Quick Hits: New Orleans Rising Stars ID
February 18, 2025
Boutte, LA - On Sunday, February 16, 2025, the Prep Baseball Louisiana staff traveled to Hahnville High School, to host our first Rising Stars event of the year, which featured prospects from the 2029 & 2030 classes. Our series of Rising Stars events serves as an identifier for our Junior Future Games team each summer. Each participant went through a pro-style workout that consisted of running a laser-timed 60 yard dash using Vald Performance, defensive evaluations, and batting practice using Trackman Baseball. Pitchers finished the day off by throwing a bullpen with Trackman Baseball to receive all of their data and metrics. Below, we take a look at some of the top performers from Sunday's event with another edition of "Quick Hits".
*VIEW ALL EVENT STATS FROM THE 2025 NEW ORLEANS RISING STARS ID HERE.
Landyn Dugas SS / RHP / Destrehan, LA / 2029Dugas was exceptional on the mound on Sunday and it's easy to dream on what he'll become in the future, especially as he continues to add strength as he matures. He's an athletic mover down the slope with a loose arm that really works. His FB sat 81-83 mph with occasional arm-side run, but it was his feel for spin that really stood out, as he showed the ability to manipulate a sweeping 72-75 mph SL with elite spin rates up to 2936 RPM's and an average horizontal movement of -18.3". Dugas also showed well as a position player and posted the second-best 60 time of the day with a 6.91.
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Evan Duplechain OF / 1B / Opelousas Catholic, LA / 2029After seeing Duplechain on Sunday, it's easy to see why he's been starting on the varsity as an 8th grader for the defending State Champion Vikings. He posted a 7.26 laser-timed 60 and was also up to 81 mph from the OF, but at the plate is where he really shined. A left-handed hitter, Duplechain was extremely accurate in delivering a heavy barrel to contact that produced exit velocities up to 94.7 mph. His ability to create quickness in a tight window stood out and he maintained balance from start to finish. The old saying goes, "Hitters Hit", and that can certainly be applied to Duplechain.
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Lucas Borges SS / 2B / Undecided, LA / 2029The 5'6" 145 lbs. middle-infielder stole the show during his defensive workout on Sunday. Borges showed advanced footwork on the infield with smooth & crisp actions, and a clean glove-to-hand transfer. He got up to 81 mph across the infield and showed the ability to throw from different slots, while being accurate with every throw. In the box, Borges starts in a slightly open stance and uses a toe-tap load to get to center, before delivering a direct path to contact, while working up the middle and to the pull-side gap on a line.
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Ian Davis RHP / OF / St. Thomas More, LA / 20296'1" 170 lbs. physical frame with still some room to project for more strength in the future. The Youngsville, LA native was one of the top two-way performers on Sunday. On the mound, he works through a slower build-up in his delivery and uses a compact arm stroke to release the ball from a 3/4-high 3/4 slot. Davis sat 80-81 mph with his FB and showed the ability to command his four-seamer to the glove-side and two-seamer to his arm-side. He also consistently landed an "11-5" shaped 70-71 mph SL for strikes with tight break. A right-handed hitter, Davis starts in a wider base with minimal pre-pitch movements and a simple load. He made a lot of hard contact from gap-to-gap with a max exit velocity of 91.8 mph.
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Jack Stokes 3B / 1B / Catholic, LA / 2029Stokes's hulking 6'2" 205 lbs. frame was hard to ignore, especially for an 8th grader, as he looked like he belonged on a high school football field. After an up and down first round of batting practice, he got locked in for his second round, which was hands down the loudest of the day. Working from an upright set-up with his hands at shoulder height and away from his body some, he drew his hands back during a controlled forward move and used a strong lower-half to turn the barrel to contact, while staying through the plane of each pitch to extension with a two-handed finish. He recorded exit velocities up to 95.0 mph showcasing present gap-to-gap power.
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Hudson Spillers OF / RHP / West Monroe, LA / 2029Spillers was arguably one of the best all-around athletes in attendance at Sunday's event and he kicked off it with a bang. We started the work out by running the 60-Yard Dash, and he turned in an eye-popping 6.68 laser-timed 60, which was good for tops at the event. The time was impressive, but it was the way that he ran that was even more impressive. He's a fluid mover with good hip mobility, which was also evident during his defensive workout in the outfield. A left-handed hitter, Spillers used a leg-kick load to get to center before using quick hands and an aggressive lower-half to turn the barrel with an uphill path through contact. He flashed some pop to the pull-side gap with a max exit velocity of 85.0 mph.
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Cameron Thompson C / 1B / Catholic, LA / 2029Physical 5'11" 187 lbs. frame built from the ground up with a strong lower-half. Thompson took the most consistent round of batting practice on Sunday, as evidenced by his 86.3 mph average exit velocity, which was the best on the day. He pre-sets some weight into his back hip and keeps everything simple at the plate, which allows him to be extremely accurate with the barrel, as he peppered line drives from gap-to-gap. A solid receiver and blocker, Thompson was up to 72 mph from the crouch with pop times of 2.09-2.29. We also liked the way that he handled his pitchers during the bullpen portion of the day, as he was engaged with each and offered positive encouragement, which is what you want your backstop to do.
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Brandon Kyle Gawlik C / RHP / Parkview Baptist, LA / 20296'0" 155 lbs. lean and athletic frame with wiry strength throughout. Gawlik did an exceptional job of receiving the ball from the crouch, especially on pitches down in the zone, as he was able to get his thumb underneath the ball and stick it out front. On throw downs to the second base bag, he flashed athletic footwork and a quick glove-to-hand transfer that resulted in pop times of 2.06-2.17, which was good for best at the event. A right-handed hitter, Gawlik started slightly open before mixing between a toe-tap and "hover" load to get to center. He's got good rhythm in his hands and he was able to keep his weight centered throughout his forward move. His path to contact was flat and he stayed level through extension, while working line drives to both sides of the field with a max exit velocity of 88.0 mph.
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Upcoming Events
| SHOWCASE | DATE | LOCATION |
| Lake Charles Summer ID | 5/27/25 | Sam Houston High School (Moss Bluff, LA) |
| Lake Charles Rising Stars ID | 5/27/25 | Sam Houston High School (Moss Bluff, LA) |
| New Orleans Summer ID | 6/3/25 | Tulane University (New Orleans, LA) |
| Louisiana Top Prospect Games (Invite-Only) | 6/24/25 | University of Louisiana-Lafayette (Lafayette, LA) |
| Baton Rouge Summer ID | 7/1/25 | Zachary Youth Park (Zachary, LA) |
| Baton Rouge Rising Stars ID | 7/1/25 | Zachary Youth Park (Zachary, LA) |
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