The 2020 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns baseball team represented the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in the 2020 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Ragin' Cajuns played their home games at M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park and were led by first year head coach Matt Deggs.
This season was also their first with new head coach Matt Deggs. This came after Head Coach Tony Robichaux’s death on July 3, 2019 after suffering from a massive heart attack. Deggs had previously served as Assistant under Robichaux from 2012 to 2014. He had also served as head coach at Sam Houston State from 2015 to 2019 and Texarkana College from 1998 to 2002 and stints as assistant at Northwestern State, Arkansas, and Texas A&M.
On March 12, the Sun Belt Conference announced the indefinite suspension of all spring athletics, including baseball, due to the increasing risk of the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 13, Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards signed an executive order banning gatherings of over 250 people until as early as April 18, thus ending all possible future 2020 home or in-state games until that time if the season were to continue. Soon after, the Sun Belt cancelled all season and postseason play.
Preseason
Signing Day Recruits
Pitchers Spencer Arrighetti Katy, Texas Navarro JC Chad Brown McKinney, Texas McKinney Boyd HS Hayden Durke Abbeville, Louisiana North Vermillion HS Peyton Havard Orange, Texas Bridge City HS Blake Marshall Mandeville, Louisiana Hinds JC Chipper Menard New Iberia, Louisiana New Iberia Senior HS Hitters Sam Bianco Oxford, Mississippi Oxford HS Clayton Dean Tomball, Texas Cypress Community Christian Conor Higgs Texas City, Texas Texas City HS Bobby Lada Richmond, Texas Bossier Parish CC Carson Roccaforte Port Neches, Texas Port Neches–Groves HS
Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll The Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll will be released sometime around January 30, 2020 and the Cajuns were picked to finish second in the West Division and second overall in the conference.
Coaches poll (West) 1 UT Arlington 58 (3) 2 Louisiana 57 (5) 3 Texas State 55 (3) 4 Little Rock 39 (1) 5 Louisiana–Monroe 25 6 Arkansas State 18
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team & Honors Drake Nightengale (USA, Sr, Pitcher) Zach McCambley (CCU, Jr, Pitcher) Levi Thomas (TROY, Jr, Pitcher) Andrew Papp (APP, Sr, Pitcher) Jack Jumper (ARST, Sr, Pitcher) Kale Emshoff (LR, RS-Jr, Catcher) Kaleb DeLatorre (USA, Sr, First Base) Luke Drumheller (APP, So, Second Base) Hayden Cantrelle (LA, Jr, Shortstop) Garrett Scott (LR, RS-Sr, Third Base) Mason McWhorter (GASO, Sr, Outfielder) Ethan Wilson (USA, So, Outfielder) Rigsby Mosley (TROY, Jr, Outfielder) Will Hollis (TXST, Sr, Designated Hitter) Andrew Beesley (ULM, Sr, Utility)
Roster 2020 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns roster Pitchers 2 Connor Cooke - Sophomore 15 Jacob Schultz - Junior 16 Austin Bradford - Redshirt Junior 17 Connor Angel - Junior 20 Brock Batty - Junior 24 Caleb Armstrong - Senior 27 Austin Perrin - Junior 32 Brandon Young - Senior 37 Dane Dixon - Redshirt Junior 38 Jason Nelson - Junior 40 William Moriarty - Redshirt Sophomore 45 Jack Burk - Senior 48 David Williams - Redshirt Junior 49 Luke Cronan - Junior 50 Carter Robinson - Junior 51 Jeff Wilson - Junior Catchers 6 Nick Hagedorn - Junior 11 Julian Brock - Freshman 13 Sebastian Toro - Redshirt Junior
Infielders 1 Connor Dupuy - Redshirt Sophomore 5 Hayden Cantrelle - Junior 12 Jonathan Windham - Redshirt Sophomore 23 Brandon Talley - Junior 26 Jonathan Brandon - Redshirt Junior 44 Zeph Hoffpauir - Freshman Outfielders 4 Brennan Breaux - Redshirt Senior 10 Alex Hannie - Redshirt Sophomore 14 Tremaine Spears - Redshirt Junior 21 Connor Kimple - Junior 33 Colton Frank - Sophomore 41 Gavin Bourgeois - Redshirt Senior
Utility 34 Ben Fitzgerald - Junior 52 Justin Greene - Junior
Coaching staff 2020 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns coaching staffMatt Deggs – Head Coach & Pitching Coach – 1st year Anthony Babineaux – Associate Head Coach and Director of Player and Program Development– 26th year Jeremy Talbot – Assistant Head Coach – 6th year Jake Wells – Assistant Head Coach, Batting coach – 2nd year BJ Ryan – Volunteer Assistant Coach – 1st year Chris Domingue – Academic & Camp Coordinator – 17th year James Lang – assistant director of Athletic Performance for Olympic Sports – 1st year Joey Bearb – Clubhouse Manager Carter Munchrath – Clubhouse Manager Zackary Crain – Clubhouse Manager Aidan Serio – Clubhouse Manager Austin Belaire – Field Manager Victoria Stringer – Student Assistant
Schedule and results Legend Louisiana win Louisiana loss Postponement/Cancelation/SuspensionsBoldLouisiana team member