The 2024 high school baseball season is quickly approaching and as usual, excitement abounds throughout the state.  Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across Louisiana.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in Sulphur, LA, home of the LHSAA State Championships, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality.  We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams across the state as we preview individual teams across Louisiana.  We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews, followed by our Power 25 Rankings release, and our popular Game of the Week segment. 

Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across the bayou state.  Each week, we will be releasing our players of the week, updating our Power 25 Rankings, and many more pieces of content.  

*Please note that all information is based on team preview questionnaires that were sent out and returned by the participating high school coaches.

 

High School Name: Ben Franklin

Head Coach: Wally Scott

Classification: Class 4A (Select D-I)

District: 11-4A

2023 Record: 14-13

2023 Playoff Finish: Lost 1st round series to Rummel

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 6

No. of Returning Pitchers: 4

Team Strengths: Pitching 

Top Returning Players: 2024 MIF Jacob Chapital, 2024 C Jacob Russell, 2024 1B/RHP Scott Lock Gotche, 2024 RHP/INF Reggie Batiste, 2024 OF Larry Smith, 2025 RHP/1B James Ozzie Welch, 2026 RHP/OF Jack Rovetto, 2026 RHP/INF Nathaniel Siepel

 

Team Outlook

The 2023 Falcons had a successful season last year, after finishing with a 14-13 overall record, including a berth in the Select D-I Playoffs, on top of winning the 11-4A district title.  Their season was ended in the first round best of three series against Rummel, losing 14-1 and 5-0 in both games respectively.  That's nothing to be ashamed of though, as the Raiders made it all the way to the state finals last year, where they fell to district-rival Jesuit.  Coach Scott likes what he has returning back this spring with six returning position players and four returning guys on the mound.  Upperclassmen who will be relied upon on the mound include seniors Scott Lock Gotche and Reggie Batiste, as well as junior James Ozzie Welch and sophomores Jack Rovetto and Nathaniel Siepel.  Those five guys will all aid with their bats and gloves, in additon to their pitching duties.  There's a trio of additional seniors who will be heavily reilied upon on the offensive and defensive side of things.  Coach Scott believes the strength of this year's team is their pitching and a team's pitching is only as good as their battery mate, and the Falcons have a good one this year in senior Jacob Russell.  Another key piece up the middle of the field that's back this year for Ben Franklin is senior SS Jacob Chapital, who's an athletic right-handed hitter and solid defender.  Fellow senior Larry Smith will be another veteran presence in the outfield this spring for the Falcons as well.  This year's Ben Franklin team returns quite a bit from last year's group who won a district title and made the playoffs, so we fully expect for Coach Scott and the Falcons to make another run in 2024.

 

 

Follow on Twitter: @PBR_Louisiana
Follow on Instagram: @PBR_Louisiana

 

+ Click HERE to create a free profile.

+ Click HERE to purchase a subscription which gives you access to additional information on the site. 

 
Related Content: