Quick Hits: 2026 Baton Rouge Rising Stars I.D.

Cayden Wright OF / 3B / Scott M. Brame Middle School, LA / 2031

We’ve seen a number of intriguing prospects emerge from Central Louisiana this preseason, and Wright added his name to that list with a strong showing on Sunday. A high-level athlete and runner, he posted an event-best 7.16 laser-timed 60-yard dash and also showed a lively arm from the outfield, reaching 79 mph. It was in the batter’s box, however, where he really stood out. Wright hits from an upright, balanced setup and uses quick hands to produce a clean, fluid path through the baseball. He was consistently on the barrel, driving hard contact back through the middle of the field. Still just 12 years old, Wright is already putting himself on the radar as a name to know in the years ahead.

2031 Cayden Wright (Alexandria, LA) was one of the standout performers from yesterday’s Rising Stars ID event.

Simple swing with a fluid path. On the barrel often and made consistent hard contact up the middle.

Good athlete too. Posted a 7.16 in the 60. #BeSeen@AlexArmandPBR… pic.twitter.com/OEefUWmbQS

— Prep Baseball Louisiana (@PrepBaseballLA) January 12, 2026

John Claude Nelson OF / LHP / Calvary Baptist Academy, LA / 2030

Athletic 5-foot-8, 150-pound frame with a strong lower half. Nelson turned in one of the better all-around performances at Sunday’s event. He recorded the top outfield velocity of the day at 81 mph, showing accurate throws with true backspin and carry. He also moved well around the first base bag during the infield portion, delivering on-target throws on double plays and across the diamond. A left-handed hitter, Nelson starts from a balanced setup with a toe-tap load to get to center before aggressively rotating his lower half to get the barrel behind the baseball early. He works through the plane of the pitch to extension with a gap-to-gap approach that fits his offensive profile.

Austin Percival III OF / LHP / Dunham, LA / 2031

Percival III was another young prospect who made a strong impression on our staff at Sunday’s workout in Zachary. He moved well in the outfield and showed an accurate arm, topping out at 73 mph. Offensively is where he really separated himself, flashing a smooth, repeatable left-handed swing with a flat path and level extension through contact. Percival drove the ball to both gaps with a max exit velocity of 87.3 mph and showed an advanced ability to use the opposite field—an uncommon trait for a player his age.