LSU baseball coach Jay Johnson is entering his second season with a clear vision for the program, one that hinges on shoring up the outfield, tightening infield defense and bolstering a pitching staff that has shown flashes of promise. The roster he inherited lost eight players to last summer’s draft, but Johnson managed to retain the core he wanted, bringing back four of the team’s top hitters — Omar Serna, Cade Arrambide, Mason Braun and Steven Milam — who will anchor the lineup.
A Strategic Overhaul
Adding depth, the staff secured eight transfers from the portal, among them outfielders Angel Laya, Jason Wachs and Bino Watters, infielders Dawson Park from Texas State and Cade Kurland from Florida, and three arms — Landon Hood, Diego Velazquez and Kaden Smith — who bring a mix of experience and upside.
The incoming freshman class, ranked No. 2 nationally, includes hitters Dominic Santarelli, Malachi Washington and Will Adams alongside pitchers Lucas Nawrocki and Cooper Sides, a group that could reshape the team’s dynamics depending on how the draft unfolds.
Johnson expects roughly fourteen of the twenty‑two high school signees to make it to campus, a figure that will be shaped by draft decisions, but he remains confident that the blend of retained talent, portal additions and fresh blood will give LSU the flexibility to compete in the SEC and beyond.