Louisiana baseball starting lineup, pitching rotation projections for 2023 season

Most of the offensive pieces that led Louisiana baseball to a Sun Belt Conference championship and the program’s first NCAA regional appearance in six years are back.

And despite having to replace its starting weekend rotation while fighting through the deepest the conference has ever been, expectations are high for head coach Matt Deggs and his Ragin’ Cajuns in 2023.

UL opens this season Friday with a three-game series at Rice, and the lineup should be veteran heavy with some newcomers sprinkled in.

Here are our projections for the how the Cajuns, picked to finish fourth in the Sun Belt preseason poll, will take the field this season:

Louisiana baseball starting lineup projection

There was only a couple of open spots that Deggs had to identify throughout fall and preseason practice: Second and third base. While there has been some shifting, most notably senior Max Marusak from second to third, the bulk of things looks the same.

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Carson Roccaforte and Julian Brock anchor UL at center field and catcher, respectively, while other returning starters – like Kyle DeBarge at shortstop, Heath Hood in right field, Will Veillon in left field and C.J. Willis at first base – provide a tight nucleus.

Second base and left field has seen the heaviest positions battles. Junior college transfers John Taylor and Peyton LeJeune have been locked in a competition at second base, and the initial nod should go to Taylor.

Veillon should open as the starter, but expect to see plenty of sophomore Conor Higgs and freshman Caleb Stelly in left field.

The other question mark is designated hitter, and it could be the perfect place for freshman Luke Yuhasz to make a mark early. Originally at Texas A&M commit, Yuhasz has had a solid preseason. Junior Trey LaFleur is also in the mix.

Louisiana baseball starting rotation, relief projections

Deggs has announced the starting rotation he’ll roll with at Rice. Jake Hammond will be the Cajuns' opening day starter, followed by Ole Miss transfer Blake McGehee on Saturday and Florida State transfer Jackson Nezuh on Sunday.

Right now, Brendan Moody and Tommy Ray appear set to be for midweek or fourth starter roles; UL has a four-game series with BYU the second week of the season at Russo Park.

Lefty Blake Marshall, who’s back after missing 2022 recovering from Tommy John surgery; Ben Tate, the Tulane transfer; and Carson Fluno should be Deggs’ first options out of the bullpen.

With Hammond’s move from closer, that spot is open and left-handed junior Dylan Theut could be where the Ragin’ Cajuns turn.

Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers and Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU/UL athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns baseball starting lineup, rotation projections