LSU’s 2026 baseball roster is set to undergo a significant shift after five players announced their entry into the transfer portal. The move comes as the Tigers look to rebuild following an early exit from the postseason, a timeline that gives head coach Jay Johnson a head start on the recruiting market.
Roster reshaping after early exit
Mavrick Rizy, DJ Primeaux, Jaden Noot, Trent Caraway and Daniel Harden each leave the program, creating vacancies in the lineup that the coaching staff will need to address before the next campaign. Rizy, who showed promise as a freshman, will be missed for his potential, while Primeaux’s four‑year stint in Baton Rouge concludes with a transition to a new environment.
Noot, a fourth‑year player, and Caraway, who spent just one season with the Tigers, join a growing list of athletes leveraging the portal’s free‑agency‑like mechanics to chart fresh collegiate paths. Their departures are not entirely unexpected; none of the five had secured consistent starting roles in the previous season, and their limited playing time reflected a competitive depth chart.
Head coach Jay Johnson, who guided the Tigers to an early playoff exit, is already turning his attention to the recruiting trail, looking to fill the gaps left by departing seniors and newcomers alike. The early exit from the playoffs provides a unique window for Johnson to engage prospects before many other programs finalize their own recruiting classes.
The transfer portal continues to reshape college baseball, offering players a pathway to seek better fits while programs like LSU navigate the constant flux of roster construction. As the Tigers prepare to replenish their squad, the coming weeks will reveal which newcomers will step into the vacated spots and how the team’s dynamics will evolve under the new‑look roster.