Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with LSU legend Kramer Robertson. Kramer was kind enough to give me some of his time. Take us back to Midway High School; talk to us about your recruitment process. Kramer: My recruiting process actually started pretty early after I attended Texas A&M and then LSU baseball camps in 9th grade. Things picked up after my sophomore summer, with more teams starting to recruit me. I ended up going on 3 visits my junior year, which were A&M, Ole Miss, and LSU, before obviously choosing LSU around Christmas time that year. Talk to us about your adjustment to college baseball. Kramer: The adjustment to college in general was tough for me. My entire freshman fall, like lots of kids, I was just homesick. I actually hit really well that fall but still felt like I couldn't do anything right. I was your typical freshman just trying to survive each day. Talk to us about your freshman season in 2014. Kramer: My freshman season had ups and downs. For the first time in my career, I was dealing with being in and out of the lineup and really, failure as well. These were such vital lessons for me as I went on later in my career. Talk to us about that SportsCenter Top 10 catch against Grambling State University. Kramer: The catch against Grambling is still one of my favorite baseball memories. First career start, I was so nervous I remember my legs shaking in the first inning. I had made those catches countless times as a young kid in my yard pretending I was on SportsCenter, so to do it in my first career game was truly surreal. In 2016 you burst onto the scene, seeing time at shortstop and 2nd base. You hit .324 and helped lead the team to the College World Series. Talk to us about your junior season. Kramer: My junior season is where it finally all clicked for me. My first two seasons didn't go exactly how I had hoped, but I had learned so much and felt physically better than ever. Week 3 I got moved to shortstop and never missed another game there the rest of my career. I felt like the experience we gained as a team in 2016 really set the tone for what we knew would be a special 2017 team. In 2017 you start all 72 games at shortstop; talk to us about that season. Kramer: We knew going into 2017 we were going to be super talented. 4 of us turned down real money in the draft to come back for another season with a talented class coming in. It really was one of the best teams you could ever be a part of. We were such good friends away from the field, and we were a damn good baseball team. From offense to defense to pitching, we were stacked. I still lose sleep to this day thinking about losing that national championship. Take us back to the 2016 Arkansas series. You guys sweep the Razorbacks, but 2 things happen in that series. Talk to us about the "Rally Possum" and your busted lip. Kramer: Yeah, the famous Rally Possum game that was for everyone, except me (haha). But yeah, obviously, I got smoked in the mouth, and it was gruesome, but there was just no way I was coming out of the game. Ironically, it just happened to be in a famous 9-2 comeback win on national TV, so it blew up, and everyone got to see how ugly I looked that night. I got the game winning hit and had to try to do interviews with that fat lip. It was pretty awful, but a fun memory now. In 2017 you were selected in the 4th round of the MLB draft; talk to us about the draft process. Kramer: Getting drafted was another feeling I'll never forget. It was something I thought and dreamed about so much as a kid. I could not believe this was my reality. So many people had helped me get to that point, and it was really rewarding to see all of their reactions. It was all of our moment. What is your opinion on Coach Mainieri at South Carolina? Kramer: Coach Mainieri has had the greatest impact of anyone on my baseball career. I love that man. I wish him nothing but success, except when they play LSU. What is your opinion on the LSU baseball program today? Kramer: LSU baseball is in a great place and exactly where it should be - competing for national championships. Jay understands the expectations here, and he's absolutely crushing it. LSU baseball is here to stay. What is it like having Kim Mulkey, a living legend, as a mother? Kramer: Things have always been a bit more public having Kim Mulkey as your mom, but that helped prepare me for my own career later in life. But outside of the public, she's so cool; we have a great relationship. Things are better since she's been at LSU, but that's okay; she hasn't changed one bit and never will. I'm so grateful for her. What is Kramer Robertson up to nowadays? Kramer: I am now working in the LSU athletic administration. My official title is the sports performance analyst, but I will be doing many different things in the department. Looking forward to being back at LSU. Plug your social media handle; tell everyone where they can find you. Kramer: @kramerrobertson Follow me on X (the artist formerly known as Twitter): @eazytro

78°. Cloudy. A brisk wind towards centerfield. This was the recipe for another dominant performance by the LSU Fighting Tigers on Saturday. After a 14-0 shutout on Friday of Purdue - Fort Wayne, the #2 ranked Tigers found their way to a Saturday W by routing the Mastodons 10-1. Rocking the beloved all-white with pinstripes, LSU sent 11,000 fans home happy as they move to 2-0 on the season. UC - San Diego transfer Anthony Eyanson got the nod on the mound. The 6’2 right-handed junior didn’t have the fastest start to the game, hitting one batter in the 1st, and allowing two hits in the 2nd. However, he also showed why Jay Johnson brought him to Baton Rouge. His fastball lived in the mid-90’s, and he was able to get out of multiple jams. While he didn’t peform at the same level Kade Anderson did on Friday, he still heavily impressed in his first start in a Tiger uniform. In all, Eyanson saw 5.0 innings, struck out 6, allowed 4 hits, and no walks. In relief, junior Connor Benge came out firing. Going 1 and 2/3 innings, the Dallas Baptist transfer struck out three and walked one on base. He was relieved by sophomore DJ Primeaux. Primeaux was lights out in his season debut, striking out three batters before handing the ball to freshman Mavrick Rizy. The new man on campus made it look effortless, closing out the game with three quick outs, including 2 K’s and securing the win for LSU. At the plate, the Tigers continued their Friday onslaught. Utah Valley transfer and starting 2B Daniel Dickinson gave the Tigers their first home run of the season in the 1st inning, bringing home Bear Jones who walked the previous at-bat. After that, it wouldn’t be until the 5th inning that LSU would score again. However, they more than made up for that scoring drought. Back-to-back homers by Derek Curiel and Jared Jones brought across three runs for the home team. The hits continued as Ethan Frey started off the 6th with a single. Josh Pearson walked right after, and Michael Braswell brought Pearson across with an RBI double. The Tigers added on two runs in the 7th after PFW pitching fell apart, walking one home and allowing another run on a wild pitch. Ashton Larson pinch hit for Braswell, and hit a 2-RBI single through the middle of the infield to give LSU back-to-back days of double digit runs. Plate vision was the story as LSU walked 7 times, not including their 4 times hit by pitch, and didn’t go down on strikes until the 5th inning. The Tigers transfer class came to play to start the season, which is all you can ask for their first weekend in Alex Box. Between Eyanson and Benge’s powerful performances as well as Dickinson’s early homer, you can tell Jay Johnson and his staff were intentional in the portal. Even Auburn transfer Chris Stanfield got in on the action, showing off his next-level speed beating out a grounder to the shortstop in the 5th and stealing a bag in the 7th. As for the freshmen, Derek Curiel showed why he was hailed as the Preseason SEC Freshman of the Year. A 2-out homer sparked some life into the Tigers and elicited a huge reaction from Alex Box. He had expectations coming into this year, and he met them on Saturday. The 2-0 Tigers will finish their series with the Mastodons on Sunday. Look for Chase Shores to take the mound and for the Tigers continue with their bats on fire. Make sure to follow me @therealbduhon and @offthe_domepod on X and follow The Kneaux as well @beinthekneaux.

The 2025 LSU baseball season begins Friday, February 14th at 2:00 PM as the Tigers begin a 3 game series against Purdue Fort Wayne in Alex Box Stadium. The Tigers are returning a lot of contributors from last season, but they do have some production to replace. LSU comes into the season ranked #3 by D1Baseball. Once again, the SEC is loaded, having 9 teams in the top 25. Throughout the season, LSU is taking on 7 top 25 opponents. The Tigers were picked to finish 4th in the SEC by the SEC coaches, but according to DraftKings, LSU has the 2nd best odds to make it to the College World Series. This will be a fun season. Buckle up, Tiger fans! Coach Jay Johnson is entering his 4th season as the Tigers head coach. Johnson comes into the 2025 season with 137 wins at LSU and 454 wins throughout his coaching career. For the 1st time in his time at LSU, Jay Johnson has a pitching coach returning for a 2nd season. This will help the Tiger pitching staff tremendously. The coaching staff did lose Terry Rooney to South Carolina and Brent Haring to Nicholls. The Tigers have added Josh Simpson to the staff as an assistant coach. Simpson returns to LSU, where he last was the director of baseball operations in 2023. Simpson spent 2024 as an assistant coach at Georgia. 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 Gavin Guidry. Gavin has been a part of some big time moments for the Tigers. He always provides a much needed spark. NEWCOMERS According to Baseball America, LSU has the #1 newcomer class in the country. Let's get familiar with the new Tigers. Transfers Grant Fontenot - RHP, R-JR - Fontenot returns to LSU after pitching at McLennan Community College in 2023 and at Texas in 2024. He had a 2.45 ERA with 14 strikeouts last season. Deven Sheerin - RHP, SO - Sheerin spent last season at Mount St. Mary’s. Baseball America ranked Deven as the #8 transfer. Deven had the most strikeouts in the conference last season with 109. He was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year, was named 1st team All-MAAC, and was a 2nd Team Freshman All American. Deven suffered a torn ACL in late 2024. Connor Benge - RHP, JR - Benge spent last season at Dallas Baptist, where he had 35 strikeouts. Connor spent 2023 at LSU Eunice, where he was named a 3rd Team All American. He had the 2nd most wins at his level. He posted a 2.82 ERA, 86 strikeouts, and 11 wins. Chandler Dorsey - RHP, JR - Chandler spent the last 2 seasons at South Florida, where he struck out 71 batters. He held opposing hitters to a .180 batting average. He had 8 saves last season. Baseball America ranked Dorsey as the #22 transfer. D1Baseball ranked Chandler as the #132 draft prospect. Jacob Mayers - RHP, JR - Jacob spent the last 2 seasons at Nicholls, where he won 14 games and only had 2 losses. He had a 3.26 ERA and 211 strikeouts. Mayes was named ABCA/Rawlings 2nd Team All South Region in 2024, and he was named NCBWA National Freshman Pitcher of the Year in 2023. Baseball America ranked Mayers as the #17 transfer, and Perfect Game ranked Jacob as the #81 junior in the nation. Dalton Beck - OF/1B/LHP, SR - Beck spent 2022 at Grayson College, where he posted 7 wins and 75 strikeouts. He hit .380, 9 HRs, 34 RBI, and 11 stolen bases. He spent 2023 at Kansas State, where he struck out 3 batters. In 2024, Beck was at Incarnate Word, where he was named the Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year. He has .377, 18 HRs, and 67 RBI. He led the conference in slugging percentage, hits, HRs, and RBI. Baseball America ranked Beck as the #34 transfer. Edward Yamin IV - C/1B, JR - Yamin has spent the last 2 seasons at Dayton, where he hit .284, 18 HRs, and 73 RBI. Zac Cowan - RHP, JR - Cowan spent the last 2 seasons at Wofford, where he posted 13 wins, 3 complete games, 2 saves, 178 strikeouts, and a 4.35 ERA. Zac was named 1st Team All Southern Conference and 2nd Team ABCA All-Region. Baseball America ranked Cowan as the #23 transfer. Anthony Eyanson - RHP, JR - Anthony has been named the Saturday starter for the Tigers. Eyanson spent the last 2 seasons at UC San Diego, where he posted 8 wins, a 3.41 ERA, 1 complete game, 1 save, and 119 strikeouts. He was named 2nd Team All Big West last season. Baseball America ranked Eyanson as the #4 transfer. Perfect Game ranked Anthony as the #87 junior in the country. Luis Hernandez - Utility, SR - Hernandez spent the last 3 seasons at Indiana State, where he hit .314, 32 HRs, and 120 RBI. In 2023, he was named to the MVC All Tournament team. In 2024, he was named ABCA/Rawlings 2nd Team All Midwest Region, 1st Team All MVC, and MVC All Defensive Team. D1Baseball ranked Hernandez as the #10 catcher in the nation. Perfect Game ranked Hernandez as the #6 senior in the nation. Daniel Dickinson - IF, JR - Daniel has been named the starting 2nd baseman for the Tigers. He was selected as a preseason 2nd Team All SEC member. Daniel spent the last 2 seasons at Utah Valley, where he hit .369, 171 hits, 27 HRs, and 95 RBI. Daniel was a 1st Team All WAC selection last season. D1Baseball ranked Dickinson as the #3 2nd baseman in the country. Perfect Game ranked him as the #34 junior. Baseball America ranked Dickinson as the #2 transfer. Chris Stanfield - OF, JR - Chris spent the last 2 seasons at Auburn, where he hit .278, 97 hits, 7 HRs, 47 RBI, and 18 stolen bases. Baseball America ranked Stanfield as the #79 transfer. Conner Ware - LHP, JR - Conner spent the last 2 seasons at Pearl River Community College, where he posted a 1.69 ERA, 3 wins, 2 saves, and 49 strikeouts. Perfect Game ranked him as the #79 junior in the country. Tanner Reaves - IF, R-JR - Tanner spent the last 2 seasons at Blinn College, where he hit .398, 28 HRs, 142 RBI, and 25 stolen bases. Reaves won a national championship at Blinn. He was named 1st Team JUCO All American and Region XIV Conference Player of the Year. Blaise Priester - C, R-JR - Blaise spent 2022 on the LSU roster before transferring to Meridian Community College, where he spent the last 2 seasons. He hit .368, 24 HRs, and 101 RBI. Freshmen Cade Arrambide - C - Arrambide was the Texas Gatorade Player of the Year. Cade was ranked as MLB.com’s #1 high school catcher. In 2024, he hit .430, 12 HRs, and 35 RBI while leading the team to a state championship. Derek Curiel - OF - Derek was named the SEC Preseason Freshman of the Year by D1Baseball. Perfect Game ranked Derek as the #1 freshman. Derek was the #10 recruit in the nation according to Perfect Game. He hit .314 and stole 19 bases during his senior season. He was a 4 time All American in high school, and he was named Player of the Year twice by Perfect Game. William Schmidt - RHP - Perfect Game ranked William as the #4 freshman. William was ranked as MLB.com’s #16 overall draft prospect. He won Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year. He posted a 9-0 record, with a 0.44 ERA, and 102 strikeouts while leading his team to a state championship last season. Mikey Ryan - IF - Mikey participated in the 2024 MLB Draft combine. Perfect Game ranked Mikey as the #1 SS in Louisiana and the #113 overall prospect in 2024. He is the #69 ranked freshman according to Perfect Game. David Hogg II - David participated in the 2024 MLB Draft combine. He was named All State and All American. Perfect Game ranked David as the #79 high school recruit and the #21 SS in the country. Casan Evans - RHP/Utility - Casan will mainly serve as a pitcher at LSU. Casan threw 3 no hitters in high school. Perfect Game ranked him as the #19 SS in the country. He was named 2nd Team All TX. He is the #26 ranked freshman according to Perfect Game. Cooper Williams - LHP - Cooper had a career ERA of 1.34, with 10 wins and 152 strikeouts. Perfect Game ranked him as the #12 LHP and the #67 ranked freshman in the nation. Ryan Costello - 1B - Perfect Game ranked Ryan as the #92 overall recruit and the #32 freshman in the nation. Ryan hit 14 HRs, 34 RBI, and a .562 batting average his senior year. John Pearson - OF/3B - John led West Monroe to a state championship last season while hitting .378, 6 HRs, and 45 RBI. Perfect Game ranked him as the #6 recruit in Louisiana. He is the younger brother of teammate Josh Pearson. Mavrick Rizy - RHP - Mavrick participated in the MLB Draft combine. Perfect Game ranked him as the #1 recruit in Massachusetts and the #36 ranked freshman in the nation. RETURNERS Gavin Guidry - RHP, JR - For the 2nd season in a row, Gavin has been named to the Preseason Stopper of the Year watchlist. Gavin was named Preseason 1st Team All SEC. Mic Paul - OF, R-SO - Mic received a medical redshirt last season. He will provide quality outfield depth. Ethan Frey - OF/1B, JR - Look for Ethan to get playing time in the outfield, 1st base, and designated hitter. He has done this throughout his time with the Tigers. Josh Pearson - OF, SR - Josh has earned Regional All Tournament team honors in his 3 seasons with the Tigers. Look for Josh to get playing time in the outfield and as a designated hitter. Jared Jones - 1B, JR - Jared has been named Preseason 1st Team All SEC. Jared will be the day 1 starter at 1st base. He will be a big time leader for the Tigers. Steven Milam - IF, SO - Steven has been named the starting SS for the Tigers. D1Baseball ranked Milam as the #6 SS in the country. Perfect Game has ranked him as the #32 sophomore in the country. Jake Brown - LHP/OF, SO - Perfect Game ranked Jake as the #54 sophomore in the country. Jake should be a day 1 starter in the outfield for the Tigers. Jake may even see some time on the mound this season. Michael Braswell III - IF, SR - Michael has been named the starting 3rd baseman for the Tigers. D1Baseball has ranked Michael as the #36 3rd baseman in the country. Perfect Game has ranked him as the #38 senior in the nation. Kade Woods - RHP, R-JR - Kade will provide quality pitching depth this season for the Tigers. Jaden Noot - RHP, R-SO - Jaden was fighting back from Tommy John surgery the last 2 seasons. He will provide quality pitching depth for the Tigers. Kade Anderson - LHP, SO - Kade has been named the Friday starter for the Tigers. He was selected as a Preseason 1st Team All SEC member. Perfect Game has ranked him the #21 sophomore in the nation. Chase Shores - RHP, R-SO - Chase has been named the Sunday starter for the Tigers. Perfect Game has ranked him as the #20 junior in the nation. Chase will be an exciting addition for the Tigers. DJ Primeaux - LHP, R-SO - DJ will be a top reliever for the Tigers this season. Ashton Larson - OF, SO - Perfect Game ranked Ashton as the #59 sophomore in the nation. Ashton will get major playing time in the outfield and at designated hitter for the Tigers. MY PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP C - Luis Hernandez 1B - Jared Jones 2B - Daniel Dickinson SS - Steven Milam 3B - Michael Braswell LF - Derek Curiel CF - Chris Stanfield RF - Jake Brown DH - Ashton Larson SP - Cade Anderson, Anthony Eyanson, Chase Shores This is a loaded Tiger team with a ton of expectations heading into the season. This will be a fun one. Get your popcorn ready, Tiger fans! Follow me on X (the artist formerly known as Twitter) @eazytro

Lets get into it!

Following an exciting and phenomenal LSU baseball season, it should come as not surprise that 13 LSU players were selected in this year’s Major League Baseball Draft, a total which is the third-highest in NCAA history. LSU’s total of 13 drafted players this season ties the SEC mark also held by Vanderbilt in 2019, Kentucky in 2018 and Texas A&M in 2016. The Tigers made MLB history by having the first two overall players picked in the draft – right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes and centerfielder Dylan Crews. Skenes’ signing bonus was a record deal of $9.2 million, and Crews was just behind him with a signing bonus of $9 million. Since the MLB Draft began in 1965, LSU players have been selected on 253 occasions, including 21 first-round selections. Below is the complete list of all the LSU players from the 2023 MLB Draft: • RHP Paul Skenes (1st Round, No. 1 overall – Pittsburgh Pirates) • OF Dylan Crews (1st Round, No. 2 overall – Washington Nationals) • RHP Ty Floyd (Competitive Balance Round A, No. 38 overall – Cincinnati Reds) • RHP Grant Taylor (2nd Round, No. 51 overall – Chicago White Sox) • 1B/OF Tre’ Morgan (3rd Round, No. 88 overall – Tampa Bay Rays) • 2B Gavin Dugas (6th Round, No. 165 overall – Washington Nationals • RHP Garrett Edwards (11th Round, No. 333 overall – Tampa Bay Rays) • RHP Blake Money (12th Round, No. 361 overall – Baltimore Orioles) • OF Brayden Jobert (12th Round, No. 365 overall – St. Louis Cardinals) • LHP Riley Cooper (13th Round, No. 391 overall, Baltimore Orioles) • SS Jordan Thompson (15th Round, No. 460 overall – Los Angeles Dodgers) • LHP Javen Coleman (16th Round, No. 490 overall – Los Angeles Dodgers) • RHP Christian Little (19th Round, No. 576 overall – New York Mets) Follow me on Twitter @SportsChrissy