BATON ROUGE, La. — LSU is No. 3 in the 2023 Baseball America magazine recruiting poll released this week, marking the Tigers’ second Top 5 recruiting class designation this fall.
The 2023 class, featuring 20 talented newcomers that have joined the program this fall, was rated No. 5 in the nation last month by Collegiate Baseball magazine.
The class includes 13 freshmen, six NCAA Division I transfers and one junior college transfer. The new members of the LSU ball club have been engaged in conditioning drills and individual workouts with the Tigers’ returning veterans, and the first full-squad fall practice session will take place on Thursday with an intrasquad scrimmage that begins at 7 p.m. CT in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.
This fall’s polls mark the second straight Top 5 recruiting finish for LSU coach Jay Johnson, the 2023 National Coach of the Year who led the Tigers to the College World Series title in June. Johnson and his staff produced the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation in 2022.
LSU is in the Top 10 of a recruiting ranking for the 16th time in the past 17 years.
Following is Baseball America’s overview of LSU’s 2023 class:
Overview: LSU last year brought in the top-ranked class, which provided an instant impact and helped it win the national championship. This year’s group doesn’t quite top the rankings but also has high-impact potential, with left-handed pitcher Cam Johnson leading the way.
Hitters: While second baseman Steven Milam doesn’t stand out physically (listed at 5-foot-8, 165 pounds), he makes up for that with his track record for hitting and baseball IQ. He’s a switch hitter with good plate discipline and steady hands on the infield. He isn’t a burner and doesn’t have premium power, but his solid all-around tools and feel for the game figure to have him quickly in the mix in Baton Rouge. Outfielder Ashton Larson over the last year has gotten stronger and started hitting the ball with more power. The lefthanded hitter has good bat-to-ball skills and the defensive tools to play center field for the Tigers. If his power continues to develop, he offers significant promise. Infielder Ryan Kucherak is a plus runner and has a good approach at the plate. He has solid defensive skills and is somewhat reminiscent of Jordan Thompson. Shortstop Austen Roellig missed last summer due to Tommy John surgery but returned healthy this spring. He’s a high-level defender and has a good feel for the barrel. Outfielder Derrick Mitchell is a switch-hitter with plus speed and big offensive upside, particularly as he physically matures. Dallas Dale has a powerful lefthanded swing and profiles well in a corner.
Pitchers: Cam Johnson is one of the best prep players to make it to campus. He has a big, physical frame (6-foot-5, 240 pounds) and premium raw stuff to go along with it. His fastball ticked up this spring, reaching the upper 90s, to go with an above-average breaking ball that also has benefitted from his velocity spike. His ceiling is immense and while he’ll need to tighten up his command and improve his changeup to reach it, he projects as a frontline starter for the Tigers. Jake Brown was drafted as a pitcher by the Rangers in the 16th round, but he could be a two-way player in Baton Rouge. He stands out for his pitchability and a projectable build at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds. His fastball can get up to 94 mph, but he typically pitches with less velocity, though he should see his stuff tick up as he physically matures. As a hitter, he has a smooth lefthanded swing with power potential. Lefthander Kade Anderson was one of the best prep pitchers in the country but has been limited since undergoing Tommy John surgery during his junior year. He was still seen as a top-10 round talent in the draft before formally withdrawing. When he’s healthy, he has an easy delivery, a projectable build and advanced pitchability. If he’s able to get back to his previous level, he projects as a weekend starter for the Tigers. Righthander Fidel Ulloa, a junior college transfer, attacks hitters with a good fastball-slider combination. He’ll likely work out of the bullpen for LSU.
Listed below are the members of LSU’s 2023 signing class:
Kade Anderson, LHP
Madisonville, La. (St. Paul’s HS)
- Ranked as the No. 2 overall player in Louisiana by Perfect Game for Class of 2023
- Ranked as the No. 19 left-handed pitcher and the No. 130 overall player in the nation by Perfect Game
Mac Bingham, OF
San Diego, Calif. (Torrey Pines HS/Arizona)
- Transfers to LSU after four seasons at Arizona (2020-23)
- Earned 2023 All-Pac 12 recognition after hitting .360 with 68 runs scored, 20 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs, 51 RBI and a .573 slugging percentage
- Selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 40th round of the 2019 MLB Draft
Michael Braswell III, INF
Mableton, Ga. (Campbell HS/South Carolina)
- Transfers to LSU after two seasons at South Carolina (2022-23)
- Played in 51 games for the Gamecocks in 2023 making 37 starts … collected eight doubles, two triples, a home run and 23 RBI
- Voted to the 2022 Freshman All-SEC Team
Jake Brown, LHP/OF/1B
Sulphur, La. (Sulphur HS)
- Ranked as the No. 1 overall player in the state of Louisiana by Perfect Game
- No. 18 ranked left-handed pitcher in the nation by Perfect Game
- Voted the 2023 Gatorade Louisiana Baseball Player of the Year … posted a 10-2 record on the mound with a 1.71 ERA, surrendering just 39 hits in 73.2 innings pitched while striking out 118 batters … also batted .336 with seven home runs, 26 RBI and 20 stolen bases
- Selected by the Texas Rangers in the 16th round of the 2023 MLB Draft
Griffin Cooley, OF
Kinder, La. (Kinder HS)
- Ranked as the No. 11 outfielder in the state of Louisiana by Perfect Game
- Voted 2023 First-Team All-State in Class 3A, batting .462 on the year
Dallas Dale II, OF
Apopka, Fla. (Mount Dora Christian Academy)
- No. 9 ranked outfielder and No. 54 overall player in Florida by Perfect Game for Class of 2023
- Ranked nationally as No. 61 outfielder by Perfect Game
- Batted .400 in 2023 with 32 hits, 33 runs, nine homers and 29 RBI
Luke Holman, RHP
Sinking Springs, Pa. (Wilson HS/Alabama)
- Pitched the past two seasons (2022-23) at Alabama, where he made 31 appearances (15 starts) and posted a 4.05 ERA with 111 strikeouts in 100.0 innings.
- Worked as Alabama’s No. 1 starter in 2023, recording a 7-4 mark and a 3.67 ERA in 81.0 innings with 87 strikeouts and a .186 opponent batting average … finished No. 2 in the SEC in WHIP (1.05) and No. 3 in the league in opponent batting average and hits per nine innings (6.00)
Cam Johnson, LHP
Upper Marlboro, Md. (IMG Academy)
- Ranked nationally by Perfect Game as the No. 2 left-hander pitcher and the No. 11 overall player
- Selected in the 20th round of the 2023 MLB Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals
- Ranked as the No. 42 overall prospect entering the 2023 Draft by MLB Pipeline
Gage Jump, LHP
Aliso, Calif. (JSerra Catholic HS/UCLA)
- Transfers to LSU after two seasons (2022-23) at UCLA
- Did not pitch in 2023 due to injury … made seven appearances as a true freshman in 2022, including three starts … finished the year with a 1-1 record, two saves, 3.86 ERA, .172 opponent batting average and 22 strikeouts over 16.1 innings
- Ranked as the No. 1 left-handed pitcher in the state of California as a high school senior
Ryan Kucherak, INF
Chandler, Ariz. (Hamilton HS)
- The No. 2 ranked shortstop in Arizona by Perfect Game for the Class of 2023
- Ranked as the state of Arizona’s No. 15 overall prospect by Perfect Game
Trenton Lape, RHP
Bossier City, La. (Parkway HS)
- Ranked as the No. 5 third baseman and the No. 132 overall player in the nation by Perfect Game
- No. 1 ranked third baseman and No. 3 ranked overall player in the state of Louisiana by Perfect Game
- Earned 2023 Class 5A All-State recognition
Ashton Larson, OF
Overland Park, Kan. (St. Thomas Aquinas HS)
- Ranked nationally as the No. 13 outfielder and the No. 78 overall player by Perfect Game
- The No. 1 ranked overall player in the state of Kansas by Perfect Game
- Selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 20th round of the 2023 MLB Draft
Justin Loer, LHP
Lakeville, Minn. (Lakeville South HS/Xavier University)
- Transfers to LSU after two seasons (2022-23) at Xavier
- Made 29 appearances (one start) for Xavier in 2023, posting a 6-2 record, a 1.89 ERA and seven saves in 57.0 innings with 63 strikeouts and a .182 opponent batting average
- Earned 2023 Second-Team All-Big East honors and helped lead Xavier to the Big East Conference Tournament title and an NCAA Tournament bid
Steven Milam, INF
Las Cruces, N.M. (Centennial HS)
- Ranked nationally as the No. 32 shortstop and the No. 119 overall player by Perfect Game
- The No. 1 overall player in the state of New Mexico, according to Perfect Game
- Voted the 2023 Gatorade New Mexico Player of the Year after batting .627 with 52 hits, 50 RBI and 65 runs … also drew 42 walks and only struck out eight times over 30 games
Derrick Mitchell, OF
Plano, Texas (John Paul II HS)
- No. 5 ranked outfielder and No. 18 ranked overall player in the state of Texas by Perfect Game
- Ranked nationally as the No. 33 outfielder by Perfect Game
Austen Roellig, INF
Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. (Etiwanda HS)
- No. 11 ranked shortstop and No. 37 ranked overall player in the state of California by Perfect Game
- Ranked as the No. 51 shortstop in the nation by Perfect Game
MJ Seo, RHP
Carrollton, Texas (Hebron HS)
- No. 2 ranked shortstop and No. 16 ranked overall player in the state of Texas by Perfect Game
- Ranked nationally as the No. 40 shortstop and the No. 160 overall prospect by Perfect Game
- Voted to the 2023 Dallas/Fort Worth All-Area First Team
Dylan Thompson, INF/RHP
Moss Bluff, La. (Sam Houston HS)
- No. 3 ranked shortstop and No. 11 ranked overall player in Louisiana by Perfect Game
- Ranked as the No. 139 shortstop in the nation by Perfect Game
Fidel Ulloa, RHP
Lodi, Calif. (Lodi HS/San Joaquin Delta College)
- Transfers to LSU after two seasons (2022-23) at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, Calif.
- Appeared in 14 games (10 starts) in 2023, posting a 5-1 record and 4.09 ERA in 55.0 innings with 75 strikeouts and a 1.29 WHIP
Kade Woods, RHP
West Monroe, La. (Ouachita Christian HS/Alabama)
- Transfers to LSU after two seasons (2022-23) at Alabama … did not pitch in 2022 due to an injury
- Posted a 4-1 record in 2023 with a 5.52 ERA, 38 strikeouts and one save in 29.1 innings … made 17 appearances, including one start, and limited opponents to a .219 batting average