When you think of Antoine Duplantis, you probably see him rounding first after another smooth single.
The junior has been a mark of consistency ever since he arrived at LSU. His career in Purple and Gold began with a 16-game hit streak that started on opening night his freshman season. Ever since then, it has been hit after hit after hit.
Against South Alabama earlier this season that hit total reached 200 when he pulled an RBI single to right field. It was typical Antoine Duplantis.
Early in his high school career though, college baseball seemed like it could be a difficult achievement. While his teammates were being recruited, he was playing on the B team during summer ball in Lafayette, La. It was somewhat of a wakeup call for Duplantis.
“I liked it because it made me work harder,” explained Duplantis. “It was eye-opening and gave me a little shove.”
Eventually, he got a call from LSU, and it was to play baseball for the Tigers. Growing up in Louisiana and knowing the history of LSU baseball, it was a dream come true for Duplantis.
Again though, Duplantis was cast in an underdog role. When he came in for fall camp as a freshman, he didn’t know what to expect. Early on, he began to make his name known, though.
Cole Freeman, LSU’s second baseman last season who was drafted by the Washington Nationals, recalled a moment from Duplantis’ freshman fall during the Purple and Gold World Series. With runners on he was facing Alex Lange, who has the second-most strikeouts in LSU history. The lefty laced a triple off the right-field wall.
“Now you have Lange, the, best pitcher in the NCAA, and Duplantis comes to the plate as a freshman in a big situation and triples off the wall,” remembered Freeman. “It was as impressive as it gets.”
When the spring rolled around, Duplantis had earned a starting spot in right field. He went from just being happy to have a chance to play for the Tigers to starting in all of LSU’s 66 games his freshman season.
In his very first game against on opening night against Cincinnati, Duplantis collected his first career hit. It also began a 16-game hit streak to kick off his collegiate career.
“Even when he was a freshman he didn’t play like he was a freshman,” said Freeman.
Duplantis doesn’t have any superstitions. He just goes up to the plate with a plan and does his best job to execute the plan. He says the most important thing when standing in the batter’s box is to have a relaxed mind and body, and if he thinks he can handle the pitch, just hit it to where it’s pitched.
If you think his swing is smooth, then his glove is sweet. And he would tell you that saving a run on defense is just as great as getting an RBI. Nothing tops getting a clutch hit though, he says.
In 2016, Duplantis was named as a Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball, NCBWA and Perfect Game after batting .327 and finishing with the second-most hits in the SEC with 89.
During his sophomore campaign he had some struggles that eluded him throughout his debut season. He started out 0-for-12 before he found his swing. Throughout a good portion of the season he was going up and down, but it taught him a lot.
“Baseball is a humbling game,” said Duplantis. “Right when you think you’ve figured it out, then it comes back and slaps you right in the face and wakes you up and you realize, ‘Wow, I need to keep working.’ One little, tiny thing mentally or physically can change a lot.”
Toward the end of his sophomore season, Duplantis started to get hot once again and he helped lead LSU to Omaha and the national runners-up finish. He was named to the 2017 SEC All-Tournament Team and the College World Series All-Tournament Team.
After two very productive seasons for LSU, Duplantis received the jersey number that any LSU baseball player dreams of. Number 8.
The Number 8 jersey is given each year to the upperclassman who exemplifies the spirit of LSU Baseball through his leadership and dedication to the program. Freeman wore the number last season.
“Some people, they rise up to the occasion and that’s something that he’s always done,” said Freeman. “I couldn’t be happier for him.”
It’s humbling for Duplantis who is honored to be put in the same category as the LSU greats who have donned that jersey before such as Freeman, Jake Fraley, Alex Bregman, Mason Katz and Mikie Mahtook.
A few weeks ago, LSU was playing in a midweek game against South Alabama. In the seventh inning, Duplantis strolled to the plate. He got set and on the first pitch he saw, he pulled the ball for a single, his 200th career hit.
Duplantis will give you smooth single after smooth single, but he doesn’t lose sight of what baseball is.
“It’s just a game,” said Duplantis. “There might be 13,000 people in the stands, but no matter how big the game may seem, all the pressure is in your mind. It’s the same game you’ve been playing since you were younger.”