Maurice Hampton Jr. Enters Transfer Portal

Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

3/12/2021
Article By: All Fans/SB Nation
By: Zach Junda




   The LSU football and baseball team received bad news Thursday when it was reported that sophomore outfielder/safety Mo Hampton Jr. would be entering the transfer portal.
   On the football field Hampton played in eight games this past season, recording 27 tackles. As a freshman, Hampton played in 13 games and recorded 10 tackles. Hampton also started against Arkansas in place of an injured Grant Delpit and his efforts in that game were rewarded by the SEC as the conference’s freshman of the week. Hampton’s emergence helped stabilize the the 2019 LSU secondary as Delpit worked his way back from his injured ankle.
   Hampton hasn’t enjoyed as much success inside Alex Box as he has in Tiger Stadium. His freshman season was ended prematurely both by and injured back and the COVID-19 pandemic. Hampton played in 10 games and started seven, with four in center field and three in left. He batted .231 (6-26) with a double, three RBIs, and stole a pair of bases as a freshman.


   But Hampton hasn’t seen nearly as much playing time this season as he did in the shortened 2020
season. Hampton’s only appeared in five games and logged four at bats thanks to a crowded but talented LSU outfield. Hampton’s name is no longer listed on the 2021 baseball roster. He leaves LSU with a mere 30 at bats and 15 games played in.
   “I was caught off guard by his decision today,” Mainieri said. “But I can’t say I was totally surprised.”
   Hampton came to LSU by way of Memphis as an elite football and baseball player. He was a
​top-100 football prospect in the 2019 class and the 29th ranked player in the 2019 MLB Draft. He’s the first athlete in Tennessee history to be named Mr. Football and Mr. Baseball in the same season. Hampton turned down a $1.8 million signing bonus to attend LSU.

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