Mainieri unveils 2018 LSU baseball signing class and roster

BATON ROUGE, La. – LSU coach Paul Mainieri on Wednesday released the Tigers’ 2018 baseball roster, which includes an 18-man class of new players. Following are profiles on each member of the signing class:

Brandt Broussard, INF

5-10, 160, R-R, Jr., JC

Baton Rouge, La. (University HS/Delgado CC)

Son of Burke Broussard, the starting second baseman for LSU’s first College World Series team in 1986

Batted .429 with two home runs, 16 doubles, three triples and 15 stolen bases with a .531 on-base percentage last season at Delgado … committed only six errors during the year

Named the National Junior College Athletic Association Player of the Week during the 2017 season, when batted .567 in one week with 17 hits

Batted .404 with a .991 fielding percentage senior year of high school at University Lab

A two-time all-district and all-metro selection in high school

Paul Mainieri on Brandt Broussard:

“Brandt is the son of former LSU baseball player and former University High baseball coach Burke Broussard. Brandt grew up around LSU baseball and now gets to fulfill his dream of wearing the purple and gold himself. Brandt attended Delgado Community College and played for Coach Joe Scheuermann where he excelled this past year, hitting over .400 and playing great defense. The last second baseman we recruited from Delgado (Cole Freeman) worked out pretty well for the Tigers, and I am expecting Brandt to have the same kind of impact on our program. Brandt knows the game inside and out. He will challenge for a starting infield position at second or third base.”

Daniel Cabrera, OF/LHP

6-1, 185, L-L, Fr., HS

Baton Rouge, La. (Parkview Baptist HS)

Selected in the 26th round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres

Rated the No. 82 prospect in the MLB Draft by Baseball America and named the top player in Louisiana by Max Preps

Playing this summer in the Cal Ripken League – a collegiate summer league – for the Gaithersburg (Md.) Giants, and he is batting .355 (38-for-107) with five doubles, three homers, 17 RBI, 21 runs and 11 stolen bases

Earned 2017 first-team all-state recognition, batting .510 on the year at Parkview Baptist HS with 25 RBI

Played his first three high school seasons at John Curtis HS in River Ridge, La., where he was named the Outstanding Player in the New Orleans Metro Area in 2015 and 2016

Batted .393 in 2016 at John Curtis with 13 doubles, one triple, three homers with 20 RBI and 21 runs; also pitched 23 innings, recording 36 strikeouts and a 1.22 ERA

Paul Mainieri on Daniel Cabrera:

“Before he is done with his career at LSU, Daniel Cabrera will impact the baseball program in an enormous way. I have been so anxious to have him begin his career at LSU, as he has certainly made his mark on prep baseball in Louisiana. Daniel is a very developed hitter who rarely strikes out and also hits the ball with authority. He is playing in a collegiate summer league prior to his freshman year at LSU, made the All-Star team in the Cal Ripken League, and is tearing it up at the plate. He is an outstanding defensive outfielder that possesses a strong and accurate arm. He is also capable of being a good left-handed pitcher, if we want to pursue that route.”

Mason Doolittle, C

6-4, 220, R-R, Fr., HS

Jupiter, Fla. (Jupiter HS)

Rated No. 147 among the nation’s top players by Perfect Game

2017 and 2016 Perfect Game All-American

2016 Under Armour All-American

Played in a collegiate summer league - the Prospect League - this summer for the Danville Dans

2016-2017 Student ACES Leadership Award Recipient

Starter as a freshmen on the high school varsity basketball team, and led the team in three-point field goals made

Paul Mainieri on Mason Doolittle:

“From the day you meet Mason, one cannot help but to be captivated by his presence and personality. A physically gifted athlete, Mason has a chance to make his mark on the LSU program and continue the tradition at LSU of having outstanding catchers. Following a very significant high school career in south Florida where he led his high school team to the state finals, Mason was off to a tremendous start offensively and defensively in the Prospect League this summer playing for Danville (the same team Josh Smith played for prior to his starting at LSU). However, his summer was cut short due to injury. I’m very excited to see Mason in the purple and gold as I believe he will be a great player here.”

Braden Doughty, C

6-1, 175, R-R, Fr., HS

Denham Springs, La. (Denham Springs HS)

Son of Richard Doughty, who lettered at LSU as a catcher in 1989

A two-time all-district and two-time all-parish selection at Denham Springs High School

Named to the Perfect Game all-Southeast honorable mention squad

Batted .305 in 2017 with 36 hits, six doubles, one triple, one homer and 30 RBI

Led Denham Springs HS in 2017 in RBI, home runs and doubles … was second on the team in batting average, second in runs scored and second in slugging percentage

A 2015 and 2016 Perfect Game all-tournament selection

Paul Mainieri on Braden Doughty:

“Braden Doughty rounds out our catching corps and has the potential to be a very valuable individual for the LSU baseball program. A very good defensive catcher, Braden has great leadership skills and will be terrific at working with our pitching staff. Braden is one of those kids that every good team has; a very unselfish and team-oriented player who will do anything to help make the Tigers into a championship team.”

Hunter Feduccia, C

6-2, 200, L-R, Jr., JC

Lake Charles, La. (Barbe HS/LSU-Eunice)

Named to the 2017 National Junior College Athletic Association Division ll All-Region Team

Voted the 2016 & 2017 LSU-Eunice Defensive Player of the Year

Batted .394 (65-for-165) in 2017 at LSU-Eunice with 11 doubles, three triples, six homers, 47 RBI and nine steals

Playing this summer for the Rockford (Ill.) Rivets in the Northwoods League – a collegiate summer league – where he is batting .376 (44-for-117) with nine doubles, one triple, seven homers, 30 RBI and 22 runs

Named the 2016 Gold Glove Award winner as a catcher with a fielding percentage of .997; also batted .385 in 2016

Batted .353 in his senior season at Barbe High School, earning all-district recognition

Played with Barbe HS teams that won three state championships

Paul Mainieri on Hunter Feduccia:

“Hunter is very capable of being an impact player for the LSU Tigers. Following a stellar career at Barbe High School, where he teamed with the Jordan brothers, he played terrific ball at LSU-Eunice for the last two years. This summer he is tearing the cover off the ball in the Northwoods League and has shown some outstanding defense behind the plate. Hunter will have a chance to fill a huge need on our team following Michael Papierski’s entrance into professional baseball. His experience and age gives us a great deal of confidence that he will be a mature leader for our team going forward.”

Devin Fontenot, RHP

6-1, 175, R-R, Fr., HS

The Woodlands, Texas (The Woodlands HS)

2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American

Fired 207.2 innings in his career, recording a 2.99 ERA with 57 walks and 265 strikeouts

A 2017 all-Houston first-team Class 6A pitcher and a third-team all-state selection in 6A

2017 Texas all-region first-team selection

Named first-team all-Montgomery County … also a two-time all-district selection

Paul Mainieri on Devin Fontenot:

“Devin Fontenot will be one pitcher very close to being able to contribute early in his career because he is a classic strike thrower with a good feel for his secondary pitches. His fastball will sit in the upper 80s to low 90s with solid arm-side life. He has a loose arm action, which leads one to believe he has more in the tank when it comes to velocity of his fastball. He is also very much a fierce competitor on the mound.”

Ma’Khail Hilliard, RHP

6-0, 150, R-R, Fr., HS

Central, La. (Central HS)

Three-time all-district pitcher at Central High School; led the Wildcats to the 2017 state championship

2017 Baton Rouge Metro Player of the Year

2017 first-team all-state and all-metro selection

Participated in the 2017 Louisiana High School Athletic Association All-Star game

Paul Mainieri on Ma’Khail Hilliard:

“We have watched Ma’Khail for a few years as he is a local guy and he capped off his high school career by leading Central High School to the state championship this past May. The things that stood out to me when I first saw him pitch were his loose arm action with a very good 12-to-6 curveball that displayed a lot of bite to it. He also has a good downhill angle with his fastball because of his overhand delivery. He sits in the upper 80s, touches the low 90s, and we expect those numbers to get higher as his athletic body develops.”

Hal Hughes, INF

5-11, 165, R-R, Fr., HS

Norman, Okla. (Norman North HS)

Son of former Virginia Tech and Oklahoma head baseball coach Pete Hughes

Selected as first-team all-state Oklahoma by USA Today

Named the starting shortstop in the 2017 Oklahoma All-State Games

Voted 2017 Defensive Player of the Year in the state of Oklahoma

Batted .360 last season with one homer, 17 RBI and 25 steals … posted a .995 fielding percentage, committing just one error on the year

Four-year letterman at Norman North HS, where he became the winningest player in school history

Helped lead Norman North HS to district titles in 2014 and 2017, and regional championships in 2016 and 2017

Paul Mainieri on Hal Hughes:

“Hal is a baseball rat. What I mean by that is he grew up on the ball field as the son of an outstanding college coach and has been around the game his whole life. I certainly can relate to Hal’s upbringing. He is a terrific defensive player that can play shortstop at the major college level. Obviously, he can play anywhere on the infield where we need his defense. He is solid fundamentally at the plate and only needs time to gain more strength to be a productive and consistent hitter.”

John Kodros, LHP

6-4, 170, L-L, Fr., HS

Coppell, Texas (Coppell HS)

Named a 2017 and 2016 Collegiate Baseball First-Team All American

Posted a 10-2 record in 2017 with a 1.36 ERA … record 108 strikeouts in 51.2 innings

2017 Class 6A first-team all- state selection

Also named 2017 first-team all-area and District 9-6A Most Valuable Player

Fired a complete-game no-hitter in the first round of the 2017 high school playoffs, recording 11 strikeouts and one walk; nearly pitched a perfect game as he faced just one batter over the minimum

8-0 record with a 1.28 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 49.1 innings in 2016 as a junior

Paul Mainieri on John Kodros:

“John has a very projectable body as a left-handed pitcher. We are hoping as his body fills out that he will increase the velocity of his fastball without losing his pitchability. He has a low arm angle that creates a lot of deception and solid action. He could be very difficult on left-handed hitters because of that arm angle. He throws a lot of strikes and has an out pitch in his curveball. He could potentially fill several different roles for us either out of the bullpen as a situational guy or as a durable pitcher that can eat up innings.”

AJ Labas, RHP

6-3, 215, R-R, Fr., HS

Fleming Island, Fla. (Trinity Christian HS)

Selected in the 17th round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the New York Mets

Posted a 9-0 record in 2017 with a 0.50 ERA in 65 innings … fired 82 strikeouts with only 11 walks

Recorded a 25-4 W-L mark during his high school career

Named to the Perfect Game Florida All Region 1st Team

Rated among Baseball America's Top 400 prospects in the nation

2016 & 2017 first-team all-First Coast

Helped lead team to the 2015 Class 4A state championship as a sophomore

Paul Mainieri on AJ Labas:

“We were very fortunate to land AJ in our recruiting class following a major league draft that took two outstanding pitchers away from us. AJ was himself drafted in the 17th round after playing in a very competitive Florida high school area, opting to play college baseball before embarking on his professional career. He has the look of a premier pro prospect, and it is exciting to see how he develops. When I watch him throw, I see many similarities to Alex Lange. He has excellent mound presence for a young pitcher and commands three pitches for strikes, including a low 90s fastball. AJ is a strong candidate to crack the rotation early in his time at LSU.”

Clay Moffitt, RHP

6-4, 240, R-R, Jr., JC

Baton Rouge, La. (Catholic HS/LSU-Eunice)

Son of LSU football strength and conditioning coordinator Tommy Moffitt and older brother of LSU football defensive end Aaron Moffitt

Posted a 5-1 mark in 2017 at LSU-Eunice, recording a 3.61 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 42.1 innings

Helped lead LSU-Eunice to the JUCO national title in 2015 as a freshman

Two-time team captain, Coaches Award winner and Outstanding Male Athlete Award winner at LSU-Eunice

Led Catholic High School to the 2014 Class 5A state title and was named MVP of the state tournament

Paul Mainieri on Clay Moffitt:

“I’ve been following Clay’s career since he pitched Catholic High School to the state championship four years ago. Unfortunately, he has had the misfortune of dealing with several injuries that have slowed his develop process as a baseball player and pitcher. We think he is finally healthy and is ready to contribute significantly to the Tigers. There was never any question of Clay’s makeup as he defines what a winner and a leader should be. He is a physical presence out there on the mound and competes with great ferocity. He also pitches in the upper 80s and low 90s, and when he’s on can be very tough.”

Brandon Nowak, LHP

6-4, 190, L-L, Jr., JC

Chicago, Ill. (Notre Dame Prep/Oakton CC)

Named 2017 first-team all-Skyway Conference and first-team all-region at Oakton CC in Illinois

Posted a 2.11 season ERA in 2017, firing 66 strikeouts in 55.1 innings, a rate 10.73 strikeouts per nine innings

Voted the 2016 Illinois Skyway Conference Pitcher of the Year while earning first-team all-region honors

Posted a 4-0 mark and a 2.40 ERA in conference games in 2016

Paul Mainieri on Brandon Nowak:

“Brandon was another pitcher we recruited late in the process and we were very fortunate to land him following the draft. He has continued to show improvement over his two years in junior college as he continues to grow into his body. He has a loose arm action with a wiry body. His lower arm angle gives his fastball some arm-side run. His slider is sweepy with good action, and I could see him being especially tough on left-handed hitters. When he displays good command and attacks the zone, he is very capable of striking out hitters with a great deal of frequency.”

Taylor Petersen, LHP

6-1, 185, L-L, Jr., JC

Gilbert, Ariz. (Highland HS/Chandler-Gilbert CC)

Recorded 63 strikeouts in 35.1 innings in 2017 (25 appearances) with a 3-1 mark, a 1.27 ERA and seven saves

Earned 2017 all-conference recognition

Fired 49 strikeouts in 37.1 innings in 2016, making 31 appearances on the mound

Played three years of varsity football at Highland High School as a defensive back and outside linebacker

Paul Mainieri on Taylor Petersen:

“Taylor is an interesting addition to our staff as he didn’t really focus on baseball until later in his athletic career. He was a terrific football player and thought he might follow that route to college. Instead of pursuing the gridiron, he has dedicated himself to baseball and has shown remarkable development over the last two years in junior college. As one might imagine with his football background, he is very athletic and brings a very aggressive mindset to the mound. He was the closer at his junior college in Arizona, saving seven games this past year while striking out 63 batters in just 35 innings of work.”

Cameron Sanders, RHP

6-2, 170, R-R, Jr., JC

Thibodaux, La. (E.D. White HS/Northwest Florida State College)

Selected in the 18th round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres

Son of former Major League pitcher Scott Sanders, a product of Nicholls State who pitched from 1993-99 with the Padres, Mariners, Tigers and Cubs

Ranked as the No. 10 JUCO prospect in the nation by Perfect Game

Posted a 6-3 mark in 2017, recording 59 strikeouts in 43 innings

An all-state pitcher at E.D. White High School; recorded a 9-2 mark with 98 strikeouts in 72 innings as a senior in 2015

Paul Mainieri on Cameron Sanders:

“Cam may have the most electric stuff of any of the pitchers that we recruited. His fastball will sit in the low to mid 90s and has a lot of life. He has had some command issues in the past that have kept him from being an absolutely dominating force on the mound. However, we do not think he is far from becoming more consistent with his command. Cam was also drafted in the 18th round because others in baseball see his potential as well. He is the son of a former major league baseball player and his mom was also a very athletic softball player. If he puts it all together, watch out for Cam Sanders.”

Matt Schroer, RHP

6-4, 200, R-R, Fr., HS

Phoenix, Ariz. (Arcadia HS)

2017 Arizona Class 5A Player of the Year and Perfect Game first-team all-West Region

2017 Class 5A Northeast Valley Region Player of the Year

Posted a 7-2 mark in 2017 with a 1.79 ERA and 92 strikeouts

Also played first base and led Arizona Class 5A by hitting 10 home runs; finished No. 2 in RBI with 39

Led Arcadia High School to the state semifinal game in 2017

Awarded the 2017 Larry Hellestrae Memorial Scholarship for Scottsdale, Ariz., all-city student-athletes

Compiled a 4.39 high school GPA

Paul Mainieri on Matt Schroer:

“We expect Matt to compete for innings as a freshman because he really knows how to handle himself on the mound and has good stuff. He has a very athletic and lean body and his fastball regularly comes in to the hitter in the low 90s. His curveball has a tight spin with good down action for a put-away pitch. He has tremendous poise and mound presence, which displays a great deal of self-confidence. Matt is very mature and we are looking for exceptional results from him. ”

Nick Storz, RHP/DH

6-6, 255, R-R, Fr., HS

Brooklyn, N.Y. (Poly Prep Country Day HS)

Selected in the 31st round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers

Listed among the Baseball America 2017 Top 100 Draft Prospects

2017 MaxPreps all-American and a 2016 Perfect Game all-American

Named first-team all-Metro in 2015, 2016 and 2017

Posted a 2-1 record as a senior in 2017 with a 0.65 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 20 innings

Paul Mainieri on Nick Storz:

“Nick is the most physical pitcher that we have in this crop of pitchers. He stands 6’6” tall and weighs approximately 255 pounds. In other words, he is quite a presence out there on the mound. He is a very athletic and powerful pitcher, though, who excelled in football as a lineman and can hit a baseball as far as anyone we will have on our team. Nick can pitch regularly in the low to mid 90s, and he possesses a late-breaking slider as his put away pitch. He is working on the changeup, but it has the potential to be a solid third pitch. After having been drafted by the Detroit Tigers, Nick decided LSU was his best route for development. He will have a major influence on our baseball program and he will be fun to watch.”

Trent Vietmeier, RHP

6-3, 210, R-R, Fr., HS

Pittsburgh, Pa. (Montour HS)

Recorded a 14-3 career mark, firing 174 strikeouts with a 0.63 ERA and eight saves

Posted a .437 career batting average in high school, also playing first base and third base

2017 Perfect Game 1st Team Atlantic Region; also named to the USA Today all-Pennsylvania team

A three-time Big 5/6A All Conference and All Area selection

A two-time Max Preps Player of the Year

Lettered in four high school sports (baseball, football, basketball, golf) and was an all-conference football defensive end

Paul Mainieri on Trent Vietmeier:

“Trent is another athletic pitcher that was a very tough football player in high school. He is a fierce competitor and very tough- minded. He displays a toughness on the mound with his presence and aggressiveness. I am certain he would have been drafted if not for his strong commitment to attend LSU. He works on a good downhill angle with a fastball in the upper 80s and low 90s. His curveball shows tight spin and late action down in the zone. He also does a good job of filling up the strike zone with all of his pitches.”

Nick Webre, OF

5-10, 190, L-R, Fr., HS

Youngsville, La. (Teurlings Catholic HS)

Playing this summer in the Prospect League – a collegiate summer league – for the Danville (Ill.) Dans, batting .348 (40-for-115) with five doubles, four homers, 26 RBI and 17 stolen bases

Voted 2017 first-team all-state and all-Acadiana, batting .451 (55-for-122) with 13 doubles, three triples, seven homers, 43 RBI and 26 stolen bases

Named 2016 Louisiana Mr. Baseball and the State MVP, batting .444 (52-for-117) with 11 doubles, six triples, six homers, 41 RBI and nine steals

Received all-America recognition during his high school career from Max Prep and from Rawlings/ABCA

Paul Mainieri on Nick Webre:

“Nick Webre is going to come to LSU and hit the ball with authority from the time he steps on campus. He is another incoming player who is having a tremendous summer in a collegiate summer league. Nick led his team, Teurlings Catholic High School in Lafayette, to the state championship and was named Player of the Year for the state of Louisiana in his junior year. He has continued to play well as a corner outfielder and, most importantly, brings us another impact-type left-handed bat. I’m fired up to see what this young man can do against SEC pitching.”