Simoneaux Signs Six Future Bulldog Baseballers
RUSTON - Louisiana Tech head coach Wade Simoneaux announced Friday the signing of six future Bulldog baseball players during the early signing period.
Simoneaux, who is in his first year at Tech after a stellar career as an assistant coach at UL-Lafayette, inked a pair of local north Louisiana prep stars in former Ouachita High School pitcher Dustin Griggs and current Captain Shreve High School pitcher Alan Knotts.
Additionally, Simoneaux and company signed third baseman Stephen Winters from Blinn Community College, catcher Steve Soper from Parkview Baptist High School, outfielder Ladd Legendre from Episcopal Catholic High School and pitcher/first baseman Randy Waguespack from Lutcher High School.
"Our first class at Tech has a good mix," Simoneaux said. "We have four academically sound high school kids - the type of student-athletes we are looking for - and two very highly-sought after junior college players. We are very pleased with who we signed early. It gives us a good start and narrows down the list of what we need in the spring."
Griggs is currently at Mississippi Delta Community College where he compiled a 7-3 record during his freshman campaign with five saves and a sub-3.00 earned run average. The former Lion standout, who earned all-district and all-state accolades in high school, helped lead Mississippi Delta to the Region 23 championship title last year.
"Dustin is a young man who is very conscientious about his body and is in really good shape," Simoneaux said. "His arm has reached a point where he knows he can win. I think he has turned that corner and is ready to compete at this level."
Knotts is a senior at Captain Shreve in Shreveport. Last year he compiled a 3-3 mark for the Gators with a 1.98 earned run average and 39 strikeouts in 42 1/3 innings. The 6-foot-3-inch, 200-pounder also batted .384 with eight doubles and 24 runs batted in.
"He is a young right hander who is going to really develop into something special," Simoneaux said. "His better years are definitely ahead of him. It's going to be a slow but sure process with him just like with any young pitcher. He has a bright future ahead of him because of his size and his work ethic."
Simoneaux used his south Louisiana connections to ink the next two Bulldogs, Soper and Legendre. Soper earned the Louisiana 3A Player of the Year Award as a junior at Parkview Baptist after batting .427 with 19 doubles and eight home runs while throwing out 24 of 30 attempted base stealers. Soper is also the starting quarterback at Parkview Baptist, where he has rushed and passed for over 1,000 yards this season.
"Steve is a very, very physical, aggressive, vocal leader behind the plate," Simoneaux said. "One of the better high school catchers in the state. He is the quarterback of the football team, which tells you what kind of athlete he is. He is a physical specimen with a very good arm."
Legendre, who became the first player in Episcopal High's history to sign a Division I baseball scholarship, batted .422 as a junior with eight doubles, four triples, four home runs and 24 runs batted in. The two-time first team All-District 7-2A member also earned first team all-state honors by the Louisiana Baseball Coaches Association.
"Ladd fits well into our system," Simoneaux said. "The main reason is because he has played the last three years for Chris Counts, who was my assistant coach at Episcopal High School. By Ladd getting a taste of that system, he is going to have a huge advantage here. He will come in as a freshman and compete immediately for a starting job."
Winters comes to Tech from Blinn Community College in Brenham, Texas, after playing his freshman year at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. The third baseman earned Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American honors as a freshman at the Academy after hitting .376 with nine doubles, three triples and 22 runs batted in.
"Stephen is a very aggressive left-handed hitter who will fit well in our ball park," Simoneaux said. "He has a good arm and a good glove. We are looking for him to come in here and do some big things for us while hitting in the meat of our order."
Winters comes from a baseball family. While at Air Force in 1980, his father Deacon led the nation in runs batted in per game and slugging percentage; the 1.098 slugging percentage still ranks No. 3 in NCAA single season history.
Waguespack is a 6-foot-4-inch, 210-pound pitcher from Lutcher High School who can also play first base for Tech.
"Randy is a big kid who bats and throws left handed," Simoneaux said. "You can't teach his size. He possesses some velocity on the mound and a pretty good swing at the plate. He is going to come in and push for time at certain positions. He is sound academically and comes from a good high school program."
Simoneaux said he still expects to sign anywhere from three to five more during the spring.
"We will definitely sign some more in the spring," Simoneaux said. "We got a good jump by signing these six early. It gives us a good start and narrows down the list of what we need in the spring." For the latest Louisiana Tech University News, visit www.zlatech.com
