Evan Hebert wanted to play for the best college baseball team he could.

He’ll have just that chance after signing a national letter of intent Wednesday with defending College World Series champion Arizona. Hebert signed at a ceremony in the Loreauville High library with dozens of friends, family members and current and former teammates in attendance.

“It’s a dream come true,” said Hebert. “You work for it all your life, and it happens, and it’s crazy. You can’t sleep at night.”

Hebert said he also looked at a lot of schools down south — LSU, Ole Miss, Florida, Southern Miss — but loved his trip to Arizona and coach Andy Lopez. The Wildcats coach had been contacted by Jesse Frescas, a family friend who works for Global Scouting Bureau, which works to help players attain college scholarships and professional contracts.

“Coach Lopez is an awesome guy,” said Hebert.

The Arizona coaches like Hebert’s size, he said, but would like him to work on his arm strength, throw more strikes and become more mentally tough. He expects to face a lot of talented players with possible future pro players among them in the PAC 12.

“The sky’s the limit with all the guys I’ll be playing against,” said Hebert. 

But he isn’t daunted by the prospect of facing so many talented players.

“Definitely not,” he said. “I’m going to take them down. I’m going to try to do my best.”

Hebert transferred from Catholic High to Loreauville this year for his senior season.

“I went to Loreauville before, I’ve lived in Loreauville,” said Hebert. “I wanted to come back with my old friends and start something new here.”

Shane Youman, who pitched at New Iberia Senior High and LSU before moving on to a professional career that has included stops in the Major Leagues and abroad, most recently in the Korean professional baseball league this past season, has worked with Hebert to help him improve his pitching.

“Being left-handed, you always notice a left-hander,” said Youman. “Just watching his mechanics and things like that, I noticed he had a good arm and was very athletic.

“It’s going on two years that I’ve been around him and he’s made a lot of improvements, not only from a physical standpoint but from a mental standpoint. I think the sky’s the limit for him from now on.”

Youman said that Evan should make the transition to college easily because he’s very coachable. Many players recruited to programs like Arizona are big-time prospects and have big egos and a know-it-all attitude. He doesn’t expect that to be the case for Hebert.

“The advice I’d give him is to make sure you stay on that even keel, stay positive, because at that point you’re going to be among 25 to 30, 40 guys that are hungry to get that playing time, that are just as good as you and maybe a little better than you.

“Take coaches’ advice and don’t be afraid of criticism that coaches may have, because that’s only to make you better.”

James Gamble, president and founder of GSB, introduced Youman to Hebert at Acadian Ballpark, which Gamble runs for the city of New Iberia through Acadiana Sports.

“The first goal that I have is always educating the kids and their families on what it actually takes (to play in college) and where they’re at in the process,” said Gamble. “With Evan, whenever I saw him I knew he had the tools physically, it was just honing in on making sure that academically (he was strong), that he was putting himself in the right environment, the right peer group, that he was getting the right training environment.”

Work ethic is the most important thing for players, said Gamble. It falls back on how well you can train to get better.

“I think Evan’s going to do real well,” said Gamble. “Naturally, being around guys like Shane has helped him.”

Now Hebert’s looking forward to the season, and then to college.

“I’m so thankful that my hard work and dedication and God’s blessings helped me to get where I’m at, and all the people around me who support me,” Hebert said.