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It’ll come as a surprise to few that Cedar Creek’s Kade Luker was hurling fastballs in the 91-94 MPH range last week at the East Coast Pro tryout in Hoover, Alabama, one of the most exclusive amateur baseball showcases in the country. Luker was there before heading to Baton Rouge over the weekend for another showcase event.
The ECA program is an invitation-only showcase for top rising high school seniors that puts them in front of scouts and evaluators from every MLB organization. It’s the kind of place for Luker, who recently earned yet another accolade following his 2026 season, to show what he’s got.
“Overall, it went well. I was able to compete against some of the best guys in the Southern region of the country,” Luker told the USA Today Network. “I’m able to learn from those guys and add that to my game to make me a better ball player.”
The 6-foot-1 lefthander was recently named the 2026 La. Farm Bureau Insurance/LSWA Mr. Baseball after already being named the Louisiana Gatoraide Player of the Year, the LSWA Class 1A Player of the Year, the All-District 1A MVP and the Shreveport Times All-Area Baseball Team Athlete of the Year.
GATORAIDE POY: LSU commitment Kade Luker recognized as La. Gatorade 2026 top player
ALL-AREA: Check out the 2026 Shreveport Times All-Area High School Baseball Team
“It’s an amazing honor being named Mr. Baseball and I’m thankful to be able to represent Cedar Creek and share this award with my teammates,” Luker said. “Without them pushing me to be my best, I wouldn’t be in the position to receive any accolades. I’m truly blessed to be in this position.”
Luker’s stats this spring have made him an intriguing target for college recruiters as well as a guy with the potential to do it all over again in 2027 for his senior season. Verbally committed to LSU, Luker was 10-1 as a pitcher with a 1.04 ERA while hitting .531 with five home runs, 35 RBIs and 48 runs scored. He was one of the key components in Cedar Creek’s drive to a 27-7 overall record and a semifinal berth in the LHSAA Select Division IV playoffs.
“Kade wants to be a professional baseball player and he’s doing everything necessary to make that happen,” Cedar Creek coach Chad Yates said. “He fits a lot of things around baseball. He’s one of those kids that when he walks on the field, you can tell he’s special. He fills out the uniform.”
Off the field, Luker was a volunteer with Tim Tebow’s Night to Shine and has been a volunteer youth baseball coach in the Ruston community while maintaining a weighted 3.74 GPA in the classroom.
At Cedar Creek, Luker gets plenty of quality instruction from a pair of coaches with professional experience. Yates played a Ruston High and Louisiana Tech before being drafted by St. Louis and playing in Class A ball. Assistant coach BJ Ryan, an Airline graduate, became an MLB All-star pitcher who signed a $45 million contract with Toronto in 2005, then the highest ever MLB contract by a reliever.
“Kade takes advantage of what we do and is learning to trust us. Having BJ in the dugout has been a big asset,” Yates said. “Kade soaks up everything. The thing about Kade is that he leads by example. He’s one of the first out of the clubhouse and he stays late if needed to get in a lift.”
Jimmy Watson covers Louisiana sports for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.
1996: Joe Lawrence, Barbe
1997: Chucky Son, Parkview Baptist
1998: Aaron Lowe, Parkway
1999: Nick Bourgeois, Barbe
2000: Austin Nagle, Barbe
2001: Austin Nagle, Barbe/Jonathan Zeringue, E.D. White
2002: Greg Smith, Alexandria
2003: Matt Greenwich, Parkview Baptist
2004: Ben Soignier, West Monroe
2005: Beau Jones, Destrehan
2006: Forrest Moore, Parkview Baptist
2007: Carmen Angelini, Barbe
2008: Zack Von Rosenberg, Zachary
2009: Zack Von Rosenberg, Zachary
2010: Bryan Picou, Northlake Christian
2011: Aaron Nola, Catholic-BR
2012: Gavin Cecchini, Barbe
2013: Jared Poche’, Lutcher
2014: Chase Vallot, St. Thomas More
2015: Kale Breaux, Sulphur
2016: Nick Webre, Teurlings Catholic
2017: Jacob Pearson, West Monroe
2018: Cade Beloso, John Curtis
2019: Cameron Meeks, Sam Houston
2020: Season canceled
2021: Jack Walker, Barbe
2022: Ethan Frey, Rosepine
2023: Donovan LaSalle, Barbe
2024: William Schmidt, Catholic-BR
2025: Miller Sheets, Sterlington
2026: Kade Luker, Cedar Creek
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Find out why LSU commit Kade Luker was pitching 94 MPH last week
Continue reading...
The ECA program is an invitation-only showcase for top rising high school seniors that puts them in front of scouts and evaluators from every MLB organization. It’s the kind of place for Luker, who recently earned yet another accolade following his 2026 season, to show what he’s got.
“Overall, it went well. I was able to compete against some of the best guys in the Southern region of the country,” Luker told the USA Today Network. “I’m able to learn from those guys and add that to my game to make me a better ball player.”
The 6-foot-1 lefthander was recently named the 2026 La. Farm Bureau Insurance/LSWA Mr. Baseball after already being named the Louisiana Gatoraide Player of the Year, the LSWA Class 1A Player of the Year, the All-District 1A MVP and the Shreveport Times All-Area Baseball Team Athlete of the Year.
GATORAIDE POY: LSU commitment Kade Luker recognized as La. Gatorade 2026 top player
ALL-AREA: Check out the 2026 Shreveport Times All-Area High School Baseball Team
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“It’s an amazing honor being named Mr. Baseball and I’m thankful to be able to represent Cedar Creek and share this award with my teammates,” Luker said. “Without them pushing me to be my best, I wouldn’t be in the position to receive any accolades. I’m truly blessed to be in this position.”
Luker’s stats this spring have made him an intriguing target for college recruiters as well as a guy with the potential to do it all over again in 2027 for his senior season. Verbally committed to LSU, Luker was 10-1 as a pitcher with a 1.04 ERA while hitting .531 with five home runs, 35 RBIs and 48 runs scored. He was one of the key components in Cedar Creek’s drive to a 27-7 overall record and a semifinal berth in the LHSAA Select Division IV playoffs.
“Kade wants to be a professional baseball player and he’s doing everything necessary to make that happen,” Cedar Creek coach Chad Yates said. “He fits a lot of things around baseball. He’s one of those kids that when he walks on the field, you can tell he’s special. He fills out the uniform.”
Off the field, Luker was a volunteer with Tim Tebow’s Night to Shine and has been a volunteer youth baseball coach in the Ruston community while maintaining a weighted 3.74 GPA in the classroom.
At Cedar Creek, Luker gets plenty of quality instruction from a pair of coaches with professional experience. Yates played a Ruston High and Louisiana Tech before being drafted by St. Louis and playing in Class A ball. Assistant coach BJ Ryan, an Airline graduate, became an MLB All-star pitcher who signed a $45 million contract with Toronto in 2005, then the highest ever MLB contract by a reliever.
“Kade takes advantage of what we do and is learning to trust us. Having BJ in the dugout has been a big asset,” Yates said. “Kade soaks up everything. The thing about Kade is that he leads by example. He’s one of the first out of the clubhouse and he stays late if needed to get in a lift.”
Jimmy Watson covers Louisiana sports for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.
You must be registered for see images attach
La. Farm Bureau Insurance/LSWA Mr. Baseball:
1996: Joe Lawrence, Barbe
1997: Chucky Son, Parkview Baptist
1998: Aaron Lowe, Parkway
1999: Nick Bourgeois, Barbe
2000: Austin Nagle, Barbe
2001: Austin Nagle, Barbe/Jonathan Zeringue, E.D. White
2002: Greg Smith, Alexandria
2003: Matt Greenwich, Parkview Baptist
2004: Ben Soignier, West Monroe
2005: Beau Jones, Destrehan
2006: Forrest Moore, Parkview Baptist
2007: Carmen Angelini, Barbe
2008: Zack Von Rosenberg, Zachary
2009: Zack Von Rosenberg, Zachary
2010: Bryan Picou, Northlake Christian
2011: Aaron Nola, Catholic-BR
2012: Gavin Cecchini, Barbe
2013: Jared Poche’, Lutcher
2014: Chase Vallot, St. Thomas More
2015: Kale Breaux, Sulphur
2016: Nick Webre, Teurlings Catholic
2017: Jacob Pearson, West Monroe
2018: Cade Beloso, John Curtis
2019: Cameron Meeks, Sam Houston
2020: Season canceled
2021: Jack Walker, Barbe
2022: Ethan Frey, Rosepine
2023: Donovan LaSalle, Barbe
2024: William Schmidt, Catholic-BR
2025: Miller Sheets, Sterlington
2026: Kade Luker, Cedar Creek
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Find out why LSU commit Kade Luker was pitching 94 MPH last week
Continue reading...
