MaxPreps 2015 Louisiana preseason baseball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

1. St. Thomas More (Lafayette)
2014 finish: 31-5
Head coach: Gary Perkins

The winner of the Class 4A state championship in 2014, St. Thomas More could be the top team in the state this year thanks to the return of some of the top players from last year's championship squad. While All-American catcher Chase Vallot is gone, but three of the team's top position players return in seniors Brennan Breaux (outfield) and O'Neal Lochridge (shortstop) and junior Mason Templet (infield). Breaux batted .379 with seven doubles while Lochridge hit seven home runs and 13 doubles while batting .383. Templet, regarded by Perfect Game as the state's top junior, batted .442 with 37 RBIs and three home runs. The pitching staff includes senior Hogan Harris (3-0 as a junior), who is listed by Perfect Game as the state's top pitcher.

View last season's Louisiana baseball rankings, presented by the Army National Guard

2. Barbe (Lake Charles)
2014 finish: 39-2
Head coach: Glenn Cecchini



It will be tough for Barbe to repeat the 2014 season, a year where the Buccaneers finished the season ranked No. 1 in the nation by MaxPreps and nearly every other ranking service. Barbe lost seven starters in the field and two of its top three pitchers. But Freshman All-American Adam Goree returns (12-0 pitching record) along with Tyler Booth (4-0) and Braden Bethea (3-0). The offense returns three players who saw at least 99 at-bats in Braden Comeaux (.354), Shane Selman (.271) and Addison Armand (.373).

View last season's Louisiana baseball playoff brackets

3. Jesuit (New Orleans)
2014 finish: 32-5
Head coach: Ken Parenton

Jesuit reached the Class 5A state semifinals before falling to Live Oak. Jesuit has a strong tradition and has averaged 28 wins a season for the past four years, last winning a state championship in 2011. Jesuit returns one of the state's top infielders in Alex Gailey.

View last season's Louisiana baseball stat leaders

4. Live Oak (Watson)
2014 finish: 30-10
Head coach: Gregg Briggs



The Eagles reached the Class 5A state championship game, where they lost to Barbe, the No. 1 team in the nation. Live Oak coach Gregg Briggs was named the state's top Class 5A coach and he returns one of the state's top utility players in all-state pick Lenni Kunert (.386 batting average). The pitching staff also looks solid with the return of Zach Hansen (LHP) and Blaine Parker (RHP).

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5. Zachary
2014 finish: 20-12
Head coach: Jesse Cassard

Although the Broncos lost in the second round to Brother Martin, there could be enough talent on the team to advance much farther in 2015. Catcher Evan Pace (6-foot-1, 170) returns along with shortstop Micah McHugh (6-2, 200). Pace is headed to Southeastern Louisiana while McHugh will play at Mississippi. Zachary also has one of the state's top juniors in PJ Cannon, who earned all-state honors as a sophomore while batting .356.