Kyle DeBarge

LAFAYETTE – Louisiana shortstop Kyle DeBarge became the highest draft pick in school history when he was selected 33rd overall by the Minnesota Twins in the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft on Sunday.

DeBarge, a 2024 consensus All-American, posted a .339 career batting average in three seasons in a Louisiana uniform with 31 career home runs and 140 RBI.

Rounds 3-10 will be held on Monday starting at 1 p.m. The draft will conclude on Tuesday with Rounds 11-20 beginning at 1 p.m. The draft rounds on Monday and Tuesday may be viewed on MLB.com.

DeBarge was named the 2024 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year for the Ragin’ Cajuns after hitting .355 on the season with a school-record 21 home runs. The junior set a single-season school record for total bases (179) which was previously held by two-time All-American Jonathan Lucroy (175) while driving in 72 runs – the most by a Ragin’ Cajun since Greg Blevins (75) in 1990.

Rated as the No. 1 shortstop nationally by D1Baseball, DeBarge finished second in the Sun Belt Conference in slugging percentage (.699), OPS (1.117), home runs (21), hits (91) and at-bats (256).

TOP 10 LOUISIANA RAGIN’ CAJUNS MLB SELECTIONS

Year Name Round Pick Team Pos.

1972 Charles Bordes ** 1 15 Texas SS

2024 Kyle DeBarge 1C 33 Minnesota SS

1985 Garrett O’Connor * 2 41 New York Yankees RHP

1995 Darrin Babineaux 2 50 Los Angeles Dodgers RHP

2023 Carson Roccaforte (CB) 2 66 Kansas City OF

1971 Ron Guidry 3 67 New York Yankees LHP

2015 Blake Trahan 3 84 Cincinnati SS

2018 Hogan Harris 3 85 Oakland LHP

2007 Jonathan Lucroy 3 101 Milwaukee C

1986 Xavier Hernandez 4 107 Toronto RHP

* June Secondary Draft

** January Secondary Draft

CB Competitive Balance Pick

Bold Reached Major League