LSU is a mere 30 days away from their opening weekend series against Purdue Fort Wayne, kicking off the 2025 season in Alex Box Stadium.
The 2024 Tigers were swept twice, mercy ruled three times, went 4-6 in weekend series’ and 13-17 against conference opponents.
The Tigers did finally find some rhythm in their last regular season series when they swept Ole Miss.
LSU fell short of the conference trophy, losing to the eventual national champion Tennessee Volunteers by just one run, 4-3.
Against North Carolina in the regional final, the Tigers blew a one run lead in the final inning, eventually losing in 10.
LSU struggled all year with depth for both starters and relievers. From Friday to Sunday, the drop off of reliability from Luke Holman and Griffin Herring to seemingly a new face every weekend was painfully asymmetrical.
The offense was believed to be something that the Tigers could lean on in lieu of a domineering pitching staff but slow stretches from key names and a lack of clutch hitting was just another issue.
Head coach Jay Johnson responded with one of the best offseasons to date. Johnson pulled 15 star studded players from other schools and signed seven high school recruits, several of which were in prime MLB draft spots.
Baseball America named LSU’s newcomer class No. 1 in the nation, consisting of 11 Top 500 draft prospects in the nation.
Johnson is now in the command of the No. 1 freshman class, five Top 100 sophomores, five Top 100 juniors and two Top 75 seniors.
Key Returners
Gavin Guidry – RHP
Guidry is a Louisiana native and a seasoned player entering his junior year. Guidry saw innings in Omaha as a stellar relief pitcher with nine career saves and a fastball that touches the mid-90s on a consistent basis. LSU will need to lean on some consistent outings from Guidry to stave off upset-hungry teams.
Michael Braswell III – INF
Braswell is entering his second year as a Tiger after transferring from the University of South Carolina. Last year he batted .311 with 12 doubles, three triples, four home runs, 36 RBI. His play in the postseason showed promise of delivering in high-stakes moments. The bar is set even higher for Braswell in his senior year.
Chase Shores – RHP
Shores underwent Tommy John surgery in April of 2023, so he didn’t see any action in 2024. He received a medical redshirt and is going to find himself back on the bump this season. Reports late last year stated that if LSU had made the trip to Omaha, that Shores could have seen action. No one is hungrier than the 6-foot-8 ace to impose a daunting presence on batters that face him.
Key Newcomers
Derek Curiel – OF
Derek Curiel was suspected to be the 78th pick in the 2024 MLB draft but after talking with Johnson and the LSU staff, he elected to come play for LSU. The freshman is great at getting on base and quick on the base paths, characterized by his 19 stolen bases. He batted .314 with 10 doubles and 21 RBI in high school. While the Tigers are not known as a steal-happy team, that could change with Curiel in the lineup.
Zac Cowan – RHP
Cowan caught the eye of Johnson when he threw six innings in the Chapel Hill Regional against LIU and had six strikeouts and a 0.00 ERA. Cowan is from Blythewood, South Carolina, and left Wofford College to join the Tigers. Cowan was 10-2 pitching and adds some experienced depth to the bullpen for LSU.
Dalton Beck – OF, 1B, LHP
One of the most versatile players on the team with the ability to fill in lots of places if needed, Beck is a senior and was a top 100 transfer coming from Incarnate Word. There he hit .377 with 20 doubles, 18 home runs and 67 RBI. He led the Southland Conference in slugging at .733, hits with 89, as well as RBI and home runs, simultaneously setting the Incarnate Word records in doing so.
It’s safe to say Johnson and company are holding the bar higher than ever with this 2025 team stacked with talent.
