From the Northshore to No. 1 MLB Draft prospect: Mick Nunez discusses time as Kade Anderson’s high school coach

COVINGTON, La. — Mick Nunez was Kade Anderson’s high school coach at St. Paul’s and learned many years ago that Kade was a special baseball talent.

Andy Cannizaro told me, he was maybe a scout with the Yankees at the time, that if he stays healthy, he could be a first-rounder. Those guys know their business, but it was funny because when he told me, I was like, That’s cool. But it never really clicked,” said former St. Paul’s head coach Mick Nunez.

It clicked in April of 2021 when St. Paul’s eliminated Cannizaro’s Holy Cross team in the first round of the Division I playoffs.

Sophomore Kade Anderson pitched game one of that series and struck out 17 tigers in a 4-0 win.

“That was such a dominant performance. He was the guy when he was on the mound, I was like, I got a shot at winning this, regardless of who we were playing,” said Nunez.

Kade Anderson’s high school career would take an unexpected turn when he had Tommy John surgery during his junior season.

The procedure marked the end of his time as a pitcher at St. Paul’s, but he never stopped being the ultimate teammate.

“Just his presence in the dugout was something special,” said Nunez.

“I think he came in from Florida and was in the dugout, just bandaged up, pulling for his guys. The rushing him back into things was never a thought. I knew he wanted to be at LSU, and there was no shot I was going to take a year of that from him,” added Nunez.

Kade’s rehab plan allowed him to play outfield his senior season, and the two-way talent led the Wolves to a District 6-5A title.

He was also able to throw some bullpen to stay in pitching shape.

“It was fun watching him go in the bullpen, because whoever we were playing, we might throw pen at a game. And they would see him warming up before the game and be like, oh goodness, is Kade throwing? And we wouldn’t really say anything. I just like looking at the other team, thinking that this is pretty funny,” said Nunez.

The entertaining and careful approach to Kade’s recovery has paid off two years later.

Anderson just led LSU to a national championship and the country in strikeouts with 180.

He was named the College World Series’ most outstanding player and Baseball America’s pitcher of the year.

He’s now the odds favorite to be the top pick in the MLB draft.

“It was so much fun watching him play. I watched more LSU baseball in the past two years than I have since my last guy was over there,” said Nunez.

The last guy that Nunez references is Ryan Schimpf, who prepped at St. Paul’s and helped LSU win a national championship in 2009.

The 2025 MLB Draft begins Sunday at 5 p.m.