LSU Baseball Keying in On Big Decisions Ahead of Opening Day

Tigers still figuring out which combinations work on the mounds and at the plate with opener a few days out

Finding the right mix is important for any team but LSU baseball is in a unique with an abundance of talent and versatility throughout its roster. 

It's a good problem for first year head coach Jay Johnson to have but it's also why there aren't many clues leaking out as to who will be batting where or which pitcher will be on the mound opening weekend. The Tigers just capped off their final weekend of scrimmages before the season, with more data being collected but Johnson not yet ready to pull the trigger on a number of key decisions.

A newer development that Johnson had toyed with was moving first baseman Tre Morgan in the outfield on some days but it appears that's not going to be an option, at least to start the season. Morgan is to valuable at first for one and Johnson has other ideas of moving the defensive lineup around to most benefit the team.

For example, one of the lineups seen on Sunday saw Cade Doughty at third base, Will Safford at second and Jacob Berry in right field. Johnson has talked all offseason about the versatility on this team and that's just one of the combinations LSU can use to add more left handed batters into the rotation, something Johnson is looking to do ahead of the season opener. 

Playing with the lineups is what the preseason is all about and Johnson said it was a good experience to get into more of a game like scenario this past weekend with this group. 

"I thought it was good to get a dry run of what it's gonna be like, get the music going, walk up songs, count down to the day," Johnson said. "I thought they responded pretty well to it initially. We still got guys we're trying to find that right combination, wanna get speed, power, solid hitting skills."

There's a core four of Morgan, Berry, Dylan Crews and Cade Doughty who Johnson sees as everyday locks. Everyone else is competing for playing time as the coaching staff is in search of the best possible lineup combinations. 

"There's a lot of competition right now. We don't have guys that have done enough to own spots and they're gonna have to do things to move the offense better and take better quality at bats," Johnson said. 

While the offense and defense is still a work in progress, the Tigers saw some excellent pitching outings during the last weekend of scrimmages. Will Hellmers, Ty Floyd, Ma'Khail Hilliard, Javen Coleman and Blake Money were just a few of the pitchers who had successful scrimmages over the weekend. 

Carving out roles is likely a chore Johnson and pitching coach Jason Kelly will take into the season to see how pitchers react to different scenarios against other opponents.

Johnson called Hellmers and Floyd the highlights of the night during Friday's scrimmage, throwing multiple pitches for strikes and managing the game when on the mound. Hilliard threw five innings of scoreless baseball with six strikeouts while Coleman allowed one run in his five innings of work with five strikeouts as well. 

The overall health of the team is also in a good place after some minor injuries kept players out during the fall and into the spring. Jordan Thompson was back at shortstop for a few defensive innings while pitcher Garret Edwards is out of a walking boot and threw one inning Sunday with two strikeouts and no runs allowed.

"He's been great," Johnson said of Thompson. "He's a good competitor, he's definitely going to be a huge part of what we're doing. Moving his way back to health, try to get him a full seven innings on Sunday."

LSU has some big decisions to make before Friday's season opener against Maine. But the Tigers will be in a position where they can roll out a number of different lineup combinations until one sticks. 

(Photo courtesy of LSUsports)