Cardell Thibodeaux’s Impact Evident During Huskies’ Playoff Push

55 runs, 51 hits for Duluth in 2024

DULUTH, Minn.- As the Duluth Huskies made a late-season push towards clinching a playoff spot, Cardell Thibodeaux always seemed to be in the spark that ignited his team’s success.

Known for his speed and agility, he became a constant threat on the basepaths and a defensive asset in the outfield. Thibodeaux’s impact wasn’t just evident to the naked eye; his performance was a statistical nightmare for opponents all summer.

“I’ve normally been more of a leadoff guy,” Thibodeaux said. “Just kind of get things going and put my speed on the bases and just help us get things started.”

When asked about his speed, Thibodeaux modestly admitted he wasn’t sure of his exact 40-yard dash time but believed he would perform well. Thibodeaux was the only player in the Northwoods League to record at least 50 hits and maintain a hits per run ratio of less than one, showcasing his exceptional quickness and base running ability.

“Base running is one of the best parts of my game. I enjoy running, I enjoy stealing bags and turning singles into doubles and turning first and thirds into scoring. I enjoy all of it,” Thibodeaux explained.

His agility was not limited to the bases. With a fielding percentage of over 99 percent (124 putouts to 126 chances), Thibodeaux demonstrated his skill in the outfield, including several diving catches.

Off the field, Thibodeaux entered the transfer portal during the Huskies’ season. In less than a month, he committed to Southern University, despite being 1,300 miles away from his new campus while playing summer ball.

“They reached out within like the first week,” Thibodeaux said about his new school. “It was a better experience than I was expecting. I was expecting to just kind of put up some numbers out here, take my time and see what I have. But they reached out. I hit the portal, and they reached out within the first weekend. They gave me a scholarship and an opportunity that I can’t resist. It’s a good conference. It’s a good league. It’s a good program. And I see myself becoming a better player in that program.”

While most of this year’s players on the Huskies season either arrived or left the team midseason, Thibodeaux chose to stay in Duluth throughout the season. His dedication to the game was evident as he aimed to make the most of his summer season.

“We play 72 games in the summer. So, I was very interested in that. This past season, I didn’t play a lot. I wanted to come out here, get as many (at-bats) as possible, just get back in the groove of playing the game full speed and having a lot of fun again,” Thibodeaux shared. “Even with all the guys leaving and coming in, it’s still a good group of guys. We have a lot of fun. The chemistry is better than I expected, especially with just a short term of having some guys. We have a lot of guys from different areas just coming together with different backgrounds, different belief systems and just coming together for one purpose: to have fun and play a lot of baseball.”