LSU baseball turned around what was looking like an abysmal 2024 season as it looked to defend its national title.
The Tigers ultimately earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, taking host North Carolina to the brink before falling short in the Chapel Hill Regional last weekend.
Coach [autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag] doesn’t have long to dwell on that result, however. The college baseball offseason has a quick turnaround time, and Johnson has been hard at work looking for transfer portal talent since the season ended.
That isn’t his only priority, however. The Tigers must also retain players currently on the roster from leaving for the pros or the transfer portal, and they also need to make sure as many players from the 2024 signing class reach campus as possible.
Speaking on 104.5 Off The Bench, Johnson said player retention is not something he is particularly worried about.
“I’m proud of my coaches and the resources we provide them to become major league baseball players,” Johnson said, per Glen West of 247Sports. “For me that should be enough to retain guys, it’s a different era that we live in and that’s ok. We’ve got a good group. I’ll tell you one thing, the guys that were rolling through my office on Wednesday, the character of what we will have returning is very strong. It’s a good starting point from a human being, leadership perspective with some talent.
“Getting [autotag]Chase Shores[/autotag] back and healthy is a massive deal. To win 43 games probably without your best pitcher for the entire season, proud of the team for doing that. That’s what I’m speaking to relative to that character. [autotag]Kade Anderson[/autotag], fully bought in. [autotag]Jaden Noot[/autotag] we’ll get back healthy so we’ve got a really good start with some of the pitching staff.”
Johnson also said the Tigers will try to retain their six draft-eligible sophomores and juniors, pitching them on their ability to improve their draft stocks in 2025.
Only time will tell what this roster looks like entering 2025, but it’s clear Johnson has a lot to do to maintain it.
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