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Baseball Preview 2023 Edition (Feb 10th - Pro Prospects & SEC Standings)
Posted on 2/1/23 at 5:44 am
Posted on 2/1/23 at 5:44 am
February. Is. Here.
-As always everything in this preview is "my" opinion and analysis, I want to welcome everyone’s opinions, thoughts, and criticism, as this is a message board and it's what makes this place great...but please keep it baseball related. In year 16 now this preview is for those friends, family, and alumni who follow the sport however may not be able to see the team early in spring and want to get a better feel for who’s – who.
-The lineup I predict is not only based on what I have seen thus far but how I see the respective positions shaping up throughout the entire regular season.
-The MLB uses a 20-80 grading scale to evaluate each draft eligible player based on their skillset of 1) Power 2) Hitting 3) Speed 4) Fielding 5) Arm. Now because 60-70% of all MLB draft eligible prospects fall into the below-average to average skill set it’s not much to look at when previewing a standard collegiate team. To give viewers a better representation of how they stack up on the collegiate level what I’ve done the past few years is grade each player based on their current tools as they compare to other players at the collegiate level. What this does is expand the bell curve a bit and give a better representation of their respective strengths and weaknesses now rather than a projection for a MLB position.
-At the end of each position is a final overall grade based on the entire unit as a whole. It's essentially a combination of the talent/depth/intangibles etc...compared to other similar collegiate baseball positions.
Feb 1 - C - Alex Milazzo RS-Jr.
Feb 2 - 1B - Tre Morgan Jr.
Feb 3 - 2B - Jack Merrifield Sr.
Feb 4 - SS - Jordan Thompson Jr.
Feb 5 - 3B - Tommy White So.
Feb 6 - OF - Josh Pearson So. Dylan Crews Jr. Paxton Kling Fr.
Feb 7 - DH - Jared Jones Fr.
Feb 8 - SP - Paul Skenes Jr. Thatcher Hurd So. Ty Floyd Jr. Chase Shores Fr.
Feb 9 - RP - Grant Taylor So. Chrisitan Little Jr. Bryce Collins RS-Jr.
Feb 10 - Pro Prospects and Projected SEC standings
Grade Breakdown for Starter
80 Top of the Scale (Think Kris Bryant, USD – 2013 “power”)
70 Well Above Average
60 Above Average
50 Average
40 Below Average
30 Well Below Average
20 Bottom of the Scale (Think Matt Gaudet, LSU - 2010 “speed”)
Grade Breakdown for Overall Position Group
80 Top of the Scale (Think Rice Starting Pitching - 2003)
70 Well Above Average
60 Above Average
50 Average
40 Below Average
30 Well Below Average
20 Bottom of the Scale
-As always everything in this preview is "my" opinion and analysis, I want to welcome everyone’s opinions, thoughts, and criticism, as this is a message board and it's what makes this place great...but please keep it baseball related. In year 16 now this preview is for those friends, family, and alumni who follow the sport however may not be able to see the team early in spring and want to get a better feel for who’s – who.
-The lineup I predict is not only based on what I have seen thus far but how I see the respective positions shaping up throughout the entire regular season.
-The MLB uses a 20-80 grading scale to evaluate each draft eligible player based on their skillset of 1) Power 2) Hitting 3) Speed 4) Fielding 5) Arm. Now because 60-70% of all MLB draft eligible prospects fall into the below-average to average skill set it’s not much to look at when previewing a standard collegiate team. To give viewers a better representation of how they stack up on the collegiate level what I’ve done the past few years is grade each player based on their current tools as they compare to other players at the collegiate level. What this does is expand the bell curve a bit and give a better representation of their respective strengths and weaknesses now rather than a projection for a MLB position.
-At the end of each position is a final overall grade based on the entire unit as a whole. It's essentially a combination of the talent/depth/intangibles etc...compared to other similar collegiate baseball positions.
Feb 1 - C - Alex Milazzo RS-Jr.
Feb 2 - 1B - Tre Morgan Jr.
Feb 3 - 2B - Jack Merrifield Sr.
Feb 4 - SS - Jordan Thompson Jr.
Feb 5 - 3B - Tommy White So.
Feb 6 - OF - Josh Pearson So. Dylan Crews Jr. Paxton Kling Fr.
Feb 7 - DH - Jared Jones Fr.
Feb 8 - SP - Paul Skenes Jr. Thatcher Hurd So. Ty Floyd Jr. Chase Shores Fr.
Feb 9 - RP - Grant Taylor So. Chrisitan Little Jr. Bryce Collins RS-Jr.
Feb 10 - Pro Prospects and Projected SEC standings
Grade Breakdown for Starter
80 Top of the Scale (Think Kris Bryant, USD – 2013 “power”)
70 Well Above Average
60 Above Average
50 Average
40 Below Average
30 Well Below Average
20 Bottom of the Scale (Think Matt Gaudet, LSU - 2010 “speed”)
Grade Breakdown for Overall Position Group
80 Top of the Scale (Think Rice Starting Pitching - 2003)
70 Well Above Average
60 Above Average
50 Average
40 Below Average
30 Well Below Average
20 Bottom of the Scale
This post was edited on 2/10/23 at 7:45 am
25
Posted on 2/1/23 at 5:44 am to Adam4848
CATCHER
Alex Milazzo R-Jr. 5’10 190lbs (7) Bats-R Throws-R
Brady Neal Fr. 5’10 180lbs (16) Bats-L Throws-R
Hayden Travinksi Jr. 6’3 218lbs (25) Bats-R Throws-R
Jared Jones Fr. 6'4 230lbs (22) Bats-R Throws-R
Ethan Frey Fr. 6'5 215lbs (33) Bats-R Throws-R
One of the more difficult positions to predict right now...I've gone back and forth on this for awhile and it's still way too early to tell a true front runner. Alex Milazzo returns as one of the premier gloves in all of college baseball. Right behind him is Brady Neal who by my calculations is the highest rated catcher that LSU has ever gotten to campus in the modern era. Hayden Travinksi, Jared Jones, and Ethan Frey provide much needed depth and will rotate a bit here during the non conference schedule although we all know this won't be a true five way competition. There is no doubt that Milazzo will give LSU the best proven glove in a lineup that already appears potent so the question to be answered is how quickly does the coaching staff feel confident with Neal as this spring progressed. Over the years this position has presented to be very difficult for true freshmen let alone one that reclassified so to jump in immediately not give up a starting spot remains to be seen.
Right now Alex Milazzo is the odds favorite to start on opening night. With Alex you’re getting a veteran behind the plate who can command the pitching staff and neutralize an opponents running game. Going into his fourth season Milazzo’s tenure at LSU has been derailed somewhat by a shortened Covid season in 2020 (16 games played) and a knee injury in 2022 (12 games played). Now fully healthy Alex I think the coaching staff can use him in multiple ways which going back depends more on how fast Neal progresses. Both his glove work and arm is plus plus...he routinely makes plays as a catcher than are not routine at this level. Two years ago I was more bullish on how his offensive numbers would improve and I was proven wrong. There’s no doubt that this entire position makes or breaks on how well Milazzo can fit in at the bottom of the order. There are things that he can do well here that won’t show up on stat sheets like working counts, advancing runners, sacrificing…I don’t think his bat will be such a black hole that we’ve become accustomed to but he needs to improve on his slugging % to an extent. Power is below average, there hasn’t been much progression there. Speed is below average for the position.
Brady Neal, a freshman out of IMG who reclassified from 2023 to 2022 was one of the position players I had little to no faith would make it to campus. Neal who was one of the youngest draft eligible high school prospects a year ago will only be 18 this spring. It’s incredibly difficult to ask a true freshman to jump into one of the harder positions at the collegiate level and excel on a consistent basis so any expectations that he'll seemingly jump in and put up ALL-SEC numbers need to be tempered a bit. Johnson has made it known that there will be rotation at this position to start the season so Brady will get his chances. Not one tool jumps off the page at this point in his career but his overall floor is extremely high and this is one of those players who will exponentially get better over the next two to three years as his frame will fill out. Not comparing players but his general makeup reminds me of Miss St. Tanner Allen. Glove and receiving is steadily improving and if we weren’t constantly comparing to Milzzao it would be an improvement than what LSU had to work with a year ago. Arm is a plus tool and as long as he can keep it down will be fine. Stance is somewhat neutral in the batters box and tends to makes good reads on pitching where he’s able to stay low/make good leverage/drive balls. Power is an average to slightly above average tool right now that will become a plus plus tool by the time he’s draft eligible. One of the things I most love about Neal is he’s an all around athlete and moves extremely well for his frame, one of the faster catchers LSU’s had in recent memory.
Hayden Travinksi if you were to ask is third right now. You get a power right handed bat who had to jump in and play everyday last year for a portion of the season. Look for Hayden to serve as a pinch hitter late in games and work his way into a catching rotation at least during some week night games early on to get him some at bats.
Jared Jones and Ethan Frey who I’ll highlight at other positions were recruited as catchers but will find playing time earlier at 1B and DH respectively.
My take: If I had to predict what happens right now both it’s that both Alex Milazzo and Brady Neal separate themselves from the rest of the pack and split time to an extent the first couple of weekends. You have a top heavy start to the SEC schedule and what will most likely be some low scoring games so I’m leaning towards Alex as the man to beat to start conference play even if he’s not putting up impressive numbers at the plate. Overall Brady Neal is the more talented catcher but will need to prove that he can handle this pitching staff that is loaded with future MLB players at the ripe age of 18…it’s a lot to ask for a true freshman. All is not lost if Neal doesn’t start early on because he tends to hit in bunches and I think they’ll try and find him at bats from the left side someway. Overall the position is much deeper than it’s been in some time, the coaching staff hit on every recruit they signed and for the foreseeable future there should be stability here.
Alex Milazzo
Power------40
Hitting------40
Speed------45
Fielding----75
Arm---------75
POSITION ADDITIONS:
Brady Neal
Jared Jones
Ethan Frey
POSITION LOSSES:
Tyler McManus
POSITION OVERALL GRADE: 65
Alex Milazzo R-Jr. 5’10 190lbs (7) Bats-R Throws-R
Brady Neal Fr. 5’10 180lbs (16) Bats-L Throws-R
Hayden Travinksi Jr. 6’3 218lbs (25) Bats-R Throws-R
Jared Jones Fr. 6'4 230lbs (22) Bats-R Throws-R
Ethan Frey Fr. 6'5 215lbs (33) Bats-R Throws-R
One of the more difficult positions to predict right now...I've gone back and forth on this for awhile and it's still way too early to tell a true front runner. Alex Milazzo returns as one of the premier gloves in all of college baseball. Right behind him is Brady Neal who by my calculations is the highest rated catcher that LSU has ever gotten to campus in the modern era. Hayden Travinksi, Jared Jones, and Ethan Frey provide much needed depth and will rotate a bit here during the non conference schedule although we all know this won't be a true five way competition. There is no doubt that Milazzo will give LSU the best proven glove in a lineup that already appears potent so the question to be answered is how quickly does the coaching staff feel confident with Neal as this spring progressed. Over the years this position has presented to be very difficult for true freshmen let alone one that reclassified so to jump in immediately not give up a starting spot remains to be seen.
Right now Alex Milazzo is the odds favorite to start on opening night. With Alex you’re getting a veteran behind the plate who can command the pitching staff and neutralize an opponents running game. Going into his fourth season Milazzo’s tenure at LSU has been derailed somewhat by a shortened Covid season in 2020 (16 games played) and a knee injury in 2022 (12 games played). Now fully healthy Alex I think the coaching staff can use him in multiple ways which going back depends more on how fast Neal progresses. Both his glove work and arm is plus plus...he routinely makes plays as a catcher than are not routine at this level. Two years ago I was more bullish on how his offensive numbers would improve and I was proven wrong. There’s no doubt that this entire position makes or breaks on how well Milazzo can fit in at the bottom of the order. There are things that he can do well here that won’t show up on stat sheets like working counts, advancing runners, sacrificing…I don’t think his bat will be such a black hole that we’ve become accustomed to but he needs to improve on his slugging % to an extent. Power is below average, there hasn’t been much progression there. Speed is below average for the position.
Brady Neal, a freshman out of IMG who reclassified from 2023 to 2022 was one of the position players I had little to no faith would make it to campus. Neal who was one of the youngest draft eligible high school prospects a year ago will only be 18 this spring. It’s incredibly difficult to ask a true freshman to jump into one of the harder positions at the collegiate level and excel on a consistent basis so any expectations that he'll seemingly jump in and put up ALL-SEC numbers need to be tempered a bit. Johnson has made it known that there will be rotation at this position to start the season so Brady will get his chances. Not one tool jumps off the page at this point in his career but his overall floor is extremely high and this is one of those players who will exponentially get better over the next two to three years as his frame will fill out. Not comparing players but his general makeup reminds me of Miss St. Tanner Allen. Glove and receiving is steadily improving and if we weren’t constantly comparing to Milzzao it would be an improvement than what LSU had to work with a year ago. Arm is a plus tool and as long as he can keep it down will be fine. Stance is somewhat neutral in the batters box and tends to makes good reads on pitching where he’s able to stay low/make good leverage/drive balls. Power is an average to slightly above average tool right now that will become a plus plus tool by the time he’s draft eligible. One of the things I most love about Neal is he’s an all around athlete and moves extremely well for his frame, one of the faster catchers LSU’s had in recent memory.
Hayden Travinksi if you were to ask is third right now. You get a power right handed bat who had to jump in and play everyday last year for a portion of the season. Look for Hayden to serve as a pinch hitter late in games and work his way into a catching rotation at least during some week night games early on to get him some at bats.
Jared Jones and Ethan Frey who I’ll highlight at other positions were recruited as catchers but will find playing time earlier at 1B and DH respectively.
My take: If I had to predict what happens right now both it’s that both Alex Milazzo and Brady Neal separate themselves from the rest of the pack and split time to an extent the first couple of weekends. You have a top heavy start to the SEC schedule and what will most likely be some low scoring games so I’m leaning towards Alex as the man to beat to start conference play even if he’s not putting up impressive numbers at the plate. Overall Brady Neal is the more talented catcher but will need to prove that he can handle this pitching staff that is loaded with future MLB players at the ripe age of 18…it’s a lot to ask for a true freshman. All is not lost if Neal doesn’t start early on because he tends to hit in bunches and I think they’ll try and find him at bats from the left side someway. Overall the position is much deeper than it’s been in some time, the coaching staff hit on every recruit they signed and for the foreseeable future there should be stability here.
Alex Milazzo
Power------40
Hitting------40
Speed------45
Fielding----75
Arm---------75
POSITION ADDITIONS:
Brady Neal
Jared Jones
Ethan Frey
POSITION LOSSES:
Tyler McManus
POSITION OVERALL GRADE: 65
This post was edited on 2/1/23 at 9:52 am
Posted on 2/1/23 at 5:45 am to Adam4848
FIRST BASE
Tre Morgan Jr. 6’1 191lbs (18) Bats-L Throws-L
Cade Beloso RS-Sr. 6’0 216lbs (24) Bats-L Throws-L
Tommy White So. 6’0 242lbs (47) Bats-R Throws-R
Ethan Frey Fr. 6’5 215lbs (33) Bats-R Throws-R
Every offseason we speculate if and Trey will shift to the outfield. With the embarrasment of riches LSU appears to have in the outfield Occam's razor theory would tell us to take the simple approach here. Trey Morgan will return at 1B where he’s became an ALL-SEC defender as a true freshman that has continued to blossom into a premier bat at the collegiate level. Cade Beloso who returns for his fifth season is as proven as a backup as you can get in the SEC. Tommy White is one of those candidates that would fit in at 1B if for some reason he can’t handle 3B. As always this spot can and will have a number of players rotate in when Tre is not on the field. A guy such as Ethan Frey to me fits in here with his extremely large frame and ability to move well laterally.
Tre Morgan will be the most overshadowed player on this entire team…any other year he’s one of the first off the bus and first player commentators mention…this year at times will be an afterthought. At the next level some feel Tre will be limited to a corner outfield spot but for now he’s done everything he needs to do to show scouts he can handle first base moving forward. His glove is a plus plus tool, fast twitch instincts, great range, soft hands, helps clean up messes made by the middle infield time and time again. He would probably be a 2B or SS for LSU right now if he wasn't left handed. Morgan at the plate is very selective/patient which makes for a perfect leadoff type bat if they go that route. Bat control is very advanced and has the ability to go to all fields. Power didn’t show in numbers like I thought a year ago but the knee injury didn’t do him any favors and I expect a resurgence where he could get to 10-12 HR's this season. I expect Tre to be in either the 1 or 2 hole for a majority of the season and he’ll push to lead the team in doubles. The knee is finally 100% which is a welcoming sign as it limited any kind of threat on the base baths after that Miss St series. At the same time I look at the guys behind him in the order and there won’t be a need to be ultra aggressive on the base paths. Right now Tre is a 1C-2 round pick in the 2023 MLB draft depending on the mock draft you’re looking at and with a year comparable to his first two then he won’t need to wait long to hear his name on day 2 given the options he'll give a team at the next level.
Cade Beloso had some terrible luck a season ago…injuring himself in the group huddle before the first game of the year in 2022. I was shocked to see him back and to be honest was pleasantly surprised because he’s going to be a much needed left handed bat in the lineup or in a pinch hit role late in games. Defensively Cade can slide into first base where he was stationed for all of 2019 and 2020 before DHing in 2021 with Tre’s arrival. Cade for all intents and purposes is a three year letterman in the SEC who could have transferred to another school and started right away. At the very least he will push for a starting role to DH this year.
Tommy White who I’ll highlight on at another position is an ideal fit here if there is major shuffling of the infield.
Ethan Frey who is primarily a catcher is going to get caught up in a numbers game and I see a quicker route to playing time either here or DH. Has the perfect frame to fill out and become a middle of the lineup type bat if he sticks around in the program. Ethan's power is his best tool and will only continue to improve as he matures.
My take: Tre Morgan is one of the top first basemen in all of college baseball depending on which publication you’re searching. Morgan presents as another five tool player at the collegiate level and having him at first is more so a luxury than a necessity. A healthy Cade Beloso backing up is extremely rare in this day in age and there wouldn’t be much of a drop off production wise even with his subpar 2021 season. In the lineup Morgan should continue to hit around 1 or 2 with his left handed bat, ability to work counts, plate discipline, and the distraction he brings to pitchers on the base paths. The position has one of the top players at his position with a veteran backup, oh and if that’s not enough Tommy White could also slide here if needed.
Tre Morgan
Power------65
Hitting------70
Speed------65
Fielding----75
Arm---------60
POSITION ADDITIONS:
Ethan Frey
POSITION LOSSES:
Luke Leto
POSITION OVERALL GRADE: 75
Tre Morgan Jr. 6’1 191lbs (18) Bats-L Throws-L
Cade Beloso RS-Sr. 6’0 216lbs (24) Bats-L Throws-L
Tommy White So. 6’0 242lbs (47) Bats-R Throws-R
Ethan Frey Fr. 6’5 215lbs (33) Bats-R Throws-R
Every offseason we speculate if and Trey will shift to the outfield. With the embarrasment of riches LSU appears to have in the outfield Occam's razor theory would tell us to take the simple approach here. Trey Morgan will return at 1B where he’s became an ALL-SEC defender as a true freshman that has continued to blossom into a premier bat at the collegiate level. Cade Beloso who returns for his fifth season is as proven as a backup as you can get in the SEC. Tommy White is one of those candidates that would fit in at 1B if for some reason he can’t handle 3B. As always this spot can and will have a number of players rotate in when Tre is not on the field. A guy such as Ethan Frey to me fits in here with his extremely large frame and ability to move well laterally.
Tre Morgan will be the most overshadowed player on this entire team…any other year he’s one of the first off the bus and first player commentators mention…this year at times will be an afterthought. At the next level some feel Tre will be limited to a corner outfield spot but for now he’s done everything he needs to do to show scouts he can handle first base moving forward. His glove is a plus plus tool, fast twitch instincts, great range, soft hands, helps clean up messes made by the middle infield time and time again. He would probably be a 2B or SS for LSU right now if he wasn't left handed. Morgan at the plate is very selective/patient which makes for a perfect leadoff type bat if they go that route. Bat control is very advanced and has the ability to go to all fields. Power didn’t show in numbers like I thought a year ago but the knee injury didn’t do him any favors and I expect a resurgence where he could get to 10-12 HR's this season. I expect Tre to be in either the 1 or 2 hole for a majority of the season and he’ll push to lead the team in doubles. The knee is finally 100% which is a welcoming sign as it limited any kind of threat on the base baths after that Miss St series. At the same time I look at the guys behind him in the order and there won’t be a need to be ultra aggressive on the base paths. Right now Tre is a 1C-2 round pick in the 2023 MLB draft depending on the mock draft you’re looking at and with a year comparable to his first two then he won’t need to wait long to hear his name on day 2 given the options he'll give a team at the next level.
Cade Beloso had some terrible luck a season ago…injuring himself in the group huddle before the first game of the year in 2022. I was shocked to see him back and to be honest was pleasantly surprised because he’s going to be a much needed left handed bat in the lineup or in a pinch hit role late in games. Defensively Cade can slide into first base where he was stationed for all of 2019 and 2020 before DHing in 2021 with Tre’s arrival. Cade for all intents and purposes is a three year letterman in the SEC who could have transferred to another school and started right away. At the very least he will push for a starting role to DH this year.
Tommy White who I’ll highlight on at another position is an ideal fit here if there is major shuffling of the infield.
Ethan Frey who is primarily a catcher is going to get caught up in a numbers game and I see a quicker route to playing time either here or DH. Has the perfect frame to fill out and become a middle of the lineup type bat if he sticks around in the program. Ethan's power is his best tool and will only continue to improve as he matures.
My take: Tre Morgan is one of the top first basemen in all of college baseball depending on which publication you’re searching. Morgan presents as another five tool player at the collegiate level and having him at first is more so a luxury than a necessity. A healthy Cade Beloso backing up is extremely rare in this day in age and there wouldn’t be much of a drop off production wise even with his subpar 2021 season. In the lineup Morgan should continue to hit around 1 or 2 with his left handed bat, ability to work counts, plate discipline, and the distraction he brings to pitchers on the base paths. The position has one of the top players at his position with a veteran backup, oh and if that’s not enough Tommy White could also slide here if needed.
Tre Morgan
Power------65
Hitting------70
Speed------65
Fielding----75
Arm---------60
POSITION ADDITIONS:
Ethan Frey
POSITION LOSSES:
Luke Leto
POSITION OVERALL GRADE: 75
This post was edited on 2/2/23 at 8:07 am
Posted on 2/1/23 at 5:45 am to Adam4848
SECOND BASE
Jack Merrifield Sr. 6’2 189lbs (53) Bats-R Throws-R
Gavin Guidry Fr. 6’2 182lbs (1) Bats-R Throws-R
Ben Nippolt Jr. 5’11 175lbs (5) Bats-L Throws-R
Gavin Dugas Gr Sr. 5’10 204lbs (8) Bats-R Throws-R
Besides DH this position is still a complete unknown that will continue to go back and forth leading up the week before opening night. You could pick any of these three right now because they'll rotate before the conference schedule. Jack Merrifield and Ben Nippolt have both played themselves into starting roles. Gavin Guidry has started to show a little more consistency at the plate as they try and fast track him to take over this position full time by the middle of the season. Gavin Dugas has had some tough luck with an eye problem as mentioned by Johnson last week…I’m listing him here but it remains to be seen how quickly he can get back.
Jack Merrifield came into LSU a season ago with somewhat high expectations in the thought he could shore up a relatively weak infield and provide some sort of stability. He was a guy that disappointed me a year ago, I thought he played extremely stiff in the field and wasn’t patient at the plate when he did get his chances in early 2022. Both the glove and bat were liabilities at the same time. Something is clicking right now, I don’t know if he feels less pressure with the influx of talent around him but his plate appearances continue to be more productive...he's not reaching like he used. He's squaring balls up the middle with effectiveness throughout the fall and early spring practice. After having taken reps at both 3B and SS during his time at LSU it’s obvious he can handle second base if they go this direction. Arm is above average, not the most athletic infielder yet has a has a lofty frame, is showing the ability to make the routine plays. I keep going back to this but something seems to be clicking right now…he’s making contact, staying patient, his strikeout percentages are way down, and he’s shown the ability to drive the ball into the gaps which was nonexistent in the at bats he received in 2022. Jack is never going to be a huge power threat at this level. Speed is average.
Gavin Guidry the uber talented two way player out of Barbe is being groomed into the future SS at LSU. I have him second on the depth chart right now simply because I question how quickly he gets adjusted to SEC pitching and I cant project him as the full time starter until we see it. His two best tools right now are his speed and electric arm as a former infielder/pitcher. Moves extremely well laterally and can make any throw look routine. If you were to tell me he could start opening night and hit 0.275 I think Johnson would take that chance and plug him in now and be done with it. At the same time I question how slow/quickly the coaching staff is trying to bring him along. Speed is a plus plus tool where he can fly down the line. Guidry still has a wiry frame and will fill out a ton over the next year and show more power. I’d like to see Gavin put the ball in play with more consistency where he can use his legs.
Ben Nippolt is my darkhorse to win the second base job. Originally at Des Moines Area CC he transferred over to VCU in 2022 where he stuck mainly at 3B on his way to becoming a first team ALL A-10 player. Nippolt was option C in the Carter Young and Jack Pineda sweepstakes but will be a nice veteran piece to this infield. Nippolt has wowed me on a couple of plays this spring, not a high ceiling type guy either but can move really well for a middle infielder. Arm is more than adequate for second base. Another singles type hitter from the left side who will need to hit at least 0.280 in my opinion if he’s to stick because he won't show any power and his base stealing threat isn't off the charts.
I don’t know where to put Gavin Dugas anymore? 2B? LF? He’s been sidelined for so long intermittently that he’s starting to fall behind others simply because he cannot get reps. His power is certainly a tool you try and do anything to get into the lineup but at this point I’m worried at how well he’s able to see the ball. This one’s a wait and see…
My take: It's not a weak position weak however it’s one of the few question marks on this team so I grade it as average at best. LSU had the recruiting class in the nation, the best transfer portal, but losing out on Young and Pineda was the biggest blemish last summer. Right now you have two veterans who I would call slightly above average defenders who give you options from both sides of the plate, below average power, and should hover around a 0.275 clip. Johnson a year ago labeled Gavin Guidry as the most important recruit of the class…he’s a draft eligible sophomore so maybe there will be some sense of urgency to use him as soon as he can. Still I’m going conservative and assuming Jack Merrifield continues to hit in spring practice he’s paid his dues and deserves a shot to start opening night. If Jack is the starter he’ll end up in either the 8 or the 9 hole depending on who’s catching.
Jack Merrifield
Power------40
Hitting------45
Speed------50
Fielding----55
Arm---------55
POSITION ADDITIONS:
Ben Nippolt
Gavin Guidry
POSITION LOSSES:
Cade Doughty
POSITION OVERALL GRADE: 50
Jack Merrifield Sr. 6’2 189lbs (53) Bats-R Throws-R
Gavin Guidry Fr. 6’2 182lbs (1) Bats-R Throws-R
Ben Nippolt Jr. 5’11 175lbs (5) Bats-L Throws-R
Gavin Dugas Gr Sr. 5’10 204lbs (8) Bats-R Throws-R
Besides DH this position is still a complete unknown that will continue to go back and forth leading up the week before opening night. You could pick any of these three right now because they'll rotate before the conference schedule. Jack Merrifield and Ben Nippolt have both played themselves into starting roles. Gavin Guidry has started to show a little more consistency at the plate as they try and fast track him to take over this position full time by the middle of the season. Gavin Dugas has had some tough luck with an eye problem as mentioned by Johnson last week…I’m listing him here but it remains to be seen how quickly he can get back.
Jack Merrifield came into LSU a season ago with somewhat high expectations in the thought he could shore up a relatively weak infield and provide some sort of stability. He was a guy that disappointed me a year ago, I thought he played extremely stiff in the field and wasn’t patient at the plate when he did get his chances in early 2022. Both the glove and bat were liabilities at the same time. Something is clicking right now, I don’t know if he feels less pressure with the influx of talent around him but his plate appearances continue to be more productive...he's not reaching like he used. He's squaring balls up the middle with effectiveness throughout the fall and early spring practice. After having taken reps at both 3B and SS during his time at LSU it’s obvious he can handle second base if they go this direction. Arm is above average, not the most athletic infielder yet has a has a lofty frame, is showing the ability to make the routine plays. I keep going back to this but something seems to be clicking right now…he’s making contact, staying patient, his strikeout percentages are way down, and he’s shown the ability to drive the ball into the gaps which was nonexistent in the at bats he received in 2022. Jack is never going to be a huge power threat at this level. Speed is average.
Gavin Guidry the uber talented two way player out of Barbe is being groomed into the future SS at LSU. I have him second on the depth chart right now simply because I question how quickly he gets adjusted to SEC pitching and I cant project him as the full time starter until we see it. His two best tools right now are his speed and electric arm as a former infielder/pitcher. Moves extremely well laterally and can make any throw look routine. If you were to tell me he could start opening night and hit 0.275 I think Johnson would take that chance and plug him in now and be done with it. At the same time I question how slow/quickly the coaching staff is trying to bring him along. Speed is a plus plus tool where he can fly down the line. Guidry still has a wiry frame and will fill out a ton over the next year and show more power. I’d like to see Gavin put the ball in play with more consistency where he can use his legs.
Ben Nippolt is my darkhorse to win the second base job. Originally at Des Moines Area CC he transferred over to VCU in 2022 where he stuck mainly at 3B on his way to becoming a first team ALL A-10 player. Nippolt was option C in the Carter Young and Jack Pineda sweepstakes but will be a nice veteran piece to this infield. Nippolt has wowed me on a couple of plays this spring, not a high ceiling type guy either but can move really well for a middle infielder. Arm is more than adequate for second base. Another singles type hitter from the left side who will need to hit at least 0.280 in my opinion if he’s to stick because he won't show any power and his base stealing threat isn't off the charts.
I don’t know where to put Gavin Dugas anymore? 2B? LF? He’s been sidelined for so long intermittently that he’s starting to fall behind others simply because he cannot get reps. His power is certainly a tool you try and do anything to get into the lineup but at this point I’m worried at how well he’s able to see the ball. This one’s a wait and see…
My take: It's not a weak position weak however it’s one of the few question marks on this team so I grade it as average at best. LSU had the recruiting class in the nation, the best transfer portal, but losing out on Young and Pineda was the biggest blemish last summer. Right now you have two veterans who I would call slightly above average defenders who give you options from both sides of the plate, below average power, and should hover around a 0.275 clip. Johnson a year ago labeled Gavin Guidry as the most important recruit of the class…he’s a draft eligible sophomore so maybe there will be some sense of urgency to use him as soon as he can. Still I’m going conservative and assuming Jack Merrifield continues to hit in spring practice he’s paid his dues and deserves a shot to start opening night. If Jack is the starter he’ll end up in either the 8 or the 9 hole depending on who’s catching.
Jack Merrifield
Power------40
Hitting------45
Speed------50
Fielding----55
Arm---------55
POSITION ADDITIONS:
Ben Nippolt
Gavin Guidry
POSITION LOSSES:
Cade Doughty
POSITION OVERALL GRADE: 50
This post was edited on 2/3/23 at 8:39 am
Posted on 2/1/23 at 5:45 am to Adam4848
SHORTSTOP
Jordan Thompson Jr 6’1 176lbs (4) Bats-R Throws-R
Gavin Guidry Fr. 6’2 182lbs (1) Bats-R Throws-R
Ben Nippolt Jr. 5’11 175lbs (5) Bats-L Throws-R
Jack Merrifield Sr. 6’2 189lbs (53) Bats-R Throws-R
There are going to be a lot of familiar faces here from the second base preview as most of these names rotate. Jordan Thompson is the clear front runner and Johnson has mentioned it more than once he’ll start opening night. Gavin Guidry appears to be the SS of the future however Ben Nippolt has taken more and more reps meaning he could be the quicker option if they go with a proven left handed bat. Jack Merrifield provides depth if he’s needed to fill in.
Jordan Thompson a two year starter was thrown into the starting lineup by necessity as a true freshman due to a weak left side of the infield. Weeks before the start of the 2022 season Jordan suffered a nagging knee injury that was believed to affect him more than what was previously thought. Thompson at the plate is a tough player to forecast…his HR totals from year one to two dropped slightly yet he increased his 2B’s, average, slugging percentage, and he greatly reduced his strikeout to walk ratio. Going into his junior season I think we'd all like to see more consistency at the plate where I think he's more than capable of doing so. Has a knack of going into mini slumps during series and hitting in bunches in others. At the same time he's had two of LSU’s much clutch hits in the walk off HR against Oklahoma and the RBI single against Southern Miss to tie game 2 in the regional. Jordan posses above average pop for his frame at this level when he stays centered and doesn’t get off balance trying to reach. Another bat who’s sat around 6-8 HR’s his career however I think putting him around some more potent players in the lineup should get more pitches to hit and when he does square up balls he shows above average power. Speed is above average although he’s never been a guy they use on the base paths. Glove and receiving has always been something Jordan’s handled well and will continue to do so. Arm is a plus plus tool and what I’ve noticed rewatching game film is more times than not when he doesn't have time to think he makes spectacular plays…when he has too much time he gets inside of his head and short hops the ball to Morgan. Make no mistake this has been worked tirelessly over the offseason and Johnson's full confidence means he knows something we don't so I'm willing to be optimistic here.
Gavin Guidry will eventually become the SS next year, he may see some time here in mop up duty or be pushed into a starting role depending on how Thompson fares. At the end of the day I think Gavin's path forward to quicker playing time is at 2B.
Ben Nippolt has gotten more and more work here starting in the spring so keep an eye out for him at this spot. I still think Ben is slightly better suited at 2B as well.
My take: Year three is the make it or break it year. I think all of us are hoping he takes the Kramer Robertson path where the hard work and perseverance becomes his success story and not a what if. In the batting order I think he fits in perfectly at the 5 or 6 where they try and reset the lineup for the back half. If Thompson can have a 0.300 with 10 HR’s and 40 RBI’s with a 0.940-0.950 fielding percentage then you call that a win. Something that I've been thinking about as well is the improvement in this pitching staff where there will be less fielding opportunities. Even though Johnson went after Young and Pineda to shore up the middle infield, that can all be forgotten if Thompson makes the linear progression he needs to and becomes as much of a leader on the field as he is in the dugout.
Jordan Thompson
Power------55
Hitting------50
Speed------60
Fielding----60
Arm---------70
POSITION ADDITIONS:
Gavin Guidry
Ben Nippolt
POSITION LOSSES:
Collier Cranford
POSITION OVERALL GRADE: 60
Jordan Thompson Jr 6’1 176lbs (4) Bats-R Throws-R
Gavin Guidry Fr. 6’2 182lbs (1) Bats-R Throws-R
Ben Nippolt Jr. 5’11 175lbs (5) Bats-L Throws-R
Jack Merrifield Sr. 6’2 189lbs (53) Bats-R Throws-R
There are going to be a lot of familiar faces here from the second base preview as most of these names rotate. Jordan Thompson is the clear front runner and Johnson has mentioned it more than once he’ll start opening night. Gavin Guidry appears to be the SS of the future however Ben Nippolt has taken more and more reps meaning he could be the quicker option if they go with a proven left handed bat. Jack Merrifield provides depth if he’s needed to fill in.
Jordan Thompson a two year starter was thrown into the starting lineup by necessity as a true freshman due to a weak left side of the infield. Weeks before the start of the 2022 season Jordan suffered a nagging knee injury that was believed to affect him more than what was previously thought. Thompson at the plate is a tough player to forecast…his HR totals from year one to two dropped slightly yet he increased his 2B’s, average, slugging percentage, and he greatly reduced his strikeout to walk ratio. Going into his junior season I think we'd all like to see more consistency at the plate where I think he's more than capable of doing so. Has a knack of going into mini slumps during series and hitting in bunches in others. At the same time he's had two of LSU’s much clutch hits in the walk off HR against Oklahoma and the RBI single against Southern Miss to tie game 2 in the regional. Jordan posses above average pop for his frame at this level when he stays centered and doesn’t get off balance trying to reach. Another bat who’s sat around 6-8 HR’s his career however I think putting him around some more potent players in the lineup should get more pitches to hit and when he does square up balls he shows above average power. Speed is above average although he’s never been a guy they use on the base paths. Glove and receiving has always been something Jordan’s handled well and will continue to do so. Arm is a plus plus tool and what I’ve noticed rewatching game film is more times than not when he doesn't have time to think he makes spectacular plays…when he has too much time he gets inside of his head and short hops the ball to Morgan. Make no mistake this has been worked tirelessly over the offseason and Johnson's full confidence means he knows something we don't so I'm willing to be optimistic here.
Gavin Guidry will eventually become the SS next year, he may see some time here in mop up duty or be pushed into a starting role depending on how Thompson fares. At the end of the day I think Gavin's path forward to quicker playing time is at 2B.
Ben Nippolt has gotten more and more work here starting in the spring so keep an eye out for him at this spot. I still think Ben is slightly better suited at 2B as well.
My take: Year three is the make it or break it year. I think all of us are hoping he takes the Kramer Robertson path where the hard work and perseverance becomes his success story and not a what if. In the batting order I think he fits in perfectly at the 5 or 6 where they try and reset the lineup for the back half. If Thompson can have a 0.300 with 10 HR’s and 40 RBI’s with a 0.940-0.950 fielding percentage then you call that a win. Something that I've been thinking about as well is the improvement in this pitching staff where there will be less fielding opportunities. Even though Johnson went after Young and Pineda to shore up the middle infield, that can all be forgotten if Thompson makes the linear progression he needs to and becomes as much of a leader on the field as he is in the dugout.
Jordan Thompson
Power------55
Hitting------50
Speed------60
Fielding----60
Arm---------70
POSITION ADDITIONS:
Gavin Guidry
Ben Nippolt
POSITION LOSSES:
Collier Cranford
POSITION OVERALL GRADE: 60
This post was edited on 2/4/23 at 6:36 am
Posted on 2/1/23 at 5:45 am to Adam4848
THIRD BASE
Tommy White So. 6’0 242lbs (47) Bats-R Throws-R
Gavin Dugas Sr. 5’10 204lbs (8) Bats-R Throws-R
Ben Nippolt Jr. 5’11 175lbs (5) Bats-L Throws-R
Jared Jones Fr. 6’4 230lbs (22) Bats-R Throws-R
Jay Johnson hit big time with the addition of Tommy White who will start at 3B. Gavin Dugas and Ben Nippolt will backup both 2B and 3B. There’s no real correct order as it will most likely depend on what’s happening at 2B. If by some reason Tommy White shifts over to 1B or DH then I could see a guy like Jared Jones work into here to get him at bats.
Tommy White is an instant impact transfer who LSU will have on campus for at least two years which is an added bonus. White was the 2nd highest player in the 2021 HS class to attend college and his impact at the collegiate level was felt immediately as he set the freshmen record for HR’s at 27. White has a slightly open stance where he’s able to load up and use his incredible lower body strength to drive to drive the ball. 7 HR’s to left field, 9 HR’s to center field, 11 HR’s to right field…he shows power to all fields, some of the exit velocities off his bat are only rivaled by Crews. The power is the best grade I can give at this level and even some of his outs will be loud outs. Tommy is he’s also a very advanced hitter who hit 0.362 in a deep ACC conference only outmatched by the SEC. I don’t think he’ll maintain that quite high of an average but it’s still a plus tool at this level and he did a great job simply getting on base more times than not. Speed is below average. Looks here are deceiving as White is extremely athletic for his build. Tommy is able to torque his body and throw while moving laterally this spring. Arm is more than fine from what I’ve seen. I’d like to think White is going to have some extended leeway if he makes an error or two as the bat is not coming out of the lineup. If I had one thing to watch out for it would be how he takes to this position after spending most of his freshman season DHing. The key will be keeping White playing everyday at 3B and allow LSU the chance to bring in another excellent bat to DH.
Gavin Dugas right now is backing up at both 2B and 3B. As long as he’s seeing the ball well he’s going to continue to push for a spot in the infield. With how loaded the outfield is, I don’t think they stick him in LF unless they really need to.
Ben Nippolt is working at every infield position besides 1B so it should be no surprise to see him get some time here especially since it’s the position he spent most of his time at VCU. May be a pinch hitter or pinch runner late in games.
If by some reason Jared Jones is playing here it means White has either shifted to 1B or DH.
My take: You hope there's some major stability here. Last season you started Merrifield which transitioned to Berry and when he was injured, you saw some guys such as Cranford/Bianco/Doughty, it was very fluid and even with Berry's bat in the lineup it was a merry go round. The goal here is to put Tommy White at 3B and set it and forget it where you instantly upgrade with an all-american bat in the lineup and let either a right or left-handed hitter DH depending on the pitching matchup. White will most likely hit behind Crews in the lineup at 3 or 4 if I had to guess. He's your prototypical cleanup type bat so we'll see what they do. If so I could see Tommy put up around 25 HR's and 75 RBI's. The key again here will be keeping White in the lineup so that they don’t need to waste the DH position if at all possible.
Tommy White
Power------80
Hitting------65
Speed------40
Fielding----50
Arm---------55
POSITION ADDITIONS:
Tommy White
Ben Nippolt
POSITION LOSSES:
Jacob Berry
POSITION OVERALL GRADE: 70
Tommy White So. 6’0 242lbs (47) Bats-R Throws-R
Gavin Dugas Sr. 5’10 204lbs (8) Bats-R Throws-R
Ben Nippolt Jr. 5’11 175lbs (5) Bats-L Throws-R
Jared Jones Fr. 6’4 230lbs (22) Bats-R Throws-R
Jay Johnson hit big time with the addition of Tommy White who will start at 3B. Gavin Dugas and Ben Nippolt will backup both 2B and 3B. There’s no real correct order as it will most likely depend on what’s happening at 2B. If by some reason Tommy White shifts over to 1B or DH then I could see a guy like Jared Jones work into here to get him at bats.
Tommy White is an instant impact transfer who LSU will have on campus for at least two years which is an added bonus. White was the 2nd highest player in the 2021 HS class to attend college and his impact at the collegiate level was felt immediately as he set the freshmen record for HR’s at 27. White has a slightly open stance where he’s able to load up and use his incredible lower body strength to drive to drive the ball. 7 HR’s to left field, 9 HR’s to center field, 11 HR’s to right field…he shows power to all fields, some of the exit velocities off his bat are only rivaled by Crews. The power is the best grade I can give at this level and even some of his outs will be loud outs. Tommy is he’s also a very advanced hitter who hit 0.362 in a deep ACC conference only outmatched by the SEC. I don’t think he’ll maintain that quite high of an average but it’s still a plus tool at this level and he did a great job simply getting on base more times than not. Speed is below average. Looks here are deceiving as White is extremely athletic for his build. Tommy is able to torque his body and throw while moving laterally this spring. Arm is more than fine from what I’ve seen. I’d like to think White is going to have some extended leeway if he makes an error or two as the bat is not coming out of the lineup. If I had one thing to watch out for it would be how he takes to this position after spending most of his freshman season DHing. The key will be keeping White playing everyday at 3B and allow LSU the chance to bring in another excellent bat to DH.
Gavin Dugas right now is backing up at both 2B and 3B. As long as he’s seeing the ball well he’s going to continue to push for a spot in the infield. With how loaded the outfield is, I don’t think they stick him in LF unless they really need to.
Ben Nippolt is working at every infield position besides 1B so it should be no surprise to see him get some time here especially since it’s the position he spent most of his time at VCU. May be a pinch hitter or pinch runner late in games.
If by some reason Jared Jones is playing here it means White has either shifted to 1B or DH.
My take: You hope there's some major stability here. Last season you started Merrifield which transitioned to Berry and when he was injured, you saw some guys such as Cranford/Bianco/Doughty, it was very fluid and even with Berry's bat in the lineup it was a merry go round. The goal here is to put Tommy White at 3B and set it and forget it where you instantly upgrade with an all-american bat in the lineup and let either a right or left-handed hitter DH depending on the pitching matchup. White will most likely hit behind Crews in the lineup at 3 or 4 if I had to guess. He's your prototypical cleanup type bat so we'll see what they do. If so I could see Tommy put up around 25 HR's and 75 RBI's. The key again here will be keeping White in the lineup so that they don’t need to waste the DH position if at all possible.
Tommy White
Power------80
Hitting------65
Speed------40
Fielding----50
Arm---------55
POSITION ADDITIONS:
Tommy White
Ben Nippolt
POSITION LOSSES:
Jacob Berry
POSITION OVERALL GRADE: 70
This post was edited on 2/5/23 at 7:22 am
Posted on 2/1/23 at 5:45 am to Adam4848
LEFT FIELD
Josh Pearson So. 5’10 195lbs (11) Bats-L Throws-R
Gavin Dugas Sr. 5’10 204lbs (8) Bats-R Throws-R
Zeb Ruddell 6’1 195lbs (39) Bats-L Throws-L
CENTER FIELD
Dylan Crews Jr. 6’0 203lbs (3) Bats-R Throws-R
Josh Stevenson So. 6’1 195lbs (23) Bats-L Throws-L
Mic Paul Fr. 5’10 175lbs (13) Bats-L Throws-L
RIGHT FIELD
Paxton Kling Fr. 6’2 210lbs (28) Bats-R Throws-R
Brayden Jobert RS-Jr. 6’1 215lbs (6) Bats-L Throws R
I’ve struggled with this position group trying to come up with perfect starting lineup because there are so many iterations Johnson can go with opening night. For the first time in recent memories I see 6 starting level outfielders in this group. Starting with left field you have Josh Pearson who should slide over to left field where he’ll be more comfortable…if Gavin Dugas is hitting like he can and does not win the starting 2B position he’s in instant competition here. Zeb Ruddell provides depth here. You then get to centerfield where Dylan Crews will start. Josh Stevenson’s athletic ability and range makes him the perfect candidate to backup center with Mic Paul behind him. You get to right field where I think there’s excellent competition in Paxton Kling vs Bryaden Jobert…neither would be a surprise if they started.
For now I’m assuming Josh Pearson starts in left field where he spent some time a season ago after emerging mid-season as arguably LSU’s top freshman. Josh has had a substandard fall and spring by his standards but I’m still very bullish on his hitting abilities where he showed the ability to hit against elite competition. Pearson does a good job attacking early in counts where he’s able to square off. Josh does an extremely well job of keeping his bat level more times than not throughout the zone and can spray the ball to all fields. His quick hands allow him to turn on pitches well and shows excellent power for his frame. Josh’s offensive outbursts do come with big swing and misses where he’s prone to strikeouts when he gets behind in the count. Speed is average at best and is not a threat to steal when on base. Defensively Pearson does not pose as a liability but with better arms in the outfield he fits in best in LF where you can cover this up.
Gavin Dugas has had a ton of experience in LF where he’s shown to be a serviceable outfielder. Gavin will play here if they feel his bat needs to be in the lineup at all costs…I do believe he’ll see playing time earlier at 2B.
Zeb Ruddell outfielder out of Neville had one of the more impressive falls of the entire team. Any other year and I'd think he could could push for playing time but it's going to be extremely hard with the depth they have. Zeb at the very least is one of the more versatile defenders on this team and will be a primary pinch hitter/runner late in games.
Dylan Crews is one of the most complete college outfielders I've seen in the college game in some time. Power is topped out at the college level, he's consistently putting up 110+ mph exit velocities to all fields on what I would call a great staff. Dylan has shown the ability to consistency hit SEC pitching putting up 0.362 and 0.349 in his first two years. One of the more impressive aspects with Crews hitting tool is the ability to take what he's given at any point in the count. A weakness? He strikeout's a lot and he may lead the team again. Defensively I always thought Dylan fit better in RF and at the next level he'll most likely be a corner outfield to match his arm strength. He made the most improvement between his freshman and sophomore year with the angles he takes and he could play any position out there right now if needed. Speed is above average, I would say it's on the verge of a plus plus tool. He'll most likely be one of LSU's more aggressive runners again. I think over time he'll fill out more where he'll get up to 215-220lbs. It's hard to find holes in Dylan's game and it's a reason why he's projected as the 1st overall pick by almost every single publication this spring. Enjoy watching Dylan at the box for one last season while you can.
Josh Stevenson who I think is one of LSU's better defensive outfielders and an extremely good athlete to me fits in here. Josh's defensive tools and speed are all above average. Josh's power is slightly below average, I'd like to see him put the ball in play with more consistency to use his legs...because he's not going to get many at bats with a 40% K rate. At the very least Stevenson gives you a very well rounded backup who has at bats against SEC competition.
Mic Paul who according to the website you're reading was the top player out of Utah in the 2022 class. Mic will rotate a bit in the outfield and is another speedster who can provide LSU with a pinch runner on a team that is frankly lacking speed.
Paxton Kling is one of those freshman that looks like he's been in college for five years. Kling was the top high school player in Pennsylvania and arguably the top recruit in this years freshmen class which was the best class I've seen LSU get to campus maybe ever. Paxton has a big frame where he shows advanced power to the pull side. Has a neutral batting stance and stays square when he drives through the zone, his hit tool may be higher that what I have but I'd like to see him show it. Even at 6'2 210lbs Kling has some room in his frame to fill out and get stronger where his power tool will become a plus plus to top of the level in college. Kling was more of a speedster during high school, he continues to move very well for his frame but I question how much he'll be used on the base paths over his career as he gets bigger. My favorite tool of his is the arm and if you're going to play him in the outfield it needs to be in RF. That arm will get only get better.
Brayden Jobert is going to push extremely hard to start in RF or DH and do not be surprised if he's named a starter opening night. Jobert mostly DH a year ago however spent some time in RF out of necessity where he proved he was a capable defender. Brayden is going to be your typical feast of famine kind of bat, the amount of depth on this team is incredible that we're talking of places to try and fit in two 18 HR guys (Dugas/Jobert). Brayden's power tends to play to the pull side where he absolutely torched weak pitching...it was evident once conference play started every team started shifting...it was difficult mentally for him to adjust. To be fair he had made better contact that what his stat sheet shows. If Jobert isn't starting in RF look for him to platoon at DH.
My take: The group is lead by the projected first overall pick in the MLB draft. After that you return Josh Pearson, Brayden Jobert, Gavin Dugas, and Josh Stevenson, all who SEC experience. You add the top OF prospect to attend college in Paxton Kling and there's an obvious log jam. Johnson has a good problem on his hands and there will be some intense competition in the next week. If Dylan Crews is in the 2 hole I could see Pearson settling in around the 5 hole, if Dylan moves back then he makes sense to slide in right after Morgan. Kling to me works perfectly at 6 or 7 where he won't have as much pressure to produce. There is so much depth here...chances are LSU will find 3 that work.
Josh Pearson
Power------65
Hitting------60
Speed------50
Fielding----50
Arm---------50
Dylan Crews
Power------80
Hitting------75
Speed------65
Fielding----75
Arm---------80
Paxton Kling
Power------65
Hitting------60
Speed------65
Fielding----60
Arm---------70
POSITION ADDITIONS:
Paxton Kling
Zeb Ruddell
Mic Paul
POSITION LOSSES:
Giovonni DiGiacomo
POSITION OVERALL GRADE: 75
Josh Pearson So. 5’10 195lbs (11) Bats-L Throws-R
Gavin Dugas Sr. 5’10 204lbs (8) Bats-R Throws-R
Zeb Ruddell 6’1 195lbs (39) Bats-L Throws-L
CENTER FIELD
Dylan Crews Jr. 6’0 203lbs (3) Bats-R Throws-R
Josh Stevenson So. 6’1 195lbs (23) Bats-L Throws-L
Mic Paul Fr. 5’10 175lbs (13) Bats-L Throws-L
RIGHT FIELD
Paxton Kling Fr. 6’2 210lbs (28) Bats-R Throws-R
Brayden Jobert RS-Jr. 6’1 215lbs (6) Bats-L Throws R
I’ve struggled with this position group trying to come up with perfect starting lineup because there are so many iterations Johnson can go with opening night. For the first time in recent memories I see 6 starting level outfielders in this group. Starting with left field you have Josh Pearson who should slide over to left field where he’ll be more comfortable…if Gavin Dugas is hitting like he can and does not win the starting 2B position he’s in instant competition here. Zeb Ruddell provides depth here. You then get to centerfield where Dylan Crews will start. Josh Stevenson’s athletic ability and range makes him the perfect candidate to backup center with Mic Paul behind him. You get to right field where I think there’s excellent competition in Paxton Kling vs Bryaden Jobert…neither would be a surprise if they started.
For now I’m assuming Josh Pearson starts in left field where he spent some time a season ago after emerging mid-season as arguably LSU’s top freshman. Josh has had a substandard fall and spring by his standards but I’m still very bullish on his hitting abilities where he showed the ability to hit against elite competition. Pearson does a good job attacking early in counts where he’s able to square off. Josh does an extremely well job of keeping his bat level more times than not throughout the zone and can spray the ball to all fields. His quick hands allow him to turn on pitches well and shows excellent power for his frame. Josh’s offensive outbursts do come with big swing and misses where he’s prone to strikeouts when he gets behind in the count. Speed is average at best and is not a threat to steal when on base. Defensively Pearson does not pose as a liability but with better arms in the outfield he fits in best in LF where you can cover this up.
Gavin Dugas has had a ton of experience in LF where he’s shown to be a serviceable outfielder. Gavin will play here if they feel his bat needs to be in the lineup at all costs…I do believe he’ll see playing time earlier at 2B.
Zeb Ruddell outfielder out of Neville had one of the more impressive falls of the entire team. Any other year and I'd think he could could push for playing time but it's going to be extremely hard with the depth they have. Zeb at the very least is one of the more versatile defenders on this team and will be a primary pinch hitter/runner late in games.
Dylan Crews is one of the most complete college outfielders I've seen in the college game in some time. Power is topped out at the college level, he's consistently putting up 110+ mph exit velocities to all fields on what I would call a great staff. Dylan has shown the ability to consistency hit SEC pitching putting up 0.362 and 0.349 in his first two years. One of the more impressive aspects with Crews hitting tool is the ability to take what he's given at any point in the count. A weakness? He strikeout's a lot and he may lead the team again. Defensively I always thought Dylan fit better in RF and at the next level he'll most likely be a corner outfield to match his arm strength. He made the most improvement between his freshman and sophomore year with the angles he takes and he could play any position out there right now if needed. Speed is above average, I would say it's on the verge of a plus plus tool. He'll most likely be one of LSU's more aggressive runners again. I think over time he'll fill out more where he'll get up to 215-220lbs. It's hard to find holes in Dylan's game and it's a reason why he's projected as the 1st overall pick by almost every single publication this spring. Enjoy watching Dylan at the box for one last season while you can.
Josh Stevenson who I think is one of LSU's better defensive outfielders and an extremely good athlete to me fits in here. Josh's defensive tools and speed are all above average. Josh's power is slightly below average, I'd like to see him put the ball in play with more consistency to use his legs...because he's not going to get many at bats with a 40% K rate. At the very least Stevenson gives you a very well rounded backup who has at bats against SEC competition.
Mic Paul who according to the website you're reading was the top player out of Utah in the 2022 class. Mic will rotate a bit in the outfield and is another speedster who can provide LSU with a pinch runner on a team that is frankly lacking speed.
Paxton Kling is one of those freshman that looks like he's been in college for five years. Kling was the top high school player in Pennsylvania and arguably the top recruit in this years freshmen class which was the best class I've seen LSU get to campus maybe ever. Paxton has a big frame where he shows advanced power to the pull side. Has a neutral batting stance and stays square when he drives through the zone, his hit tool may be higher that what I have but I'd like to see him show it. Even at 6'2 210lbs Kling has some room in his frame to fill out and get stronger where his power tool will become a plus plus to top of the level in college. Kling was more of a speedster during high school, he continues to move very well for his frame but I question how much he'll be used on the base paths over his career as he gets bigger. My favorite tool of his is the arm and if you're going to play him in the outfield it needs to be in RF. That arm will get only get better.
Brayden Jobert is going to push extremely hard to start in RF or DH and do not be surprised if he's named a starter opening night. Jobert mostly DH a year ago however spent some time in RF out of necessity where he proved he was a capable defender. Brayden is going to be your typical feast of famine kind of bat, the amount of depth on this team is incredible that we're talking of places to try and fit in two 18 HR guys (Dugas/Jobert). Brayden's power tends to play to the pull side where he absolutely torched weak pitching...it was evident once conference play started every team started shifting...it was difficult mentally for him to adjust. To be fair he had made better contact that what his stat sheet shows. If Jobert isn't starting in RF look for him to platoon at DH.
My take: The group is lead by the projected first overall pick in the MLB draft. After that you return Josh Pearson, Brayden Jobert, Gavin Dugas, and Josh Stevenson, all who SEC experience. You add the top OF prospect to attend college in Paxton Kling and there's an obvious log jam. Johnson has a good problem on his hands and there will be some intense competition in the next week. If Dylan Crews is in the 2 hole I could see Pearson settling in around the 5 hole, if Dylan moves back then he makes sense to slide in right after Morgan. Kling to me works perfectly at 6 or 7 where he won't have as much pressure to produce. There is so much depth here...chances are LSU will find 3 that work.
Josh Pearson
Power------65
Hitting------60
Speed------50
Fielding----50
Arm---------50
Dylan Crews
Power------80
Hitting------75
Speed------65
Fielding----75
Arm---------80
Paxton Kling
Power------65
Hitting------60
Speed------65
Fielding----60
Arm---------70
POSITION ADDITIONS:
Paxton Kling
Zeb Ruddell
Mic Paul
POSITION LOSSES:
Giovonni DiGiacomo
POSITION OVERALL GRADE: 75
This post was edited on 2/6/23 at 7:48 am
Posted on 2/1/23 at 5:45 am to Adam4848
DESIGNATED HITTER
Jared Jones Fr. 6’4 230lbs (22) Bats-R Throws-R
Brayden Jobert RS-Jr. 6’1 215lbs (6) Bats-L Throws-R
Paul Skenes Jr. 6’6 235lbs (20) Bats-R Throws-R
Cade Beloso Gr-Sr 6’0 216lbs (24) Bats-L Throws-L
Hayden Travinksi RS-Jr 6’3 218lbs (25) Bats-R Throws-R
Every person I have listed here is a smash brother with above average power. I have no doubt Johnson is going to utilize this spot to incorporate more power into the lineup where LSU can rely on extra base hits with it’s lack of speed. The assumption right now is Paul Skenes will pitch on Friday nights and DH when he can. There has been no defined role and because of this I’m going to focus on him pitching and others taking over this role when Paul is not getting at bats. Jared Jones and Brayden Jobert would be at the top of my list here. Guys such as Cade Beloso and Hayden Travinksi who might not be starting provide platoon and/or pinch hitting options here. A number of other guys could factor here.
Jared Jones is an absolute unit. If he was standing in a photo from the any of the 2011-2016 LSU teams he would probably look out of place. Jones, a top 50 overall high school prospect out of Georgia, was another prospect who could have easily signed an MLB deal last summer...any other year he would be the highlight of the recruiting class…this year he’s the fifth best which has allowed him to fly under the radar a bit. Extremely rare and advanced physical frame that you don’t see much of at the college level. Lower body strength is apparent, great hip drive, great bat speed, other than his arm the power tool will play right away and eventually become his best tool. I’m not ready to give him a perfect power tool before his first college at bat but I was close. Has continued to sneak up on the DH spot with impressive outings during the spring where he’s distancing himself from some of the other freshmen bats. Ball comes off his bat differently. Great fastball hitter, going to keep a close eye, would like to see him sit back more on offspeed junk where his hands get ahead of his core at times. Hitting average will come in time, for now he might show a lower average with a skewed slugging percentage. I would get him as many at bats as possible during the non-conference and get him comfortable. Speed is below average.
Brayden Jobert spent most of his time at DH in 2022 and he gives you the best power threat from the left side at the position. Jobert’s SEC starts showed times of great promise and great inconsistency…4 HR’s in 4 games…2 HR’s over the next 20…before exploding during the final regular season series with 3 HR’s in 3 games. More competition this year will only help push Brayden to play to a higher level…at the same time LSU will have much more options to go to if a guy isn’t seeing the ball for a couple of weeks. I still think Jobert is going to be a big piece of this lineup.
Talking about units…Paul Skenes is one of more advanced frames I’ve seen on the mound for LSU in years. If Paul wasn’t recruited here to pitch on Friday’s he would be your DH. Skenes has shown the ability to hit over 0.300 and 10+ HR’s during both of his years at Air Force while catching and relieving. Great pop in his bat with the ability to drive the ball to all fields. I think Paul will get at bats this spring but more so on his own terms if that makes sense. LSU has options so Skenes shouldn’t be forced into more than 100-125 at bats. I think they’ll take the cautious approach early during the year…come post season all bets are off.
Guys such as Cade Beloso, Hayden Travinksi, even Ethan Frey will get looks here as well.
My take: There are a ton of power options at Johnson’s disposal. You have veterans, you have a two way player, you have an emerging true freshman. There will be rotation at this position, as long Paul Skenes focuses on pitching then I’m leaning towards it being a Jared Jones vs Brayden Jobert battle and I love what they have in Jones. It should be noted that Jared Jones is another draft eligible sophomore. Either one who wins the spot will probably slide in as a power threat towards the bottom of the order.
Jared Jones
Power------75
Hitting------50
Speed------40
Fielding----50
Arm---------60
POSITION ADDITIONS:
Jared Jones
Paul Skenes
POSITION LOSSES:
NONE
POSITION OVERALL GRADE: 65
Jared Jones Fr. 6’4 230lbs (22) Bats-R Throws-R
Brayden Jobert RS-Jr. 6’1 215lbs (6) Bats-L Throws-R
Paul Skenes Jr. 6’6 235lbs (20) Bats-R Throws-R
Cade Beloso Gr-Sr 6’0 216lbs (24) Bats-L Throws-L
Hayden Travinksi RS-Jr 6’3 218lbs (25) Bats-R Throws-R
Every person I have listed here is a smash brother with above average power. I have no doubt Johnson is going to utilize this spot to incorporate more power into the lineup where LSU can rely on extra base hits with it’s lack of speed. The assumption right now is Paul Skenes will pitch on Friday nights and DH when he can. There has been no defined role and because of this I’m going to focus on him pitching and others taking over this role when Paul is not getting at bats. Jared Jones and Brayden Jobert would be at the top of my list here. Guys such as Cade Beloso and Hayden Travinksi who might not be starting provide platoon and/or pinch hitting options here. A number of other guys could factor here.
Jared Jones is an absolute unit. If he was standing in a photo from the any of the 2011-2016 LSU teams he would probably look out of place. Jones, a top 50 overall high school prospect out of Georgia, was another prospect who could have easily signed an MLB deal last summer...any other year he would be the highlight of the recruiting class…this year he’s the fifth best which has allowed him to fly under the radar a bit. Extremely rare and advanced physical frame that you don’t see much of at the college level. Lower body strength is apparent, great hip drive, great bat speed, other than his arm the power tool will play right away and eventually become his best tool. I’m not ready to give him a perfect power tool before his first college at bat but I was close. Has continued to sneak up on the DH spot with impressive outings during the spring where he’s distancing himself from some of the other freshmen bats. Ball comes off his bat differently. Great fastball hitter, going to keep a close eye, would like to see him sit back more on offspeed junk where his hands get ahead of his core at times. Hitting average will come in time, for now he might show a lower average with a skewed slugging percentage. I would get him as many at bats as possible during the non-conference and get him comfortable. Speed is below average.
Brayden Jobert spent most of his time at DH in 2022 and he gives you the best power threat from the left side at the position. Jobert’s SEC starts showed times of great promise and great inconsistency…4 HR’s in 4 games…2 HR’s over the next 20…before exploding during the final regular season series with 3 HR’s in 3 games. More competition this year will only help push Brayden to play to a higher level…at the same time LSU will have much more options to go to if a guy isn’t seeing the ball for a couple of weeks. I still think Jobert is going to be a big piece of this lineup.
Talking about units…Paul Skenes is one of more advanced frames I’ve seen on the mound for LSU in years. If Paul wasn’t recruited here to pitch on Friday’s he would be your DH. Skenes has shown the ability to hit over 0.300 and 10+ HR’s during both of his years at Air Force while catching and relieving. Great pop in his bat with the ability to drive the ball to all fields. I think Paul will get at bats this spring but more so on his own terms if that makes sense. LSU has options so Skenes shouldn’t be forced into more than 100-125 at bats. I think they’ll take the cautious approach early during the year…come post season all bets are off.
Guys such as Cade Beloso, Hayden Travinksi, even Ethan Frey will get looks here as well.
My take: There are a ton of power options at Johnson’s disposal. You have veterans, you have a two way player, you have an emerging true freshman. There will be rotation at this position, as long Paul Skenes focuses on pitching then I’m leaning towards it being a Jared Jones vs Brayden Jobert battle and I love what they have in Jones. It should be noted that Jared Jones is another draft eligible sophomore. Either one who wins the spot will probably slide in as a power threat towards the bottom of the order.
Jared Jones
Power------75
Hitting------50
Speed------40
Fielding----50
Arm---------60
POSITION ADDITIONS:
Jared Jones
Paul Skenes
POSITION LOSSES:
NONE
POSITION OVERALL GRADE: 65
This post was edited on 2/7/23 at 7:07 am
Posted on 2/1/23 at 5:45 am to Adam4848
STARTING PITCHING
Friday – Paul Skenes 6’6 247lbs Jr. (20) Throws- Right
Saturday – Thatcher Hurd 6’4 214lbs So. (36) Throws-Right
Sunday – Ty Floyd 6’2 200lbs Jr. (9) Throws-Right
Midweek – Chase Shores 6’8 245lbs Fr. (34) Throws-Right
Jay Johnson completely overhauled this pitching staff in one offseason which will give him and Wes a number of options and ways they can bridge to the back end of the bullpen. I’ll try and explain how I think this rotation will work moving forward. If you go and look at any transfer portal list going from D-1 to D-1 schools I would argue both Skenes and Hurd are in the top 5. The best transfer class and the best recruiting class will make things a bit easier. To me Paul Skenes on Friday’s, Thatcher Hurd on Saturday’s, and Ty Floyd on Sunday’s, Chase Shores in the midweek to start.
Paul Skenes will start opening night and has all but locked in the Friday night role for LSU. Paul, a transfer out of Air Force has one of the most physically intimating frames on the mound. Jay Johnson locked up Paul’s commitment last summer with the pitch to transition from C/SP to a starter in the SEC. Skenes has shown the ability to dominate at every position they tried him at…2021 became their closer while hitting 10+ HR’s. They ended up starting him in 2022…where was their ace pitching 85 innings and hitting 10+ HR’s leading Air Force to a regional appearance. Things are going to more focused doing one thing. Paul’s delivery is compact and he’s shown the ability to locate his 2 best pitches in any count he needs to. Fast ball sits 94-98mph and has late run. Slider his best out pitch that shows the same mechanics out of his hand and runs away from right handed hitters. Changeup hasn’t been used a ton maybe 5-10% but has nice life on it…will be interested how often they mix that in. Skenes will be one of those high BB/K rate pitchers so he’ll run his pitch counts up, how deep will he be able to work into games?
Thatcher Hurd would be my Saturday guy. In terms of stuff he might be a Friday night guy any other year. Hurd was another top 50 overall recruit who ended up making it to campus for UCLA as a true freshman in 2022. After dominating early in the non-conference schedule eventually became a weekend starter before suffering a stress fracture in his back similar to Josh Smith during the second week of conference play …an injury that requires complete rest. Thatcher’s recovery has gone better than expected and to date has had no set backs. The only knock I would have on starting him is the stamina will need to be built up where he may go a couple of 4-5 inning stints before they take off the reins…again LSU has the relievers to mask this to an extent early on. Hurds fastball can reach 94-96mph, everything out of his arm tends to stay down in the zone. Great power slider with more vertical break at the end than you’re used to seeing. Change up is fine, I wouldn’t label it as a plus pitch. Hurd has the potential to become a top 10-15 overall pick in next years draft and I would classify him an a well above average number 2 starter. Ceiling is extremely high here.
Ty Floyd most likely will be in LSU’s rotation and I’d leave him as the Sunday guy. Floyd who came into LSU as one of their better pitching prospects has seen both highs and lows…the lows directly relating to the inability to locate any off speed pitches with consistency. Fastball which was down a couple of years ago has started to pick back up where he’s now 92-96mph. Has primarily worked with Wes over the fall to incorporate his curve and changeup in both pitcher and hitters counts. Curve is a true 12-6 with great break which slows the hitters down. Change up is one of my favorite pitches out of him and he’s shown the ability to work it against left handed bats tailing down and way. One thing that does help Ty is the arm slot he uses which hides the ball more so than other arms on this staff. As long as he’s able to mix and match early in the counts on any given day I think the fastball will run quicker to hitters and he’ll be able to get more swing and misses with that pitch over anything else. One of those pitchers who played very well down the stretch and is ready to breakout and become a guy that can get through the order 2-3 times.
Chase Shores is a prospect I basically wrote off who would sign professionally last year. Shores is the 3rd highest rated pitcher from the 2022 high school class to attend college, like I keep saying any other year and Shores would be forced into a Saturday or Sunday role out of necessity. When you start to look at what it’ll take to make a deep run into the SEC tournament/Regionals/Supers/Omaha you need to have a fourth starter groomed and able to take the ball. Shores may very well end up as one of LSU’s top leverage relievers but with some of the high profile names I’m leaving off of this list (Taylor/Little/Collins) you have the chance to get Shores starts during week nights against in state competition. At that point the coaches need to decide whether his arm will be needed on the weekends, personally I think he will but where he fits right now is unclear. Fastball is 95-99mph and sometime during the late spring he’ll touch 100mph when the weather warms. Chase added a lot to his frame the past 3 seasons and with his 6’8 frame he’s got the ability to continue to add strength where his two seem fastball can run up on hitters. Slider shows more break, not sure if that’s something he’s been working with Wes to tweak but it has a ton of life. Changeup is still a work in progress. Has the potential to be a top overall pick in three years.
My take: Overall it’s the best position group on the team, I can’t rate it a perfect score because they haven’t won anything. Everyone of these four guys has the makeup to go in the 1st round of the MLB draft and each pitcher shows great velocity with the ability to strike hitters out. LSU is also going to have a deep bullpen so having starters such as these guys is a luxury but it’s a necessity to winning in Omaha.
Paul Skenes
Arm Strength---------75
Movement-------------70
Stamina----------------65
Control-----------------60
Thatcher Hurd
Arm Strength---------70
Movement-------------70
Stamina----------------50
Control-----------------65
Ty Floyd
Arm Strength---------70
Movement-------------55
Stamina----------------55
Control-----------------50
Chase Shores
Arm Strength---------75
Movement-------------65
Stamina----------------60
Control-----------------60
POSITION ADDITIONS:
Paul Skenes
Thatcher Hurd
Chase Shores
POSITION LOSSES:
Ma’Khail Hilliard
OVERALL POSITION GRADE: 75
Friday – Paul Skenes 6’6 247lbs Jr. (20) Throws- Right
Saturday – Thatcher Hurd 6’4 214lbs So. (36) Throws-Right
Sunday – Ty Floyd 6’2 200lbs Jr. (9) Throws-Right
Midweek – Chase Shores 6’8 245lbs Fr. (34) Throws-Right
Jay Johnson completely overhauled this pitching staff in one offseason which will give him and Wes a number of options and ways they can bridge to the back end of the bullpen. I’ll try and explain how I think this rotation will work moving forward. If you go and look at any transfer portal list going from D-1 to D-1 schools I would argue both Skenes and Hurd are in the top 5. The best transfer class and the best recruiting class will make things a bit easier. To me Paul Skenes on Friday’s, Thatcher Hurd on Saturday’s, and Ty Floyd on Sunday’s, Chase Shores in the midweek to start.
Paul Skenes will start opening night and has all but locked in the Friday night role for LSU. Paul, a transfer out of Air Force has one of the most physically intimating frames on the mound. Jay Johnson locked up Paul’s commitment last summer with the pitch to transition from C/SP to a starter in the SEC. Skenes has shown the ability to dominate at every position they tried him at…2021 became their closer while hitting 10+ HR’s. They ended up starting him in 2022…where was their ace pitching 85 innings and hitting 10+ HR’s leading Air Force to a regional appearance. Things are going to more focused doing one thing. Paul’s delivery is compact and he’s shown the ability to locate his 2 best pitches in any count he needs to. Fast ball sits 94-98mph and has late run. Slider his best out pitch that shows the same mechanics out of his hand and runs away from right handed hitters. Changeup hasn’t been used a ton maybe 5-10% but has nice life on it…will be interested how often they mix that in. Skenes will be one of those high BB/K rate pitchers so he’ll run his pitch counts up, how deep will he be able to work into games?
Thatcher Hurd would be my Saturday guy. In terms of stuff he might be a Friday night guy any other year. Hurd was another top 50 overall recruit who ended up making it to campus for UCLA as a true freshman in 2022. After dominating early in the non-conference schedule eventually became a weekend starter before suffering a stress fracture in his back similar to Josh Smith during the second week of conference play …an injury that requires complete rest. Thatcher’s recovery has gone better than expected and to date has had no set backs. The only knock I would have on starting him is the stamina will need to be built up where he may go a couple of 4-5 inning stints before they take off the reins…again LSU has the relievers to mask this to an extent early on. Hurds fastball can reach 94-96mph, everything out of his arm tends to stay down in the zone. Great power slider with more vertical break at the end than you’re used to seeing. Change up is fine, I wouldn’t label it as a plus pitch. Hurd has the potential to become a top 10-15 overall pick in next years draft and I would classify him an a well above average number 2 starter. Ceiling is extremely high here.
Ty Floyd most likely will be in LSU’s rotation and I’d leave him as the Sunday guy. Floyd who came into LSU as one of their better pitching prospects has seen both highs and lows…the lows directly relating to the inability to locate any off speed pitches with consistency. Fastball which was down a couple of years ago has started to pick back up where he’s now 92-96mph. Has primarily worked with Wes over the fall to incorporate his curve and changeup in both pitcher and hitters counts. Curve is a true 12-6 with great break which slows the hitters down. Change up is one of my favorite pitches out of him and he’s shown the ability to work it against left handed bats tailing down and way. One thing that does help Ty is the arm slot he uses which hides the ball more so than other arms on this staff. As long as he’s able to mix and match early in the counts on any given day I think the fastball will run quicker to hitters and he’ll be able to get more swing and misses with that pitch over anything else. One of those pitchers who played very well down the stretch and is ready to breakout and become a guy that can get through the order 2-3 times.
Chase Shores is a prospect I basically wrote off who would sign professionally last year. Shores is the 3rd highest rated pitcher from the 2022 high school class to attend college, like I keep saying any other year and Shores would be forced into a Saturday or Sunday role out of necessity. When you start to look at what it’ll take to make a deep run into the SEC tournament/Regionals/Supers/Omaha you need to have a fourth starter groomed and able to take the ball. Shores may very well end up as one of LSU’s top leverage relievers but with some of the high profile names I’m leaving off of this list (Taylor/Little/Collins) you have the chance to get Shores starts during week nights against in state competition. At that point the coaches need to decide whether his arm will be needed on the weekends, personally I think he will but where he fits right now is unclear. Fastball is 95-99mph and sometime during the late spring he’ll touch 100mph when the weather warms. Chase added a lot to his frame the past 3 seasons and with his 6’8 frame he’s got the ability to continue to add strength where his two seem fastball can run up on hitters. Slider shows more break, not sure if that’s something he’s been working with Wes to tweak but it has a ton of life. Changeup is still a work in progress. Has the potential to be a top overall pick in three years.
My take: Overall it’s the best position group on the team, I can’t rate it a perfect score because they haven’t won anything. Everyone of these four guys has the makeup to go in the 1st round of the MLB draft and each pitcher shows great velocity with the ability to strike hitters out. LSU is also going to have a deep bullpen so having starters such as these guys is a luxury but it’s a necessity to winning in Omaha.
Paul Skenes
Arm Strength---------75
Movement-------------70
Stamina----------------65
Control-----------------60
Thatcher Hurd
Arm Strength---------70
Movement-------------70
Stamina----------------50
Control-----------------65
Ty Floyd
Arm Strength---------70
Movement-------------55
Stamina----------------55
Control-----------------50
Chase Shores
Arm Strength---------75
Movement-------------65
Stamina----------------60
Control-----------------60
POSITION ADDITIONS:
Paul Skenes
Thatcher Hurd
Chase Shores
POSITION LOSSES:
Ma’Khail Hilliard
OVERALL POSITION GRADE: 75
This post was edited on 2/9/23 at 7:04 am
Posted on 2/1/23 at 5:45 am to Adam4848
RELIEF PITCHING
Because there are absolutely no set roles right now I'm going to do my best to briefly go through each pitcher and see where he fits. There are a number of guys who can stretch out more than usual I'll focus in more on these arms and touch on the rest.
Main relief 1 - Grant Taylor 6’3 230lbs So. (50) Throws- Right
Grant Taylor who figures to be still competing for a starting spot will become one of LSU's top relievers if he does slake Money's o. Grant is a draft eligible sophomore in this years MLB draft who has made about as big of a leap as anyone on the team from year one to two. Fastball has been ranging 92-96mph and if he's only needed for a couple of innings that could start to push higher. Curve ball has shown a great spin rate and was unhittable at times during the fall. Slider is a pitch he's shown improvement through the cap code league in 2022. Needs to get the walks down...that was his biggest knock as a freshman. The ceiling here is extremely high no matter where they put him.
Main relief 2 - Christian Little 6’4 225lbs Jr. (99) Throws- Right
Christian Little who was one of the youngest draft eligible players in his draft class and is still young for his classification. Little who spent his first two years at Vanderbilt showed extreme highs and lows, word is still coming out of him playing through some injuries which can explain inconsistences. The physical stuff is there, very strong frame, fastball will push 94-96mph that has nice life. Curve ball is his best secondary pitch that has nice lateral break as well. Little has had one year as a starter and one year as mostly a reliever and it was evident he proved to be more comfortable in 1-2 inning stretches. Averages over a K/inning...as long as his control stays in check he could easily be a person who gives you one inning or four innings on a given night.
Main relief 3 - Bryce Collins 6’0 200lbs RS-Jr. (21) Throws- Right
Bryce Collins will fly under the radar a bit. Fastball velocity is starting to trend up this spring 92-94mph, something he couldn't push last year. Bryce who mostly worked in long relief during the 2022 season has the ability to come in and stretch for long periods of time. The sweeping curveball has arguably the best depth and used in combination with his fastball and changeup he can at the very least make it through the order one time giving you 3-4 innings at a time if needed.
Riley Cooper will be one of LSU's top two situational left handed relievers. A year ago lead LSU in appearances where he averaged about an inning. With less need to stretch out innings this year I can see this using Riley as a specialist where he's shown the ability to come in under high pressure situations. Fastball will usually run 89-91mph and he shows the ability to use both his changeup and curveball in any count.
Nate Ackenhausen is my other pick to become one of LSU's top two situational left handed relievers. Very nice frame from the left side where he's able to sit 90-92mph and mix and a great slider that runs up and in on right handed hitters. Nate to me is going to be a situational piece that could see only 1-2 hitters at a time.
Sam Dutton emerged last season as one of LSU's top freshmen arms and bounced around from reliever to Sunday starter to reliever. Fastball is anywhere from 88-91mph. Does a nice job mixing and matching a his slider and changeup. He may be one of those guys LSU needs to stretch to eat up innings if down or up by alot, will see time early in the year.
Griffin Herring will become the second best freshman arm in this class. Nice left handed frame with deceptive delivery. Is able to get swings and missed on both his changeup and slider. Has the frame where he'll be able to add some weight and improve his fastball velocity over time. Right now he may see some time on the weekends and eventually become a starter in two years.
Aiden Moffett one of the higher power arms has wowed people with his fastball. Velocity has been all over the place anywhere from 94-98mph. Will be a project in the sense of it...needs to continue to improve his both is fastball and offspeed command or he won't get meaningful innings.
Javen Coleman who had Tommy John Surgery after only pitching in 6 innings during 2022 is slightly ahead of schedule and already soft tossing. There are rumors that he'll be able to start throwing bullpen in the next 6-8 weeks...it's still unclear how fast they progress him here. Best case scenario? He's 100% by mid April and becomes a very nice left handed bullpen pieces towards the post season run.
Blake Money who started the opening game for LSU in 2022 figures to be another long reliever. Fastball I've noticed is slightly down...have tried to run this down but have no answers. Something to watch out for.
Garrett Edwards another guy who has shown some improvement in velocity this spring 93-94mph. Long frame where the fastball shows life and a slider that is above average. May be a guy they look to start midweeks to build into a fifth starter.
Will Helmers who has mostly worked as one of LSU's midweek starters/relievers figures to stick in that role. I love Will's competitiveness but his arm angle allows hitters too long to see the ball and when he's not locating on the corners he gets blown up. Anytime he sees time on the weekend may be in mop up duty.
DJ Primeaux the top left handed arm out of Louisiana in 2022 has shown flashes of becoming a really great piece to this bullpen in time. Slider has looked nice off his hands but there's still location inconsistencies and getting acquired to SEC hitting. Most likely will become a long reliever during midweek action.
Micah Bucknam out of Canada was impressive during his 2022 MLB draft league where he put up impressive numbers. Nothing in terms of tools wows you but he misses bats and is able to keep hitters off balance with a slurve and cutter that he has been learning over the past year. One of those guys that plays to contact and will pitch alot of innings for LSU this year.
Nic Bronzini a big left handed pitcher from California may be a year off from getting any meaningful innings. Will see time mostly during the midweek.
Jason Bollman, Kaleb Applebey, and Jaden Noot will not pitch in 2023.
My take: It's a bit harder to try and piece together the bullpen this year...I think with the top heavy talent in the starting rotation and the top heavy talent of a few select relievers combined with Wes Johnson's pitching approach there won't be a need to have 14 guys all "ready" on a given weekend. You replace your top 4 relievers from a year ago in (Gervase/Rezelyman/Vietmeier/Hasty) and yet I feel this group has a chance to be stronger. The 2022 bullpen was about as taxed as they come and it was only a matter of time before it broke. The main names to watch out for this year are Taylor/Little/Collins/Dutton/Edwards which I think will be used to stretch and close games themselves more so than we are accustomed to seeing. The group as a whole is top heavy but there is talent, a number of arms from both sides, and power throwers which makes this group well above average.
Because there are absolutely no set roles right now I'm going to do my best to briefly go through each pitcher and see where he fits. There are a number of guys who can stretch out more than usual I'll focus in more on these arms and touch on the rest.
Main relief 1 - Grant Taylor 6’3 230lbs So. (50) Throws- Right
Grant Taylor who figures to be still competing for a starting spot will become one of LSU's top relievers if he does slake Money's o. Grant is a draft eligible sophomore in this years MLB draft who has made about as big of a leap as anyone on the team from year one to two. Fastball has been ranging 92-96mph and if he's only needed for a couple of innings that could start to push higher. Curve ball has shown a great spin rate and was unhittable at times during the fall. Slider is a pitch he's shown improvement through the cap code league in 2022. Needs to get the walks down...that was his biggest knock as a freshman. The ceiling here is extremely high no matter where they put him.
Main relief 2 - Christian Little 6’4 225lbs Jr. (99) Throws- Right
Christian Little who was one of the youngest draft eligible players in his draft class and is still young for his classification. Little who spent his first two years at Vanderbilt showed extreme highs and lows, word is still coming out of him playing through some injuries which can explain inconsistences. The physical stuff is there, very strong frame, fastball will push 94-96mph that has nice life. Curve ball is his best secondary pitch that has nice lateral break as well. Little has had one year as a starter and one year as mostly a reliever and it was evident he proved to be more comfortable in 1-2 inning stretches. Averages over a K/inning...as long as his control stays in check he could easily be a person who gives you one inning or four innings on a given night.
Main relief 3 - Bryce Collins 6’0 200lbs RS-Jr. (21) Throws- Right
Bryce Collins will fly under the radar a bit. Fastball velocity is starting to trend up this spring 92-94mph, something he couldn't push last year. Bryce who mostly worked in long relief during the 2022 season has the ability to come in and stretch for long periods of time. The sweeping curveball has arguably the best depth and used in combination with his fastball and changeup he can at the very least make it through the order one time giving you 3-4 innings at a time if needed.
Riley Cooper will be one of LSU's top two situational left handed relievers. A year ago lead LSU in appearances where he averaged about an inning. With less need to stretch out innings this year I can see this using Riley as a specialist where he's shown the ability to come in under high pressure situations. Fastball will usually run 89-91mph and he shows the ability to use both his changeup and curveball in any count.
Nate Ackenhausen is my other pick to become one of LSU's top two situational left handed relievers. Very nice frame from the left side where he's able to sit 90-92mph and mix and a great slider that runs up and in on right handed hitters. Nate to me is going to be a situational piece that could see only 1-2 hitters at a time.
Sam Dutton emerged last season as one of LSU's top freshmen arms and bounced around from reliever to Sunday starter to reliever. Fastball is anywhere from 88-91mph. Does a nice job mixing and matching a his slider and changeup. He may be one of those guys LSU needs to stretch to eat up innings if down or up by alot, will see time early in the year.
Griffin Herring will become the second best freshman arm in this class. Nice left handed frame with deceptive delivery. Is able to get swings and missed on both his changeup and slider. Has the frame where he'll be able to add some weight and improve his fastball velocity over time. Right now he may see some time on the weekends and eventually become a starter in two years.
Aiden Moffett one of the higher power arms has wowed people with his fastball. Velocity has been all over the place anywhere from 94-98mph. Will be a project in the sense of it...needs to continue to improve his both is fastball and offspeed command or he won't get meaningful innings.
Javen Coleman who had Tommy John Surgery after only pitching in 6 innings during 2022 is slightly ahead of schedule and already soft tossing. There are rumors that he'll be able to start throwing bullpen in the next 6-8 weeks...it's still unclear how fast they progress him here. Best case scenario? He's 100% by mid April and becomes a very nice left handed bullpen pieces towards the post season run.
Blake Money who started the opening game for LSU in 2022 figures to be another long reliever. Fastball I've noticed is slightly down...have tried to run this down but have no answers. Something to watch out for.
Garrett Edwards another guy who has shown some improvement in velocity this spring 93-94mph. Long frame where the fastball shows life and a slider that is above average. May be a guy they look to start midweeks to build into a fifth starter.
Will Helmers who has mostly worked as one of LSU's midweek starters/relievers figures to stick in that role. I love Will's competitiveness but his arm angle allows hitters too long to see the ball and when he's not locating on the corners he gets blown up. Anytime he sees time on the weekend may be in mop up duty.
DJ Primeaux the top left handed arm out of Louisiana in 2022 has shown flashes of becoming a really great piece to this bullpen in time. Slider has looked nice off his hands but there's still location inconsistencies and getting acquired to SEC hitting. Most likely will become a long reliever during midweek action.
Micah Bucknam out of Canada was impressive during his 2022 MLB draft league where he put up impressive numbers. Nothing in terms of tools wows you but he misses bats and is able to keep hitters off balance with a slurve and cutter that he has been learning over the past year. One of those guys that plays to contact and will pitch alot of innings for LSU this year.
Nic Bronzini a big left handed pitcher from California may be a year off from getting any meaningful innings. Will see time mostly during the midweek.
Jason Bollman, Kaleb Applebey, and Jaden Noot will not pitch in 2023.
My take: It's a bit harder to try and piece together the bullpen this year...I think with the top heavy talent in the starting rotation and the top heavy talent of a few select relievers combined with Wes Johnson's pitching approach there won't be a need to have 14 guys all "ready" on a given weekend. You replace your top 4 relievers from a year ago in (Gervase/Rezelyman/Vietmeier/Hasty) and yet I feel this group has a chance to be stronger. The 2022 bullpen was about as taxed as they come and it was only a matter of time before it broke. The main names to watch out for this year are Taylor/Little/Collins/Dutton/Edwards which I think will be used to stretch and close games themselves more so than we are accustomed to seeing. The group as a whole is top heavy but there is talent, a number of arms from both sides, and power throwers which makes this group well above average.
This post was edited on 2/9/23 at 8:15 am
Posted on 2/1/23 at 5:45 am to Adam4848
Grant Taylor
Arm Strength---------70
Movement-------------70
Stamina----------------50
Control-----------------50
Christian Little
Arm Strength---------70
Movement-------------65
Stamina----------------60
Control-----------------55
Bryce Collins
Arm Strength---------65
Movement-------------70
Stamina----------------40
Control-----------------60
POSITION ADDITIONS:
A bunch
POSITION LOSSES:
Paul Gervase
Trent Vetmeier
Jacob Hasty
Eric Reyzelman
OVERALL POSITION GRADE: 65
Arm Strength---------70
Movement-------------70
Stamina----------------50
Control-----------------50
Christian Little
Arm Strength---------70
Movement-------------65
Stamina----------------60
Control-----------------55
Bryce Collins
Arm Strength---------65
Movement-------------70
Stamina----------------40
Control-----------------60
POSITION ADDITIONS:
A bunch
POSITION LOSSES:
Paul Gervase
Trent Vetmeier
Jacob Hasty
Eric Reyzelman
OVERALL POSITION GRADE: 65
This post was edited on 2/9/23 at 8:19 am
Posted on 2/1/23 at 5:46 am to Adam4848
Pro Prospect List
2023 MLB Draft
1. Dylan Crews CF (Jr.)
2. Paul Skenes RHP (Jr.)
3. Grant Taylor RHP (So.)*
4. Ty Floyd RHP (Jr.)
5. Tre Morgan 1B/LF (Jr.)
6. Christian Little RHP (Jr.)
7. Bryce Collins RHP (RS-Jr.)
8. Brayden Jobert LF (RS-Jr.)
9. Jordan Thompson SS (Jr.)
10. Blake Money RHP (Jr.)
2024 MLB Draft
1. Tommy White 3B (So.)
2. Thatcher Hurd RHP (So.)
3. Paxton Kling CF (Fr.)*
4. Jared Jones 1B (Fr.)*
5. Nate Ackenhausen LHP (So.)
2025 MLB Draft
1. Chase Shores RHP (Fr.)
2. Paxton Kling CF (Fr.)
3. Jared Jones 1B (Fr.)
4. Brady Neal C (Fr.)
5. Jaden Noot RHP (Fr.)
*Draft eligible sophomore
2023 MLB Draft
1. Dylan Crews CF (Jr.)
2. Paul Skenes RHP (Jr.)
3. Grant Taylor RHP (So.)*
4. Ty Floyd RHP (Jr.)
5. Tre Morgan 1B/LF (Jr.)
6. Christian Little RHP (Jr.)
7. Bryce Collins RHP (RS-Jr.)
8. Brayden Jobert LF (RS-Jr.)
9. Jordan Thompson SS (Jr.)
10. Blake Money RHP (Jr.)
2024 MLB Draft
1. Tommy White 3B (So.)
2. Thatcher Hurd RHP (So.)
3. Paxton Kling CF (Fr.)*
4. Jared Jones 1B (Fr.)*
5. Nate Ackenhausen LHP (So.)
2025 MLB Draft
1. Chase Shores RHP (Fr.)
2. Paxton Kling CF (Fr.)
3. Jared Jones 1B (Fr.)
4. Brady Neal C (Fr.)
5. Jaden Noot RHP (Fr.)
*Draft eligible sophomore
This post was edited on 2/10/23 at 8:27 am
Posted on 2/1/23 at 5:46 am to Adam4848
Projected SEC Standings and Schedules
SEC East
Tennessee 22-8
Florida 19-11
Vanderbilt 17-13
South Carolina 16-14
Georgia 14-16
Missouri 9-21
Kentucky 8-22
LSU 21-9
Texas A&M 18-12
Ole Miss 16-14
Arkansas 15-15
Auburn 13-17
Mississippi St 12-18
Alabama 10-20
SEC Champion - Tennessee
SEC Tournament Champion - LSU
SEC East
Tennessee 22-8
Florida 19-11
Vanderbilt 17-13
South Carolina 16-14
Georgia 14-16
Missouri 9-21
Kentucky 8-22
LSU 21-9
Texas A&M 18-12
Ole Miss 16-14
Arkansas 15-15
Auburn 13-17
Mississippi St 12-18
Alabama 10-20
SEC Champion - Tennessee
SEC Tournament Champion - LSU
This post was edited on 2/10/23 at 7:57 am
Posted on 2/1/23 at 5:48 am to Adam4848
Me waiting for the empty posts to be filled in
Posted on 2/1/23 at 5:59 am to SulphursFinest
Can you not be an arse and delete your post?
Posted on 2/1/23 at 6:00 am to Adam4848
My favorite thread of the year. I woke up before my alarm like it was Christmas morning.
Posted on 2/1/23 at 6:02 am to Adam4848
Posted on 2/1/23 at 6:10 am to Adam4848
February 1st!!!! Let’s geauxxxxxxx
Posted on 2/1/23 at 6:18 am to Adam4848
Let’s GEAUX!!!
This post was edited on 2/1/23 at 6:19 am
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