By Kyle Roberts
Ruston High head baseball coach Bryan Beck is hitting the ground running to prepare for the 2025 season.
The recently hired Beck has been hard at work putting together a robust staff that includes a few former Bearcats with one recently on staff at the collegiate level.
“I feel really good about the staff,” Beck said. “They’re very young and very energetic. I’m going to let those guys be themselves — I know what they can bring to the table for how they will serve the kids. It’s what we want to accomplish here.”
New to the dug out (sort of) will be pitching coach Doc Wilkerson, a 2014 Ruston graduate and most recently on staff with the UL-Monroe Warhawks as director of operations.
Eric Outley will make his return to the program where he was a two-sport athlete for the Bearcats in football and baseball. Outley will primarily work with the junior high and underclassmen, where he will join Nick Mourad who has been on staff with Beck for the last few seasons.
“We’re starting this thing early from seventh grade,” Beck said. “We’re following (Ruston High head football coach Jerrod) Baugh’s vision for development for our entire junior high and high school program.”
Finally, former Bearcat Jacob Martin will be student-teaching at Ruston High and will be on staff, where he will be able to coach his little brother Peyton.
Opting not to return will be Chris Willis, who served as interim coach last season, who will be planning to travel and watch his younger son Dawson play college baseball.
“I offered “Big Coach” a spot in any capacity that he would have wanted,” Beck said in conclusion. “He’s really good for our program and our kids.”
