Poptart_Huran

Any idea the cost of getting the top High School catcher on to the team vs portal guys? Every year since the portal became a real thing, the catchers available have felt insane. Last year's portal had:

Carson Tinney
Alex Sosa
Garrett Wright
Mark Quatrani
Mack Whitcomb and Tagger Tyson got injured but are good, plus others.

For 2025 we didn't even get a top portal C, but Luis Hernandez started over our big HS guy Arrambide and was invaluable. Obviously Arrambide and Serna are great, but is it worth the $ to risk a HS catcher when they are hard to evaluate and every year elite dudes are entering the portal?

Ya'll probably already read this stuff, but I didn't realize that NIL deals will still be allowed and not take from the capped revenue sharing pool of that school as long as the Deloitte clearinghouse ensures it maintains a "fair market value".

It seems that programs like LSU in Baseball will be able to utilize their sport-specific brand to gain an edge in securing funding for their players.

from this article

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Take a player like Cooper Flagg at Duke. His brand value would be considered high for Duke, which could allow the school to pay him for an endorsement without pulling from their revenue-sharing money.

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Ethan Conrad from Wake Forest entered the portal. He is ranked 28th on MLB's prospect rankings, so it's entirely just a draft backup plan. Weird, but maybe it's not notable anymore as I am guessing that sort of move will become more common.

I wonder how Jay gauges a player's interest for the more fringe draft guys though, that Creighton pitcher from a couple of years ago, for instance, seemed like he was going pro no matter what and we were just leverage.

Would be an A+ hire all things considered, but damn I feel like every time I watch Virginia in the postseason they are leaving out a bullpen arm waaaay too long and blowing games. Thankful that Jay has an amazing feel for pinch-hitting & our bullpens.

Also, is it me or do people underrate Butch Thompson? seemed like MSU fans wouldn't have been thrilled with that hire. Skip Johnson from OU as well to a lesser extent.

1. LSU: 16.5 WAR - 11 Players
Paul Skenes (5.9), Alex Bregman (4.1), Aaron Nola (3.6), Josh Smith (3.2), Kevin Gausman (0.9), Dylan Crews (0.6), Jake Fraley (0.3), Hunter Feduccia (0.1), Jaden Hill (0), Alex Lange (-0.6), DJ LeMahieu (-1.6)

2. Florida: 15.3 WAR - 14 Players
Wyatt Langford (3.9), Brady Singer (3.1), Jacob Young (2.8), Pete Alonso (2.6), Jonathan India (1.7), A.J. Puk (1.4), Harrison Bader (0.9), Alex Faedo (0.6), Christian Scott (0.3), Kirby Snead (0), Danny Young (-0.2), Dane Dunning (-0.6), Shaun Anderson (-0.6), Hurston Waldrep (-0.6)

3. Vanderbilt: 11.6 WAR - 17 Players
Dansby Swanson (4.0), Bryan Reynolds (3.6), Mike Yastrzemski (2.1), JJ Bleday (2.1), Sonny Gray (1.8), Collin Snider (0.9), Carson Fulmer (0.8), Tyler Ferguson (0.7), Curt Casali (0.3), Jason Delay (0.1), Kumar Rocker (0), Jake Eder(0), Tony Kemp (-0.2), Tyler Beede (-0.7), Austin Martin (-1.0), Walker Buehler (-1.3), Jack Leiter (-1.6)

4. Mississippi State: 8.7 WAR - 10 Players
Brent Rooker (5.6), Nathaniel Lowe (2.7), Jordan Westburg (2.4), J.T. Ginn (0.5), Adam Frazier (0.3), Hunter Renfroe (0), J.P. France (-0.5), Chris Stratton (-0.7), Justin Foscue (-0.7), Dakota Hudson (-0.9)

5. Texas A&M: 5.6 WAR - 9 Players
Michael Wacha (3.5), Bryce Miller (3.4), A.J. Minter (1.1), Michael Helman (0.1), Zach DeLoach (-0.1), Stephen Kolek (-0.2), Brooks Raley (-0.5), Braden Shewmake (-0.6), Ross Stripling (-1.1)

5. Missouri: 5.6 WAR - 6 Players
Tanner Houck (3.5), Kyle Gibson (0.9), Pete Fairbanks (0.8), Max Scherzer (0.4), Rob Zastryzny (0.3), Kameron Misner (-0.3)

7. South Carolina: 5.1 WAR - 6 Players
Christian Walker (2.6), Clarke Schmidt (2.0), Jonah Bride (0.8), Carmen Mlodzinski (0.8), Whit Merrifield (0.3), Jordan Montgomery (-1.4)

8. Tennessee: 4.1 WAR - 6 Players
Garret Crochet (4.1), Ben Joyce (1.7), Seth Halvorsen (0.6), Trey Lipscomb (-0.1), Jordan Beck (-0.8), Nick Senzel (-1.4)

9. Alabama: 3.1 WAR - 4 Players
David Robertson (1.7), Spencer Turnbull (1.2), Matt Foster (0.3), Tyler Gentry (-0.1)

10. Oklahoma: 1.8 WAR - 6 Players
Jake Irvin (1.9), Jon Gray (0.5), Kyle Tyler (0.3), Burch Smith (-0.1), Steven Okert (-0.2), Chase Anderson (-0.6)

11. Texas: 0.9 WAR - 9 Players
David Hamilton (2.6), Kody Clemens (0.3), Chase Shugart (0), Duke Ellis (-0.1), Ty Madden (-0.1), John Curtiss (-0.2), Blair Henley (-0.3), Hoby Milner (-0.6), Bryce Elder (-0.7)

12. Georgia: 0.8 WAR - 7 Players
Jonathan Cannon (1.9), Aaron Schunk (0.2), Zac Kristofak (0), Jared Walsh (-0.2), Alex Wood (-0.2), Kyle Farmer (-0.3), Emerson Hancock (-0.6)

13. Auburn -0.2 WAR - 11 Players
Keegan Thompson (0.6), Richard Fitts (0.6), Ryan Bliss (0.4), Casey Mize (0.1), Daniel Robert (0.1), Joshua Palacios (-0.1), Edouard Julien (-0.2), Trey Wingenter (-0.2), Bailey Horn (-0.3), Davis Daniel (-0.4), Garrett Cooper (-0.8)

14. Ole Miss: -0.6 WAR - 5 Players
Lance Lynn (0.3), Nick Fortes (0), Jacob Waguespack (-0.1), Grae Kessinger (-0.3), James McArthur (-0.5)

15. Kentucky: -0.8 WAR - 7 Players
Taylor Rogers (1.1), Sean Hjelle (0.6), James Paxton (0.1), Zach Logue (-0.2), Luke Maile (-0.5), Zack Thompson (-0.6), Zach Pop (-1.3)

16. Arkansas: -2.1 WAR - 11 Players
James McCann (0.7), Heston Kjerstad (0.4), Drew Smyly (0), Dallas Keuchel (0), Jalen Beeks (0), Grant Koch (-0.1), Brian Anderson (-0.2), Dominic Fletcher (-0.3), Ryne Stanek (-0.6), Andrew Benintendi (-0.8), Isiah Campbell (-1.2)

-Format-
(Last year @ LSU) Player Name [Perfect Game National Ranking] —> Destination
__________________________________________________________________

2024 LSU Record: 43-23 [#15 RPI] / 13-17 SEC [#11] / SEC Tournament Final / Regional Final

Transfers
(JR) Sam Dutton [PG-332]—> Auburn
(SO) Paxton Kling [PG-19]—> Penn State
(SO) Brady Neal [PG-29] —> Alabama
(SO) Aiden Moffet [PG-193]—> Texas
(SO) Micah Bucknam [PG-235]—> DBU
(RS-FR) Trenton Lape [PG-132] —> Chipola College
(RS-FR) Nic Bronzini [PG-153]—> Washington
(RS-FR) Zeb Ruddell [PG-295]—> Louisiana Tech
(FR) Cam Johnson [PG-11]—> Oklahoma
(FR) Derrick Mitchell [PG-187]—> Austin Peay
(FR) Austen Roellig [PG-234]—> Utah
(FR) Ryan Kucherak [PG-500]—> Northwestern
(RS-SO) Trevor Schmidt [PG-500] <—> Fullerton College

Staff
Brent Haring —> HC Nichols
Drew Finley —> PC Nichols
Terry Rooney —> PC South Carolina
Jeremy McMillan —> S&C Texas A&M (again)

__________________________________________________________________

2023 LSU Record: 54-17 [#1 RPI] / 19-10 SEC [#3] / National Champions

Transfers
(RS-JR) Jason Bollman [PG-HF]—> Oklahoma
1.2 IP | 16.20 ERA | 4 K | 5 BB | 4.800 WHIP
--> Pioneer League

(RS-SO) Kaleb Applebey [PG-319] —> Austin Peay
No Stats 2024

(SO) Josh Stevenson [PG-500]—> Ohio State
212 PA | .259/.366/.365 | 10 SB | 30 K | 1 HR
—> South Alabama

Staff
Wes Johnson —> HC Georgia
43-17 [#7 RPI] / 17-13 SEC [#6] / Super Regional

Josh Simpson —> AC Georgia --> AC LSU
__________________________________________________________

2022 LSU Record: 40-22 [#17 RPI] / 17-13 SEC [#4] / Regional Final

Transfers
(RS-SO) Jacob Hasty [PG-443] —> Missouri—> UT-Arlington
34 IP | 5.56 ERA | 18 K | 15 BB | 1.706 WHIP

(RS-SO) Collier Cranford [PG-500] —> Kansas
243 PA | .274/.328/.433 | 5 SB | 42 K | 5 HR

(SO) Brody Drost [PG-100] —> Louisiana Tech
52 PA | .183/.327/.279 | 0 SB | 17 K | 1 HR

(SO) Michael Fowler [PG-186] —> Tulane
No Stats 2024

(SO) Will Safford [PG-500] —> Louisiana Tech
170 PA | .199/.329/.389 | 3 SB | 37 K | 7 HR

(SO) Alex Brady —> Central Washington (DII)
64.2 IP | 5.43 ERA | 63 K | 23 BB | 1.562 WHIP

(FR) Luke Leto [PG-103] —> Kansas
60 PA | .261/.433/.478 | 1 SB | 17 K | 2 HR
—> Toledo

(FR) Anthony Priester [PG-376] —> Meridian CC
212 PA | .377/.505/.753 | 6 SB | 35 K | 14 HR
—> LSU

(FR) Brennan Holt [PG-383] —> Oklahoma State —> South Alabama
245 PA | .266/.383/.394 | 20 SB | 52 K | 3 HR

(RS-JR) Giovanni DiGiacomo [PG-500] —> Duke —> Frontier League
(RS-JR) Drew Bianco [PG-238] —> Houston—> Life
(SO) Cale Lansville[PG-85]—> San Jacinto (TX)—> SF Round 14

Staff
Dan Fitzgerald —> HC Kansas
31-23 [#71 RPI] / 15-15 Big 12 [#7]

Jason Kelly —> HC Washington
19-31-1 [#160 RPI] / 10-20 Pac 12 [#9]
—> PC Texas A&M
__________________________________________________________

2021 LSU Record: 38-25 [#19 RPI] / 13-17 SEC [#9] / Super Regional (Paul Mainieri)

Transfers

(SO) Mitchell Sanford [PG-500] —> UT-Arlington—> UNO
263 PA | .381/.460/.708 | 18 SB | 46 K | 15 HR
—> Ole Miss

(FR) Theo Millas [PG-199] —> West Virginia —> Nevada
32.2 IP | 3.58 ERA | 22 K | 6 BB | 1.255 WHIP

(FR) Brooks Rice [PG-343] —> Northwest Mississippi Community College —> Samford
42.2 IP | 6.33 | 38 K | 26 BB | 1.688 WHIP

(SR) Brandon Kaminer [PG-500] —> Georgia State—> Pioneer League
(SO) Maurice Hampton [PG-23] —> Samford—> Memphis—> Vanderbilt Football (2024)
(SO) Zach Arnold [PG-500] —> Houston —> PHI Round 14

_______________________________________________________________________

Note: LSU will face 7 former players and 5 of CJJ’s previous LSU assistants (plus Paul Mainieri) in the 2025 regular season

That’s with us missing Sanford at Ole Miss and Wes at Georgia

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I just don't think we have the same kind of redshirt candidates we did last year, barring injury

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I know this is in regard to cutting down spots, but it's also going to be interesting since, paraphrasing a bit, Jay mentioned that he felt there were too many players in the playing time mix this past year. Sounded like he wanted to have a more focused approach if he could.

I personally hope he follows through, and maybe instead of getting certain guys minimal playing time he bites the bullet and redshirts fringe players to give them a potential extra year of eligibility/ draft leverage. Something I wish he did with Frey his freshman year for instance. I do wonder if Moffet would still be here if he had another year of leverage instead of pitching a single inning his freshman year (I don't blame Jay though because we were desperate for arms at the time). Some guys may leave, but some leave anyways like Kucherak.

But also redshirt rules really are stupid af.

The timing of this one specifically is very strange given exit meetings happened last week, and Jay just mentioned Neal as a guy he was excited to have next year. He seemed confident he would return- plus our portal activity doesn't indicate LSU planned at all for a Neal exit either. Even if he's selling Jones as a catcher you'd think we'd be connected to more guys just in case. Jay might as well have been handing Neal the starting job. All this to say best of luck to Neal but sounds like he's looking for something Jay can't compromise the team for. I don't blame guys for looking out for themselves but Jay is here to run a program and help build a team. Best of luck to Neal and all these other guys who helped LSU win a championship, but if a guy isn't "happy" or feel "taken care of" when Jay has bent over backwards to get them involved then it's probably for the best they look elsewhere anyways.

Interesting comment about a few portal exits that had told Jay they were staying and then left anyways. But also damn, Jay is such a professional. I love the pride he has in his guys, even the ones who left. Good to hear him confident about Neal coming back. Him and Pearson really just need Tommy to show them how to hit a ball oppo lol

Meanwhile Aiden Moffett has 19 total pitches and 0 IP and loses a whole year. Definitely glad they got theirs but the NCAA really needs to rework redshirts. Football players can play 1/3 of the regular season plus bowl and maintain theirs, baseball needs something similar. I say just have everyone have 5 years tbh, it would be better for the sport and players. Then increase travel roster limits for the tournament from only 27

0 popups in 183 plate appearances for Braswell is wild, looking at d1 only 6 people with 150+ PA did that in 2023. Most impressive one of those is Alexander Olivo (Texas Southern) with 228 PA and still had an OPS of 1.204 sheesh