Following a National Championship, 13 LSU baseball players were drafted to the pros. With the minor league season ending, here’s how some of those former Tigers performed.
Paul Skenes
Drafted No. 1 overall to the Pittsburgh Pirates, Skenes has only pitched 6.2 innings in his short minor league stint. Regardless, Skenes tallied 10 strikeouts, two walks, five hits and four earned runs. Overall, he performed well.
Skenes’ short tenure in the minors was a way for him to become acclimated to the life of a professional athlete before he moves to the MLB next year.
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With the potential of being a franchise player, Skenes has made a couple changes to his pitching since LSU. Excelling in strength and speed, Skenes made a name for himself with his heater in college. With more experienced and talented batters in the pros, Skenes began working on his slider as well as other pitches outside of his fastball.
With the addition of some variety in his arsenal, Skenes looks healthy, strong and ready for next season. He’ll be on the Pirates’ roster for Opening Day in 2024.
Dylan Crews
Crews was drafted No. 2 overall to the Washington Nationals, playing in 35 minor league games. He tallied 26 runs, 40 hits, five HR, and 29 RBI on a batting average of .292.
Crews has shown time and time again why he was regarded as one of the best two-way players in the country during his collegiate career. His offensive production has been excellent since being drafted, and during August he showed no signs of slowing down.
That was until August 29th. While up to bat, Crews was hit in the back of the head on a wild pitch. He left the game and was out for two days. Since returning, Crews has shown obvious struggles at the plate.
During the month of August, Crews’ batting average was .355. Following his injury, Crews’ batting average fell to .255, showing a significant drop in form for the center fielder.
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Even with his short injury, Crews’ struggle should be temporary and shouldn’t affect his production as he remains the Nationals’ top prospect for 2024.
Grant Taylor
Drafted 51st overall to the Chicago White Sox, Taylor’s early-round pick has been surrounded by controversy.
Taylor hasn’t played any baseball since receiving Tommy John surgery for a torn UCL back in February. He was drafted based on his exceptional performances in the summer of 2022 at the Cape Cod League, and the White Sox think he can continue that.
Taylor has yet to play in the minors. His ceiling is high, but only assuming he returns as the same pitcher from before surgery. Tommy John surgery is a difficult reconstruction to return from, but if Taylor can stay healthy, he can move straight into the bullpen for the White Sox in 2024.
Tre’ Morgan
Drafted 88th overall to the Tampa Bay Rays, Morgan played 14 minor league games, tallying eight runs, 19 hits, one home run and six RBI on an exceptional .396 batting average.
Morgan was regarded as one of LSU’s best hitters alongside Crews in its championship season, and he’s continued that story so far in his professional career. Although not known for his power, Morgan has made his money with his exceptional base hitting.
In the field, Morgan has split time evenly between first base and left field. At both positions Morgan has a perfect fielding percentage, showing his strength on defense.
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With his bat hot, Morgan can quickly see himself on the Rays roster for the upcoming season. His versatility on the field combined with his dependability at the plate has made him very promising in his path to the MLB.
Gavin Dugas
Drafted 165th overall and joining Dylan Crews with the Washington Nationals, Dugas hasn’t had the best season in the minors. Playing 16 games in Single A, Dugas has a batting average of .160 with eight hits, two home runs and five RBI.
Dugas has struggled offensively since leaving Baton Rouge, and his lack of offensive production could trap him in the minors. Dugas is older than most rookies, and his age gives him less time to develop in the minors as he fights for a spot on the Nationals’ major league roster.
Brayden Jobert
Drafted 356th overall to the St. Louis Cardinals, Jobert played in 32 games so far. He’s tallied 16 runs, 17 hits, two home runs and 12 RBI on a .189 batting average. He has played a variety of positions including right field, left field and third base, but he spent most of his games at first base.
His large size at 6-foot-2 and 209 pounds translates well to his hitting power and HR ability, but his offensive potential has yet to show in the minors. With a measly .189 batting average, Jobert has underperformed at the plate so far.
Combined with his lackluster offensive production, Jobert’s mediocrity in the field could hold him back from moving up the Cardinals organization. Jobert has the potential to be beneficial to the Cardinals, but only if he improves his offense.
Jordan Thompson
Drafted 460th overall to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thompson played 23 games, tallying nine runs, 22 hits and eight RBI on a .268 batting average. He played 19 minor league games at shortstop, recording 16 double plays with one error on a .981 fielding percentage.
Known for being a reliable player during his time at LSU, Thompson has performed well in the minors both offensively and defensively.
Thompson has regained his mojo following a frustrating offensive drought during the College World Series, and backed up by his defensive consistency, the California native has proven himself as a dependable option during his time in the minors.
