LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri announced a few coaching changes and addressed the status of his recruiting class Friday at a news conference.
The most noticeable coaching change will be the departure of volunteer assistant coach and former player Blair Barbier.
Barbier said he is leaving LSU after one season to pursue private business interests. He and former pitcher Doug Thompson own Lindsey’s Spacewalk & Amusements and Bouncing Tigers, which are both located in Baton Rouge.
“Since I’ve been a little kid I’ve always thought I’d play baseball as long as I can then when I can’t play anymore, I’ll just coach until I can’t coach anymore,” Barbier said. “At this time in my life, there have been some changes.”
Barbier, who played on the Tigers’ 2000 national championship team, said he has not dismissed the idea of a future return to coaching.
“That’s something I certainly wouldn’t rule out in the future,” he said. “I’ve already talked with coach [Mainieri] about that and trying to lay down the ground work in case he’s talking about maybe Terry [Rooney] leaving or Cliff [Godwin] leaving. Things change; coaches leave.”
In Barbier’s place, Mainieri has hired former Notre Dame player Javi Sanchez.
Sanchez has spent the past four seasons in minor league baseball with the Minnesota Twins. He played under Mainieri for four seasons at Notre Dame.
“He’ll basically have the same responsibilities that Blair did – working with the outfielders [and] doing special duty assignments if we want to convert somebody to a different position,” Mainieri said. “I think he has great potential to be a coach as I felt Blair did.”
Other notable changes include the promotion of assistant coach Terry Rooney to associate head coach and the appointment of Will Davis as coordinator of baseball operations.
After talking about his coaching staff adjustments, Mainieri spoke highly of his incoming recruiting class.
The second-year coach said he has a “gut feeling” that five-star football and baseball recruit Chad Jones will play for the Tigers.
“I talked to [Jones] a couple of days ago,” Mainieri said. “He’s upbeat about playing football at LSU; he’s upbeat about playing baseball at LSU. My gut feeling tells me that he’s coming to LSU. But I’m not the one that makes the final decision.”
Jones, who was drafted in the 13th round of the professional baseball draft by Houston, has until Aug. 15 to either sign with the Astros or commit to attending LSU. Spring football practice begins Aug. 4, and Mainieri said he thinks Jones will likely decide on his future before football practice starts.
Mainieri also said he “is pretty certain” infielder Drew Cumberland, who was recently drafted No. 46 by San Diego, is going to sign a Major League contract.
“We’ve known for a couple of months that was probably going to happen,” Mainieri said.
Looking ahead
Mainieri said fall baseball practice will begin Sept. 9. Spring baseball practice will begin Feb. 1, according to a new NCAA rule.
LSU’s season opener will be Feb. 22 against Indiana University, Mainieri said.
Other notable schedule dates include LSU playing Tulane twice next season – once at Alex Box Stadium and once at Turchin Stadium in New Orleans. The Tigers will also play UNO three times next season.