With a strong tie to Jay Johnson, James Whitaker knows his potential at LSU

Before committing to LSU nearly two years ago, James Whitaker knew coach Jay Johnson well. Whitaker, a Class of 2025 right-handed pitcher from Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, had history with Johnson, but it wasn't from his own recruitment.

When Johnson was the skipper at Arizona from 2016-2021, he recruited a different Whitaker. Tyler, a third-round pick by the Houston Astros in 2021, committed to play for Johnson's Wildcats before forgoing his college career to play professionally.

Now, it's James' turn on the recruiting trail. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound righty committed to LSU in January 2022, a month prior to Johnson's first game as coach of the Tigers. After attending a camp in Baton Rouge, the then freshman made up his mind.

"I had other schools recruiting me, but I loved LSU," James said. "It was a great experience, and I just decided to go there, mainly because coach Jay Johnson is a great guy, who keeps a great staff around him."

James is throwing a four-pitch mix: four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, changeup and curveball. The righty is also developing a slider to better his repertoire and complement his changeup, offering a sharper off-speed pitch to opposing hitters.

Although mainly a pitcher, James hasn't given up his bat yet. Bishop Gorman used James at all three outfield positions last season, optimizing his pitching arm slot for throws of that distance.

"I am trying to keep the bat going," James said. "So we'll see how things develop. At this age for my brother, everyone thought he was going to be a pitcher, so I'm not going to give up the bat quite yet."

Tyler, an outfielder and third baseman for the Astros' High-A affiliate, was in a similar boat to James three years ago. He built up steam in the recruiting world as well as drew eyes from MLB scouts.

"It's always a thought, right? It's there." James said about MLB Draft buzz in 2025. "But you got to take it one step at a time, and every level you get to, it's another journey. So right now, my mind is really on LSU, getting there first before I start thinking of anything further than that."

Tyler, who finished his second full season of professional baseball in September, told his younger brother to stay disciplined with everything within his control.

"It's the little things like eating right, training, lifting, stuff like that and really like rest," James said. "Your body needs to recover. It's vital for your performance."

In the coming months, James is planning to get in contact with LSU coaches about another visit to Baton Rouge to see his first Tigers game in person. The SEC culture and environment are what he looks most forward to.

Since his commitment to LSU, James hasn't been in much contact with other programs. He doesn't take calls but receives regular fliers from schools with interest.

"It's comforting," James said not having to worry about recruiting for the next two seasons. "But once again, being committed to LSU, it gives you something to work towards, but you still have to earn a spot."