After game two of the 2021 season ended with a 6-5 LSU loss at the hands of Air Force, questions about the future of two positions — third base and center field — emerged. Freshman and converted pitcher Will Hellmers started the first two games at third and combined for four errors before he was pulled late in his second start in favor of Jordan Thompson.
“I’ve pretty much moved him back to being a full-time pitcher,” Paul Mainieri said of Hellmers. “He threw a tremendous bullpen yesterday and looked like the Will Hellmers of old.”
In center field, starter Giovanni DiGiacomo suffered a hamstring strain chasing down a fly ball. Mainieri expects him to be out “at least a couple of weeks.”
Thompson started at third base in Monday night’s win over Louisiana Tech, and did enough to secure the position for at least the near future thanks to his go-ahead home run in the sixth inning and the reliability he offered defensively.
“I’m going to give Jordan Thompson a chance to be the everyday third baseman,” Maineri said Tuesday, also noting sophomore Collier Cranford has been practicing there as well.
In the outfield, freshman Will Safford was slated to start against Louisiana Tech in place of DiGiacomo, but was removed from the lineup pregame after colliding with Gavin Dugas during batting practice, so sophomore Mitchell Sanford started in center field. Drew Bianco also got some time there after some defensive adjustments when the game was all but over late Monday night.
Moving forward, Mainieri plans to use a platoon of Sanford and Safford at the position until DiGiacomo can return. Currently, Sanford has the leg up on Safford and is in place to start Wednesday. Safford still isn’t 100% from his collision with Dugas.
In his first start of the season in Monday’s win, Sanford went 2-for-4 with two singles and reached home both times. Mainieri said he’s been looking to get him into the lineup more frequently anyway, but hasn’t yet been able to with such a deep outfield and Cade Beloso manning the DH spot.
“I don’t have any doubt Sanford can hit,” Mainieri said.
LSU heads to Lafayette Wednesday to take on the Ragin’ Cajuns for their first away game and first mid-week game of the season. Making the start on the mound for the Tigers will be freshman Garrett Edwards. It’ll be the right-hander’s first start, but not his first appearance. Edwards was the first man out of the bullpen on opening day in relief of Jaden Hill, going one inning and collecting two strikeouts.
“I wanted to get him his first outing out there to break the ice and get rid of some of those nerves so he can get himself properly ready to pitch Wednesday,” Mainieri said after the season opener.
As for Wednesday, Mainieri says he doesn’t know how long Edwards will be able to go, but will be ready to go to a rested bullpen earlier than planned if needed.
“I’d like for him to go out there and pitch for a while,” he said. “I expect Garrett to pitch well and be a battler out there. He won’t be afraid, I’m certain of that.
“I’m sure he won’t go beyond five innings. If he could go that far, it would be awesome, but if he doesn’t, we have enough bullpen to make up for it.”
That bullpen features preseason All-American closer Devin Fontenot, who will be going into Wednesday on four days’ rest having not pitched since the opener on Saturday.
“We have a locked and loaded bullpen for this game,” Mainieri said. “We haven’t used Fontenot since Saturday, so he’s well rested and he’ll be ready to go. We’ve got a lot of other guys that are going to be available. We’ll just play the game by ear.”
