LSU Baseball's 2022 Landscape Could Change With Return of Key Veterans

Fontenot, Hilliard announce return for 2022 season, will be integral pieces to pitching staff in need of veteran arms

As day two of the 2021 MLB draft progressed, LSU saw two of its ace pitchers and a quartet of its signing class get selected in the first five rounds of the draft. But as the rounds passed, two Tigers' veterans, outfielder Gavin Dugas and pitcher Devin Fontenot, did not hear their name. 

Both projected to be late round day two picks ahead of the draft, anywhere from the eighth to tenth round, both went unselected by the end of day two. Shortly after day two concluded, Fontenot dropped the bombshell that he'd be returning for another season in Baton Rouge. 

Absolutely Huge! #GeauxTigers #awesome https://t.co/0G1NLfmV5j

— Jay Johnson (@LSUCoachJ) July 13, 2021

The senior has one year of eligibility left which made his decision a little more difficult. Returning for a fifth season will put him in a more precarious negotiating position this time next year but the benefits outweigh any possible negatives. 

All he has to do is go back and look at players like Kramer Robertson and Cole Freeman, electric stars within the program who improved their draft stocks exponentially with a College World Series run. Another aspect that likely played a part in Fontenot's ultimate decision to return is the current pitching situation on the roster.

Jaden Hill and Landon Marceaux were selected No. 44 and No. 80 overall, moving on to the MLB as a result. Highly regarded pitching recruits Ben Kudrna and Brock Selvidge were also selected high and will likely turn pro. With the uncertainty around the starting pitching next season, Fontenot might see it as an opportunity to compete for a starting role and further boost his draft stock.

Returning with a young group in place like Garrett Edwards, Ty Floyd and Will Hellmers, Fontenot could continue to drive up his draft stock as a potential starter. But the good news didn't stop there as senior pitcher Ma'Khail Hilliard also announced his return hours after Fontenot.

Hilliard was one of the bright spots of the pitching staff over the last six weeks of the season, returning to his freshman year form and will likely be a starting candidate once again in 2022. Getting both he and Fontenot back on the pitching staff will do absolute wonders for this group that will need to replace Marceaux, Hill and AJ Labas.

The case for Dugas is pretty straight forward. With two years left of college eligibility, he has the chance to play one more season in the SEC and continue to post impressive numbers while still maintaining the leverage that a junior prospect has entering the draft. Since Jay Johnson took over a few weeks back, he's expressed his optimism and hope of being able to retain LSU's most clutch hitter from the 2021 season. 

Dugas batted .295 in his first full season as a starter to go along with 19 home runs and 66 RBI. Adding that firepower to a lineup of Dylan Crews, Tre Morgan, Cade Doughty and Jacob Berry would make for an explosive offense. Adding Johnson's influence as a hitting coach should also help Dugas whittle down on the team high 63 strikeouts. 

Another solid season with similar numbers in 2022, Dugas could propel himself up draft boards as he's also developed a reputation of being a tough nosed defender in the outfield. There is risk involved with returning as Dugas did suffer injuries in each of his first two seasons. But after going undrafted through 10 rounds in the draft, Dugas will be a name to monitor early in the day on Tuesday's 11-20 rounds.

While we still wait on what Dugas ultimately decides, bringing Fontenot back into the fold was an absolutely massive win for the Tigers. Landing both of them would not only boost this roster exponentially but peg the Tigers as one of the favorites to win the SEC next season and project to be Omaha bound.