LSU Country

LSU Baseball Gets Seven Top 100 Prospects to Campus in 2024 Recruiting Class

In an unprecedented move, LSU will get seven of the Top 100 2024 prospects to Baton Rouge, take college route.

Zack Nagy

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Jay Johnson and the LSU baseball have pieced together one of the most dominant recruiting stretches in program history after retooling the roster for the 2025 season.

Headlined by a trio of the Top 15 prospects in America making their way to Baton Rouge, Johnson and Co. have been red hot on the recruiting trail.

Along with the top-ranked high school class, LSU utilized the transfer portal to its advantage after double-digit additions via the free agent market.

The Transfer Portal haul is as impressive as it gets, rated at No. 1 in college baseball according to 64Analytics, but the prized high school prospects making their way to campus is a monumental feat.

Johnson and the staff will have seven of the Top 100 prospects in the 2024 cycle make their way to Baton Rouge to join the Tigers.

It's an unprecedented move in college baseball with the Bayou Bengals adding to the talent-rich roster in Louisiana.

After formally withdrawing from the 2024 MLB Draft and opting to take their talents to LSU, the Tigers are on fire on the recruiting trail.

A look into the seven Top 100 prospects, according to Perfect Game, set to arrive in Baton Rouge:

William Schmidt: No. 1 Right-Handed Pitcher in America

The No. 1 righty in the 2024 high school class, Schmidt was a projected first round draft selection on Sunday night.

He was rated as the No. 5 overall prospect and the top-ranked prospect in Louisiana. A Baton Rouge native, Schmidt will now suit up for the hometown purple and gold.

He's fresh off of a state championship with the Catholic High Bears that came in as the No. 1 baseball program in the country, according to MaxPreps.

The buzz over the last few weeks was that Schmidt would skip out on college and begin his professional career right out of high school. Instead, the prized prospect will fulfill his LSU commitment and stay home.

Schmidt is the highest ranked recruit to ever make it to LSU's campus.

Cade Arrambide: No. 1 Catcher in America

With Arrambide on board, the Tigers will have three of the top 15 players in the 2024 recruiting class on campus for the 2025 season with Arrambide joining William Schmidt and Derek Curiel.

Arrambide logged a .430 batting average with 12 home runs in his senior campaign for Tomball High in Texas.

The impressive two-way player also won the Gatorade Player of the Year in the Lone Star State and is has history with his strong arm behind the plate.

Arrambide was also the No. 1 high school catcher and a top-120 player overall in MLB.com's draft rankings. After not being selected in either Rounds 1 or 2, he made the decision to pull his name out and will make his way to Baton Rouge.

Derek Curiel: No. 10 Player in America

The LSU signee announced his decision to bypass the 2024 MLB Draft via social media and will now prepare to make his way to Baton Rouge where he is set to enroll early this summer.

Johnson and Co. have continued retooling the roster this offseason via the NCAA Transfer Portal, and with Curiel now in the mix, LSU brings in a pivotal piece to the 2024 high school class.

The No. 117 overall prospect in the 2024 MLB Draft, according to MLB.com, the Tigers are bringing in an immediate impact player for the 2025 season.

Here's what Curiel's Draft Profile says:

"Curiel's bat to ball skills are excellent and he rarely strikes out... While Curiel is now mostly an average runner, he does have outstanding instincts that will let him play center field for a long time.

"That with his knack for finding the barrel gives him a pretty decent floor as a big leaguer, and there are some who think he might go on to LSU and come out as a high floor college hitter."

The LSU outfield now adds another critical piece to the future after true freshmen Jake Brown and Ashton Larson earned starting duties towards the backend of the season.

Now, throwing Curiel and others in the mix, the Tigers attain significant depth in the outfield for the 2025 season.

Cooper Williams: No. 12 LHP in America (No. 73 Overall)

Jay Johnson and the LSU baseball staff continued a dominant stretch on the recruiting trail after successfully flipping former Texas A&M commitment Cooper Williams, he announced via social media on Wednesday.

The 6-foot-4 left-handed pitcher, and long-time Aggies pledge, adds to a star-studded 2025 roster with Johnson and Co. attaining an impressive pitching arsenal for next season.

The prized pitcher was let out of his NLI after the coaching change in College Station.

Williams wrote via social media: “After lots of prayers and discussion amongst my family as well as people close to me I have decided to decommit from Texas A&M and spend the next 3 years at LSU. Eager to move forward in this next chapter of my life in Baton Rouge, Let’s Geaux!”

He' s rated as the No. 73 overall player in the 2024 cycle and the No. 12 left-handed pitcher in America.

With the recent changes in College Station, Williams re-evaluated his options and will now head to Baton Rouge for the next three years.

According to Perfect Game, Williams is a "young bodied southpaw with tons of projection. Up to 93 mpg at PG national with a big slider and change up. Starter profile.”

Williams joins a revamped pitching staff with several impressive faces set to make their way to Baton Rouge.

The Seven Top 100 Prospects:

- No. 5: RHP William Schmidt
- No. 10: OF Derek Curiel
- No. 13: C Cade Arrambide
- No. 73: LHP Cooper Williams
- No. 74: SS Casan Evans
- No. 79: SS David Hogg II
- No. 92: 1B Ryan Costello

Other LSU News:

No. 1 Pitcher in America, LSU Signee William Schmidt Bypassing 2024 MLB Draft

LSU Baseball Lands First-Round Talent via NCAA Transfer Portal

LSU Football Trending for Pair of Prized Defensive Backs

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Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Country: @LSUCountry_FN for all coverage surrounding the LSU program.

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Zack Nagy
ZACK NAGY

Zack Nagy is the Managing Editor and Publisher of LSU Country, a Sports Illustrated Publication. Nagy has covered Tiger Football, Basketball, Baseball and Recruiting, looking to keep readers updated on anything and everything involving LSU athletics. 

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