Baseball Preview: 2017 Edition Feb 10th - Prospects & SEC Prediction

FIRST BASE

1) Jake Slaughter Fr. 6’2 197lbs (5)*
2) Chris Reid So. 5’9 187lbs (17)
3) Nick Coomes Jr. 5’11 196lbs (13)
4) Bryce Adams Sr. 6’4 203lbs (44)

First base will be one of the few unknowns heading into spring ball, let me preface that while Mainieri and Gibbs have their guy in Jake Slaughter who’s currently in line to start opening night the completion behind him will continue well after first pitch. Chris Reid and Nick Coomes make sense at this spot given their durability and won’t compromise anything defensively. Even with Bryce Adams getting a majority of his reps in left field to start the year I don’t think he’ll beat out Beau Jordan, Breaux, or Watson and because of this I’m also tabbing him as a backup for this position given the possible need later in the season.

Jake Slaughter, a 36th round draft choice of the Chicago Cubs, steps onto campus as one of the two heralded freshmen position players that are projected to start right away for the 2017 LSU Tigers. Since Paul Mainieri has become the head coach at LSU he’s had a total of three incoming freshmen play in a summer collegiate league…one being Kevin Gausman…the other being fellow freshman Josh Smith, certainly expectations are sky high and will continue to be sky high for this young man.. Jake Slaughter is a natural short stop on the baseball diamond and was a wide receiver on the football field, being the exceptional athlete he is and with Robertson and Freeman locking down the middle of the infield he’ll simply shift over to first base for the time being. You’ll notice ever since 2011-2012 Mainieri has exclusively recruited advanced athletes with an emphasis on defense, all four projected infielders opening day played short stop at one point for their respective high schools. What I like most about Slaughter taking over at 1B is the large frame he carries along with the added athleticism, it can’t be reiterated enough the advantages of having a big target at the position and he fits the bill. In the batters box Jake tends to hold the bat close behind his head with a slightly open stance from the right side where he shows great balance. The nature of his swing creates more lift on the ball but it can also set himself up for swings and misses at times on off-speed down and out of the zone. Out of the entire freshman class I strongly believe Slaughter has the most upside that will carry into his junior season where he has the potential to be an All-American type player. As Jake continues to fill out and get stronger under the conditioning program his power may eventually be a plus plus tool. Slaughter has above average speed for his size where he’ll be a threat to steal at times with his longs strides and football instincts. Ideally to start the season Mainieri will plug him into the 6 or 7 hole allowing Slaughter to get his feet wet as he inherits a new position and gets more reps in the batter’s box.

Chris Reid is going to be the utility man this season and will be one of first guys off the bench. What I like about Chris is the ability to bounce between 3B, 2B, and 1B although do to his makeup he’s better suited for the right side of the infield long term. At the plate Reid’s an extremely smart player who plays to his strengths disguising his lack of power at the plate, the ability he has to work counts and stay patient paid dividends as he was tied for 3rd on the team in on base percentage a season ago. In early March of 2016 it was Chris’s ability to stop the bleeding at 3B that brought stability to the infield thus allowing Robertson and Freeman to slide into their natural positions. Mainieri hasn't forgotten about this and he has a knack for giving opportunities to players he can trust, Reid will get major at bats even if it's not in a starting role.

Nick Coomes is another guy that would fit into any of the C, DH, 1B, or 3B spots because of his versatility and the need to get his bat in the lineup. Don’t sleep on Coomes I think he’ll work his way in somewhere as long as he keeps mashing the ball this spring with power that will won't leave the coaches with a choice.

Bryce Adams is a player I never know what to expect from a game to game basis. At 6’4 he has the prototypical body of a first baseman nevertheless he didn’t seem to be comfortable at all when called upon. Due to the nature of the sport and the repetition needed it’s hard for someone to be a platoon offensive player and put up any kind of gaudy stats. Adam’s strength is power and I do think he will be used in a platoon role at the very least from the right side of the plate in late game situations. While Adam’s may not start don’t be surprised to see him get at bats to at least give the coaches something to look at before conference.

My take: If Jake Slaughter wins the job full time it’ll be well deserved and it's going to sling shot him to move to the left side of the infield for 2018. While Jake will make mistakes early on in February/March and look like any other ordinary freshman the talent is there and the upside much higher than his counterparts. With his frame and room to fill out I do think Slaughter is going to evolve into a premium 5 tool player by his junior season where he’ll anchor the heart of the order behind Josh Smith. As hard as it is I’m trying to limit my expectations for now…with that said expect a very athletic first baseman in the field with a 0.280-0.290 hitter who will show pop towards the middle to back end of the order.

Jake Slaughter

Power------60
Hitting------50
Speed------60
Fielding----55
Arm---------55

FINAL GRADE: 55

SHORTSTOP

1) Kramer Robertson Sr. 5’10 168lbs (3)*
2) Josh Smith Fr. 5’10 178lbs (4)
3) Cole Freeman Sr. 5’9 174lbs (8)

Spearheading the middle of the infield alongside Cole Freeman will be Kramer Robertson who returns to LSU after earning First-Team ALL-SEC honors a season ago along with turning down the chance to sign a MLB contract with the Cleveland Indians who took him the 32nd round. The shortstop position isn’t up for competition heading into the spring, but for insurance reasons Josh Smith or Cole Freeman could slide in here without skipping a beat.

Kramer Robertson has taken his lumps in college, had his fair share of offensive struggles during 2014-2015, was a topic of potentially transferring for more playing time, contemplated an offer from the Cleveland Indians, and yet finds himself as potentially the most important piece on this team. There is no question Kramer is the vocal leader in the locker room and when LSU first takes the field and it’s going to be his energy they feed off of. Kramer’s game is eerily similar to that of Cole Freeman and you’ll see plays they make daily that seem to mirror the other. What I’m most excited in regards to Robertson’s offense is the patience he’s steadily developing in the box, he's keeping his hands closer to his body and driving the ball where pitched. I think you’ve seen the game has started to slow down for him and he’s comfortable, he’s taking pitches he wouldn’t in year one and two and because of the compactness of his swing this has yielded great success. Don’t expect a sudden power surge from him, I’m thinking he’ll top out at 4-5 HR’s but he'll contend for the most doubles on the team, I like him anywhere in the 3-5 hole. Like many other players on this year’s team Kramer is tremendously athletic and will be given the green light to steal bags at his discretion where he will be a weapon on the bases. If there is one area I would like to see him improve its aggressiveness on the base paths at times where I think he can steal more bases that what he's shown in the past. It won't ever show up in the box score nevertheless his greatest achievement has been locking down short stop where he's become the quarterback of the defense, become a leader for the freshmen, as well as provide stability in the heart of the order. Due to his frame and lack of power Kramer’s not going to be a top target from any MLB organization this June but you’re aren’t going to find many other collegiate defenders with his arm strength. Kramers greatest tool is arm strength where he'll make accurate throws from anywhere in the infield at anytime with his glove being above average and one of the best in the SEC.

Cole Freeman will be able to slide here if need be as well as Josh Smith without losing much defensively, I'll touch more on Smith tomorrow covering third base.

My take: Shortstop will be a strength for LSU in 2017 and where Robertson goes this team will follow. I'm expecting more of the same production out of Kramer as he looks to be protected in this lineup and get his fair share of hittable pitches which bodes well for this excellent fastball hitter. If indeed Robertson finds himself sandwiched between Freeman and Deichmann in the batting order that will spell trouble for opposing pitchers this spring comparable to 2013 with Bregman-Rhymes-Katz.

Kramer Robertson

Power------45
Hitting------60
Speed------65
Fielding----65
Arm---------70

FINAL GRADE: 65

Left Field - Beau Jordan


Center Field - Antoine Duplantis


Right Field - Greg Deichmann

OUTFIELD

Left Field
1) Beau Jordan Jr. 5'9 202lbs (24)*
2) Brennan Breaux So. 6'0 180lbs (6)

Center Field

1) Antoine Duplantis So. 5'11 179lbs (20)*
2) Zach Watson Fr. 6'0 166lbs (9)

Right Field

1) Greg Deichmann Jr. 6'2 209lbs (7)*
2) Bryce Adams Sr. 6'4 203lbs (44)

The outfield a season ago was as consistent as you can ask for at the collegiate level. Between Beau Jordan, Jake Fraley, and Antoine Duplantis there were 3 errors combined the entire season with Fraley and Duplantis starting all 66 games in center and right field respectively, Jordan started 62 games in left. While the outfield loses its best player from a year ago in Jake Fraley to the Tampa Bay Rays in round 2 of the MLB draft it acquires another exceptional star athlete in Greg Deichmann. The headline this spring is the competition in left field with Beau Jordan and Brennan Breaux. I’ll go over each position in the outfield individually.

Left Field: Besides the 3rd starter in the rotation this is the hottest competition of the spring. Beau Jordan and Brennan Breaux continue to compete for the start opening night, each player’s makeup and tools entirely different than the other. Beau Jordan the returning starter in left is your stocky, well built, hits for average with occasional pop left fielder. Jordan’s power is a tad higher than average where he could sit around the 6-7 HR mark given a full season. While Beau struggled offensively down the stretch a last May he was one of LSU's hottest hitters in the heart of the order who provided the team with some big time plays over the course of the SEC schedule. Beau is more of a pull hitter, great great lower body strength with the ability to jump all over mistake pitches. Speed is a tad higher than average for his frame, he’s the more athletic of the Jordan twins (please don’t tell Bryce this). In the field Beau has continued to make superb plays you sit back and question how he’s even physically able to get to, arm is average for a left fielder. You're getting a reliable left fielder in Jordan with occasional power.

Brennan Breaux is your prototypical left fielder. Quick footed outfielder who will hit for average from the left side and has exceptional speed. Breaux has filled out over the course of a year adding 10lbs and doesn’t look to be losing his first jump or speed on the base paths which is great. Breaux will not hit for power he just doesn’t have it, what’s going to be his calling card is if Mainieri trusts him to hit for average and get on base with consistency. If Breaux is to win this position he’ll be the 9 hole hitter to turn over the lineup ala Cole Freeman a season ago. On the base paths Brennan has great straight line speed and served the team a year ago as the main pinch runner, he’s another one of those above average athletes on this team that will get a green light more times than not at his discretion. Breaux has an above average glove, he gets to balls with ease in left field and has an above average arm.

Beau Jordan

Power------55
Hitting------50
Speed------55
Fielding----55
Arm---------50

Center Field: Antoine Duplantis will simply shift over to center field and fill the void left by Jake Fraley's departure. Let me preface by saying Duplantis is the best outfielder on this team and LSU will once again be spoiled by superb play at the position in the upcoming season. Originating from a track family Antoine is much of the same, his footwork is phenomenal he has the ability to regain tracking on balls he initially misreads off the bat. Antoine is one of the more poised hitters at the plate, he likes to make the pitcher work where he drew the second highest walk total only behind now departed Jake Fraley. His slap hitting approach mimics Mark Laird where he rarely pulls the ball, this approach greatly cuts down on strikeouts and bad plate appearances as seen by his superb walk to strikeout ratio. Duplantis has arguably the best straight line speed from home to first outside of Zach Watson where he will be counted on to do more on the base paths. He’s a guy I legitimately think can steal 20-25 bases during a full season with room for more. Glove is one of the best on the team, his job is to track down fly balls and cut off balls in the gaps and he does this, his arm needs to continue to get stronger as its slightly below average for the position.

Zach Watson who will be backing up Duplantis in centerfield is an exceptional speedster who will one day become another one of LSU’s long line of superb defensive outfielders. Even though I don’t think Watson cracks the lineup this year expect to see Zach plugged in as a pinch runner this year in late game situations.

Antoine Duplantis

Power------40
Hitting------60
Speed------75
Fielding----65
Arm---------45

Right Field: Greg Deichmann has right field locked down and that's great news for this lineup. Serving as the first basemen in 2016 it was evident Mainieri couldn't sit a couple of these advanced freshmen bats and so the shuffle began. As a short stop in high school and infielder in college Greg is another all around built player who made a smooth transition to right where he looks to be getting more comfortable with every practice. With 11 HR's in 2016 Greg not only returns as LSU's leader in home runs but may be the premier power bat in the SEC outside of Jeren Kendall at Vanderbilt. His power is a plus plus tool at the college level and he will without a doubt be centered somewhere in the heart of the order. What MLB teams need to see is Deichmann hit for average and with consistency, if Greg is protected in the order he'll get great opportunities to do just that. Deichmann in this past year has started filling out where he's added 20lbs, it'll lend him more raw power in the box and he's been tediously adding arm strength. Greg still has well above average speed for his build although with this added bulk he's starting to transition himself from a speedy infielder to corner outfielder at the pro level with this his time from home to first won't be as crisp as it once was. Defensively Greg looks great out in right where he's fitting to his position with great pose. Out of the entire outfield Deichmann's is the best where it's above average, at the position this is necessary for when balls need to be relayed to third base.

Bryce Adam's will serve as the backup to LF and RF along with 1B. As one of the largest players on the team it's no surprise his greatest tool is power. I like Bryce this year because he adds much need depth to the outfield as well as a possible pinch hitter who lends power to all fields.

Greg Deichmann

Power------70
Hitting------60
Speed------65
Fielding----55
Arm---------60

My take: Left field is still a competition and could be for quite some time, as the returning starter I'm projecting Beau Jordan in left field for now although it's becoming obvious both will get their fair share in the first three weeks of non conference play. Jordan and Breaux are almost polar opposites in the way they play so Mainieri/Gibbs will have options moving forward in the way they want to balance the lineup. The outfield as a group looks to be a real strength of this team with each player bringing something different to the table. The biggest name of the group is Greg Deichmann who's a legitimate 5 tool player and with another productive season at the plate may be taken in the top 3-4 rounds of this years draft.

FINAL GRADE: 65

Alex Lange - RHP



Jared Poche - LHP



Eric Walker - RHP



Zach Hess - RHP

STARTING PITCHING

Alex Lange Jr. 6'3 199lbs (35)*
Jared Poche Sr. 6'1 217lbs (16)*
Eric Walker Fr. 6'0 172lbs (10)*
Zach Hess Fr. 6'6 216lbs (38)*

LSU's starting rotation will be extremely top heavy with two steadfast veteran's in Alex Lange and Jared Poche, from there two talented but unproven freshmen in Eric Walker and Zach Hess should fight for the #3 and #4 spot respectively.

Alex Lange returns for his third and likely final season in an LSU uniform. As a part of the “fab four” Lange stepped foot onto campus overshadowed by his counterparts. Mac Marshall, Jake Latz, Jake Godfrey all drafted out of high school, all with electric arms, while Marshall was drafted in the 4th round by the Giants a year removed from JUCO both Latz and Godfrey have dealt with their respective struggles while Lange has thrived. Viewed as a raw power arm with projectability that needed to be refined Alex started perfecting and tweaking his curveball during fall ball of 2014. Alex is the definition of a power pitcher, his fastball will normally sit 93-94mph and by the end of the regular season he has the ability to peak at 96mph. The out pitch is a 12-6 power curve ball which is a plus plus pitch at the college level and what many call absolutely devastating. Due to Alex Lange's frame and arm slot his fastball typically isn't seen till the moment it leaves his hand, what sets him apart from many other pitchers is the way he can recreate the almost exact same arm slot with the power curve. From that point the batter is primarily guessing and with a power fastball working downhill he has the ability to blow it by most hitters. His change up is average to slightly above average which he'll primarily pitch to contact to keep a hitter off balance. One thing to watch out for and will be huge for Alex is limiting his walks and getting ahead of counts, his walk total last year was way too high. Lange who will start the season as the Tigers Friday night starter finds himself in a favorable spot as it’s not often in college a 1-2 duo start alongside each other for three consective years. Alex Lange is currently projected as a mid to lower first round draft pick in the 2017 MLB draft.

So much can be said about Jared Poche. A three year starter for the Tigers and the only pitcher in LSU history to win 9 games in his first three seasons he's only 11 wins shy of tieing Scott Schultz at 38 wins for the most all time at LSU. Last June Jared was ready to start his professional career as a projected top 10 round pick...however he ended up sliding to round 14 where the San Diego Padres grabbed him. Truth be told if the offer was right he would have taken it so much so that Mainieri didn't expect him back, but now Alan Dunn keeps a 3 year starter and a much needed left handed arm in the Saturday spot. Jared immediately becomes an important piece for this rotation and his return takes LSU from contending for the SEC Championship to contending for the National Championship. Jared will primarily pitch to contact where his fastball sits 89-91mph on most occasion, with a slightly above average changeup, and above average curveball which has been the one pitch he's most improved since 2013. As LSU's workhorse nothing specifically will ever wow you watching Poche, his bread and butter is pounding the zone to keep hitters off balance, at the college level he's mastered that art and his curve ball is starting to become an out pitch which bolds well for an increase in strikeouts. Look for Poche to remain comfortable in the Saturday spot where he's an above average #2 starter that with a little luck should come close to breaking LSU's win mark. With another solid year Poche could go anywhere from rounds 1-15 where a team would sign him quick being a senior.

Eric Walker much like Jared Poche doesn't have a wow factor. The 6'0 right handed pitcher works low on the mound and absolutely pounds the zone with relentlessness. He's great a mixing pitches and working fast where he throws an average fastball 88-90mph with downward life, an average curve ball, and what I find a great off speed changeup that may be average to above average. Walker is not a strikeout pitcher and won't be his freshman season, he keeps the ball low in the zone at all times which is critical to inducing ground balls. At the #3 starter LSU doesn't necessarily need an electric arm but rather a dependable arm that will provide a quality start more times than not. Eric who was a former quarterback at the 6A level in Texas continues to show composure on the mound during spring scrimmages where he's not falling behind counts, I've been very impressed with the way he's turned over the lineups as of recent.

Zach Hess was this freshmen classes highest draft risk and he has the potential to become a Friday night starter for 2018. At 6’6 with a wiry frame and unique leg kick Hess has a 92-93mph fastball that he throws from a three quarters slot, because of this his fastball has natural late movement. His best off speed is a power slider which can create swings and misses. Curve ball is average and is something that he'll need to exclusively work through with Dunn on becoming another out pitch. The key for Zach like many pitchers his age is going to be settling down at the start of games and finding his mechanics. When Zach can control his fastball and slider effectively he shows more potential and a higher ceiling that that of Eric Walker but for now it makes sense to rotate him between midweek starts and the #3 spot to see how he'll react.

Alex Lange

Arm Strength---------70
Movement-------------70
Stamina----------------70
Control-----------------50

Jared Poche

Arm Strength---------55
Movement-------------65
Stamina----------------60
Control-----------------60

Eric Walker

Arm Strength---------50
Movement-------------55
Stamina----------------50
Control-----------------65

Zach Hess

Arm Strength---------65
Movement-------------60
Stamina----------------50
Control-----------------40


FINAL GRADE: 70

My take: Jared Poche in 2017 may be what Louis Coleman was in 2009 to the eventual national champion team. Alex Lange and Jared Poche form arguably the best 1-2 punch in the nation, this unit will be a strength of the team. It's also going to be vital to incorporate a #3 and #4 starter this season and by all means Mainieri is set on accomplishing this. For now as long as one of Walker/Hess steps up and provides major innings the Tigers will be primed to make a run at the SEC Title. Also watch out for guys such as Todd Peterson, Caleb Gilbert, and Cole McKay as possible replacement starters.

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Feb 1st-C

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Yes!!!! Looking forward to this as much as NSD!!!! Thanks for your work Adam, I really enjoy this each year.

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Now while Papierski’s bat was a bit raw coming out of high school I admit inaccurately projected a big spike in his offensive game a season ago, it just didn’t come to fruition.

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Don't beat yourself up, tad predicted the same thing

I love this thread every year

Good thing we have more familiar faces this time around.

My favorite thread of the year!