Louisiana's top high school baseball players in 2023: Meet the state's best outfielders
By Mike Coppage
Photo of Barbe's Donovan LaSalle by Rodrick Anderson, Lake Charles American Press
We continue our series of showcasing some of Louisiana's top high school baseball players by focusing on the outfielders.
This is not meant to be a comprehensive list as there are hundreds of great outfielders statewide. You can discuss the other outfielders worthy of fans' attention at @SBLive_LA. Players are listed in random order.
Top high school baseball players in Louisiana for 2023
Donovan LaSalle, 6-3, Sr., Barbe
LaSalle committed to Oklahoma State in September 2021. He hit a three-RBI home run in Barbe's quarterfinal series sweep of Neville.
Barbe, which is 37-1 and now ranked No. 4 in the nation by SBLive, can win its 12th state title this week. The Buccaneers, seeded second in Division I non-select, face district rival Sulphur in the semifinals on Thursday.
Michael O'Brien, 6-1, Sr., John Curtis
O'Brien committed to Mississippi State in September 2022. He was named district MVP of the Catholic League.
The left-handed thrower/batter also pitched for the Patriots, who posted a 20-11-1 record while reaching the Division I select quarterfinals. He helped John Curtis to a runner-up finish in 2022.
Maddox Mandino, 5-9, Sr., Glenbrook
Mandino, a left-handed thrower/batter, committed to the University of Louisiana in March 2021. He was named Prep Baseball Report's Player of the Week in April after hitting .875 with two home runs, three stolen bases and a triple.
Third-seeded Glenbrook (24-8) faces second-seeded Ascension Catholic in the Division IV semifinals this week.
John Pearson, 6-1, Jr., West Monroe
Pearson committed to LSU in September 2021. He led the Rebels to the Class 5A state title last year with a home run and three RBIs in a win over St. Amant.
West Monroe (33-4), which is ranked 24th in the nation by SBLive, is seeded first in Division I non-select with a semifinal game vs. No. 4 Sam Houston (ranked No. 25 in the latest SBLive national rankings) up next.
Brooks Wright, 6-3, Jr., Catholic-Baton Rouge
Wright committed to the University of Houston in October 2022. He is hitting .330 with five doubles, a triple and a home run for the Bears (36-2), who are ranked seventh in the nation by SBLive.
Top-seeded Catholic, which is seeking to repeat, will take on No. 13 Archbishop Rummel in the Division I select semifinals this week.
J.D. Alexander, 6-3, Fr., Barbe
Alexander, who is uncommitted, is ranked second in the state in his class by Prep Baseball Report. His fastball was timed at 89 miles per hour during a pitching performance early in the season.
His seventh-inning home run helped the Buccaneers clinch a 3-1 win over district rival Sam Houston in March.
Dyson Fields, 6-1, Sr., Ruston
Fields doubles as an all-state football star for Ruston High. He rushed for 1,230 yards with 21 touchdowns for the Class 5A runner-up Bearcats.
In addition to his duties in the outfield, Fields is an effective closer on the mound. In a 7-6 win against Northwood-Shreveport, he notched five strikeouts and allowed one hit over three innings.
Blaise Blancher, 5-11, Sr., Teurlings Catholic
Blancher began his career at Ascension Episcopal before transferring to Teurlings Catholic for his senior season. He originally committed to Texas A&M before signing with Tulane.
Blancher usually hit in the two-hole for the Rebels, whose season came to an end on Sunday in a Division II select quarterfinal series versus Vandebilt Catholic.
Landon Schmitz, 5-11, Sr., Kinder
Schmitz, who is also a left-handed pitcher, had a hit and scored three runs in Kinder's 15-0 Division III non-select quarterfinal Game 2 win against Westlake. He was the winning pitcher in a 6-0 second round win against Springfield.
Kinder (27-8) is the No. 1 seed heading into the semifinals this week vs. No. 5 Berwick.
Bennett Mittelsteadt, 5-11, Sr., Teurlings Catholic
Mittelsteadt committed to Bossier Parish in December 2022. He had two hits with a double, an RBI and a run scored in Teurlings Catholic's Game 2 win over No. 5 Vandebilt Catholic on Sunday in the Division II select quarterfinals.
The fourth-seeded Rebels finished with a 23-13 record.
Eli Lirette, 5-11, Sr., Lakeshore
Lirette committed to Tulane in March 2022. He was named a Prep Baseball Louisiana Playoff Performer after going 7-for-12 with five doubles in sixth-seeded Lakeshore's upset of No. 1 Lutcher in the Division II non-select quarterfinals.
The Titans (22-12) will battle No. 4 Eunice in the semifinals this week.
Michael Plummer, 6-1, Sr., Neville
Plummer originally committed to Meridian CC before switching to Navy in December 2022.
A left-handed thrower and hitter, Plummer tossed a no-hitter for the seventh-seeded Tigers in a Division I non-select second-round playoff win against Haughton.
Griffin Cooley, 6-1, Sr., Kinder
An LSU signee, Cooley is hoping to steer the Yellow Jackets to their fourth championship when top-seeded Kinder challenges 2022 Class 3A runner-up Berwick in the Division III non-select semifinals.
Cooley hit three triples in the first seven games of the season.
Reese Dean, 5-10, Sr., Central Private
Dean committed to Southeastern Louisiana in July 2022. He was named a Prep Baseball Report Playoff Performer after the left-hander threw a complete game no-hitter in a second round playoff game against St. Martin's Episcopal.
Landon Graves, 6-0, Sr., Ouachita Christian
Graves, who will be continuing his athletic career on the gridiron at the University of Louisiana-Monroe, led the Eagles to a state championship in football.
He helped top-seeded OCS to its sixth straight state tournament appearance on the diamond.
Mark Collins, 6-0, Jr., Opelousas Catholic
The University of Louisiana commit is also the starting quarterback on the Vikings' football team. In baseball, he made Class 1A first-team all-state as a sophomore.
In last week's Division IV select quarterfinal win against Catholic-Pointe Coupee, Collins hit his fifth home run and snagged a pair of impressive catches in center field.
Tyler Ferguson, 6-1, Sr., Airline
Ferguson, a Copiah-Lincoln CC commitment, threw a three-hitter with nine strikeouts and went 2-for-4 at the plate in his team's win against Stanley last month.
Landen Chutz, 6-2, Sr., Central-Baton Rouge
The Delgado CC signee led Central to back-to-back quarterfinal playoff appearances.
Dylan Biddick, 5-10, Sr., Lafayette High
Biddick committed to Bossier Parish Community College in December 2022.
Dawson Simmons, 6-0, Jr., St. Augustine
Goes by the nickname "Rocket." Also is the starting quarterback for the Purple Knights. Recently secured his first football scholarship offer from Marshall.
Brant Melancon, 5-10, Jr., Parkview Baptist
A Southeastern Louisiana commit, Melancon hit .363 with nine doubles and 21 stolen bases while striking out 70 in 42 innings pitched with a 1.67 ERA.
Alonzo Alexander, 6-0, Jr., Franklin
Five years ago, Alexander led his local all-star team to the Dixie Youth state baseball championship.
Clayton Kimball, 6-3, Soph., Central Private
Kimball, who also plays third base and pitches, was named District 9-1A MVP.
William Patrick, 6-2, Soph., St. Frederick
Patrick usually plays center field, but he has pulled spot duty at catcher for the Warriors. Recently received a scholarship offer for football from Louisiana Tech.
Ryan Darrah, 6-3, Soph., Brother Martin
Named the Hitter of the Year for the Catholic League (District 9-5A), and helped the Crusaders to the district title.
