A coveted arm chooses Baton Rouge
Logan Schmidt, the left‑handed pitcher who was selected in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft by the Cleveland Guardians, announced his commitment to LSU on Saturday night, opting to forgo a professional contract and instead join the Tigers' program.
The 2024 draft class had ranked Schmidt as the No. 45 overall prospect, and his decision to reclassify and graduate high school a year early means he will step onto the Baton Rouge campus as a freshman a full year younger than most of his peers.
Coach Jay Johnson, who has built a reputation for developing elite arms, personally reached out to Schmidt, emphasizing LSU's track record of turning college pitchers into major‑league talent and the unique opportunity to contribute immediately to a rotation that returns all three weekend starters.
The Tigers missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011 last season, a setback that has only intensified the urgency to replenish the pitching staff. Schmidt's arrival is being heralded as a cornerstone of the effort to restore the program's national relevance.
Beyond raw velocity, scouts have praised Schmidt for his ability to repeat his delivery and locate pitches with precision, traits that could make him a frontline ace in the SEC and beyond.
Implications for the 2025 roster
With Schmidt slated to join a veteran bullpen and a rotation that already features seasoned weekend starters, the coaching staff expects a seamless integration that could lift the team's overall ERA and deepen depth heading into conference play.
The move also underscores the growing allure of LSU's baseball program, which continues to attract top talent despite the program's recent postseason absence, signaling a potential resurgence in the coming years.