The 2026 high school baseball season is right around the corner, and as always, excitement is building across the Bayou State. Programs from every corner of Louisiana have been hard at work this offseason—honing skills, building chemistry, and setting their sights on a return trip to Sulphur for the LHSAA State Championships. As is tradition, the state is once again loaded with talent, from seasoned veterans to rising underclassmen ready to make their mark.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll take an in-depth look at teams from every region as part of our comprehensive season preview series. These previews will lead right up to Opening Day, followed by the release of our Power 25 Rankings and the return of our always-popular Game of the Week feature.

Throughout the spring, Prep Baseball Louisiana will continue to be your one-stop source for everything related to high school baseball across the state. Be sure to check back weekly for our Player and Pitcher of the Week honors, updated Power 25 Rankings, and plenty of additional coverage highlighting the stories, performances, and programs that make Louisiana baseball special.

*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 have not received a questionnaire and would like to fill one out, please email State Director Alex Armand at [email protected]

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High School Name: Sam Houston High School

Head Coach: Chad Hebert

Classification: Class 5A (Non-Select D-I)

District: 3-5A

2025 Record: 37-8

2025 Playoff Finish: State Champions

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 6

No. of Returning Pitchers: 4

Team Strengths: Pitching Depth & Athleticism

Top Upperclassmen (2026 & 2027 Class): 2026 INF Carson Christ, 2026 OF Charlie Donaldson (Paris Junior College), 2027 RHP/1B Owen Galley (McNeese State), 2027 RHP Brytn Gardner, 2027 RHP/INF Coleton Donaldson, 2027 RHP Bennett Harlow, 2027 INF/RHP Ty Smith

Top Underclassmen (2028 & 2029 Class): 2028 INF/C Grant Oustalet, 2028 OF/RHP Quinn Fiasconaro, 2028 INF/RHP Kannon Keiser, 2028 RHP/OF Brock Blessington, 2028 RHP Pat Conner, 2028 OF Riggins Portie, 2028 LHP/OF Parker Smith, 2029 OF Jett Hebert, 2029 INF Bennett Hearod

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Team Preview

Few programs in Louisiana have been as consistent as Sam Houston, and the Broncos enter 2026 looking to defend their crown after a dominant run to last year’s Class 5A State Championship. Coach Chad Hebert’s club once again features the two pillars that have defined the program over the last decade—pitching depth and high-end athleticism—but this year’s challenge will be blending those strengths with a wave of talented yet inexperienced underclassmen.

Still, expectations in Moss Bluff never change: this team fully intends to be back in Sulphur.

Team Strengths

➤ Pitching Depth – The Broncos return a deep, versatile, and well-balanced staff that can attack lineups in different ways. There may not be a single “workhorse” arm this spring, but Hebert has more than enough options to piece together 21 outs every night.

➤ Athleticism Across the Diamond – Defensive range, speed, and multi-position versatility give Sam Houston the ability to mix and match lineups depending on opponent and game flow. This is one of the most athletic rosters in 5A.

Team Weaknesses

➤ Youth & Inexperience – A large portion of the innings—both on the mound and on the field—will be occupied by sophomores and freshmen. The talent is undeniable, but the learning curve will be real, especially early in district play.

Top Returning Players

-Senior OF Charlie Donaldson: A catalyst in last year’s lineup, Donaldson returns after posting a .317 AVG with 10 doubles, 28 RBI, and 19 stolen bases. He’s a high-IQ player with competitiveness that fits perfectly anywhere in the Broncos order. Expect him to be a tone-setter for a young roster.

 

-Senior INF Carson Christ: A steady force who always seems to deliver in big moments, Christ finished 2025 with a .319 AVG, 13 doubles, 3 homers, and 24 RBI. Veteran presence, mature at-bats, and reliability make him a foundational piece again this spring.

 

-Junior RHP/1B Owen Galley: One of the best true two-way players in the state for 2026, Galley hit .344 with 6 doubles, 3 homers, and 28 RBI, while also emerging as a frontline arm with a 5–1 record, 1.83 ERA, and 55 strikeouts. He’ll once again be asked to do a little bit of everything—and he’s capable of even more.

 

-Junior RHP Brytn Gardner: A trusted right-hander returning after going 5–1 with a 3.73 ERA, Gardner gives Hebert another battle-tested option who competes in the zone and keeps hitters uncomfortable.

 

-Sophomore INF/RHP Kannon Keiser: One of the breakout arms in 2025, Keiser turned in a perfect 4–0 record with a 0.68 ERA as a freshman. A high-IQ player and advanced defender, Keiser is poised to make an everyday impact on the infield this season as well. 

 

-Junior RHP Bennett Harlow: A late-inning weapon who slammed the door repeatedly last season, Harlow returns with 4 saves and a 1.52 ERA. Expect him to handle high-leverage moments again while possibly working into a larger role.

 

Underclassmen Ready to Make an Impact

Sam Houston’s future is bright—very bright—and much of it will be on display this spring:

-Sophomore C/INF Grant Oustalet: The former Junior Future Gamer showed poise beyond his years at last year's LHSAA state tournament and played an integral part in the Broncos winning a state title. He played clean defense at third base for Sam Houston and finished the tournament 4-for-9 (.444) with several key hits along the way. We expect Oustalet to play a big part of the Broncos success in 2026.

 

-Sophomore OF/RHP Quinn Fiasconaro: A physical right-handed hitter with power to the pull-side; Fiasconaro earned varsity playing time last year as a freshman and will look to take that next step forward this spring for Sam Houston.

 

-Sophomore RHP/OF Brock Blessington: One of the most talented arms in the state's 2028 class and our #1 ranked player in the state. Blessington sports a fastball up to 91 mph and will be one of the young arms expected to take on meaningful innings this spring.

 

-Sophomore RHP Pat Conner: Imposing 6-5, 200-pound right-hander with arguably the livest arm in the state's 2028 class. Conner can already run his fastball into the low-90's. He's another guy that has a chance to earn varsity mound time in 2026.

 

-Sophomore OF Riggins Portie: A strong left-handed hitter with a gap-to-gap approach. Portie is another hard-nosed player in the Broncos sophomore class that will be relied upon moving forward.

-Sophomore LHP/OF Parker Smith: A promising young southpaw who could see varisty innings this spring.

-Freshman OF Jett Hebert: An athletic & twitchy ball of energy; Hebert is one of the better all-around baseball players in his class and is as tough as they come. He's another former Junior Future Gamer who can impact the game in a variety of ways and can cover a lot of ground in the outfield.

-Freshman INF Bennet Hearod: One word to describe Hearod is "HITTER". He's got a knack for the barrel and showed his hit tool off at the Junior Future Games last summer.

 

Outlook

The standard at Sam Houston is championships, and that doesn’t change—even with a young roster. The Broncos have legitimate pitching depth, layers of athletic defenders behind them, and a handful of veterans who understand what it takes to make a deep playoff run.

The key to unlocking another trip to the state tournament will be the development of the young pitching staff, especially as they navigate the grind of district play. If those arms mature on schedule, this is a roster with every tool needed to contend for back-to-back titles.

Sam Houston will once again be right in the middle of the hunt for another Division I Non-Select State Title.

 

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Upcoming Events

SHOWCASE	DATE	LOCATION
Lake Charles Preseason ID	1/3/26	Sam Houston High School (Moss Bluff, LA)
Lake Charles Rising Stars ID	1/3/26	Sam Houston High School (Moss Bluff, LA)
New Orleans Preseason ID	1/4/26	Hahnville High School (Boutte, LA)
New Orleans Rising Stars ID	1/4/26	Hahnville High School (Boutte, LA)
Baton Rouge Preseason ID	1/10/26	Zachary Youth Park (Zachary, LA)
Baton Rouge Rising Stars ID	1/10/26	Zachary Youth Park (Zachary, LA)