We’re now less than a week away from the start of the 2024 college baseball season.
It will be the third season at LSU under coach [autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag], who captured his first national title last season. Now, the Tigers look to defend that championship after retooling this offseason.
They’ve lost a lot, including top two MLB draft picks [autotag]Paul Skenes[/autotag] and [autotag]Dylan Crews[/autotag], but they’ve also added elite transfer and recruiting classes to supplement those losses.
LSU enters the year as a preseason top-five team, but it sits just third in On3’s preseason SEC power rankings from Jonathan Wagner, behind Arkansas and Florida.
2023 record: 54-17 (19-10)
2023 finish: National Champions
Preseason Top 25 ranking (D1Baseball): No. 4
Opening weekend: vs. VMI (Friday, Sunday), vs. Central Arkansas (Saturday, Monday)Even after winning the College World Series last season, LSU doesn’t find itself in the top spot in our preseason SEC baseball power rankings. It’s just nearly impossible to replace Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews, the first and second overall picks in the MLB Draft, in the same offseason. Regardless, though, the Tigers have a very impressive roster. The lineup should be among the nation’s best, while the rotation has some questions. Adding Luke Holman, a transfer from Alabama, to the mix helps, but a big jump will be needed from Thatcher Hurd. Gage Jump, a UCLA transfer that missed all of last season, could be a big addition as well.
LSU will begin what should be another successful season on Friday night against VMI at Alex Box Stadium.
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