Rooting Interest: Dunham’s Josh Lim has become great example to follow for way he plays game
by William Weathers // GeauxPreps.com Contributor
Four years ago, when Evangel Christian Academy took part in the Trey Altick Prep Classic at West Monroe High, the Eagles opened one of the state’s top high school tournaments against The Dunham School.
One of the biggest takeaways from a game between two teams from opposite ends of the state, which play in differing divisions, was the performance of the Tigers’ lead-off hitter.
Then Evangel assistant coach Hayden Jennings recalled an undersized, switch-hitting player that led off the game with a hit up the middle as a left-handed hitter. When Evangel brought in a left-handed reliever, Jennings saw the lead-off guy turn around and record his third hit of the game from the right side.
When he went out to play shortstop, he was a vacuum, beginning with a spectacular play deep in the hole between shortstop and third base for an out.
“He absolutely dominated us,” Jennings said. “Afterward, I was speaking with our head coach briefly, he said he was a freshman. That’s the first time I saw him. I said this kid’s going to be a stud.”
Fast-forward to last summer when Jennings was hired to become Dunham’s new baseball coach. He surveyed the returning roster and noticed one name in particular.
Senior, Josh Lim.
“I remembered the name,” Jennings said. “I knew we were going to have at least one dude. He’s awesome.”
The 5-foot-5, 155-pound Lim, a UL-Lafayette signee, has continued to tower above the competition, relying on a throw-back brand of baseball where talent, hustle, grit, and a high baseball acumen have helped to compensate for a perceived lack of other physical traits.
Lim’s never stood taller than in his final season, combining forces with four other seniors, to help Dunham to the Division III select state quarterfinals. The No. 9 Tigers (20-19) are scheduled to visit No. 4 Catholic High-New Iberia (22-9) in a best-of-three series that’s set to begin at 6 p.m. Friday.
The series continues Saturday at noon followed by a third game, if necessary, at 2 p.m.
“It feels a little extra special because I’ve been growing up with these seniors, they’re like my brothers,” Lim said. “We just take it one game at a time. After one game, we flush that game and play our best the next. It doesn’t matter what happened in the game. We still do our best in the next game. We’re taking it one game at a time.”
Lim’s dealt with his share of obstacles to make it to this juncture of his final season. He’s overcome mononucleosis that sidelined him for two to three weeks, and COVID and has dealt with a nagging hamstring injury that’s slowed him but has never taken him completely off the field.
“You should stay consistent, always try to get better,” Lim said. “Don’t get content. With this being my senior year, I knew I had to work harder. I didn’t want this to be a bad year.”
Lim finished the regular season batting .395 with 35 runs scored, 19 walks, 13 hits by pitches, 10 RBIs, and seven stolen bases.
“He’s going against every grain,” Jennings said. “He does everything with excellence. He has a plus arm and can hit for power, and we’ve seen some great arms this year. In BP, he’s hit balls over the left-center field fence hitting right-handed, he’s hit some over our scoreboard hitting left-handed. It’s impressive. If you just look at him, Josh shouldn’t be doing the things he’s doing. Because he has the ability, he can.”
Episcopal coach Travis Bourgeois, who recently announced that after 16 total years – 11 as head coach – he’s stepping down as baseball coach, recalled the sight of a young Lim playing wiffle ball with his grandparents who lived next door.
Wes and Dot Newman took turns pitching to their grandson, who while batting left-handed, put on quite a hitting display.
“They’re in the front yard and he’s smoking the ball,” Bourgeois said. “I said, ‘Who is this guy? As he got older, they moved away. But still, I had to play against the guy that had knocked wiffle balls all over the front yard.”
Bourgeois got to know Lim a lot better over the past four years with Episcopal and Dunham waging their annual district contests. Lim became a menace to more teams than just Episcopal with his uncanny ability to reach base, steal bases, and play the kind of defense that saved runs and turned the tide of games.
“When you play Dunham, and they have plenty of talented players, but he is the straw that stirs the drink,” Bourgeois said. “Being a switch-hitter in high school is unheard of these days. He hurts you on both sides of the plate. With his speed, he’s put the ball on the ground and immediately puts pressure on the defense. You’ve got to field it and throw it cleanly, or you don’t have a chance. If he gets a single it usually ends up a triple because he’ll steal the next two bags from you.”
Lim’s curiosity to become a switch hitter is attributed to his father Ron, a switch-hitter during his two seasons at LSU. The fascination began around the age of 4 or 5, first alternating between the right and left sides in a T-ball game, and continuing to hone his craft through youth and travel ball and to the present.
“When I was younger I wanted to be just like my dad,” Lim said. “He was a switch-hitter and asked me if I wanted to do it and I said yes. That gives you an extra step from the left side, a better advantage. When I saw my dad do it, I thought I wanted to do it, too. I thought it was cool. I’ve done it my whole life since I was 7.”
Lim was a multi-sport athlete growing up, also playing basketball and soccer, until middle school when baseball became his sport of choice.
With a singular focus came his dedication toward becoming a better baseball player, beginning in the weight room to pack strength on his slight-of-build frame.
“I knew people were doubting me,” he said. “(William Nikolaus) Niko and Jace Crane, and other friends in different sports, working out with them makes it better for you. It’s nice to have those friends that push you to be better.”
Ron Lim, a native of Jacksonville, Florida, played for two seasons at Florida Community College before signing with LSU and legendary coach Skip Bertman.
Ron Lim, 5-7 and 154 pounds, batted .294 in his two-year career where he scored 59 runs with 17 doubles and stole 62 bases in 132 games. His 33 stolen bases in 1989 were the fourth-highest total in school history, and his speed in the outfield made him a defensive standout.
Lim’s arrival at LSU coincided with the elevation of the program which is now considered to be among the nation’s best. LSU won the SEC’s regular season and tournament titles in 1990 and captured a pair of regionals before the Super Regional format was created to make the program’s third and fourth appearances at the College World Series.
The Tigers, who have now reached the World Series 19 times, won the first of their seven national championships in 1991 and ’93.
When it came to coaching his son, Ron poured into Josh who was similar in build and with a desire for the game to match, enabling him to play much bigger.
“Whenever I was down, he always picked me up,” Josh said of his dad. “He was hard on me. He’s been my coach almost every summer except for a few. He’s not one of those dad coaches that would baby you around. If anything, he got on me harder. That made me a stronger person in terms of dealing with the failure of the game. Even though he could be hard like that, he still had that sentimental side that lifted me up.”
Josh Lim also found himself having to develop a mental toughness at a much earlier age than most to combat the taunts and jeers coming from the stands.
He heard an assortment of insults, going back to as young as 8 years old, about his lack of size to play a game with the supposed measurables needed. Those creative geniuses, though, were never able to question the size of his heart, talent, and determination.
“My dad was small, too, and he made it to LSU,” Lim said. “I believed I could do that. I don’t think it’s really about height. It’s about what you have inside. I’ve always wanted to prove people wrong. I have a hitting coach that really believes in me and I’m thankful for that.”
Lim sought advice from his dad on how to deal with such rhetoric when such instances carried into high school and affected his play.
“I had to bounce back,” he said. “My dad said that I couldn’t hear that. I had to block all of that out and stay focused on the game. We talked about that again this year with the coaches. When you’re on the field you really shouldn’t hear other people talking about you.”
Jennings compares Lim favorably to 9-time MLB All-Star Jose Altuve of the Houston Astros, the league’s shortest player at 5-6 and 166 pounds. He was named the American League’s MVP in 2017, won a gold glove at second base, and is a three-time league batting champion.
“You talk about a guy that plays the game hard every day no matter the situation,” he said. “He plays the game hard. I’ve learned that not only is Ron competitive, but so is Josh’s mom, Jennifer, who really knows baseball.”
Josh Lim was always a big fan of LSU’s Josh Smith, a former Catholic High standout and current member of the Texas Rangers, along with former No. 2 overall pick Alex Bregman, currently of the Boston Red Sox.
Not surprisingly, though, Lim has gravitated toward LSU shortstop Steven ‘Monster’ Milam, a 5-foot-8 dynamo who’s captured the attention of college baseball in his 1 ½ seasons with the Tigers.
“I love him,” he said. “He’s one of my favorite players. It gives me a little more hope.”
Bourgeois believes the success of Milam, a draft prospect in next year’s MLB Draft, is a good case study when scouts evaluate Lim’s path.
“Milam’s a prime example of a guy with some range, a guy that can roll a little bit and hit a bit,” he said. “With that frame, if you put on the proper weight through strength and muscle, why not? Baseball’s not always a game for the 6-5. That’s the beauty of baseball. There’s nine positions and a guy with Josh’s abilities can definitely fill one of those positions at every level. You see it in the major leagues. Just that special ‘it’ factor those guys have and he’s one of them.”
Lim sharpened his baseball skills on the travel ball circuit, beginning with the Traction Canes U11, and switching to the Knights Knation to play a game that’s annually taken him to such places as North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama.
All of the heightened competition prepared Lim for what was in store in high school, he started his first game at second base following an injury to a teammate.
Lim recalled collecting his first two hits – a single and triple – against Walker’s Caleb Webb, a first-team Class 5A All-Stater in 2021, and the moment got even better when the Tigers won the game on a walk-off homer.
“His facial expressions are the same whether he strikes out or gets a double in the gap,” Bourgeois said of Lim. “He’s even keel and in the game of baseball where you fail so much, for him to remain that way is something he’s learned over the years. He’s baseball mature. He handles that stuff. He doesn’t show his emotions which can affect his teammates or his play which is another great attribute about him.”
Lim batted .349 as a freshman with 37 runs scored, 21 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases. He also reached base another 24 times by either walking or being hit by a pitch.
Over the course of the first two years of his career, Lim was a staple in center field where his speed and instincts were the catalysts in being able to track down tough outs.
Lim continued to tinker with his swing in 2023, batting .341 with 27 RBIs and 13 stolen bases, and reached base another 25 times via walks and hit batsman.
During this span, Lim attended camps at UL in order to reach his objective of getting a scholarship to play in college. His speed, which was on display in a 6.47 time in the 60, helped him garner an offer from the Ragin’ Cajuns where he committed before his junior season.
“Since they offered me as a freshman that’s always been in my mind,” said Lim, a 3.5 student with plans to major in an undisclosed area of engineering. “The first thing they saw was the speed. It was basically only UL. I had interest from junior colleges, but I knew that was the place to be. That was my goal since I was little, and I was so thankful to all of my coaches. UL’s said I was a utility player. Whatever I can do to get on the field. It doesn’t matter where I play.”
Lim batted a career-best .402 in ’24 with a high on-base slugging percentage of 1.126. He scored 45 times, drove in a career-best 39 runs, walked 30 times, and was hit another 11 times to go with 18 stolen bases.
“I believe that every ball I put in play, I’ve got to run my hardest because that puts pressure on everybody,” Lim said. “I’ve always been taught not to jog down the line and always sprint because you never know what’s going to happen.”
That summer, as a member of a loaded Knights’ Knation U17 team, Lim shined like never before in a national Perfect Game event in Hoover, Ala. Not only did his team win the tournament, but Lim was selected MVP over a talented group of players.
“That was one of my best tournaments ever,” he said. “That was a really competitive team and we’ve always been real close. I just saw the ball really well. My hitting is was what got me the MVP. That was really special for me. I don’t think I’m the best player on the team. We have so many talented players on the team and that’s maybe the only time I’ve been recognized for being an MVP.”
Lim signed with UL in December, joined by his parents, and became a member of the Ragin’ Cajuns program coached by Matt Deggs. He was one of four seniors who represented the program on signing day, joining pitcher Jace Crane (Nunez Community College), second baseman William Nikolaus (Nunez), and catcher Gabe Greene (Delgado).
“It was huge,” Lim said. “That’s what I had been working for my whole life. Ever since I was little, we talked about me playing college ball. My dream was to play college ball. That was a huge day, especially for my coaches that trained me along the way.”
Jennings said Lim’s biggest accomplishment at the next level may come off the field where his style of play and infectious attitude will resonate with fans at Tigue Moore Field and the Lafayette community.
“He’s going to be a role model for a lot of kids,” he said. “He’s not going to UL just to be a part of the team. He’s going to be there and he’s going to play. He’s competitive. He’s also very good at the game. He’s going to show up early to everything they do. He’s going to give it his absolute best. He’s going to make it impossible for the coach not to like him.
“When he gets the opportunity on the field the Josh Lim that we all know and love will come out,” he said. “I believe he’s going to be a role model for a lot of people that see him doing things the world says shouldn’t be done on a baseball field. He’s going to be able to do those things. I’m excited for his future.”
Lim’s senior season didn’t follow a smooth trajectory with his two illnesses, coupled with a nagging hamstring injury.
Dunham felt the impact of Lim’s absence from the everyday lineup and lost eight of its first 12 games, leaving them in a perpetual cycle of having to play catchup the entire season.
The Tigers finished the regular season 16-17, winning the District 8-2A championship over Episcopal, but never climbed over .500 until the team’s 3-2 win over No. 1 Parkview Baptist in last week’s Division III select state quarterfinal series. The Tigers, who played 20 Class 5A teams on their schedule, dropped back to .500 with a 13-2 setback in Game 2, but advanced with a 4-1 victory in the final game and back over .500.
“He’s got great baseball instincts and a high baseball IQ,” Bourgeois said. “He’s also very versatile We’ve seen him in the infield and outfield and pitch. Just him being a competitor when he’s on the mound, you’ve got to believe everybody believes they can win. Regardless of how much he’s pitched, he’s definitely somebody that team believes in and follows.”
It’s not uncommon for opposing coaches to approach Jennings after a game with glowing remarks about Lim. That reached a new level when Dunham traveled to face Notre Dame of Crowley and Opelousas Catholic in a doubleheader on March 15 when one of the umpires, who was a fan of UL baseball, made it a point to let Jennings know how he felt about Lim.
“Nobody could get him out that day,” Jennings said. “One of the umpires came to me in the about the sixth or seventh inning in the second game. He said, ‘Coach, I’m so fired about this Lim kid going to UL. You just can get that kid out. He’s impressive.’”
Jennings limited Lim’s time on the mound when his durability was reduced because of his earlier illnesses. The hamstring injury was also a concern, but Lim never wavered from his desire to pitch and help his team.
Because of his instincts and quickness Lim is a natural in bunt coverage, springing into action off the mound to try and take opposing teams out of potentially big innings. One of his first outings in relief came in a 3-2 win over East Ascension, turning a potential sacrifice bunt into a double play that Nikolaus, who was at shortstop, finished with a throw to first base.
“That wasn’t in our mind,” Jennings said. “We just wanted him to field the bunt and get the out at first. He grabs it, turns around, and throws to second like he had done it a million times.”
Lim played a vital role in Dunham’s upset of No. 1 Parkview Baptist last week. He batted .375, scored three times, and drew a pair of walks against the Eagles’ ace Sam Mitchell, a future teammate at UL, and appeared twice in relief with one earned run and four strikeouts in 4.2 innings.
“I’ve always pitched,” Lim said. “When I was smaller, my velo (velocity) was always there. I’ve been a strikes thrower.”
Lim, who topped out at 88 miles per hour in Game 1, offers a pitch mix of a fastball, slider, change-up, and an occasional knuckleball.
Jennings thought Lim hadn’t been better, helping his team to consecutive three-game upsets in the playoffs against Notre Dame and Parkview.
“He was amazing against Parkview,” he said. “You can have a tendency to make the moment too big. He doesn’t. He has plate discipline and against Mitchell, he fouled off some good pitches. He really believes in who he is. It’s refreshing to have a lead-off (batter) come up to the plate against a really good guy, and he puts a barrel on the ball and hits it for a double, then tells our dugout he’s hittable, that we can do this. He’s electric. It’s fun to watch.”
Jennings also witnessed a shift in Lim’s personality from being more reserved to standing out more as a team leader.
Lim, a career .374 hitter with 150 hits, 124 runs scored, 85 walks, 55 stolen bases, and 37 hit-by-pitches, admits to opening up around his team while retaining his unflappable on-field persona.
“I’ve never showed emotions,” said Lim, a Class 2A honorable mention choice last year, who has been selected to play in the LABC All-Star game this month. “I don’t know why. It’s my personality. I’m thankful to have other leaders like Niko and Jace. They take up that place that I don’t have. They’re more vocal than I am. I like to lead more by example.”