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College | Story | 1/2/2025

College Fall Report: LSU

Isaiah Burrows

Photo: LSU Baseball (LSU Athletics)

Players Mentioned: Chase Shores, Kade Anderson, Gavin Guidry, William Schmidt, Anthony Eyanson, Conner Ware, Zac Cowan, Jacob Meyers, Chandler Dorsey, Derek Curiel, Michael Braswell, Ashton Larson, Jake Brown, Chris Stanfield, Cooper Williams, Mavrick Rizy, Casan Evans, Cade Arrambide, Jaden Noot, Kade Woods, Daniel Dickinson, Josh Pearson, Ethan Frey, Jared Jones, Michael Braswell, Tanner Reaves, Luis Hernandez, Blaise Preister, David Hogg II, Michael Ryan, John Pearson, Ryan Costello

Last spring: Yet another strong year for LSU, finishing 43-23 and going all the way to the SEC championship game and battling UNC in a thrilling showdown at the NCAA Regional. It wasn’t a repeat of a championship-crowned 2023 season, but LSU has several new faces and the pieces to run it back once again.

Strengths/Outlook: Youthful impact/power arms. The Tigers will be filled with new faces this year, and that isn’t a bad thing. Their incoming freshman class is arguably one of the strongest groups to arrive on campus in quite some time. Combine that with a very busy transfer portal this offseason and LSU looks absolutely star studded.

Let’s start with the arms as a slew of names are expected to make an immediate impact. On the mound, Anthony Eyanson, Conner Ware, Zac Cowan, Jaob Meyers and Chandler Dorsey are several big time transfers with a mix of power and pitch ability. Eyanson, formerly of UC San Diego, is one of the top transfer arms with mid-90s heat and three pitches. Ware is highly touted in his own right on the JUCO side of things at Pearl River CC and Meyers struck out over 40 percent of batters last season Nicholls. Cowan and Dorsey bring plenty of intrigue as well.

Chase Shores headlines the rotation with plenty of draft buzz heading into the spring. He battled an injury-riddled 2023 but is back throwing fuzz with high-90s sink and a wipeout slider from a sub 5-foot-9 release height this fall. He’s joined by lefty Kade Anderson, who will be getting plenty of looks as well with a mid-90s fastball and a swing-and-miss slider of his own. Gavin Guidry also returns and fit so many key roles out of the ‘pen last year with his deception and strike-throwing ability. Be on the lookout for Jaden Noot and who is healthy after Tommy John surgery as well as Kade Woods.

William Schmidt (‘24 LA) working 94-96; T98 & overpowering hitters. 12-6 CB @ 79-82 (29-3158 RPM) is simply power offering. Flashing CH (1851) in low-80s. Top of prep class stuff; potential 1st rder come July. #LSU commit. #PGHS @PG_Draft @CurDogBaseball pic.twitter.com/eAMplEoPlH
— PG Deep South (@PG_DeepSouth) April 26, 2024

Now let’s bring in some of those highly touted freshmen, and there’s a lot who will compete for time on this loaded staff of arms. William Schmidt, a PG All-American last year, turned down a potential seven-figure slot as a prep and comes to LSU with much acclaim. He can get up to 98-99 mph with a hammer 3,000 RPM curveball. Don’t sleep on the electric arm talent of freshman Casan Evans either, as he can get into the high-90s with plus arm speed and a deep spun slider and nasty splitter. Another southpaw, Cooper Williams, a lanky 6-6 framed lefty flipped from the in-state Aggies to the Tigers late this year and he can flat out pitch with funk and deception. Mavrick Rizy, a 6-foot-9 hulking righty, can get into the mid-to-high-90s from a real low release that simply jumps out of hand.

The rotation is high end with loads of depth and talent. That transfers over to the position side of things as well with a bevy of newcomers on that side of the ball. The outfield will be enticing to watch unfold and it may just be headlined by incoming freshman Derek Curiel, another PG All-American who is one of the more highly acclaimed names to make it to campus in some time. Ashton Larson brings real hit/power intrigue from a corner spot. Jake Brown returns as a high end athlete who can bring speed and contact coming off a solid true freshman season. Chris Stanfield, a transfer from Auburn, is a plus athlete who brings real twitch and can roam a good bit defensively. Add in Josh Pearson and Ethan Frey and there is real depth at this spot with enticing skill sets throughout the order.

Jared Jones (@LSUbaseball) follows w/ this MAMMOTH 3-run 💣 out to RC. Some of the best in-game juice you’ll find in college baseball. Immense strength & physicality. ‘24 elig @PG_Draft pic.twitter.com/64aktHRsEl
— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) March 2, 2024

On the dirt, LSU has a bevy of options at the 4, 5 and 6 hole. Utah Valley transfer Daniel Dickinson looks to handle duties somewhere on the dirt as the hit tool and in-zone batted ball may rank up near the best in the class when it’s all said and he should garner draft buzz. He’s joined by First-Team Freshman All-American returner Steven "Monster" Milam who was an absolute superstar last year and filled a bevy of roles down the stretch. He’s a twitchy athlete who simply puts bat-to-ball and has the hands to pick it. Michael Braswell also returns and can stick at short or third and brings some great stability to the lineup. Jared Jones also returns and can log first base with arguably the best raw power in college baseball that has been on display for some time now. Be on the lookout for Tanner Reaves as well who was one of the better sticks in all of JUCO last year at Blinn.

Here’s a look at that 70-grade arm by Cade Arrambide. Just a ridiculous Catch-&-Throw. #PGHS @PG_Draft @tomball_bsball https://t.co/5RetIPWkmV pic.twitter.com/XVBgwnbwhN
— Perfect Game Texas (@Texas_PG) February 12, 2024

Behind the plate, the Tigers have even more depth in the form of two big time newcomers. Indiana State transfer Luis Hernandez brings loads of power and will see plenty of time at catcher. True freshman Cade Arrambide also makes it to campus with loud power of his own and a 70-grade arm that was top of his class amongst his high school ranks. Blaise Preister is another high end option who tore the cover off it this fall and it can be a true rotation this year based on matchups. It’s high end at the catcher position.

More freshmen are in the wings, as well. David Hogg II, Ryan Costello, Michael Ryan and John Pearson all bring tools of their own. Hogg II and Ryan can stick it up the middle and both are high end athletes with bounce while Costello and Pearson bring promising power to the corners.

Weakness: Power throughout lineup would be something to monitor as there are more contact types than some who can truly change the game with one swing. Hernandez and Jones certainly have that capability along with some of the freshmen, but it will be interesting to see how the overall threat to leave the yard trickles down one through nine.

Summary: Simply put, LSU is deep and added so much talent this offseason through years of recruiting on the high school circuit and finding major impacts in the portal. Led by the depth of the pitching staff and those said newcomers, the Tigers have the makings to add even more hardware to the shelf in 2025.

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