LSU Baseball: Jay Johnson Brings Familiar Face Back To Baton Rouge To Join Coaching Staff

Johnson brings back Josh Simpson as an assistant coach for the Tigers, member of 2023 title squad.

Tigers Herad Coach Jay Johnson as the LSU Tigers take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge LA. Friday, April 5, 2024. / SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA

Josh Simpson, the director of baseball operations for LSU’s 2023 National Championship team, is returning to the Tigers as assistant coach, head coach Jay Johnson announced on Monday.

Simpson worked during the 2024 season as assistant coach at Georgia, where he helped lead the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament No. 7 National Seed and the NCAA Athens Regional title.

“I am really excited to bring Josh back to LSU as a member of our coaching staff,” Johnson said. “Josh is an elite evaluator, and will help us continue to bring the nation’s top players to Baton Rouge both from the high school ranks and the transfer portal.

“He was an instrumental member of our staff for the 2023 National Championship team, and he did a terrific job at Georgia this past year. I am looking forward to getting Josh back in our dugout and program, and our players will benefit tremendously with him being back in the purple and gold.”

Before serving as LSU’s director of operations in 2023, Simpson worked as an MLB scout for the Texas Rangers from 2016-22.

Welcome back to Baton Rouge, Coach Josh Simpson!

📄 https://t.co/bXOfU5ZJzw pic.twitter.com/vXKxaaUzs8

— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) June 24, 2024

He was the head coach from 2008-15 at New Mexico Junior College, where he completed his career as the second winningest coach in program history, posting a 283-163 record. He saw over 18 players drafted into Major League Baseball and qualified for the regional tournament in eight consecutive seasons.

In 2014, he led NMJC to the Western Junior College Athletic Conference title, and he was named the WJCAC Coach of the Year.

Prior to becoming the NMJC head coach, Simpson was the hitting coach in 2007 at Central Arizona College, where he helped guide the team to the Region I Championship and a second place finish in the Western District Playoffs.

He worked as the volunteer coach at the University of New Mexico in 2006, and in 2005 he was the head coach at Lamar (Colo.) Community College, where his squad won the Region IX Championship and finished second in the Western District Playoffs. Lamar CC posted an overall record of 51-11 and a No. 4 final national ranking.

Simpson earned a bachelor’s of science degree in 2003 from Northwestern Oklahoma State, and he received a master’s degree in 2010 from East Central University in Ada, Okla.

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