Quick Hits: 2025 Baton Rouge Rising Stars ID

Tate Underwood SS / RHP / Benton, LA / 2029

Underwood looked the part of a future shortstop on Tuesday and we wouldn't be surprised to see him impact the Benton program early on in his high school career, especially once he starts to grow into his 5-9, 137-pound frame.  He took one of the better rounds of infield during the workout, as he showed athletic footwork, a quick release, and good lateral movement with an accurate arm across the diamond.  A left-handed hitter, Underwood has a really sweet stroke and it might have been our favorite swing on the entire day.  He starts in an upright stance and uses a modified knee-to-knee leg kick to get to center.  His head stays still during his load and he gets his barrel on-plane early and stays through the plane of each pitch a long time, while maintaining balance from start to finish.  Underwood produced hard line drive contact to all fields with exit velocities up to 84.7 mph, which will only increase as he gets stronger.

2029 SS Tate Underwood (Benton HS) looked the part at yesterday’s #BRRisingStarsID25 workout.

Just a really simple set-up in the box with a sweet left-handed stroke. Barrel stays in the zone a long time and he stays balanced from start to finish 👍#BeSeen@AlexArmandPBR |… pic.twitter.com/M69ioPv74o

— Prep Baseball Louisiana (@PrepBaseballLA) July 2, 2025

Jack Stokes 3B / 1B / Catholic, LA / 2029

6-3, 214-pound physical and imposing frame.  Stokes is as physical of a player that we've seen in the 2029 class and it showed during his batting practice rounds on Tuesday.  The future Catholic High Bear starts in a balanced stance with his hands out away from his body some and draws them back during a slow and controlled load and stride.  He uses strong wrists and forearms to deliver a direct path to contact with level extension and a two-handed finish with exit velocities up to 97.5 mph.  It wasn't just pull-side power either, as Stokes showed the ability to consistently drive the ball to the opposite-field gap.

2029 1B Jack Stokes (Catholic BR HS)

6-3, 214-pounds

Physical incoming freshman for the Bears who put on a power display yesterday evening. Drove the ball to all fields with a max EV of 97.5 mph. #BeSeen #BRRisingStars25@AlexArmandPBR | @Tyler__Leary | @davisj_9 pic.twitter.com/ipoH2KJEl4

— Prep Baseball Louisiana (@PrepBaseballLA) July 2, 2025

Chandler Parker SS / RHP / Doyle, LA / 2029

Earning playing time as an eight grader, especially at a program like Doyle, isn't easy to do, but that's exactly what Parker did this past spring for the Tigers and we can see why after seeing him workout on Tuesday.  Parker showed quality actions on the infield with soft hands and an accurate & strong arm across the diamond.  At the plate, it's a really simple set-up and he whips the bat head through the zone with a level path and slightly uphill extension with a two-handed finish, while working gap-to-gap in his approach.  Parker also flashed some quality stuff on the mound with a low-mid 80s fastball and feel for all of his secondary offerings.

KELLAN BRIAN OF / 2B / Catholic High School of Baton Rouge, LA / 2029

5-11, 150-pound frame with long limbs that projects for more in the future.  It's always amazing to us the amount of arms that Catholic BR has coming down the pipeline and Brian is another one that has a chance to be pretty good.  He's a silky smooth mover down the slope with a long & loose arm action and a 3/4 release.  Brian flashed a 76-79 mph fastball with late arm-side sink & run, which paired really well with his 66-68 mph curveball and spin-killing 73-74 mph changeup with late fading action.