LSU baseball has had some early wins in the transfer portal, but its latest add may be the biggest one it has all cycle. The Tigers landed a commitment from outfielder Bino Watters on Wednesday morning, the rising junior announced through social media.
A target from many SEC schools, Watters chose LSU over Texas after LSU head coach Jay Johnson reportedly made a strong push to land the Michigan native.
Watters is ranked in the top five transfer portal targets from every major rating service, and he tops the list on several.
That ranking is thanks to a very strong sophomore campaign at Notre Dame where the lefty played in all 53 games and hit at a 1.057 OPS clip, driving in 51 runs and hitting 10 homers in a very tough ACC.
LSU got to get a look at Watters in person during its early-season trip to Jacksonville; Watters earned a hit off of the Tigers in LSU’s eventual 9-4 win.
Those results were good enough to earn Watters a selection on the First Team All-ACC honors in 2026 and for him to begin climbing draft boards, where he’s projected currently as a late first round pick in 2027.
Now, he’ll push to take a leap forward and continue his rise in his draft year in an organization that is one of the best in the country at turning transfers into pros.
Beyond Watters’ talent, his addition fills a critical need for the Tigers in 2027 by getting a surefire starting outfielder on the roster.
Even though draft-eligible superstar Derek Curiel has floated the idea of a 2027 return, the odds of LSU needing to replace all three of its 2026 opening day outfield starters is more likely than not. Mason Braun’s strong play in relief of the injured Jake Brown at the end of the 2026 season could be the answer for one spot, but Watters’ commitment definitely is.
Watters is the third player to come to LSU out of the transfer portal this cycle. Earlier in the week, LSU landed top pitching target Landon Hood from Gonzaga and upside-heavy infielder Dawson Park from Texas State.
