LSU Baseball Offseason Summary

Tigers lose key pieces via MLB Draft, reel in talented transfer portal class paired with 2022 signees

The MLB Draft left the LSU baseball program in a phenomenal place heading into the 2023 season. Adding a majority of their 2022 signees to the roster after announcing they would pull their names out of the draft, it put Jay Johnson’s group in position to compete next year.

Aside from a few key pieces inking deals that were expected to be signed, this program had a top offseason amongst SEC schools.

Here’s a full breakdown of the offseason and the moves this program made:

Current LSU Tigers Who Were Selected in MLB Draft

LSU third baseman/outfielder Jacob Berry came off the board early in the 2022 MLB Draft after being selected No. 6 overall by the Miami Marlins. Berry became the first Tiger selected in the 1st round since 2017, where Alex Lange was selected by the Chicago Cubs.

Berry, a product of Queen Creek, Ariz., was a 2022 Golden Spikes Award semifinalist, a second-team All-America performer and second-team All-SEC selection as he batted a team-high .370 with nine doubles, 15 homers, 48 RBI and 47 runs.

Berry hit .400 (38-for-95) in LSU’s SEC regular-season games with three doubles, five homers, 20 RBI and 18 runs.

Second baseman Cade Doughty came off the board in the 2022 MLB Draft after the Toronto Blue Jays selected him No. 78 overall. Doughty became the second LSU Tiger taken in this year’s draft after the Miami Marlins took Jacob Berry No. 6 overall.

Doughty, a native of Denham Springs, La., earned 2022 third-team All-America recognition, batting .298 with 15 homers, 57 RBI, 56 runs and a team-high 19 doubles. He was voted to the NCAA Hattiesburg Regional All-Tournament Team after hitting .444 (8-for-18) with three homers, six RBI and seven runs. 

Related: Berry, Doughty Expected To Go Early in 2022 MLB Draft

LSU redshirt sophomore pitcher Eric Reyzelman was selected Monday in the fifth round of the MLB Draft by the New York Yankees. Reyzelman, a right-hander from San Ramon, Calif., was the No. 160 overall pick in the MLB Draft.

Reyzelman, who transferred to LSU prior to the 2022 season from the University of San Francisco, was second on the Tigers’ pitching staff in appearances with 29, and he posted a 1-3 record and a 4.04 ERA in 42.1 innings with 18 walks, 66 strikeouts, three saves and a .200 opponent batting average.

Right-handed pitcher Paul Gervase, a 6-foot-9 menace, was selected by the New York Mets in the 12th round. After initially stating he would be returning to Baton Rouge next season, he quickly changed his mind, opting to ink a deal with the Mets.

Transfer Portal Class Additions/Draftees

Tommy White - Infielder/DH - North Carolina State - Headed to Baton Rouge

Christian Little - Pitcher - Vanderbilt - Headed to Baton Rouge

Dylan Tebrake - Pitcher - Creighton - Signing deal with New York Mets

Related: LSU Baseball 2022 Transfer Portal Class

Jack Pineda - Infielder - Baylor - Signing deal with Kansas City Royals

Carter Young - Shortstop - Vanderbilt - Undecided after being drafted by the Baltimore Orioles

Thatcher Hurd - Pitcher - UCLA - Headed to Baton Rouge

Key 2022 Signees Enrolling at LSU 

• Paxton Kling - Outfield/Shortstop
• Chase Shores - Right-Handed Pitcher
• Gavin Guidry - Shortstop/Right-Handed-Pitcher
• Griffin Herring - Left-Handed Pitcher/Outfield
• Aiden Moffit - Right-Handed Pitcher
• Kaleb Applebey - Right-Handed Pitcher

Related: LSU Baseball Sees 2022 Signees Bypass College

Final Thoughts

All in all, to have Kling, Shores, Guidry, Herring, Applebey and Moffit, among others announcing they will be enrolling at LSU and head to Baton Rouge is a huge win for this program. Pairing their 2022 signees with the transfer portal class Johnson has assembled puts this squad in position to compete at the highest level in 2023.