Louisiana Tech signs 14 for 2021 baseball class

RUSTON, La. – Louisiana Tech baseball head coach Lane Burroughs and his coaching staff announced the addition of 14 student-athletes to the LA Tech baseball program on Tuesday afternoon. The 2021 signing class comprises six pitchers and nine position players.

The Bulldogs signed Anthony Giannette, Caden Copeland, Connor Mulhern, Jack Cue, Jack Parks, Jesse Boydstun, Kenya Huggins, Kurt Dillon, Kyle Walker, Michael Redmond, Ryan Harland, Slade Netterville, Taylor Woodcock and Thaxton Berch. The 14 future Bulldogs will join the program next fall. Seven players are from Louisiana, three are from Burroughs’ home state of Mississippi, two are from Texas and one player each is from Florida and Canada, respectively.

“We are excited to announce the signing of these 14 young men to our program and welcome them to the Louisiana Tech baseball family,” Burroughs said. “They are an outstanding group of student-athletes who will continue our standard of excellence on and off the field.

“My coaching staff and I see that each of these future Bulldogs offers us versatility in the lineup, on the mound and defensively on the diamond. More than ever, we relied on people that we trusted in our industry, and we feel like we found a group of student-athletes who can help us win and represent Louisiana Tech with pride. We look forward to having them join us next fall.”

Louisiana Tech will open its new home stadium, J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park, this season. The Bulldogs will also host the 2021 Conference USA Championships at the new facility.

For all of the latest on Louisiana Tech baseball, including any updates to the fall schedule, fans are encouraged to follow @LATechBSB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Anthony Giannette | 6’0, 187 | RHP | Freshman | Spring, Texas | The John Cooper School

• Named All-District Pitcher of the Year as a sophomore
• Threw a no-hitter as a sophomore and as a junior
• Tabbed a Vype Preseason Player of the Year nominee as a junior
• Played club baseball for Texas Twelve Baseball (Maroon)
• Lettered four years in baseball and two years in football
• Earned Academic All-District honors as a freshman and as a sophomore at his previous high school (Klein Cain High School)
• Born on Nov. 22, 2002, in Houston

Caden Copeland | 6’2, 185 | LHP | Freshman | Midlothian, Texas | Midlothian High School

• Named District 14-5A All-District in 2019
• Earned All-Ellis County honors at Midlothian High School
• Tallied 57 strikeouts and a 2.10 ERA in 45 innings pitched as a sophomore
• Helped Midlothian High School win its district championship and make it to the state semifinals in 2019
• Threw 23.1 innings and amassed 35 strikeouts over the summer in 2020
• Played club baseball for Texas Stix Baseball Club
• Earned three letters for baseball in high school
• Born on Sept. 3, 2002, in The Woodlands, Texas

Connor Mulhern | 6′, 195 | Shortstop | Freshman | Rayville, La. | Ouachita Christian School

• Earned 1^st Team All-District honors as a sophomore
• Batted .380 with two home runs in 12 games as a junior
• Batted .328 with three home runs as a sophomore
• Helped Ouachita Christian School win the Division IV State Championship in 2019
• Helped Ouachita Christian rank as the No. 2 “small school” in the nation in 2019, according to MaxPreps
• Lettered four years in baseball
• Born on Jan. 16, 2002, in West Monroe, Louisiana

Jack Cue | 6’2, 190 | OF | Freshman | Southwest Ranches, Fla. | Archbishop Edward McCarthy High School

• Earned 5A-15 All-District Team honors in 2020
• Named to the All-Broward County Team in 2020
• Earned SACSN All-Area honors in 2019 and 2020
• Has been a member of Elite Squad Prime in 2021 and the PBR Florida Futures Team
• Lettered three years in baseball at Archbishop Edward McCarthy High School
• Born on March 27, 2003, in Miami

Jack Parks | 6’4, 205 | OF | Freshman | Ruston, La. | Cedar Creek High School

• Has recorded a .378 batting average and a .500 on-base percentage at Cedar Creek High School
• Ranked as the No. 2 first baseman in Louisiana by Perfect Game
• Has batted .324 with a .455 on-base percentage for his club team since 2018 (East Coast Sox Baseball)
• Lettered four years in baseball and two years in football
• His father, Jeff Parks, was a professional golfer and served as LA Tech’s golf coach from 2009-14
• Born on Sept. 17, 2002, in Ruston, Louisiana

Jesse Boydstun | 6’1, 205 | OF | Sophomore | Louisville, Miss. | East Central CC

• Batted .470 with eight doubles, three home runs and 21 RBI in a shortened 2020 season at East Central Community College
• Earned All-State honors twice in football and once in football at the Winston Academy
• Recorded a .422 batting average with 15 home runs and 59 RBI over his high school career
• Lettered four years in baseball, three years in football and three years in track and field in high school
• His father, David Boydstun, also played baseball at East Central Community College
• Born on Dec. 8, 1999, in Jackson, Mississippi

Kenya Huggins | 6’3, 225 | RHP | Freshman | New Orleans, La. | St. Augustine High School

• Rated a “10” on Perfect Game Baseball’s player rating system, which states players with the rating are a “potential very high draft pick and/or Elite level college prospect”
• Participated in USA Baseball’s MLB Breakthrough Series 2021 in October 2019
• Recorded a 1-2 record with 14 strikeouts in 14.2 innings in a shortened 2020 season
• Batted .432 with a .914 OPS and two home runs in 2020
• Hit 93 mph on the mound, according to Perfect Game Baseball
• Lettered four years in baseball at St. Augustine High School
• Born on Dec. 12, 2002, in New Orleans

Kurt Dillon | 6’4, 220 | RHP | Sophomore | Cornwall, Ontario, Canada | Galveston CC

• Earned the MVP award for his high school team as a junior and as a senior at St. Joseph’s Secondary Catholic High School
• Named the playoff MVP for his high school in 2017
• Played for the Ontario Blue Jays, the Ottawa Knights and Academie de Baseball in Canada
• Pitched this past season at Galveston Community College
• Lettered in baseball and basketball in high school
• Born on Nov. 16, 1999, in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Kyle Walker | 5’9, 185 | Infielder | Freshman | New Orleans, La. | Archbishop Rummel High School

• Named All-District as a sophomore at Archbishop Rummel High School
• Batted .333 with 34 hits and 25 RBI as a sophomore
• Batted .391 with a home run and nine RBI in a shortened 2020 season
• Named a team captain for the 2021 baseball season at Archbishop Rummel
• Played club baseball for the Louisiana Knights, batting .443 with 27 hits and 18 RBI in 2019
• Helped Archbishop Rummel reach the state finals during his sophomore season
• Averaged 7.3 yards per carry as a running back during the 2018 football season
• Lettered three years in baseball and one year in football
• His father, Nick Walker, played football at Northwestern from 1991-95
• Born on Jan. 11, 2003, in Chicago

Michael Redmond | 200 | RHP | Freshman | Alexandria, La. | Holy Savior Menard Central High School

• Helped his high school win three district titles
• Listed as a top 500 prospect nationally, according to Perfect Game Baseball
• Lettered three years in baseball at Holy Savior Menard Central High School
• Coached by Jordan Marks and Andrew Shelton at Holy Savior Menard Central
• Born on Oct. 1, 2002, in Alexandria, Louisiana

Ryan Harland | 5’8, 185 | LHP | Freshman | Baton Rouge, La. | Parkview Baptist School

• Named All-District as a sophomore at Parkview Baptist School
• Helped Parkview Baptist reach the LHSAA State Semifinals in 2018 and 2019
• Lettered four years in baseball
• Born on April 4, 2003, in Metairie, Louisiana

Slade Netterville | 5’9, 175 | Infielder | Freshman | Shreveport, La. | C.E. Byrd High School

• Batted .514 with a 1.215 OPS and 12 stolen bases over the summer in 2020
• Lettered in baseball at C.E. Byrd High School
• His brother, Steele Netterville, has played and started at Louisiana Tech since the 2018 season
• Played club baseball for the Shreveport Beasts and the Shreveport Warriors
• Born on Aug. 30, 2002, in Shreveport. Louisiana

Taylor Woodcock | 6’0, 185 | Infielder | Sophomore | Pass Christian, Miss. | Pearl River CC

• Batted .262 with two home runs, eight RBI, 12 runs scored and three stolen bases in a shortened 2020 season at Pearl River Community College
• Earned MHSAA Class 5A First Team All-State honors as a senior at West Harrison High School
• Named Sun Herald All-South Mississippi as a senior
• Tabbed a Crossroads Diamond Club All-Star as a senior
• Batted .445 with 53 hits, 52 runs scored, 47 RBI, 16 doubles and 10 home runs in high school
• Lettered all four years in baseball at West Harrison
• Born on Dec. 8, 2000, in Gulfport, Mississippi

Thaxton Berch | 5’10, 170 | Infielder | Freshman | Jackson, Miss. | Jackson Preparatory School

• Named the most valuable newcomer for his baseball team in 2019 at Jackson Preparatory School
• Helped his high school win the 6A MAIS State Baseball Championship in 2019 and the 6A MAIS State Football Championship in 2018
• Earned an 8.5 rating on Perfect Game Baseball’s player rating system, which states players with this rating are “a potential draft pick and/or excellent college prospect”
• Earned 6A MAIS All-District honors at defensive back
• Named his high school football team’s most valuable wide receiver in 2019
• Lettered three times in baseball, three time in football and two times in track and field
• Born on Aug. 23, 2002, in Nashville, Tennessee