Former Southern Illinois Catcher John Lemm Transferring to Alabama

Lemm hit 19 home runs and posted an OPS over 1.000 as a junior in 2025.

John Lemm (21). / Abby Harris

The Alabama baseball team has added major offensive firepower to its 2026 catching corps. Former Southern Illinois standout John Lemm announced Monday on Instagram that he will be joining the Crimson Tide. Lemm hit .272, accompanied by 19 home runs and 56 RBIs, as a junior last season.

Reports emerged earlier this month that Lemm was heading to West Virginia. Rather, he represents a substantial upgrade on offense at a position where, while hitting statistics take a backseat to game managing and defensive importance, Alabama still didn't hit much this year.

A shorthanded two-man group consisting of LSU transfer Brady Neal and former Ole Miss backstop Will Plattner combined for four long balls and 64 punchouts at the dish. The pair did amass 32 runs batted in; that mark would have placed seventh on the team and was one above infielder Garrett Staton, who missed most of nonconference play due to a broken finger sustained in February.

Depth behind the plate was not a luxury the Crimson Tide had this spring. Plattner, who batted better than Neal in a smaller 26-game sample size, would have likely been the third option if Luke Vaughn (who had offseason shoulder surgery) were available.

All three catchers from Alabama's 2025 roster can return, with a Tuesday deadline for college players to enter the transfer portal. Lemm's commitment makes the room crowded, but both he and Plattner could be considered candidates to win next year's designated hitter spot. Lemm's 2025 home run total would've led the Crimson Tide by one.

Lemm is originally from Brisbane, Australia, and walked more times (45) than he struck out (36) this season, producing a 1.104 OPS. Of the three catchers previously on the Crimson Tide team, only Neal is draft-eligible. If none of those three depart (the window for decisions is nearly closed), a position battle for starting reps at catcher might well take place.

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