LSU Baseball fans, remain calm and get ready to continuation of successes that Jay Johnson is building on with the deep history of our beloved LSU Baseball program. At the end of the season, the transfer portal frenzy might have stirred up some worries among the faithful, but fret not - the tides have turned, and the future is looking brighter than ever!
A Fresh Wave of Talent on the Horizon
Introducing the latest addition to the LSU Baseball team: an exceptional group of high school players ready to leave a mark in collegiate baseball. Leading this promising class is William Schmidt, ranked as the No. 16 MLB Draft Prospect and the No. 5 high school player nationwide. His exceptional skills and commitment are expected to take the game to unprecedented levels. Read more about Schmidt in the scouting report by MLB.Com here. "Not only does Schmidt have some of the best stuff in the Draft, but he also generates it with ease and fills the strike zone. He still has room to add more strength to his wiry 6-foot-4 frame, so he could get better. He used to elicit comparisons to three-time All-Star Adam Wainwright, but now he's better at the same stage of his career."
While Schmidt is undoubtedly the standout player in this class and caused a stir by withdrawing his name from the draft, he was not the one who initiated the trend. That credit goes to Derek Curiel, who on June 17th made the announcement that he would be opting out of the draft and heading to Baton Rouge. In most seasons, convincing a talent like Curiel to choose college over a career in MLB would be considered the highlight of the off-season, given his status as the No. 10 high school player in the nation and the 117th prospect in the MLB.Com draft rankings. Below is an excerpt from their scouting report. "he does have outstanding instincts that will let him play center field for a long time. That with his knack for finding the barrel gives him a pretty decent floor as a big leaguer, and there are some who think he might come out of LSU as a high floor college hitter."
Once Schmidt made his choice, it triggered a chain reaction of events. This began with Cade Arrambide, who was ranked as the No.13 Prep Player and the best catcher in the nation, also being the No.115 overall MLB.com Draft Prospect. Typically, Cade would have been the standout of the prep class joining the team on campus, as highlighted by his message to Curiel and Schmidt.
Taken from MLB.COM scouting report. "Arrambide showed off his plus-plus arm at the PG National showcase, where he set records for pop time (1.7 seconds) and velocity on a throw from the outfield (102 mph). His raw pop is nearly as impressive as he uses a combination of bat speed, strength and leverage to smoke balls harder and farther than most high schoolers. His right-handed power plays to all fields, and he won the Home Run Derby at the Perfect Game All-American Classic."
Key Pieces Returning
The sequence of events unfolded as Michael Braswell made a statement about his comeback, leading to further developments as LSU successfully retained Jared "The Bear" Jones in Baton Rouge for another season.
Tigers stick it to the Aggies
As the Tigers were scorching hot they went for a heat check as if they were on fire on NBA Jam and the verdict returned with a resounding "You're on FIRE ". Only July 17th they flipped not one but two Texas A&M Aggie commits in the same day with Cooper Williams who is a Top 100 player and the No. 2 LHP in Texas and Ethan Clauss who is one of the top SS prospects for the 2025 class.
Embracing Change and Building for Success
While the departure of some players may have initially caused concern, it paved the way for a new chapter of growth and evolution within the program. LSU Baseball has embraced change as an opportunity to refine its strategies, foster fresh talent, and fortify its position as a powerhouse in collegiate baseball.
The Portal Class: A Testament to Resilience
In addition to the stellar prep class, LSU Baseball boasts a highly rated incoming portal class, adding depth, skill, and versatility to an already formidable lineup. This infusion of talent not only bolsters the team's competitive edge but also underscores the resilience and adaptability that are hallmarks of LSU Baseball. There is so much to unpack here with all of the new additions that I will do a separate article on this coming soon.
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I plan on doing it either this weekend or early next week
Excellent summary. Ready to read the additional transfer portal piece !