Tag: Baseball Preseason Rankings

You already know where LSU baseball stands in these preseason SEC power rankings

LSU is the consensus No. 1 team in the country, and they’re the clear frontrunner in a very deep league.

Another baseball season is once again upon us as LSU will take the field at Alex Box Stadium for the season-opening series against Western Michigan on Friday night.

The Tigers are the consensus preseason No. 1 team in college baseball this season, completing a clean sweep of the polls entering the season after coach Jay Johnson pulled in the top recruiting and transfer classes this offseason. Given the expectations, it should be no surprise that this team also topped On3’s preseason SEC baseball power rankings.

Here’s what On3’s Jonathan Wagner had to say about an LSU squad that enters 2023 with national championship expectations.

2022 record: 40-22 (17-13 in SEC play)

2022 finish: Lost in Hattiesburg Regional

Going from a No. 3 seed in regionals to the top team in the SEC might be a big jump for LSU, but the Tigers’ offseason haul is that impressive. LSU lost a couple of pieces in the MLB Draft after last season, but Jay Johnson was hart at work in the portal. In addition to bringing in D1Baseball’s No. 1 rated freshman class, the Tigers also brought in the top-rated transfer class.

LSU added a power bat in Tommy White, who transferred in from NC State. But the Tigers also added multiple arms through the portal, all of which could pitch on weekends. RHP Paul Skenes, formerly of Air Force, was an All-American last season. RHPs Christian Little (Vanderbilt) and Thatcher Hurd (UCLA) also figure to play into LSU’s rotation.

LSU added one of the nation’s best power hitters in White, who is just a sophomore, while Skenes should be the team’s ace and Friday night starter. Little and Hurd could potentially complete the weekend rotation.

Last year’s season ended in disappointing fashion with a loss as a No. 3 seed at the Hattiesburg Regional, but LSU is reloaded and should be poised to make a deep run in the tournament.

[mm-video type=video id=01gr2wm3bjz1tzmp08th playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gr2wm3bjz1tzmp08th/01gr2wm3bjz1tzmp08th-94ecac2c303bf0527e447a0c1ca9e9f6.jpg]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=611345007 tag=611345009]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

LSU baseball earns another preseason No. 1 ranking

The Tigers could be in for a special season in 2023.

Another day, another preseason accolade for [autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag] and the LSU baseball team.

This time, it comes by way of D1Baseball, where the Tigers have been named the No. 1 team in the country. The SEC has asserted its dominance as the best conference in college baseball, and that is shown by having seven of the top 10 teams.

LSU is joined by No. 2 Tennessee, No. 4 Ole Miss, No. 5 Texas A&M, No. 7 Florida, No. 8 Arkansas and No. 10 Vanderbilt — and that’s just the top 10. No. 20 Alabama and No. 23 South Carolina also made the top 25.

Conference play begins on March 17 for LSU as the Tigers travel to take on the No. 5 Aggies. The next two conference series after that are at home against No. 8 Arkansas, and No. 2 Tennessee. With all of the new recruits and transfers from other schools, these guys are going to have to be as ready as ever when conference play begins.

The Tigers could finish this season in Omaha, Nebraska, playing for the College World Series, but only time will tell.