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Quick Hits: Baton Rouge Preseason ID

January 16, 2023
Alex Armand
Louisiana Scouting Director

Our 2023 slate of events began this past Saturday with our Baton Rouge Preseason ID that was held at Zachary High School.  From uncommitted seniors looking to find a home, to rising freshman trying to make a name for themselves; there was talent all over the field on Saturday.  Today, we begin our post-event edition coverage with another edition of of Quick Hits.  This piece focuses on some highlights from the event.  Be sure to follow us, on all of our social media platforms, for continued coverage of the Baton Rouge Preseason ID!

 

2025 SS Brock Laird (Natchitoches Central HS)

Athletic 5'9" 155 lbs. frame, but plays much bigger.  We last saw the uncommitted SS at our State Games in September and it's evident that in just 3 short months, he's made some nice gains.  Always a confident and sure-handed defender up the middle, Laird showed an accurate arm across the diamond with backspin and carry and a positional velocity of 81 mph, a +2 mph gain.  Offensively, he has a simple and repeatable swing with his hands held a little higher working down and through contact, staying gap to gap in his approach.  He also recorded a max exit velocity of 95 mph, a +3 mph jump.  Lair is a good uncommitted infielder for recruiters to get out and see this spring.

 

2025 C Dylan Champagne (Dutchtown HS)

Long and lean 6'2" 160 lbs. frame with plenty of room to add strength.  The Griffins will have to replace a lot of seniors from last season and guys like Champagne will make that easier to do.  Starts slightly open in a tall and upright stance, before using a modified leg kick load and stride to get to center.  Champagne drives his back knee through the ground and delivers the bat head with a direct path to contact finishing flat and level.  A lot of hard contact up the middle and to the pull-side of the gap and as he fills out his frame, the power will only continue to tick up.  Defensively, he received and blocked the ball well during bullpens.  He creates a good target for pitchers and displayed good hip mobility from his crouch.  On the throw downs, he was as low as a 2.01 to the bag with a 72 mph positional velocity.

 

2025 RHP/INF Cade Durbin (Parkview Baptist HS)

Athletic 5'11" 145 lbs. frame with long limbs and room to fill out.  Durbin has been a familiar name in the state's 2025 class with strong baseball bloodlines, and he had a good showing on Saturday.  It's a simple swing from the right side with a flat path and extension to match.  Defensively, he's a fluid defender that showed soft hands with athletic actions and a quick release.  Durbin turned in an event best 84 mph positional velocity across the diamond.  On the mound, is where the Parkview Baptist product really shined.  He's an athletic mover down the slope with a loose and easy arm action.  Durbin showed the ability to command his FB to both sides of the plate at 80-81 mph and that velocity will only tick up as he matures and adds strength.  His CB, however, was the offering that was really exciting, as it showed good late bite down in the zone with spin rates up to 2783 RPM's per Trackman Baseball.  He's got a starter profile and is a strike thrower, which is something that should bode well for the Eagles this spring.

 

2024 RHP/OF Cameron Patterson (Central BR HS)

Athletic 6'0" 175 lbs. frame with a strong lower-half.  Central BR Head Coach Leo McClure needs some guys to step up this spring to replace a few key seniors from last season, and Patterson looks like he could be one of those guys.  Offensively, Patterson showed good bat to ball skills with an inside out path through the ball that produced hard contact up the middle and to the opposite field.  An athletic defender, the Central BR product showed a really good arm from the outfield that resulted in an event best 92 mph positional velocity.  On the mound, Patterson is an aggressive mover down the hill.  His FB showed good ride and life through the zone at 85-86 mph and he paired it well with an "11-5" shaped CB.  Look for the two-way prospect to make an impact for the Wildcats this spring.

 

2024 RHP/OF Cole Connor (University Lab HS)

Athletic 6'1" 175 lbs. with broad shoulders and room to add more strength.  We last saw Connor at our New Orleans Open this past summer and he's another prospect that has spent time in the weight room and it shows.  At the plate, the U-High product works with a steeper and direct path to contact and uphill extension with pop to the pull-side that resulted in a 92 mph max exit velocity.  He also showed a really good arm from the OF, running it up to 90 mph with back spin and carry.  On the mound, he again showed a lot of intrigue.  Connor releases the ball from a 3/4 slot with a long, loose arm action.  He worked his heavier, sinking two-seam FB at 85-87 mph and paired it well with a sharp SL.  The University Lab Cubs should be a favorite heading into this spring with Connor and fellow junior Camden Sunstrom returning as well.