Tag: Jay Johnson

LSU baseball has landed a pair of top-10 transfers so far

Jay Johnson is putting together yet another impressive transfer class at LSU.

Making splashes in the transfer portal has never been a problem for coach [autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag] at LSU.

The Tigers have brought in elite transfer classes each offseason since he’s been in Baton Rouge, and they’re off to quite an impressive start once again.

The 2024 season isn’t even complete yet and LSU has already secured commitments from two of the top 10 players in the transfer portal, according to On3: Indiana State designated hitter/catcher [autotag]Luis Hernandez[/autotag] and Mount St. Mary’s right-handed pitcher [autotag]Deven Sheerin[/autotag].

Hernandez comes in as one of the top sluggers in the country, and On3 ranks him No. 8 on the transfer list.

While LSU lost Neal in the transfer portal, they also added one of college baseball’s best hitters in Indiana State transfer Luis Hernandez. He spent three years at Indiana State, but 2024 was his best season yet. In 248 at-bats, Hernandez hit .359 with 23 homers and 76 RBI. He also had 14 doubles and finished with an impressive 1.114 OPS. This is a bat that will instantly insert into the middle of LSU’s lineup, and he has some positional versatility as well as he’s played first base and catcher in the past.

Meanwhile, Sheerin is a hard-throwing pitcher who impressed as a true freshman at the mid-major level, making himself one of the portal’s top arms as he ranks No. 9 overall.

Another LSU portal addition has made the list, this time coming on the mound in Mount St. Mary’s transfer Deven Sheerin. As a freshman in 2024, he showcased electric stuff on the mound led by a fastball that sits in the mid-to-upper 90s that has touched 97. Though he primarily pitched out of the bullpen this season, he could become a pivotal piece of LSU’s pitching staff whether it be through the bullpen or rotation. Either way, LSU is getting a tremendous talent that projects to get even better as he develops.

The portal was a necessity once again as LSU is set to lose quite a bit of production this offseason, particularly at pitcher with a number of players entering the transfer portal.

Johnson will hope these additions make up for those losses as the Tigers look to return to Omaha next season.

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 lands Auburn outfielder in the transfer portal

Another day, another tweet with a tiger emoji from LSU coach Jay Johnson.

Another day, another tweet with a tiger emoji from [autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag]. As you all know, that is always good news. The good news is that LSU has landed another talented player out of the transfer portal.

LSU lost [autotag]Paxton Kling[/autotag] to the transfer portal earlier but it looks like the Tigers have filled that spot as LSU landed Auburn outfielder [autotag]Chris Stanfield[/autotag] out of the portal. Stanfield spent his last two seasons as a starter for the Auburn Tigers and he had two productive years.

As a freshman, he finished with a .280 batting average with eight doubles, two triples, three homers and 22 RBI. Last season as a sophomore he finished with a .276 batting average with eight doubles, one triple, four homers and 25 RBI.

Stanfield could be a starter on day one for LSU as he brings SEC experience and a plethora of talent to Baton Rouge. Johnson has been killing it in the portal.

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

Top 10 LSU baseball signee pulls his name from the MLB draft

Derek Curiel is the No. 10 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class according to Perfect Game.

[autotag]Derek Curiel[/autotag] is an outfielder from Orange Lutheran High School in California. He is one of the best high school players in the country and was ranked as the No. 117 prospect in the [autotag]2024 MLB Draft[/autotag] by [autotag]MLB Pipeline[/autotag].

It is always a nerve-wracking time for a college head coach regarding the MLB Draft. MLB teams can choose to draft players right out of high school, and it does not matter if they have already signed with a college. You can sign the No. 1 recruiting class in the country but if the MLB comes calling for a bunch of those players they may never make it to campus.

Curiel was one of those guys, but he recently decided to take his name out of consideration for the MLB Draft and will now be coming to Baton Rouge. Curiel was the No. 10 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class according to Perfect Game.

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

LSU trending for several top prospects after another busy recruiting weekend

The Tigers are in good shape for a few of their top targets after another busy official visit weekend.

We’re more than two weeks into the month of June, and that means the rush of official visits is upon us.

The Tigers have been hard at work building on a 2025 class that ranks as high as No. 2 nationally, and they seem to have made progress with some of the top uncommitted targets in the cycle, according to LSU Country’s Zack Nagy.

Receiver [autotag]CJ Wiley[/autotag], son of former LSU defensive end [autotag]Chuck Wiley[/autotag], seems to be down to two teams in LSU and in-state Georgia, according to Nagy. Meanwhile, the Tigers reportedly made up some ground on favored Texas A&M with the nation’s top safety [autotag]Jonah Williams[/autotag].

LSU baseball coach [autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag] even stepped in to help recruit the two-sports star.

One player the Tigers seem to be in good shape for is Carius Curne, the top interior offensive lineman in the nation. LSU holds several predictions to land him, and he set a commitment date for Wednesday after his visit.

Finally, Nagy reports that [autotag]Charles Ross[/autotag], a four-star linebacker from Texas who committed to LSU in March, is shutting down his recruitment after a successful official visit this weekend.

LSU already has a strong foundation for its class with the top overall recruit in quarterback [autotag]Bryce Underwood[/autotag] serving as the headliner. If it can close with some of these players, it has a real chance to finish with the nation’s top class.

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 Griffin Herring impresses during summer ball start

Griffin Herring finished the game after pitching 3.2 innings and allowing zero runs and zero hits as he struck out three hitters and walked two.

After an impressive season for Jay Johnson and the LSU Tigers this Spring, [autotag]Griffin Herring[/autotag] has transitioned to Summer ball where he is playing for the [autotag]Chatham Anglers[/autotag] in the [autotag]Cape Cod League[/autotag].

Today, he started for the Anglers against Yarmouth Dennis and he was impressive. Herring finished the game after pitching 3.2 innings and allowing zero runs and zero hits as he struck out three hitters and walked two.

Herring was used as a reliever last season for the Tigers and was a finalist for the Stopper of the Year Award. He participated in the MLB Combine to get some feedback on what his stock may be in the upcoming [autotag]MLB draft[/autotag].

LSU head coach [autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag] has already said that if Herring decides to come back to Baton Rouge next Spring he will be one of the weekend starters for the Tigers.

I believe Herring has the skills to be the ace for LSU if he comes back 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.

LSU baseball’s Javen Coleman enters the transfer portal

LSU lost one of its top bullpen arms to the portal on Sunday.

Most of the news LSU has been receiving out of the transfer portal recently has been positive news as the Tigers have picked up a lot of good pitchers so far. This time, the news is on the other end of the spectrum.

LSU will be losing a veteran left-handed pitcher to the transfer portal as [autotag]Javen Coleman[/autotag] has entered his name into the portal. Coleman had a few different roles on the team this spring as he was used as the No. 3 starter at times but then was used out of the bullpen during other games.

Coleman is a redshirt junior who has spent his past four years at LSU. Last spring he finished with a 3-1 record and a 5.19 ERA. In 26 innings of work, he struck out 28 hitters and walked 21. His last outing of the season came in the final game against North Carolina when Coleman pitched 1.1 innings and did not allow any runs as he struck out one hitter and walked two.

Hopefully, Coleman lands on his feet wherever he goes and has a great season 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.

LSU baseball lands Indiana State RHP transfer Luke Hayden

LSU has now landed two transfers from Indiana State this offseason.

The pipeline from Terre Haute, Indiana, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is not done providing for [autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag] and the LSU Tigers. LSU just landed another player from the Indiana State Sycamores thanks to the transfer portal.

[autotag]Luke Hayden[/autotag] is a 6-foot-1, 195-pound, right-handed pitcher from Bloomington, Indiana. He spent his first two collegiate seasons with the Indiana Hoosiers before transferring to Indiana State to play this Spring.

Hayden finished the season with a 7-2 record and a 3.81 ERA. He pitched a total of 78 innings and struck out 91 hitters while walking 47. He will join his former teammate [autotag]Luis Hernandez[/autotag] who transferred from Indiana State to Baton Rouge. Those two could form a battery in the same way they did for the Sycamores.

So far Johnson has done an incredible job landing some great players out of the portal. If he can get a guy like [autotag]Griffin Herring[/autotag] back as well next year could be special.

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 discusses LSU baseball’s upcoming draft decisions

LSU would get a big boost if players like Jared Jones and Griffin Herring elect to return.

Per usual, LSU baseball expects to have more than a few of its players selected when the MLB draft rolls around this summer.

Last year, [autotag]Paul Skenes[/autotag] and [autotag]Dylan Crews[/autotag] were the first and second overall picks. That high in the draft, the choice to go pro is easy. But as you get into the later rounds, players are faced with a choice — head to the minor leagues or come back to school.

“We’ll have as few as five and as many as 11, probably, that could get drafted from this roster,” [autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag] told the media, “I would guess the time the 2024 draft ends, we’ll have the most players drafted in the country over the last two years. We’re here to develop guys for professional baseball and no one does that better.”

LSU’s top three prospects are [autotag]Tommy White[/autotag], [autotag]Gage Jump[/autotag] and [autotag]Luke Holman[/autotag]. It would be a major surprise if any of those three returned to campus, but there are other names worth keeping an eye on.

[autotag]Jared Jones[/autotag] is a draft eligible sophomore whose power tool is sure to grab the attention of some MLB organizations. According to MLB.com, Jones is the No. 119 ranked prospect in the draft.

There’s also pitcher [autotag]Griffin Herring[/autotag], who ranks No. 156 on the MLB.com draft board.

Herring excelled for LSU as a reliever in 2024, but Johnson said Herring would have a spot in next year’s weekend rotation.

Jones and Herring will have their chance to turn pro, but Johnson suggests you shouldn’t rule out a return for them and LSU’s other prospects.

“None of them are in a hurry to get out of here and I think they know their value here is strong,” Johnson said.

If key players return, along with LSU’s additions in the transfer portal, expect the Tigers to be back in contention for a trip to Omaha 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.

LSU baseball’s Jay Johnson on how the transfer portal changes team building

Jay Johnson discussed how the transfer portal affects building a program in the new era

College sports are in an era of change. One of the biggest changes in recent years was the addition of the transfer portal, which has drastically shifted how some coaches and programs approach roster contruction.

LSU baseball head coach [autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag] works the portal as well as anyone. In 2022, Johnson hit the portal for superstar pitcher [autotag]Paul Skenes[/autotag] along with slugger [autotag]Tommy White[/autotag]. Both adds proved to be critical during LSU’s 2023 national title run.

Johnson spoke to the media this week and offered his thoughts on what the transfer portal has meant for the sport.

“The reality is we’re in a different landscape right now. I don’t think it’s about building a program anymore and that’s my wheelhouse. My specialty is developing a program,” Johnson said. “But I think it’s probably now about building your team one year at a time and I don’t say that in any other way than I want the guy that [autotag]Skip Bertman[/autotag] was able to redshirt.”

That’s harder to do these days, Johnson said, forcing an adjustment.

Johnson is already off to a strong start in the transfer portal this cycle with the addition of Indiana State slugger [autotag]Luis Hernandez[/autotag].

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

LSU baseball outfielder Paxton Kling enters the transfer portal

After a promising true freshman season turned into a disappointing sophomore campaign, Paxton Kling is moving on.

Coming out of high school, [autotag]Paxton Kling[/autotag] was one of the most sought-after recruits in the 2022 recruiting class. He was ranked as the No. 6 overall player in the class by Perfect Game and the No. 2 player from Pennsylvania.

People thought he may be the next [autotag]Dylan Crews[/autotag]. Unfortunately, things didn’t pan out for Kling in the Bayou, and on Tuesday, he entered the transfer portal.

It isn’t because of his ability defensively. Kling was one of the most impressive outfielders in the NCAA when it came to making web gems in the outfield. The issue was his production at the plate.

It was not as bad last season when he finished with a respectable .289 batting average in 57 games played. This season, his average dropped to .222. That is barely above the Mendoza line. His strikeouts jumped from 27 to 43 and his slugging percentage dropped from .522 to .317.

I hate that things did not work out for Paxton in Baton Rouge and I hope he can excel wherever he ends up.

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