LSU BASEBALL COACH JAY JOHNSON RELEASES FALL ROSTER

8/28/2024

Photo By: Terrill Weil

Da Boot Sports
8/28/2024
LSU Sports Communications
By: William Franques

BATON ROUGE, La. – LSU baseball coach Jay Johnson on Wednesday released the Tigers’ fall semester roster that includes the 25 members of the incoming recruiting class that have joined the program.

The signing class is composed of 11 NCAA Division I transfers, four JUCO transfers and 10 high school signees. Nine LSU players were ranked earlier this month among Baseball America magazine’s Top 100 College Transfers.

Johnson, the 2023 National Coach of the Year entering his fourth season at LSU, said the Tigers’ staff was focused upon composing a roster designed to compete at an elite level.

“We’ve had 22 players sign pro contracts over the past two seasons, so we’ve had a lot of work to do in building the pitching depth and the overall physicality in our program. The guys that we brought in from the transfer portal combined to hit 80 home runs last year, so we were aggressive in finding players with extra-base hit potential.

“The bat speed, the physicality, the conviction of what they’re doing at the plate stands out, and I think we needed an infusion of that. This class will complement our returning players very, very well. I love the guys that we have returning, we have the right players and people returning from last season.”

The Tigers feature seven returning players with starting experience at LSU, including
senior shortstop Michael Braswell III, senior outfielder Josh Pearson, junior first baseman Jared Jones, junior outfielder Ethan Frey, sophomore second baseman Steven Milam, sophomore outfielder Ashton Larson, and sophomore outfielder/left-handed pitcher Jake Brown.

The pitching staff contains six hurlers who have recorded innings at LSU, including 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 Tigers will engage in individual drills and strength training for the next six weeks prior to beginning their full-squad fall practice period on Thursday, October 10. The fall session will feature several intra-squad scrimmages through October and November in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.

Johnson said LSU will also play two exhibition games this fall against outside competition. The Tigers meet Samford on Sunday, November 3, at Keesler Federal Park in Biloxi, Miss., and LSU will face UL Lafayette on Sunday, November 10 at Moore Field in Lafayette, La.

More information about the fall exhibition games will be announced in the coming weeks.

Listed below are the members of LSU’s 2024 signing class:

0 Cade Arrambide, C, Fr.
Tomball, Texas (Tomball HS)

Named 2024 Texas Gatorade Player of the Year
Ranked as the No. 1 High School catcher by MLB.com in its 2024 Draft Rankings
Hit .430 with 12 home runs and 35 RBI in 40 games as a senior at Tomball High School

33 Dalton Beck, OF, Sr.
Frisco, Texas (Reedy HS/Incarnate Word)

Transfer to LSU from Incarnate Word; No. 34 in Baseball America’s Top 100 College Transfers
The 2024 Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year at Incarnate Word after hitting .377 with 20 doubles, 18 home runs and 67 RBI in 57 games
Led the SLC in 2024 in slugging percentage (.733), hits (89), RBI and home runs while establishing the Incarnate Word season records for most RBI, doubles, hits, home runs, intentional walks, slugging percentage, at-bats and total bases

43 Connor Benge, RHP, Jr.
Montgomery, Texas (Montgomery HS/Dallas Baptist)

Transferred to LSU after one season at LSU-Eunice (2023) and one season at Dallas Baptist (2024)
Posted a 1-1 record at Dallas Baptist in 2024 with a 5.73 ERA … worked 33.0 innings over 22 appearances, recording 35 strikeouts
Named a 2023 Third Team All-American at LSU-Eunice … recorded the second-most wins at the NJCAA Division II level (11) … led the team in ERA (2.82), innings pitched (70.1), and strikeouts (86)

38 Ryan Costello, 1B, Fr.
Howell, N.J. (Ranney HS)
·       Ranked as Perfect Game’s No. 92 overall player and the No. 2 first baseman in the 2024 high school class
·       Hit .562 with 14 home runs and 34 RBI in his senior year at Ranney High School in 2024

26 Zac Cowan, RHP, Jr.
Blythewood, S.C. (Blythewood HS/Wofford)
·       Transferred to LSU from Wofford … No. 23 in the Baseball America ranking of the Top 100
College Transfers
·       Posted a 10-2 record in 2024 with an ERA of 3.35 and 124 strikeouts in 110 innings
·       Named 2024 First-Team All-Southern Conference and Second-Team ABCA All-Region; helped lead Wofford to the 2024 SoCon Tournament championship and the Terriers’ first-ever win in an NCAA Regional game

6 Derek Curiel, OF, Fr.
West Covina, Calif. (Orange Lutheran HS)

Ranked as the No. 10 overall high school player in the country and as the second-best high school player in the state of California by Perfect Game
Batted .314 with 33 hits - including 10 doubles - 21 RBI and 19 stolen bases in his senior year at Orange Lutheran High School

14 Daniel Dickinson, INF, Jr.
Richland, Wash. (Kennewick HS/Utah Valley)
·       Transfer from Utah Valley; ranked No. 2 among Baseball America’s Top 100 College Transfers
·       Posted a .369 career batting average in two seasons at Utah Valley (2023-24) with 27 homers, 95 RBI and a .457 on-base percentage
·       A First-Team All-WAC selection in 2024, batting .363 (90-for-248) with 14 doubles, two triples, 18 homers, 53 RBI and 32 stolen bases

40 Chandler Dorsey, RHP, Jr.
Lakeland, Fla. (George Jenkins HS/South Florida)

Transfer from South Florida; ranked No. 22 among Baseball America’s Top 100 College Transfers

·       Led the USF pitching staff in 2024 with 26 relief appearances as the team’s primary closer … he was 2-1 on the year with eight saves, a 3.60 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 30.0 innings, limiting opposing batters to a .180 average
·       Enjoyed a dominant three-game stint this summer in the Cape Cod League for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks, as he did not allow a run and struck out 13 in 8.1 innings

20 Casan Evans, RHP/UTL, Fr.
Houston, Texas (St. Pius X HS)
·       Ranked as the No. 19 best high school shortstop in the country and the No. 9 best high school player in Texas by Perfect Game
·       Voted 2024 Second-Team All-Texas by TXHighSchoolBaseball.com

24 Anthony Eyanson, RHP, Jr.
Lakewood, Calif. (Lakewood HS/UC San Diego)

Transferred to LSU after two seasons at UC San Diego; ranked No. 4 among Baseball America’s Top 100 College Transfers
All-Big West Second-Team selection in 2024
Posted a 6-2 mark in 2024 with a 3.07 ERA in 82 innings over 14 appearances … registered 85 strikeouts and a .190 opponent batting average

23 Luis Hernandez, UTL, Sr.
Gurabo, Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Baseball Academy)

Transferred to LSU from Indiana State … ranked No. 32 in Baseball America’s Top 100 College Transfers
2024 First-Team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection, batting .359 (89-for-248) with 14 doubles, 23 homers and 76 RBI.
A first baseman, catcher and designated hitter at Indiana State, he was a 2024 ABCA All-Midwest Region selection, and he was voted to the Missouri Valley Conference All-Defensive Team

18 David Hogg II, INF, Fr.
Mansfield, Texas (Mansfield HS)

Ranked by Perfect Game as the No. 79 high school player in the 2024 class, and the No. 21 shortstop … reached base safely in all 31 games in which he played at Mansfield High in 2024, batting .411 with a .534 on-base percentage
Attended the 2024 MLB Draft Combine

35 Jacob Mayers, RHP, Jr.
Gonzales, La. (St. Amant HS/Nicholls)
·       Transfers to LSU from Nicholls; ranked No. 17 among Baseball America’s Top 100 College Transfers
·       Led the Southland Conference in 2024 with 106 strikeouts and a .165 opponent batting average … he was 5-1 on the season with a 4.58 ERA in 70.2 innings, and he finished third in the nation in hits allowed per nine innings (4.97)
·       Named to the ABCA/Rawlings All-South Region Second Team in 2024 … voted the NCBWA National Freshman Pitcher of the Year in 2023

47 John Pearson, OF/3B, Fr.
West Monroe, La. (West Monroe HS)

Ranked by Perfect Game as the No. 6 best player in the state of Louisiana … younger brother of current LSU outfielder Josh Pearson
Helped lead West Monroe High School to the 2024 state title, batting .378 with 10 doubles, two triples, six homers, 45 RBI and 23 runs

28 Blaise Priester, C, RS-Jr.
Denham Springs, La. (Live Oak HS/Meridian CC)

Returns to LSU after being on the Tigers’ roster in 2022 … played the 2023 and 2024 seasons at Meridian (Miss.) Community College
Batted .377 in 2024 at Meridian with 61 hits, 14 home runs and 65 RBI

5 Tanner Reaves, INF, RS-Jr.
Bonham, Texas (Bonham HS)

Transfer from Blinn College in Brenham, Texas
Posted a .398 cumulative average in two years at Blinn with 28 homers, 142 RBI and 28 doubles
Helped lead Blinn in 2024 to its first NJCAA National Championship

48 Mavrick Rizy, RHP, Fr.
Fiskdale, Mass. (Worcester Academy)
·       Ranked as the No. 1 high school player in the state of Massachusetts by Perfect Game
·       Nephew of Cleveland Guardians RHP Alex Cobb
·       Participated in the MLB Draft Scouting Combine and played in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League

17 Michael Ryan, INF, Fr.
Luling, La. (Archbishop Rummel HS)

No. 30 ranked shortstop and No. 113 ranked overall high school player by Perfect Game
Ranked as the best shortstop in the state of Louisiana by Perfect Game
Attended the 2024 MLB Draft Combine

39 Trevor Schmidt, 1B, RS-So.
Anaheim, Calif. (Servite HS/Fullerton College)

Transfer from Fullerton College who played his freshman year at Arizona
Played in 44 games at Fullerton College in 2024 and recorded a .343 average, 13 home runs and 65 RBI

9 William Schmidt, RHP, Fr.
Baton Rouge, La. (Catholic HS)

Ranked as the No. 16 overall 2024 draft prospect by MLB.com
Posted elite numbers as a senior at Catholic High School in 2024, including a 9-0 record, a 0.44 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 63.2 innings while leading CHS to the state title

1 Chris Stanfield, OF, Jr.
Tallahassee, Fla. (Chiles HS/Auburn)

Transferred to LSU after two seasons (2023-24) at Auburn; ranked No. 79 among Baseball America’s Top 100 Transfers
Hit .276 in 2024 with 51 hits, 4 home runs, 25 RBIs and 9 stolen bases… tied for the Auburn team lead in multi-hit games with 16 … member of the 2024 SEC Community Service Team

45 Deven Sheerin, RHP, So.
Reading, Pa. (Exeter Township HS/Mount St. Mary’s)

Transfers to LSU to after one season at Mount St. Mary’s (2024) … ranked No. 8 among Baseball America’s Top 100 College Transfers
Recorded in his freshman season 109 strikeouts and 32 walks across 70.0 innings … named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year and received first-team All-MAAC recognition, leading the league in strikeouts
Earned 2024 Second-Team Freshman All-America honors from Perfect Game

55 Conner Ware, LHP, Jr.
Madison, Miss. (Pearl River CC)

Pitched two seasons at Pearl River (Miss.) Community College (2023-24)
Recorded a 3-0 record in 2024 over six appearances and 17 innings, with an ERA of 1.59 ERA and 28 strikeouts

29 Cooper Williams, LHP, Fr.
Alvin, Texas (Alvin HS)

Ranked as the No. 12 best high school LHP in the country by Perfect Game
Posted a 10-4 career mark at Alvin High School with a 1.34 ERA … recorded 152 strikeouts in 99.1 career innings

30 Eddie Yamin IV, C/1B, Jr.
West Sand Lake, N.Y. (La Salle Institute/Dayton)

Transfers to LSU from Dayton, where he played for two seasons (2023-24)
Played in 53 games in 2024 and batted .342 with 13 homers, 14 doubles and 54 RBI

CLICK HERE FOR 2024 LSU BASEBALL FALL ROSTER

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