re: LSU Baseball 2026 (and beyond) Recruiting Thread

As far as I can tell in the incoming class, there aren't many draft eligible sophomores. Murphy, Weinstein, Christman, and Evans. I'm missing 4 birthdays though.

I would like to get Santarelli and at least 1 of the top OFs to campus (and of course some of the top pitchers). Then, if you somehow get Milam back, you have a good returning core with him, Arrambide, Serna, and Braun. William Patrick is getting good work at the plate now to maybe be your CF next year. I think his speed is too good to leave in the infield unless it works out that way. Ruckert is getting reps to either take over SS or stick at 2B. Jay will still look for middle infield help in the portal, I'd assume, maybe a guy that could also slide to 3B if Ruckert sticks at 2B. He may also look at help from the portal in the OF. I think we'll have a pretty good core of pitchers back and, even though they've struggled, I think they make a jump. But, he'll probably fish in the portal on the mound, too.

I keep trying to brainstorm on how the 5-for-5 is going to affect baseball in general and how LSU can take advantage long term.

I think it's going to push more kids to JUCO. D1 schools are still going to favor older, more developed guys, unless you have a bunch of freshmen like LSU has this year. But most places don't.

From the kids standpoint, if you're being recruited by an in-state Southland school but you know they're loaded with upperclassmen, why not spend a year or two at Delgado or LSUE and get actual playing time to develop?

There aren't enough good JUCOs in state though. If every good player funnels to LSUE, Delgado, and then a few more to BPCC and Nunez, you run into the same issue of guy not getting development, except now they're riding the bench in Eunice or Bossier, or some small town in Mississippi.

There may need to be a coordinated effort to get BRCC out of the muck and make them a reasonable destination for players.

I may be wrong, but I think JUCO has become a much more viable option for Nola area kids slowly over the last 15-20 years. You would mostly see the above average Catholic League kids go to the D1 schools not named LSU or D2 or NAIA, but not much in-state JUCO. Those kids have slowly migrated to Delgado, Nunez, LSUE, etc. Delgado used to be a lot of public school Nola kids and then branched out around the state. They have alot of local kids now and branch even out of state. And I think, to your point, it's because the kids/parents realize now that they can develop at a local JUCO and still go to the same D1 school not named LSU or D2 or NAIA but they also may develop/mature enough to get that bigger D1 opportunity. All of the D1 rosters are full of transfers now that prevent some of the younger guys from developing.

We have been somewhat fortunate, although it's been excruciating, that our transfers have gotten hurt and/or underperformed. That has given opportunities to several young guys, which will be so valuable for next year. But, I hate to think that you have to miss on your transfers to get more young guys into the fold. I think the formula is still a work in progress.

what's the latest regarding marshall louque.....is he coming here eventually

Same for Andrew Clapinski. We are crowded with C/1B types but it would be tough to see him at an SEC rival.

Also I think Oklahoma is getting a stud in Braylon Montgomery

Hope we can land him in the portal in a few seasons

He could but if he wounds up at Oklahoma, hoping LSU will take him in the portal in a few seasons

New juco name to monitor: Aiden Boileau from Wallace State. Freshman, mostly DH. Stats

To officially withdraw from the draft, about 3 days before.