Ryan Schimpf was a key contributor in LSU’s College World Series title in 2009.

That year, he hit .336 and led the team with 22 homers, 70 runs batted in and a .668 slugging percentage. He also reached base at a .449 clip and had a .987 fielding percentage (just three errors in 232 chances).

Schimpf, who lived in Bogalusa for part of his childhood and played youth baseball at the field by the airport and at the Avenue B field, was drafted in the fifth round, 160th overall, by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Until this year, he had been in the Blue Jays’ minor league system. This offseason, he signed with the San Diego Padres and in mid-June, a dream came true.

Schimpf was called up to the majors.

He doubled in his first MLB at-bat, but struggled after that and hit just .103 in June.

Things have changed in July, as he has hit and hit a lot to the tune of .282 with nine homers and 17 RBIs.

The nine round trippers are a Padres franchise record for homers by a rookie in a month. It also led the majors through Wednesday’s play.

In the field, he’s committed just three errors in 136 chances over 30 games — 27 at second and three at third.

The Padres were off yesterday, as they return home for a nine-game homestand, beginning with a three-game series against Cincinnati. That’s followed by three each against Milwaukee and Philadelphia.

There’s no guarantee of what accolades may come his way after July concludes. He deserves any he receives because of his play this month, but there’s no denying how well he’s played offensively this month and defensively overall.