Ever wonder what LSU baseball players do for fun over the summer?
As some might guess, they play baseball.
Several of the team’s returning members who are expected to contribute major roles for next season are now spending their time improving their game in several summer leagues across the nation.
Shortstop Alex Bregman leads the list, as he plays with the USA Collegiate National Team. Bregman is batting .545 through three games, good for the highest average on the team.
Bregman was recently awarded the 2013 Brooks Wallace National Shortstop of the Year for his contributions to the Tigers this year.
“It is such an honor,” Bregman said. “This is a team award, and I have to thank all of my great teammates. To have won this award with all the other great shortstops in the country is truly an honor.”
Junior outfielder Sean McMullen, junior pitcher Kurt McCune and freshman catcher Chris Chinea are spending their time in the Cape Cod league for the Wareham Gatemen. Since all three players were present in Omaha, they haven’t received any playing time yet.
Freshman pitcher Hunter Newman — one of the returning pitchers expected to compete for the Sunday starting place — isn’t fairing as well in the Northwoods league with the 8-24 Lakeshore Chinooks. Newman has an 0-2 record with a 10.5 ERA and 6 innings pitched.
However, fellow freshman pitcher Hunter Devall has seen more success so far in the Northwoods league, while playing for the Battle Creek Bombers.
Devall, a southpaw, has fired 29 strikeouts in just 26.1 innings of work, with a 2.39 earned-run average. Devall has a similar body type to the departed Chris Cotton and specializes in ground balls. He is only surrendering a .207 average on balls in play so far in summer ball.
The outfielders vying for starting spots next year — freshman Mark Laird, sophomore Jared Foster, freshman Andrew Stevenson and junior Chris Sciambra — round out the notable names participating in summer ball for LSU.
As these players progress throughout the summer, they can be tracked using the websites for the leagues, which are updated daily and include normal and sabermetric statistics.
Below is a complete list of LSU baseball players and their summer clubs:

• USA Collegiate National Team
• Alex Bregman, SS
• http://web.usabaseball.com/downloads/2013/TOS/overall_stats.pdf 

• Wareham Gatemen – Cape Cod League
• Sean McMullen, OF
• Chris Chinea, C
• Kurt McCune, RHP
• http://www.pointstreak.com/baseball/team_stats.html?teamid=3432&seasonid=12252

• Bourne Braves – Cape Cod League
• Mark Laird, OF
• http://www.pointstreak.com/baseball/team_stats.html?teamid=3433&seasonid=12252 

• Alexandria Blue Anchors – Northwoods League
• Michael Barash, C
• Hunter Newman, RHP
• http://northwoods.bbstats.pointstreak.com/team_stats.html?teamid=171&seasonid=23677

• Lakeshore Chinooks – Northwoods League
• Andrew Stevenson, OF
• Mitch Sewald, RHP
• http://northwoods.bbstats.pointstreak.com/team_stats.html?teamid=30977&seasonid=23677

• Battle Creek Bombers – Northwoods League
• Tyler Moore, INF
• Hunter Devall, LHP
• http://northwoods.bbstats.pointstreak.com/team_stats.html?teamid=167&seasonid=23677

• Duluth Huskies – Northwoods League
• Nate Fury, RHP
• http://northwoods.bbstats.pointstreak.com/team_stats.html?teamid=173&seasonid=23677

• Thomasville HiToms – Coastal Plain League
• Jared Foster, OF
• http://www.coastalplain.com/statistics/2013/hpt.htm 

• Acadiana Cane Cutters – Texas Collegiate League
• Chris Sciambra, OF
• http://texascl.bbstats.pointstreak.com/team_stats.html?teamid=19602&seasonid=25154 

• Amsterdam Mohawks – Perfect Game League
• Taylor Butler, RHP
• http://pgcbl.com.ismmedia.com/ISM3/std-content/repos/Top/Stats/2013%20Stats/am.htm