick, compact arm stroke delivers the ball from a three-quarter slot. On Sunday, he showed improved command of his 86–88 mph fastball, particularly to the glove side. His 77–78 mph breaking ball flashed sharp 10–4 shape and could be landed for strikes, while his best secondary was a 78–79 mph changeup with late fade and sub-1,000 RPM spin. With Benton graduating a significant chunk of innings from last year’s semifinal team, Sprankle is in position to make a major impact in 2026.

 

 

Ory Titus RHP / 1B / Jewel M. Sumner High School, LA / 2027

Rankings  StateRank: 234 / POS: 39

Physical 6-foot-2, 185-pound frame. Preseason ID events provide prospects a platform to showcase offseason gains, and Titus was one of the arms who stood out on Sunday. He moves aggressively down the slope and works with a longer arm swing that releases from a near over-the-top slot. When he stayed on top of the baseball, his 86–88 mph fastball showed quality ride and life through the bottom of the zone. His feel for spin was evident as well, flashing both a 72–74 mph curveball and a 74–77 mph slider, with each registering spin rates up to 2,668 RPMs. He rounded out his four-pitch mix with a 75–76 mph splitter that showed late, downward action. With a strong showing this preseason, Titus put himself firmly on the list of uncommitted junior arms to follow this spring.

 

 

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