Jay Johnson knows what it feels like to sit on top of the mountain in college baseball. He also knows what it’s like to fall short of the goals set by the standards of the LSU baseball program. 2025 is a new season, and it’s one his Tigers will open as the No. 2 team in the country with Perfect Game.
The Tigers fell in behind Texas A&M and ahead of Virginia in the preseason top 25 poll that had a strong SEC flavor. Along with the Aggies and LSU, eight other SEC programs landed inside the top 25 Georgia (No. 4), Tennessee (No. 4), Texas (No. 7), Florida (No. 11), Arkansas (No. 13), Vanderbilt (No. 15), Oklahoma (No. 20) and Auburn (No. 22).
“The LSU Tigers will enter the season as our No. 2 team as they return five everyday starters and landed some of the nation’s top transfers once again,” Perfect Game wrote. “Freshman All-American Steven Milam and Freshman All-SEC Ashton Larson return for their sophomore year to lead a potent lineup, including Jared Jones, who returns 28 home runs.”
Four other position players with starting experience at LSU are also back, including senior shortstop Michael Braswell III, senior outfielder Josh Pearson, junior outfielder Ethan Frey, and sophomore outfielder/left-handed pitcher Jake Brown.
Six veteran hurlers who have recorded innings in the purple and gold is a great place to start and that group includes junior right-hander Gavin Guidry, junior right-hander Kade Woods, sophomore right-hander Chase Shores, sophomore right-hander Jaden Noot, sophomore left-hander Kade Anderson and sophomore left-hander DJ Primeaux.
The additions Johnson brought in are a big reason the Tigers will start out so highly ranked, though.
Baseball America ranked the Tigers’ transfer haul No. 1 in America, with nine ranked inside the Top 100. That list included junior infielder Daniel Dickinson (No. 2), junior right-handed pitcher Anthony Eyanson (No. 4), sophomore right-handed pitcher Deven Sheerin (No. 8), junior right-handed pitcher Jacob Mayers (No. 17), junior right-handed pitcher Chandler Dorsey (No. 22), junior right-hander pitcher Zac Cowan (No. 23), senior utility player Luis Hernandez (No. 32), senior outfielder/left-handed pitcher Dalton Beck (No. 34) and junior outfielder Chris Stanfield (No. 79).
The 2024 MLB Draft did a little damage to Johnson’s high school signing class, but the Tigers picked up several huge victories when Day 1 projections William Schmidt and Derek Curiel pulled their names out of the hat. They will be joined by freshman right-handed pitcher Casan Evans (No. 100), freshman catcher Cade Arrambide (No. 125), freshman infielder Mikey Ryan (No. 139), junior outfielder Chris Stanfield (No. 154), freshman left-handed pitcher Cooper Williams (No. 257), freshman right-handed pitcher Mavrick Rizy (No. 263), freshman first baseman Ryan Costello (No. 346), freshman outfielder John Pearson (No. 356), freshman infielder David Hogg II (No. 358), and junior left-handed pitcher Conner Ware (No. 482).
LSU opens the 2025 season on Friday, February 14, when the Tigers play host to Purdue Fort Wayne in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.
