A Look at the Top LSU 2022 Signees and Their MLB Draft Position

In the world of NIL, can head coach Jay Johnson convince his top prospects to bypass MLB contract?

The Tigers have their work cut out for them this offseason. From replacing both recruiting coordinator Dan Fitzgerald and pitching coach Jason Kelly to hitting the transfer portal, it’ll be a challenging next few months for head coach Jay Johnson. But taking it one step at a time is the plan, and phase one is retaining his 2022 signees who are in MLB Draft consideration.

In the recent MLB Top 200 prospects list, 11 LSU signees saw their names on the list with eight of them in the Top 100.

Headlined by Bishop Gorman outfielder Justin Crawford at No. 13, the Tigers signees are creeping up the list rather quickly, putting Johnson and his staff in a bind. The MLB Draft being so late in July puts all college programs, not just LSU, in a difficult situation.

LSU Signees in MLB's Top 200 prospects list:

Justin Crawford - 13
Robby Snelling - 16
Tucker Toman - 42
Mikey Romero - 62
Gavin Guidry - 67
Jaden Noot - 75
Brady Neal - 85
Michael Kennedy - 87
Paxton Kling - 102
Chase Shores - 127
Jared Jones - 193#LSU

— Brian Holland (@BHollandSports) June 18, 2022

Johnson detailed the challenges faced with the draft being July 17-19 and how he looks to overcome it.

“The draft being late is horrendous for us as coaches,” Johnson said. “But we have to adapt. You turn on the combine on MLB Network and there’s an LSU recruit running a 60 or talking on set. We’ll see what happens but we made strong pitches to those guys on why this [college] is the right way. I think the thing that changes it all is money and some of those guys are gonna get a lot of money and not gonna be here.”

A few signees that are set for paydays are Crawford, Robby Snelling, Tucker Toman, Mikey Romero and Gavin Guidry. The Tigers are in need of a consistent shortstop, which is why Johnson is heavily persuading California native Romero to stay true to his LSU pledge.

This isn’t new to Johnson, who regularly reels in top recruiting classes. Overcoming the difficulties that come with the territory is what he’s accustomed to at this point, but there has certainly been speculation in the process.

Do you build a roster through the transfer portal one year at a time? How do you remain consistent if your top talent is bouncing at the last second? It has nothing to do with the prospects, more of the draft being so late in the game.

“It is what it is and I’m not going to let any one player hold our program hostage,” Johnson said. “We’re gonna be ok. It’s a complicated issue I spend every day working on. We have a different avenue where we can overcome some of those losses. It kind of gives you a thought that maybe you wanna build your team one year at a time which is not the way I believed in it. But right now it’s a talent grab and part of what you have to do to be at the top.”

With the MLB Draft one month away, Johnson will put on his recruiting cap and do all he can to get his LSU signees to Baton Rouge. As the NCAA transfer portal becomes more and more prominent in baseball, he’ll rely on that resource as well to provide the Tigers with a talented roster in 2023.