University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
2023 Baseball Roster
Willis, CJ
Jersey Number 44
CJ Willis
- Position:
- Utility
- Ht./Wt.:
- 6-3 / 195
- B/T:
- L/R
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Ruston, La.
- High School:
- Ruston
- Prev School:
- LSU
Bio
HONORS AND ACCOLADES
• 2023 Sun Belt Conference All-Tournament Team
2023 Season (Senior)
Versatile player posted his best numbers in a Louisiana uniform with a slash line of .279/.388/.387 ... played in 50 games on the season while starting in 46 contests ... started at first base (26), second base (18) and right field (2) ... hit two home runs with 28 RBI and nine stolen bases ... tied with Carson Roccaforte with a .996 fielding percentage on the season ... recorded 14 multiple-hit games on the season with three hits in games against Rice and twice against Texas State ... opened the season going 6-for-10 with six RBI and four runs scored in a series win at Rice ... was 3-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored in the second of the series before going 2-for-5 with four RBI and a run scored in the series finale against the Owls ... went 2-for-3 with an RBI in the final game of a four-game sweep of BYU ... blasted a home run and drew three walks in a midweek victory over Tulane ... went 5-for-9 with four RBI in a series sweep of Texas State ... added two hits with a pair of RBI and stolen base in a win at Southern Miss ... had seven hits (7-for-20) with a home run and four RBI in the Sun Belt Conference Championships to earn a spot on the All-Tournament team ... went 3-for-4 with a home run, double and three runs scored against Texas State in an elimination game ... was 1-for-3 with two RBI, two runs scored and a pair of walks against Maine in the NCAA Coral Gables Regional.
2022 Season (Junior)
Recorded a .247 batting average with seven RBI on the season playing at four different positions ... earned 20 starts in 42 games played ... started 15 games at first base, two at second and designated hitter and one game in left field ... played in a season-high 22 games in a substitute role ... third on the team in total putouts (130) and fourth in defensive chances (143) ... had walk-off double in the 10th inning of a 6-5 win over Southeastern Louisiana (2/22) ... came in as a pinch-hitter and went 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and a triple against Georgia Southern (4/3) ... was 3-for-6 with a double and triple in the final two games of a three-game series at Georgia State ... went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI against Little Rock (5/21) ... went 4-for-12 in the NCAA College Station Regional, opening with a pair of hits and a triple against TCU (6/3).
2021 Season (Sophomore)
Versatile player appeared in 47 games while earning starts in 34 contests ... posted a .250 batting average with two home runs and 14 RBI ... tied for second on the team in walks (19) and tied for third in triples (2) ... fourth overall on the team with eight stolen bases ... produced slash line of .250/.351/.406 ... spent time at five different positions with 16 starts coming at second base ... also started games at first base (12), third base (4), left field (1) and right field (1) ... opened the season going 5-for-10 at the plate with a a double, triple, stolen base and a pair of RBI at Tulane (2/20-21) ... went 3-for-4 with three runs scored in middle game of three-game set against Tulane (2/20) before going 2-for-6 with a pair of runs scored in the series finale ... went 3-for-3 with an RBI, two runs scored and three doubles in win over Louisiana Tech (3/2) ... started at third base against South Alabama (4/19) and was 2-for-4 with a stolen base ... belted home runs in back-to-back contests against Arkansas State (4/10-11), hitting a three-run blast in the middle game before hitting a solo shot in the series finale ... went 4-for-12 (.333) in a three-game series at Little Rock (4/23-25) splittig time between first and second base ... was 2-for-5 with a double against Texas State (5/1) in the first game of a doubleheader ... was 1-for-2 with a triple against McNeese (4/21).
2020 Season (at LSU)
Played in four games during the 2020 season and did not record a hit in four at-bats … Played in 24 games as a true-freshman at LSU and started in 11 games … Hit .212/.311/.288 with 11 hits, four doubles and seven RBI.
HIGH SCHOOL
Selected in the 39th round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays … earned All-America, All-State and All-District honors during his senior season … rated No. 60 among the nation’s top players by PerfectGame.org … named a First Team All-Louisiana Member by USA Today … hit a career .338 with 23 doubles, 11 triples, 12 home runs, 86 RBI and 21 stolen bases at Ruston High School.
PERSONAL
Born on July 4, 2000, in Monroe, La. ... the son of Mandy and Chris Willis … father played football and mother ran track at Louisiana Tech … has one brother and one sister … majoring in general studies.
• 2023 Sun Belt Conference All-Tournament Team
2023 Season (Senior)
Versatile player posted his best numbers in a Louisiana uniform with a slash line of .279/.388/.387 ... played in 50 games on the season while starting in 46 contests ... started at first base (26), second base (18) and right field (2) ... hit two home runs with 28 RBI and nine stolen bases ... tied with Carson Roccaforte with a .996 fielding percentage on the season ... recorded 14 multiple-hit games on the season with three hits in games against Rice and twice against Texas State ... opened the season going 6-for-10 with six RBI and four runs scored in a series win at Rice ... was 3-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored in the second of the series before going 2-for-5 with four RBI and a run scored in the series finale against the Owls ... went 2-for-3 with an RBI in the final game of a four-game sweep of BYU ... blasted a home run and drew three walks in a midweek victory over Tulane ... went 5-for-9 with four RBI in a series sweep of Texas State ... added two hits with a pair of RBI and stolen base in a win at Southern Miss ... had seven hits (7-for-20) with a home run and four RBI in the Sun Belt Conference Championships to earn a spot on the All-Tournament team ... went 3-for-4 with a home run, double and three runs scored against Texas State in an elimination game ... was 1-for-3 with two RBI, two runs scored and a pair of walks against Maine in the NCAA Coral Gables Regional.
2022 Season (Junior)
Recorded a .247 batting average with seven RBI on the season playing at four different positions ... earned 20 starts in 42 games played ... started 15 games at first base, two at second and designated hitter and one game in left field ... played in a season-high 22 games in a substitute role ... third on the team in total putouts (130) and fourth in defensive chances (143) ... had walk-off double in the 10th inning of a 6-5 win over Southeastern Louisiana (2/22) ... came in as a pinch-hitter and went 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and a triple against Georgia Southern (4/3) ... was 3-for-6 with a double and triple in the final two games of a three-game series at Georgia State ... went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI against Little Rock (5/21) ... went 4-for-12 in the NCAA College Station Regional, opening with a pair of hits and a triple against TCU (6/3).
2021 Season (Sophomore)
Versatile player appeared in 47 games while earning starts in 34 contests ... posted a .250 batting average with two home runs and 14 RBI ... tied for second on the team in walks (19) and tied for third in triples (2) ... fourth overall on the team with eight stolen bases ... produced slash line of .250/.351/.406 ... spent time at five different positions with 16 starts coming at second base ... also started games at first base (12), third base (4), left field (1) and right field (1) ... opened the season going 5-for-10 at the plate with a a double, triple, stolen base and a pair of RBI at Tulane (2/20-21) ... went 3-for-4 with three runs scored in middle game of three-game set against Tulane (2/20) before going 2-for-6 with a pair of runs scored in the series finale ... went 3-for-3 with an RBI, two runs scored and three doubles in win over Louisiana Tech (3/2) ... started at third base against South Alabama (4/19) and was 2-for-4 with a stolen base ... belted home runs in back-to-back contests against Arkansas State (4/10-11), hitting a three-run blast in the middle game before hitting a solo shot in the series finale ... went 4-for-12 (.333) in a three-game series at Little Rock (4/23-25) splittig time between first and second base ... was 2-for-5 with a double against Texas State (5/1) in the first game of a doubleheader ... was 1-for-2 with a triple against McNeese (4/21).
2020 Season (at LSU)
Played in four games during the 2020 season and did not record a hit in four at-bats … Played in 24 games as a true-freshman at LSU and started in 11 games … Hit .212/.311/.288 with 11 hits, four doubles and seven RBI.
HIGH SCHOOL
Selected in the 39th round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays … earned All-America, All-State and All-District honors during his senior season … rated No. 60 among the nation’s top players by PerfectGame.org … named a First Team All-Louisiana Member by USA Today … hit a career .338 with 23 doubles, 11 triples, 12 home runs, 86 RBI and 21 stolen bases at Ruston High School.
PERSONAL
Born on July 4, 2000, in Monroe, La. ... the son of Mandy and Chris Willis … father played football and mother ran track at Louisiana Tech … has one brother and one sister … majoring in general studies.
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