Freshman pitcher and infielder Austin Bain is likely to be out for the fall with shoulder soreness, said LSU coach Paul Mainieri.
Mainieri said the MRI showed no signs of structural damage, but it’s an issue the Geismar, Louisiana, native will likely have to aid for the rest of fall practice.
The 6-foot-2-inch, 200-pound prospect can dual as both a pitcher and an infielder for the Tigers. The 2014 All-District MVP out of Dutchtown High School finished his senior season with a .374 batting average and a 2.85 ERA.
Bain, as part of the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class, was named a 2014 First Team All-District utility player and the 2014 All-Baton Rouge postseason pitcher of the year.
The news comes a week after Mainieri announced freshman pitcher Jake Latz will sit out the remainder of the fall with an elbow injury.
Infield competition heating up
After losing former third baseman Christian Ibarra due to graduation, the Tigers are in search of his predecessor. Mainieri said sophomore Danny Zardon has impressed him the most at the position thus far.
“I think Danny Zardon has played the best [at third] at the early stages of the fall,” Mainieri said. “He hit four home runs and has driven in a lot of runs. He has made most of the plays at third, and he has looked good, but it’s still early in the competition.”
Zardon is competing for the starting spot with freshman Greg Deichmann and senior Conner Hale, who Mainieri said will be an everyday player.
Mainieri said Hale will be in the normal starting lineup due to his dominating performance in the Cape Cod Baseball League over the summer. Hale’s position on defense will come down to the continuing competition among the three guys at third.
“So really the competition kind of is between Kramer Robertson and the guys at third to see if Hale is going to be second or third,” Mainieri said. “We’re kind of at that point where we’re just letting the guys play and kind of let it weed itself out.”
Freshman pitchers impressing, Poche’ up and down
Even with the loss of both Bain and Latz to arm injuries, Mainieri is encouraged by the talent he still has at his disposal during fall camp.
Right-handers Alex Lange and Jake Godfrey have impressed Mainieri the most so far this fall from their poise and pitching artillery.
“[Lange is] a big guy with a good overhand delivery with a downhill plane, and he’s sitting at about 93 to 94 mph with an excellent overhand curveball and changeup,” Mainieri said. “He shows remarkable poise for a freshman. He’s very focused, intelligent. He’s just got every quality that you want to see in a pitcher. I think this kid is going to be really outstanding for us.”
Mainieri said the same could be said for Godfrey, who can reach about 94 to 95 mph but sits at around 92 with nasty movement on his two-seamer along with a breaking slider.
“He can touch 94 to 95 as well, but he pretty much sits at about 92, but he’s got a much more of a moving fastball than Lange,” Mainieri said. “Lange is more of a straight, hard power pitcher. Godfrey is more of a two-seam action where the ball runs a lot, and he throws a good slider. Both of them possess good changeups, but they’ve pitched equally as well so I’m just so excited about those two guys.”
Sophomore southpaw Jared Poche’ has been up and down so far this fall, struggling in his last outing despite showing glimpses of hope at times.
“He’s pitching again [Thursday],” Mainieri said. “I would expect his pride took a little bit of a hit last week, and he’ll be out there pitching well [Thursday]. Poche’ is the least of my concerns.”
You can reach Jack Chascin on Twitter @Chascin_TDR.