LSU's 2023 baseball season will be one Tiger fans will always remember as LSU brought their seventh national championship back to Baton Rouge. Now in 2024, LSU has to replace lots of production, starting with none other than the top two selections in the 2023 MLB draft, Dylan Crews and Paul Skenes. D1Baseball has LSU ranked number 4 and Perfect Game has the Tigers ranked number 3 coming into the season. The SEC is loaded this season as eight teams are ranked in the top 25, and LSU has to play six of those teams.

COACHING CHANGES

For the second time in as many seasons, LSU is having to bring in a new pitching coach as Wes Johnson left LSU to become the head coach at the University of Georgia. Jay Johnson turned to a familiar face by bringing in Nate Yeskie. Yeskie has been coaching for nearly twenty years now. Before coaching, Nate Yeskie was the 9th round selection by the Minnesota Twins in 1996, he spent five seasons pitching in the Twins organization. Yeskie started his coaching career at UNLV, where he played his college ball, in 2005. He became Oregon State's pitching coach in 2009, and he would stay there until 2019. In 2019 he would become Jay Johnson's pitching coach at Arizona. He has spent the previous two seasons at Texas A&M as their pitching coach. Coach Yeskie has quite the résumé, in 2017 he was named D1Baseball's Assistant Coach of the Year. In 2018 he helped Oregon State win a national championship. He is the only assistant coach to be a part of three different programs that have gone to the College World Series (Oregon State, Arizona, Texas A&M). In a Baseball America poll of 70 head coaches, he was the voted as the top assistant coach in the nation. He has coached 99 draft picks, 20 big leaguers, and multiple award winners.

Coach Jay Johnson has added Terry Rooney to the staff as the Associate Director of Program Development and Recruiting. Rooney was previously part of the Tiger's coaching staff in 2007 and 2008. He left LSU to become the head coach at the University of Central Florida for eight seasons, he would rack up 261 victories in that time. He was Alabama's associate head coach and interim head coach in 2017. He would become the pitching coach at the University of Houston from 2019 to 2021. Most recently, he was Purdue's recruiting coordinator and pitching coach the past two seasons. He has recruited some guys baseball fans may have heard of, Justin Verlander, DJ LeMahieu, and Anthony Ranaudo.

Another addition to the staff is Brent Haring, LSU's new Director of Operations. Haring replaces Josh Simpson who followed Wes Johnson to the University of Georgia. Brent Haring was a part of BYU's baseball staff since 2012. The past two seasons he was the Cougar's associate head coach. While at BYU he helped develop many All Conference, All Region, and All American players. In 2016, 2017, and 2019 BYU won the regular season West Coast Conference title, along with winning the conference tournament in 2017.

NEW LOOK TIGERS?

LSU had a top ten high school recruiting class along with a top five transfer class. The Tigers recruiting class is anchored down by probable two way player Jake Brown, who was the top high school prospect in Louisiana, and the 18th ranked left handed pitcher in the nation. Get familiar with Jake Brown quick Tiger fans. Cam Johnson is an exciting incoming Freshman he was the 11th ranked overall prospect coming out of high school. Steven Milam, the 32nd ranked shortstop in the country, looks to add some depth in the infield. Ashton Larson the number 78th overall prospect in the country will play some outfield for the Tigers.

Coach Johnson adds a familiar face in Mac Bingham from Arizona. Bingham was an All Pac 12 player for the Wildcats. Michael Braswell III transfers from South Carolina, where he was a Freshman All SEC performer. Luke Holman transfers over from Alabama where he was the top starting pitcher for the Crimson Tide.

Fun Fact: Luke Holman was the pitcher who was pulled due to "back issues" against LSU in the Brad Bohannon alleged sports betting saga.

RECOVERING TIGERS

Pitcher Chase Shores looks to return at some time during the season as he recovers from Tommy John Surgery. Shores suffered a torn UCL in April 2023. Chase showed lots of promise for the Tigers last season. Jaden Noot, who has yet to see the mound in a Tiger uniform, was injured before last season is another pitcher that should be ready for the 2023 season. Noot was the 33rd ranked prospect in 2022. Fan favorite Tommy White had offseason shoulder surgery. White, who played through a lot of pain last season, missed all of fall practice, but Tommy should be ready for the start of the 2024 season.

NUMBER 8

Number 8 for LSU baseball goes to a true leader on and off the field since it began in 2009. Think of it as LSU football's number 18 .. but on the diamond. This year the honor goes to Hayden Travinski. Hayden has been a part of the team since 2020. He recently graduated in the spring of 2023. Hayden has played and will continue to play multiple positions for the Tigers.

MY PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

C: Alex Milazzo - a true leader behind the plate, brings contact and a great glove (Look for Brady Neal, Hayden Travinski, and Ethan Frey to get time behind the plate)

1B: Jared Jones - ton of power and very experienced (Hayden Travinski, Ethan Frey, and Jake Brown may see time at 1st)

2B: Josh Pearson - very experienced, ton of speed, and a big arm (Steven Milam, Ben Nippolt, and Gavin Guidry may see time up the middle)

SS: Michael Braswell III - sure glove up the middle (Steven Milam, Ben Nippolt, and Gavin Guidry may see time here as well)

3B: Tommy White - big arm, power, contact, a sure glove, and a load of SWAG (Jared Jones, Ben Nippolt, and Brady Neal may see time at the hot corner)

RF: Paxton Kling - very experienced, has a powerful arm, along with lots of speed (Mic Paul, Zeb Ruddell, and Ashton Larson can fill in any position in the outfield)

CF: Mac Bingham - All Pac 12, a great glove, can hit for contact and power

LF: Jake Brown - Louisiana High School Player of the Year, 10-2 record 1.71 ERA, and .336 BA, 7 HR, and 20 stolen bases, brings all five tools to the field

DH: Hayden Travinski - very experienced brings a big arm and a power bat to the lineup (Jared Jones and Ethen Frey could see time here as well)

ROTATION

Thatcher Hurd - look for Thatcher to have a big season for the Tigers

Luke Holman - very experienced in the SEC, finished 2nd in WHIP, 3rd in opponent batting average, and 3rd in hits per nine innings in the conference in 2023

Javen Coleman - very experienced in all roles, solid all around pitcher

Gage Jump - didn't pitch in 2023, has started and closed in his college career

RELIEVERS

Aiden Moffett - touched the upper 90s in the fall

Nate Ackenhausen - can pitch a short or long outing for the Tigers

Chase Shores - may see some starts later in the season

Jaden Noot - may see some starts at some point

Christian Little - has pitched in all roles for the Tigers

Kade Woods - the Alabama transfer has started and pitched in relief in his college career

Cam Johnson - can be a potential starter at some time during the season

Kade Anderson - can touch the mid 90s, an exciting young pitcher

Griffin Herring - very experienced has pitched in all roles

Will Hellmers - brings a ton of experience to the staff

Samuel Dutton - may see some starts at some point

SET UP AND CLOSERS

Gavin Guidry - can play the field or pitch, brings a load of confidence to the field and an experienced closer

Justin Loer - the Xavier transfer notched 7 saves last season, 2nd team All Big East

RECORD PREDICTION

Last season, I was one game off of LSU's regular season record. I like to do best case, worst case, and what I believe will happen.

Best Case: 50-6

Worst Case: 34-22

Prediction: 43-13

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