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.
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