Tag: Jay Johnson

LSU baseball coach Jay Johnson makes bold statement about RHP Chase Shores

Chase Shores missed all of 2024 but finished the 2023 season with an 0-1 record and a 1.96 ERA.

Last year, LSU baseball finished the season 43-23 and failed to defend their national championship. Their season ended in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, with a loss to the Tar Heels in the Chapel Hill Super Regional.

[autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag] recently met with the media to discuss the 2025 version of the Bayou Bengals and what he was excited about as he headed into fall ball. There were many topics on the docket for Johnson, but one of the things he talked about was starting pitching.

Who is a pitcher Johnson is high on heading into the next season? That would be redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher [autotag]Chase Shores[/autotag].

https://twitter.com/BHollandSports/status/1844061716633747966

Labeling a player as the best pitcher you have recruited at LSU other than [autotag]Paul Skenes[/autotag] is a head-turning statement. We are talking about a pitcher who was drafted as the No. 1 overall player in the 2023 MLB draft and will likely be the 2024 Rookie of the Year in the MLB.

Giving Shores that kind of praise is interesting, but he has the stuff to be an Ace in the rotation. Shores pitched in seven games in 2023, totaling 18.1 innings and striking out 15 hitters while only walking nine. He finished the year with an 0-1 record and a 1.96 ERA.

I think Shores will make the transition from a bullpen guy to a starter this Spring and I hope he will have a great season in 2025.

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

Paul Skenes ties a Pittsburgh Pirates franchise record

Paul Skenes tied the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise record for strikeouts by a rookie.

In the 19th start of his rookie season, [autotag]Paul Skenes[/autotag] tied the [autotag]Pittsburgh Pirates[/autotag] franchise record for strikeouts by a rookie. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Skenes struck out Michael Busch of the Chicago Cubs with a change-up to end the fourth inning.

Skenes finished the game with another win after five innings of work. He allowed four hits and zero runs as he struck out six hitters and walked four. The Pirates ultimately won the game 5-0.

Skenes has pitched a total of 114 innings this season and has a 9-2 record with a 2.13 ERA. He has struck out 142 hitters while only walking 30. He was named an All-Star and was the starter for the National League in the All-Star Game.

Skenes flew through the minor leagues after being the No. 1 overall draft pick out of LSU in the last MLB Draft. Skenes is having a great season so far and hopefully, that will continue moving forward.

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

9 LSU baseball transfers make Baseball America top 100

Jay Johnson has been recruiting at an incredibly high level since stepping foot on the Bayou.

[autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag] has been recruiting at an incredibly high level since stepping foot on the Bayou. He has had a top-five recruiting class every season and that is just the high school recruits.

With the new landscape of college baseball, you have to be able to re-tool your team with some of the best transfer players in the country. Johnson did just that this year as he has signed nine of the top 100 collegiate transfers according to Baseball America.

[autotag]Daniel Dickinson[/autotag] appears at No. 2 on the list. He is an infielder who played at Utah Valley where he was a star for the last two seasons. [autotag]Anthony Eyanson[/autotag] comes in at No. 4 on the list. Eyanson is a right-handed pitcher who transfers to LSU after spending time at UCSD. [autotag]Deven Sheerin[/autotag] is a right-handed pitcher from Mount St. Mary’s who comes in at No. 8 on the list.

[autotag]Jacob Mayers[/autotag] is a right-handed pitcher who comes in at No. 17 on the list, [autotag]Chandler Dorsey[/autotag] is a right-handed pitcher who comes in at No. 22 on the list, [autotag]Zac Cowan[/autotag] is a right-handed pitcher who comes in right behind him at No. 23, [autotag]Luis Hernandez[/autotag] is a utility player who comes in at No. 32 on the list, outfielder/left-handed pitcher [autotag]Dalton Beck[/autotag] is No. 34 on the list and outfielder [autotag]Chris Stanfield[/autotag] is at No. 79.

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

LSU’s Ashton Larson named Most Outstanding Player for the Chatham Anglers

Ashton Larson is impressing in the Cape Cod League after a promising freshman season with the Tigers.

After an incredible season, LSU freshman outfielder [autotag]Ashton Larson[/autotag] has been awarded the Most Outstanding Player award for the [autotag]Chatham Anglers[/autotag] in the [autotag]Cape Cod League[/autotag].

Larson continued the productivity he had during his first year at LSU during his short time with the Chatham Anglers. he finished his season in the Cape Cod league with a .316 batting average, nine doubles, one homer, and 18 RBI in 31 games with the Anglers.

Larson played 53 games for LSU this season and finished with a .298 batting average, nine doubles, three homers and 16 RBI. [autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag] needed someone to step up in the outfield and help try to fill a hole left by [autotag]Dylan Crews[/autotag] and although he is not Crews, Larson filled a corner outfield spot and became an everyday starter for the Tigers.

Larson’s future is bright on the Bayou. He has all the tools needed to become one of the next top draft picks out of LSU.

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

Top LSU signee Konnor Griffin ultimately signs overslot deal with Pirates

The pipe dream of Konnor Griffin not signing with the Pittsburgh Pirates and somehow ending up in Baton Rouge has come to an end.

The pipe dream of [autotag]Konnor Griffin[/autotag] not signing with the [autotag]Pittsburgh Pirates[/autotag] and somehow ending up in Baton Rouge has come to an end. Griffin has officially signed with the Pirates for $6,532,025.

Griffin was one of the best prep prospects in the 2024 MLB draft and he did not have to wait long to hear his name called. He was picked with the ninth pick of the first round by the same team that took [autotag]Paul Skenes[/autotag] with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.

The slot value for the No. 9 pick in the draft was $6,216,600 but after the Pirates signed every other player they took in the draft, they still had an excess of $315,425 that they could add onto Griffin’s contract.

The Gatorade National high school player of the year will now begin his major league career in rookie ball for the Pirates and hopefully, we will see him playing with Skenes in Pittsburgh one day.

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

LSU ranks No. 1 in Baseball America’s ‘way too early’ top 25

LSU comes in at No. 1 in Baseball America’s Way Too Early top 25.

College baseball season ended a month ago, but it’s never too soon to start looking at 2025. Baseball America dropped its “way too early” top 25 and Jay Johnson’s LSU squad earned the top ranking.

It comes as no surprise after LSU retained its top talent, had a busy transfer portal season, and convinced some top high school prospects to pass up the draft and head to school.

If the ranking holds, it would be the second time in three years that LSU began the season No. 1 overall. The Tigers owned the top spot heading into 2023 and paid it off with a national title win.

Baseball America notes LSU has a lot to replace with [autotag]Tommy White[/autotag] and a few top pitchers turning pro, but there’s a lot to like about this squad.

“LSU has as much pure talent as anyone. Now it will be up to Johnson to manage that roster, and he’s proven to be very adept at that part of the job over the last two years,” Baseball America’s Teddy Cahill wrote.

Joining LSU in the top five is Florida, Florida State, Clemson and Texas A&M. The SEC will get a bit tougher with the addition of Texas with the Longhorns sitting at No. 19.

Eleven of the top 25 belong to the SEC.

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

Former LSU baseball star Tommy White officially inks deal with Athletics

Tommy White made his choice to turn pro official by signing with the Oakland Athletics.

[autotag]Tommy White[/autotag] made the start of his professional career official by signing with the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday.

The A’s selected White out of LSU with the No. 40 overall pick earlier this month. White had the option to return, but that was always unlikely given his talent level.

The slot value for White’s pick is $2.3 million. According to reports, White signed above slot value with the deal sitting around $3 million.

White spent three years in college. One at NC State and two at LSU. In that time, he hit 75 homers and drove in 249 runs. He helped lead LSU to a College World Series title in 2023, which included hitting a walk-off home run in the CWS semi-final against Wake Forest.

White was the first LSU player off the board in this year’s MLB draft. The A’s are in the midst of a long rebuild and hope White can be a central part of that. With the upcoming move to Vegas, it’s unclear if White will ever play in Oakland.

LSU’s had a good run of players entering pro ball. [autotag]Paul Skenes[/autotag] is already in the big leagues and looks like an ace. [autotag]Dylan Crews[/autotag] is in Triple-A and should be approaching his call-up. Tre Morgan’s career is off to a good start too, hitting at multiple levels in the Rays system.

It will be tough for LSU to replace White’s power next year.

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

Jay Johnson excited about LSU baseball’s roster heading into 2025

LSU added the top transfer portal class and brought three top-15 signees to campus this offseason.

LSU fell short of expectations despite a midseason turnaround in 2024, exiting the NCAA Tournament on the road in the regional round.

While the Tigers lost some key pieces in the 2024 MLB draft, namely their top thre pitchers and slugger [autotag]Tommy White[/autotag], it’s hard not to be optimistic about what coach [autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag] has coming in.

LSU signed the No. 1 transfer portal class in the nation this offseason with an absolutely loaded group, and it added to that with an elite recruiting class that saw three top-15 prospects withdraw from the draft and reaffirm their commitments to the Tigers.

During an appearance on the “Mik’d Up” podcast with Mikie Mahtook, Johnson said he was excited about the roster the staff has put together for 2025.

“I mean, we had a great high school recruiting class. We knew we were going to lose some of those guys,” Johnson said, per On3. “Really good additions through the portal. We only lost one of those guys, which you know, we kind of knew that was probably going to happen, even when we we got him.

“So you know, I don’t know if you grade it. You certainly can’t right now. All that matters is what happens on the field in the spring. But I’m really excited about the roster.”

Johnson reiterated that quite a bit of attrition was expected this offseason, but with some unexpected players returning paired with that strong transfer class, he feels much better than he did earlier this summer.

“We had a long way to go, frankly, from when we ended the season, and I think at one point we had 11 returning players,” Johnson said. “Obviously, getting a couple of these guys back that maybe we didn’t expect helped. Then, the guys we added in the portal, too.

“We obviously needed to do good with the high school guys getting to campus. And I’m super proud of some of them for having conviction and their belief in themselves to come to LSU and delay the gratification of a little bag of money, as I like to call it, and dive into this thing.”

LSU will hope to return to the national title picture as it will likely enter 2025 ranked in or near the top five once again.

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 pitcher Chase Shores progressing nicely after missing 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery

Chase Shores missed all of 2024 as he recovered from injury, but Jay Johnson said he would have been available in the super regionals.

LSU has the makings of a very talented pitching rotation next season with a stud transfer class and several prized high school recruits making it to campus.

There is also a potential X-factor in the group of returning pitchers as [autotag]Chase Shores[/autotag] is expected to be back after missing the entire 2024 season following Tommy John surgery.

Shores impressed early as a true freshman in 2023, appearing in seven games with four starts. He ended the year with a 0.96 ERA in 18.1 innings before his campaign ended with a torn UCL on March 31.

Though he missed the entire campaign, coach [autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag] recently said the Shores would have been available if LSU had reached the super regionals in the NCAA Tournament.

The hard-throwing 6-foot-8, 245-pound right-hander had a breakout season cut short in 2023, but the former top prospect in Texas should be finally back to full health by the time LSU’s 2025 season begins.

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’s Ashton Larson named an All-Star in the Cape Cod League

Ashton Larson played 19 games for the Anglers and finished with a .300 batting average, eight stolen bases and eight RBI.

LSU freshman outfielder [autotag]Ashton Larson[/autotag] played for the Chatham Anglers in the Cape Cod Summer League after having a good season with the Tigers. He carried that momentum to the Anglers and has been recognized as an All-Star in the Cape Cod League.

Larson played 19 games for the Anglers and finished with a .300 batting average, eight stolen bases and eight RBI. He will start in the outfield for the East Division in the All-Star game.

Larson finished his freshman season at LSU with a .298 batting average. He had nine doubles, three homers, and 16 RBI in 53 games played. The future of LSU baseball looks bright in the outfield between Larson and [autotag]Jake Brown[/autotag]. Both young guys had great seasons this year and both are having outstanding performances for their Cape Cod teams.

After the offseason LSU has had, [autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag] will have one of the best teams in the country once again next spring.

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