Special year awaits LSU baseball
Every preseason college baseball poll has LSU ranked among the top five teams in the country.
As expected, Tigers coach Paul Mainieri embraced the resulting high expectations which come with such recognition.
“We have a chance to do something special this year,” said Mainieri, at LSU’s media day Friday afternoon. “We are a consensus top-five team in all of the polls. I don’t see why we shouldn’t have one of the best teams in the country. Other people out there also think we’ll have a pretty good team.
“The preseason expectations are always at a high level at LSU. Our goals are always making it to Omaha, playing for the national championship and winning it. We all know these (preseason) polls don’t mean a thing.”
Mainieri, who is preparing for his 11th season as Tigers coach, has never had such an experienced team returning from the previous year. Jake Fraley is the only every day starter from 2016 not on the roster. Alex Lange and Jared Poche, the top two starters, and Hunter Newman, the closer, are returnees.
“In most years, you lose a large segment of your team,” Mainieri said. “You lose some of your pitchers or some of your position players. You are usually dealing with a lot of turnover on your team every year. We have a lot of experience and we are also excited about our freshmen and junior college transfers.”
Four of these returnees – shortstop Kramer Robertson, second baseman Cole Freeman, first baseman-turned-rightfielder Greg Deichmann and Poche – turned down offers from professional baseball for another year at LSU.
“We definitely would have a different look if these four guys were not back,” Mainieri said. “It was a big lift when all four decided to come back.”
Heading into preseason practice, two freshmen are at the top of the depth chart at their positions – third baseman Josh Smith and first baseman Jake Slaughter. Freshmen Eric Walker and Zack Hess are the Nos. 3 and 4 starting pitchers. Junior college transfer Hunter Kiel could be the set-up man for Newman.
Mainieri did change around his staff after hitting coach/recruiting coordinator Andy Cannizaro left in November to become the head coach at Mississippi State. Micah Gibbs, who was the Director of Baseball Operations in 2016, is the hitting coach. Nolan Cain was named recruiting coordinator.
Mainieri has no concern about replacing the popular Cannizaro.
“We had a style of play long before Andy got here,” Mainieri said. “We had a good hitting team before (Andy) got here and we will have a good hitting team after he’s gone. I don’t feel much is going to change with our hitting.”
LSU has reached the College World Series twice in the past four seasons. The Tigers lost two straight games in 2013 and won one of three games in 2015. So, LSU has just one CWS victory since winning the national title in 2009.
The Tigers are not the only national title contender in the Southeastern Conference. Florida, South Caroline and Vanderbilt, three SEC East teams, are all ranked among the top ten teams in the country. Having a veteran team will help LSU in its quest for a SEC title.
“Any coach would say he would rather have experienced players,” Mainieri said. “You don’t have to tell them that they can succeed in this league (SEC). These guys have proved that they can succeed in this league.
“We have talked a lot about Omaha, but that doesn’t help us beat Air Force on Feb. 17. We have no choice but to take it one game at a time. The players must believe in the process, believe in the journey. They must handle the adversity which will come along.”
Here is a roster breakdown as preseason practice begins.
INFIELDERS: Nick Coomes (Jr.), Cole Freeman (Sr.), Chris Reid (So.), Kramer Robertson (Sr.), Jake Slaughter (Fr.), Josh Smith (Fr.).
Skinny: The starting infield consists of Smith at third base, Robertson at shortstop, Freeman at second base and Slaughter at first base. Reid, who started at third base last season, is the primary backup at first base and second base. Smith is the No. 2 shortstop and Slaughter is the No. 2 third baseman. Coomes can also play first base.
OUTFIELDERS: Bryce Adams (Sr.), Brennan Breaux (So.), Greg Deichmann (Jr.), Antoine Duplantis (So.), Beau Jordan (Jr.), Zach Watson (Fr.).
Skinny: Deichmann has made a successful switch from first base and is the starting rightfielder. Duplantis has moved from rightfield to centerfield. There is a competition for the leftfield job as Jordan is being pushed by Breaux. Adams is also in the mix for the leftfield spot. Watson is a backup outfielder.
CATCHERS: Nick Coomes (Jr.), Michael Papierski (Jr.), Jordan Romero (Sr.).
Skinny: Papierski is entrenched as the No. 1 catcher. Coomes and Romero are competing for the backup job.
DESIGNATED HITTERS: Bryce Jordan (Jr.), Mason Templet (Fr.), Rankin Woley (Fr.).
Skinny: Jordan is set as the designated hitter. Templet, who is dealing with a shoulder injury, and Woley may get a few at-bats as the DH.
STARTING PITCHERS: Zack Hess (Fr.), Alex Lange (Jr.), Jared Poche (Sr.), Eric Walker (Fr.).
Skinny: Mainieri seems more determined than ever to develop No. 3 and No. 4 starting pitchers behind Lange and Poche. Mainieri does not want to go into the 2018 with no experienced pitcher in the rotation. Walker and Hess separated themselves from the other pitchers in the chase for these starting spots.
RELIEF PITCHERS: Austin Bain (Fr.), Matthew Beck (Fr.), Nick Bush (Fr.), Blair Frederick (Fr.), Caleb Gilbert (So.), Hunter Kiel (Jr.), Cole McKay (So.), Hunter Newman (Sr.), Doug Norman (Jr.), Todd Peterson (Fr.), Will Reese (Fr.), Russell Reynolds (Sr.), Collin Strall (Sr.).
Skinny: Newman is the closer. Mainieri and pitching coach Alan Dunn are seeking three set-up men and a long man out of the bullpen. Kiel may end up being the eighth-inning reliever. Mainieri mentioned two other pitchers who have stood out during individual drills – Norman and Frederick.
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