Prep Baseball Report

PBR Louisiana State Rankings Update: 2024 Class (November 2023)


Alex Armand
Louisiana Scouting Director

The fall season has come to an end for high school baseball prospects across the country, which means it's time for an update to our state rankings.  We spent the fall evaluating prospects at our events, and we also kept close tabs on their performances for their respective travel teams.  Today starts a three-week rankings release stretch, and it begins with the 2024 class.  This update is a modest one, especially at the top, as the Top 10 remains unchanged.  We've expanded the list to 225 prospects and although there wasn't a lot of movement at the top, there was still plenty of risers in the entire group.  Below, we give a snapshot of the Top 10, dive into the Top 5 players, and we also highlight a few players who increased their stock coming out of the fall.

 

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Top 10

State Ranking Name Position High School Commitment
1. William Schmidt RHP Catholic (BR) Louisiana State
2. Landon Victorian RHP Barbe Louisiana State
3. Michael Ryan SS Rummel Louisiana State
4. Hayden Federico SS West Monroe Ole Miss
5. John Pearson OF West Monroe Louisiana State
6. Grayden Harris LHP Central (BR) Southern Mississippi
7. Corey Cousin OF Slidell Oklahoma
8. Trey Hawsey 1B West Monroe Louisiana Tech
9. Trip Dobson 3B/RHP Catholic (BR) Houston
10. Camden Sunstrom RHP University Lab Southern Mississippi

 

Top 10 (Deep Dive)
 

#1: 2024 RHP William Schmidt (Catholic BR HS)

Uber-projectable 6'4" 180 lbs. frame with long limbs and plenty of room to continue to add physicality.  The Catholic BR HS product took some time off this fall, after a busy summer on the circuit, where he definitely increased his draft stock.  He did make one important decision earlier this fall, when he announced that he would be continuing his career at Louisiana State University, adding to an already loaded 2024 Class for Head Coach Jay Johnson and company.  Schmidt will have plenty of eyes on him this spring, as he's positioned himself as one of the top arms in the entire country, and he'll have a great test on opening weekend as the Bears will take on West Monroe in Baton Rouge, LA.  Fans can expect a plethora of major league scouts in attendance for that contest. 

 

#2: 2024 RHP Landon Victorian (Barbe HS)

Victorian spent the fall catching touchdowns passes for the Bucs, helping the football program reach the playoffs for the first time in four years.  The Bucs got knocked out of the playoffs last week in the first round, so Victorian will now be soley focused on helping the Bucs repeat as state champions.  Much like Schmidt above, there will be plenty of eyes on the Barbe HS product this coming spring, before the MLB First-Year Player Draft in July of 2024.  Victorian and the Bucs have a really good schedule this coming spring, especially on opening weekend, where they will face Flowermound Hgh School, the defending Texas 6A state champions.

 

#3 2024 SS Michael Ryan (Rummel HS)

Ryan has quietly put himself in a really good position heading into his senior campaign, after a terrific summer on the circuit.  The Rummel HS product was a standout performer at East Coast Pro, where he was on time and on the barrel with nearly every at-bat, while also showing crisp actions and the athleticism to stick at shortstop long term.  He'll no doubt be one of the most highly scouted prep position players in the state this coming spring.

 

#4 2024 SS Hayden Federico (West Monroe HS)

Federico was another guy who spent his fall on the gridiron, as the "QB1" for West Monroe.  Unfortunately for the Rebels, their football season ended last week in the first round of the playoffs, so Federico will now set his sights on helping the baseball team get back to the LHSAA state tournament.  He will be a key part of the Rebels success this season, after hitting .420 with 3 HR, 8 2B, and 3 3B, while also tallying 38 R and 40 RBI as a junior last spring.

#5 2024 OF John Pearson (West Monroe HS)

Physical 6'0" 215 lbs. frame.  The youngest Pearson had a busy and productive fall, where he continued to do what he does best...HIT.  The West Monroe HS product played with the Knights Knation National 17U group this fall and continued to perform at a high-level.  In a scrimmage against Baton Rouge Community College, earlier this fall, Pearson belted a no-doubt home run to dead centerfield, at his future collegiate home in Alex Box Stadium.  He and teammate Trey Hawsey are two of the most feared hitters in the state.

#6 2024 LHP Grayden Harris (Central BR HS)

Durable 6'2" 195 lbs. frame with a strong lower-half.  Harris has been a household name in the state's 2024 class, since he stepped foot on campus, and he's continued to trend in the right direction.  The Southern Miss recruit had a stellar junior campaign for the Wildcats, compiling an 8-2 record and 1.38 ERA with 106 K's across 76 IP.  Harris has always been a guy with high-level "pitchability" and this summer he saw an uptick in velocity, as he reached 91 mph with his heater at a tournament at the PBR Lakepoint Sports Complex.

#7 2024 OF/RHP Corey Cousin (Slidell HS)

The Slidell HS product has steadily seen his stock rise, since we first saw him at our Hammond Preseason ID, back in January of this year.  Cousin showed at that event that he possessed several high level tools, as he clocked in at a 6.69 in the 60 (on a slower track) and got up to 91 mph from the OF.  Those tools showed up in game last spring, as Cousin hit at a .374 clip with 6 HR, 7 2B, 24 R, and 27 RBI, while also going 1-1 on the mound with 4 saves and a 2.86 ERA.  He stayed hot this summer on the circuit, which led to his eventual commitment to the University of Oklahoma.  

#8 2024 1B/OF Trey Hawsey (West Monroe HS)

Physical 6'1" 215 lbs. frame.  Hawsey will once again be an important part of the Rebels success this coming spring, along with teammates Hayden Federico and John Pearson, who are also in the Top 10 of our state rankings for the 2024 class.  The Louisiana Tech recruit hit .375 last spring, while belting 11 HR with 31 R and 43 RBI.  Hawsey is without a doubt one of the most feared left-handed hitters in all of Louisiana.  

#9 2024 3B/RHP Trip Dobson (Catholic BR HS)

Athletic with present physicality at 6'1" 205 lbs.  The Catholic BR HS product has been a consistent and steady performer for the Bears throughout his high school career, and has a chance this year to top the school's leaderboard for most hits in a career, which puts him in pretty good company with the likes of current big leaguer Austin Nola.  We saw the University of Houston recruit at our State Games event last month, and he looks primed to help Catholic BR get back to the LHSAA State Tournament, both with the bat and on the mound, as Dobson will likely work as the Bears closer as well.  

#10 2024 RHP Camden Sunstrom (University Lab HS)

The 6'1" 205 lbs. right-handed hurler is a guy that has "quietly" increased his stock over the course of the last two years.  The Southern Miss recruit will once again be the #1 on the mound for the Cubs, after an impressive junior campaign last spring, where he compiled a 7-1 record to go along with a 0.82 ERA.  Sunstrom is ultra-competitive and can locate his mid-upper 80's FB in all quadrants, but it's his sharp near "12-6" CB that makes life tough on hitters, as he can land it for strikes in any count, as well as bury it with two strikes.