BATON ROUGE — LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri met with the 2011 Tigers for the first time on Monday as the players returned to campus for fall semester classes.
The squad attended morning and early-afternoon classes before meeting with the coaching staff in Alex Box Stadium.
“This is always one of my favorite days of the year,” Mainieri said, “because we begin the process of building a team. It’s especially exciting this year because we feel like our program is entering into a new era with a great mix of veterans and newcomers. We’re extremely optimistic about this season and we can’t wait to get started.”
Beginning next week, the Tigers will engage in strength and conditioning drills and participate in individual workouts on the field. LSU will conduct its full-squad fall practice session from September 26 through November 5.
The 2011 season begins on February 18, when the Tigers play host to Wake Forest in Alex Box Stadium.
The LSU roster includes 19 lettermen from the 2010 club, including eight position players with starting experience and nine pitchers that recorded innings last season.
Junior outfielder Mikie Mahtook, junior shortstop Austin Nola and junior second baseman Tyler Hanover are two-year starters that form the core of LSU’s veteran leadership. Other Tigers returning that made significant contributions in 2010 include junior outfielder Trey Watkins, junior utility player Grant Dozar, sophomore outfielder Mason Katz and sophomore infielders Alex Edward and Beau Didier.
The pitching staff is led by junior all-America right-hander Matty Ott, who has 27 career saves, just two shy of the all-time LSU saves record of 29 held by Rick Greene (1990-92).
Ott is joined by a talented group of hurlers that includes senior right-handers Ben Alsup and Daniel Bradshaw, sophomore left-handers Zach LaSuzzo, Chris Cotton and Forrest Garrett, and sophomore right-hander Michael Reed.
The LSU veterans are complemented by a talented class of 19 newcomers, including seven players that were selected in the 2010 Major League Draft.
“We have a tremendous class of new players that will significantly impact our program,” Mainieri said. “I think our fans will really enjoy watching these young men perform throughout their careers.”