This is the first of a series previewing each area of the 2016 LSU baseball team.

It will be a totally different look for the LSU infield when the 2016 season begins a week from Friday against Cincinnati at The Box.

The four starters from a year ago – third baseman Conner Hale, shortstop Alex Bregman, second baseman Jared Foster and first baseman Chris Chinea – are getting prepared for their first full season in professional baseball.

The two most experienced infielders for this year’s Tigers – Kramer Robertson and Greg Deichmann – were not even on the active roster for last June’s College World Series. Robertson was unavailable due to an arm injury, while Deichmann was already player summer ball in the Northwoods League.

Robertson, who made a dozen starts early in the season at second base, finished the 2015 campaign with just 56 official at-bats. He batted only .232. Deichmann, whose freshman season was hampered a foot injury, had just 11 plate appearances with no hits.

Now, Robertson and Deichmann will be in the starting lineup for LSU. Robertson will be the opening night second baseman, while Deichmann will be at first base. Both Robertson and Deichmann are more than ready to be key members of the Tigers lineup.

“I’m as relaxed as I’ve been here at LSU,” said Robertson, who had a .200 batting average while starting 30 times as a freshman in 2014. “I am not putting too much pressure on myself. That has been my problem the last two years. I pressed a little bit. Now, I’m a year older. I knew my role since the fall.

“I played very good defense last year. I need to be more consistent on offense. I am not going to be asked to hit .360 with ten home runs. I need to consistently get on base. My job is to get on base and score a lot of runs.”

Deichmann had a lost freshman season with the Tigers. A highly-recruited player out of New Orleans (La.) Brother Martin High School, Deichmann never found a rhythm. The preseason injury definitely prevented Deichmann from getting into a groove – in the field or at the plate.

“Last year was a difficult situation for me,” Deichmann said. “A week before the season, I am fighting for a starting spot and I get the stress fracture. They stuck me in a boot. By the time I came back, the starting lineup was set.

“It was deflating. What happened would have been tough for anybody. It was a rough patch and something I was not used to.”

Deichmann, who hit 29 home runs in his high school career, was far from ready to help the Tigers. He was 0-for-8 at the plate. In addition, Deichmann had his problems finding a defensive position. A long summer of baseball was just what Deichmann needed for him to regain his confidence.

“I went to the Northwoods League and played in 68 of 72 games,” Deichmann said. “I had about 200 at-bats. That amount of at-bats turned things around for me after not playing too much. About 100 at-bats into the summer, I became a comfortable player. I had the proper mentality.

“My work ethic paid off and that carried over to last fall. We had another 30 scrimmages then and I got another 100 at-bats. Last year gave me the opportunity to know what the atmosphere in college will be line. I learned all of that from the veterans.”

Deichmann is being counted upon to being one of the hitters in the middle of the lineup. Coach Paul Mainieri anticipates Deichmann batting fifth in the lineup. In addition, Deichmann will be playing a new position – first base.

“I haven’t made major changes in my swing,” Deichmann said. “It’s more a change with my stance. I have moved my hands back a little bit. I am now able to keep the bat in the zone a little longer. I am hitting pitches I was missing or just fouling off.

“It has been a learning curve for me at first base since I have played on the left side of the infield my entire life. The coaches wanted to keep me on the corners (first base or third base). I am not excelling at first base yet, but I do feel better over there.”

The left side of the Tigers infield will be filled by two newcomers – freshman Trey Dawson at shortstop and junior college transfer Cole Freeman at third base. Dawson has the tough task of following seven years of Bregman and Austin Nola at shortstop. Freeman is moving from second base to third base.

Mainieri is concerned about a lack of depth in the infield, particularly on the left side. Freeman would move over to shortstop if Dawson suffered an injury. Freshman Chris Reid is the backup third baseman. O’Neal Lochridge, another freshman, had his difficulties at third base. He is now working at second base.

Deichmann can always be tried at third base if that position needs some help. Freshman Brody Wofford and junior college transfer Bryce Adams are backups to Deichmann at first base.

“All of the starters in the infield were high school shortstops,” Robertson said. “We are very athletic. The guys are athletic enough to make some top-ten defensive plays. They just need to trust themselves.

“Our goals are still the same – get to Omaha. You deal with pressure when you play at LSU. I wouldn’t want the expectations any other way.”

INFIELDERS

No. Name Hgt. Wgt. Class Hometown

3 Kramer Robertson 5-10 165 Jr. McGregor (Tex.)

4 Bryce Adams 6-4 210 Jr. Baton Rouge

7 Greg Deichmann 6-2 190 So. Metairie

9 O’Neal Lochridge 6-1 195 Fr. Lafayette

10 Trey Dawson 6-1 190 Fr. Hurricane (W.V.)

14 Brody Wofford 6-2 180 Fr. Rome (Ga.)

17 Chris Reid 5-9 180 Fr. Baton Rouge

22 Cole Freeman 5-9 170 Jr. Mandeville

Next: Outfielders