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Paul Mainieri on Austin Bain:
“Austin is a product of Dutchtown High School from right down the road in Geismar, La. He is the lone two-way player in the 2014 class. We believe he can make an immediate impact on our pitching staff with his stuff. Austin’s fastball consistently sits in the 90 mph range, and he features a plus breaking ball that he commands. He is a fiery competitor who will fill up the zone and go right after hitters. He will also have the opportunity to compete for a spot in the lineup as he is a good athlete that can swing the bat with authority. ”

Austin Looking to Fill Multiple Roles

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What separates him from the other five is that Bain will get a chance to prove himself as a position player when fall practice convenes.

In his two-year varsity career at Dutchtown, that was exactly what Bain did - filled a role as the Griffins' ace on the mound and occupied a spot on the infield when he wasn't pitching.

Austin is a solid local player out of Dutchtown who is looking to contribute as a position player as well as pitcher. With fall complete, it's apparent that Austin's most likely role will be on the mound. The infield is already overloaded, but more importantly, he's got the stuff as a pitcher to get some innings here or there this year in relief. He'll be in the low 90s on his fastball with an average curve and a changeup that may already be his second best pitch.

Player Profile: Freshman Grayson Byrd

LSUSports.net Profile - Grayson Byrd

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Paul Mainieri on Grayson Byrd:
“Grayson comes from strong baseball bloodlines as his father, Paul Byrd, is a former LSU Tiger great and 14-year MLB veteran. He was drafted in the 39th round of this year’s MLB Draft and would definitely have been drafted in the top 10 rounds if his commitment to LSU wasn’t so strong. He is a smooth defender who can make all the plays and throws in the infield. Offensively, he possesses an excellent approach at the play with outstanding strike zone discipline and ability to drive balls gap-to-gap from the left side of the plate. His 6’3” frame gives us the hope that he can continue to develop more strength, which could add more power down the road. We are extremely excited about Grayson, and we believe he can be a major contributor to our program.”

Grayson Looking to Overcome His Father's Shadow

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"This is where I've always wanted to play," he said. "I committed in the spring of sophomore year because I wanted to make sure it wasn't a dream that I would wake up from. I went to a camp and the LSU coaches really liked me and when they offered me a scholarship, I was ready to jump on it.

"My mom is from there, my dad played baseball there, that's where they met. It's been a really big part of our lives for a long time, and I've imagined myself in purple-and-gold my whole life."

In a recruiting class that is sure to be known for its pitchers and with a father known all too well by the LSU fan base, Grayson's on-field ability has gone under the radar. A region 6A player of the year in Georgia, Class A State Champion, PG Southeast 1st team All-American, and 39th round selection by the Atlanta Braves, Grayson really does have the tools to be special. Although he may have to wait in the wings this year due to a veteran middle infield, he would have no trouble stepping in immediately. He hits for average, not power, but with almost always solid contact. And his defense is his best tool with excellent range and a slightly above average arm.

Player Profile: Freshman Gred Deichmann

LSUSports.net Profile - Greg Deichmann

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Paul Mainieri on Greg Deichmann:
“Greg comes to us from Brother Martin High School in New Orleans. As a high school player entering college, Greg is as close as it gets to the proverbial “five-tool player.” Greg went undrafted for the sole reason that he announced to every MLB team that he did not want to be drafted and wanted to attend LSU. Greg’s ceiling is extremely high and he possesses all of the physical attributes to become a great ballplayer. His biggest tool is his power, as indicated by leading the state of Louisiana in home runs for three straight years. Greg will have the opportunity to help our ball club and will compete for significant playing time immediately.”

Greg Deichmann New Orleans Advocate POY

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That future perhaps would’ve been going straight from high school to the pros, but Deichmann informed pro scouts that he was adamant on playing at LSU first.

“LSU is such a great program and coach (Paul) Mainieri has bene running such a great program since he got there,” Deichmann said. “Going to school is going to make me more mature as a person and as a baseball player. Being able to get drafted in three years, I think, will make me that much better game-wise.”

Greg is probably the most talented position player in this year's class. He already has college-level power with his bat and will be competing hard for the spot at third base left open by the departure of senior Christian Ibarra. Although he spent time at 3B over the summer, he still needs more work adjusting from SS where he played in high school. Also, while Greg showed glimpses this fall of his potential and ability, he was a little too aggressive at the plate leading the team with 15 SOs. I expect those results to be different in the spring and for him to be an essential offensive weapon late in the year.

This post was edited on 12/5/14 at 8:23 am