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Kade Anderson (Photo by Eddie Kelly/ ProLook Photos)
The last time LSU entered the final week of the regular season as a top-eight team, it ended with a national championship. The time before that, in 2017, it led to a College World Series appearance.
Now, in 2025, the Tigers are back—this time ranked No. 1 in the nation after a series win over then-No. 3 Arkansas. It’s their first time atop the Baseball America poll since winning it all in 2023.
“Our guys fought and competed well today and all weekend against a very good team,” head coach Jay Johnson said Sunday.
At 40-12 overall and 17-10 in the SEC, LSU has reestablished itself as one of college baseball’s most dominant teams. The resurgence is a testament to strategic roster building and internal development after a disappointing 2024 campaign, when the Tigers failed to advance out of regionals as a non-host.
Johnson’s elite transfer class brought in immediate contributors like pitchers Anthony Eyanson, Zac Cowan and Conner Ware, along with infielder Daniel Dickinson. His freshmen crop delivered outfielder Derek Curiel and pitcher Casan Evans, both of whom have become vital pieces. Returning stars like lefthander Kade Anderson and sluggers Jared Jones and Ethan Frey round out one of the most complete rosters in the nation.
The numbers back it up. On the mound, LSU ranks in the 95th percentile or better in opponent OPS, strikeout rate, WHIP and FIP. Offensively, the Tigers sit in the 92nd percentile or better in OPS, wOBA, ISO and runs per plate appearance, according to 64Analytics.com.
Johnson forecasted that balance as far back as November.
“We feel really good about the ability of the players we have now,” he told Baseball America. “There’s obviously a lot of unknown relative to blending them together but I think we set a really good foundation for the spring with this team, which is important, because there’s a lot of new going on. I think we’ll have a chance to be really good.”
LSU is the sixth team this season to hold the No. 1 ranking, joining Texas A&M, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas and Georgia. All six have come from the SEC—marking the first time since 2021 that three or more No. 1s in a regular season hailed from the same conference.
But so far, the position hasn’t lasted long. The average stay atop the rankings is just under three weeks. Arkansas and Georgia each lasted only one before surrendering the top spot. LSU now takes its turn—this time, with staying power.
There’s no Paul Skenes-Dylan Crews duo this time—no future No. 1 and No. 2 MLB Draft picks anchoring the rotation and lineup. What LSU does have may be just as dangerous: depth. Eyanson, a transfer from UC San Diego, has emerged as a premier arm. Anderson has pitched his way into top-10 draft consideration. Curiel has played with uncommon maturity. Evans looks like a future ace.
Barring a misstep on the road at South Carolina this weekend, LSU will enter the SEC Tournament as the No. 1 team in Baseball America’s rankings—and a near lock to claim a top-eight national seed.
It’s the same position the Tigers held two years ago—when they last ended their season atop the college baseball world.
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