10-year baseball, softball projections
In this edition of the Strike Zone, staff writers Rodrick Anderson and Warren Arceneaux predict the stars of the upcoming decade of high school baseball and softball.
Which baseball player is most likely to make the next area all-decade team?
WA: Barbe sophomore Gavin Guidry, a two-way player who was doing damage at the plate and as a closer this year before the season was canceled. He could be in line to take over at shortstop for Davis Meche, who also did some closing before becoming an everyday starter in the field.
RA: Freshman Jake Brown could be the next big southpaw pitcher for the Sulphur Tors. In his first varsity start, he struck out 10 batters in four innings and struck out nine in five innings in a 1-0 win over Hahnville.
Which softball player is most likely to make the next area all-decade team?
WA: Halie Pappion of Barbe is a pitcher with power at the plate like former Bucs star Sara Corbello. Pappion helped the Bucs finish as Class 5A state runner-up last season and will have two more years to help Barbe win a championship.
RA: Sophomore Riley Dyson emerged as a dual threat for the Merryville Panthers, who ranked No. 2 in Class 1A before the season was cut short. In 12 games, she had 10 home runs, 33 RBIs and a .681 batting average plus a 1.92 earned run average and a 12-1 record in the circle.
Which baseball and softball coach is most likely to make the next area all-decade team?
WA: South Beauregard’s Jeremy Deville for baseball. The Golden Knights have been one of the area’s best programs, reaching three state championship games since 2016, including a state championship in 2017. Candyce Carter of Barbe for softball. The Bucs have already made one state tournament appearance under her leadership and have a great group of young players to build around in the next few years.
RA: First-year Merryville softball head coach David Vince had a young Panthers team rolling with a 12-1 record before the premature end to the 2020 season. Brady Carlson had coached the DeQuincy Tigers for more than a decade. DeQuincy has been a top-four seed the last three years. The Tigers were 10-1 before the 2020 season ended early, but it could be a sign of another big decade.
Rick Hickman/American Press