By Ryan Rogers
LSU Sports Information
After winning its fifth national championship in 2000, LSU will have a bit of a new look when the first pitch of the 2001 baseball season is thrown out.
Returning is a solid nucleus of players including Ryan Theriot, Wally Pontif, Mike Fontenot, Bo Pettit, Weylin Guidry, David Raymer and Ray Wright.
If the 2001 season was to begin tomorrow, five position players (second, shortstop, third, center and right) along with two starting pitchers (Pettit and Saxon) and three relievers (Guidry, Shane Youman and Jason Scobie) have considerable experience and a good shot to start.
Johnnie Thibodeaux, Victor Brumfield, Tommy Morel and Billy McBride will also compete for positions and add experience to next season’s roster.
However, with five juniors having departed to pursue professional baseball careers, there will be holes at first, catcher and left. After 11 Tiger signees (and counting) have departed for pro ball, the holes may not be as easy to fill as once thought.
Heres the update:
Junior Brad Hawpe, reported to Portland, Ore., to play for the Colorado Rockies’ minor league affiliate, thus deciding to forgo his senior season at LSU. He was the Rockies’ 11th round draft pick. He has done well early on the minors. In his debut game he went three-for-four helping his team defeat the Boise Hawks, 7-3.
Junior Brian Tallet has not yet signed with the Cleveland Indians, but its only a matter of time. The 6-7 left hander was the second-round selection of the Indians. He will likely receive a very large contract which takes time to work out the details.
Junior Cedrick Harris, has signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is playing for High Desert, Ariz., a minor league affiliate of the Diamondbacks. He was the 10th round selection of the Diamondbacks.
Junior Ryan Jorgenson, has signed with the Chicago Cubs. This may have been a surprise to many Tigers fans. Jorgenson was Cresses backup this past year and was thought to be the starter for the Tigers next year. Instead he was drafted fairly high in the seventh round and signed with the Cubs. This is a tribute to Jorgensons skills. Great defensive catchers are few and far between. Thats what makes Jorgensons stock so high and led to the scouts giving him high marks. Jorgenson is now playing in Eugene, Ore., a minor league affiliate of the Cubs.
Also playing for High Desert is Brad Cresse. Cresse, the fifth round draft choice of the Diamondbacks has had a phenomenal debut with the minor league club. He batted 2-for-4 including a game-winning hit in his first game. The hit comes fresh off his game-winning hit for the Tigers giving LSU the national title.
Joining Jorgenson in Eugene, Ore., is Blair Barbier. Barbier was not drafted, but signed a free agent contract with the Cubs. The Cubs sent him to Eugene where he will attempt to prove his worth as a professional baseball player. In one pinch hit at bat with the Emeralds, Barbier singled. Look for the Tigers captain to make a good impression in Oregon.
Two Tiger pitchers have now become Milwaukee Brewers. Heath McMurray and Hunter Gomez both signed with the Brewers. McMurray was the Brewers 12th round selection while Gomez was not drafted but signed a free agent contract with the Brewers.
College World Series MVP Senior Trey Hodges has signed with the Atlanta Braves’ Jamestown Jammers. He hopes to one day join the great pitching staff of the Braves. He was Atlantas 12th round selection.
One more Tiger who was drafted is Billy Brian. Brian, a 25th round selection of the Kansas City Royals, will be reviewed by the Royals before enrolling for his senior year at LSU. At that time, he will decide whether or not to return to the team or accept a minor league contract.
The Tigers’ recruiting class was also hit hard by the Major League Baseball draft.
LSU signed 28 recruits in all. Nineteen of the recruits were drafted and 11 have signed professional contracts thus far. The remaining eight are undecided. LSU assistant coach Turtle Thomas in currently traveling across the country aggressively recruiting and trying to persuade the draftees to enroll at LSU.
Pitcher Mark Phillips and outfielder David Krynzel were both first-round selections whom will both turn pro instead of attending LSU.
Catcher Jared Abruzzo and outfielder Mark Folsom were both second round picks whom have signed professional contracts and will not enroll at LSU.
Other players that have signed professional contracts and will not attend LSU are outfielder Laynce Nix, first baseman Doug Gredvig, lefthanded pitcher Benji Dequin, first baseman Jose Vasquez and pitcher Ryan Larson.
Regardless of the large amount of departures to the draft LSU fans should not worry about next years team. As LSU has done over and over again, the team wont have to rebuild, but instead will just reload. Skip Bertman and Turtle Thomas will put together a team that will be ready to compete for another National Championship next year.