LSU Baseball: No. 1 Catcher in America, LSU Signee Cade Arrambide Pulls Name From MLB Draft
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Jay Johnson and the LSU baseball staff will get signee Cade Arrambide to campus after the No. 1 catcher in America revealed he will formally withdraw from the 2024 MLB Draft.
Arrambide revealed his decision on Sunday night following Rounds 1 and 2 of the draft.
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.
With Arrambide, Schmidt and Curiel in the mix, LSU flaunts an embarrassment of riches with a trio of freshmen set to take center stage in year one.
Jay Johnson and the Tigers continue doing the unthinkable on the recruiting trail. #LSU will get three of the Top 15 players in America to campus.
— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) July 15, 2024
William Schmidt: No. 1 RHP
Cade Arrambide: No. 1 catcher
Derek Curiel: No. 10 prospect
Dominant haul in Baton Rouge. pic.twitter.com/3SEWbckI5S
More on Schmidt and Curiel:
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.
Here is what MLB.com said of Schmidt’s game:
“Schmidt can spin his curveball at upwards of 3,000 rpm, and it’s an low-80s hammer that breaks so much that it often fools umpires as well as hitters. He has good command of a fastball that has gained 3 mph this spring, now sitting in the mid-90s and maxing out at 99 mph with carry and arm-side run. He rarely has needed a third pitch but shows some feel for a low-80s changeup with some sink.
Not only does Schmidt have some of the best stuff in the Draft, but he also generates it with ease and fills the strike zone. He still has room to add more strength to his wiry 6-foot-4 frame, so he could get better. He used to elicit comparisons to three-time All-Star Adam Wainwright, but now he’s better at the same stage of his career.”
LSU has pieced together an impressive pitching arsenal for the 2025 season with several players set to battle it out fot weekend starter duties.
Johnson and Co. have done it again on the recruiting trail with Schmidt now headlining an impressive group of high schoolers preparing to head to Baton Rouge.
LSU will have a pair of Top 10 overall prospects in the 2024 class make it campus with coveted outfielder Derek Curiel joining Schmidt. They will be roommates once both arrive at LSU.
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.
Other LSU News:
LSU Football Surging for Top 10 Wide Receiver in America, Sets Decision Date
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.