On Monday, Aug. 22, Jay Johnson held a press conference in the Champions Club at Alex Box Stadium to introduce his new assistant coaches, Wes Johnson and Josh Jordan, and release the Tigers’ Fall roster.
The Fall roster showcases 44 total players and 21 new members of the 2023 recruiting class which has been ranked No. 1 in the nation by Perfect Game. The roster will be cut down to 35 players this spring and will be the first roster Jay Johnson has mostly recruited himself since arriving at LSU a little over a year ago.
“This class reflects that there is no place better in America for the elite player to play college baseball,” Johnson said. “I know our fans will love seeing this group at ‘The Box’ in 2023 and beyond. It features some of the top players in the country, and it will help accelerate our pursuit of getting the Tigers back to Omaha. There is high-end talent at every position all over this class, and it is a group that will complement the great group of returning players we will have in 2023.”
A major takeaway from the 2023 signing class is that LSU added nine pitchers to its roster and three more from the transfer portal. This fact, along with the idea that many of the pitchers on the roster were relatively new to college baseball last season, should equate to LSU’s bullpen being much stronger next season. Javen Coleman, who was injured during the 2022 season with a UCL tear, should also be ready to get back on the field in 2023 if fully recovered.
LSU also had three more players commit this summer in pitcher Dylan Tebrake and infielders Carter Young and Jack Pineda. After committing, though, all three signed MLB contracts.
Both new coaches raved about Johnson’s work ethic, his drive to win a national championship and the culture surrounding LSU baseball. “Quite frankly, I want to win a national title and I think this is the place you can do it at,” former Minnesota Twins’ pitching coach, Wes Johnson, said.
New recruiting coordinator, Josh Jordan, has spent time at D1 schools such as Appalachian State and Duke, and he seems to really believe in head coach Jay Johnson’s vision and ability to put a winning team together. He is excited about the idea of recruiting for a school that has a history of landing highly rated recruits, putting those recruits in the MLB and a large fan base that loves their school’s baseball program.
“This is the New York Yankees of college baseball. What we focus on are Omaha–caliber players. Guys that are going to get us in the National Championship every year. For me in today’s world, the head coach has to be engaged in the recruiting process. That’s why Jay—Jay is the hardest working head coach in the country in terms of recruiting and getting the chance to work beside him is an unbelievable opportunity,” said Jordan.
Johnson believes that a No. 1 ranked recruiting class and two strong additions to his coaching staff will be what brings the program back to National Championship contention.
“Great pitching coaches are really hard to find. They can change everything,” said Jay Johnson.
