LSU Baseball 2022 Transfer Portal Class
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The LSU baseball program has made a number of moves this offseason via the transfer portal. Whether it be players departing the program or Jay Johnson and his staff adding gems, it’s been quite the productive last few months.
Another key piece to the offseason has been Johnson hiring recruiting expert Josh Jordan and pitching coach Wes Johnson. The three-headed snake of Johnson, Jordan and Johnson will be a force on the recruiting trail and it’s shown in a short period of time.
The Tigers have one of the top transfer portal classes in the country, headlined by N.C. State transfer Tommy White.
Here are the key additions LSU has made thus far:
Tommy White - Infielder/DH - North Carolina State
Tommy “Tanks” batted .362 with 27 home runs and 74 RBI during his freshman campaign at NC State. White set the NCAA freshman home run record with the Wolfpack this past season.
White led all freshmen in home runs, RBIs and slugging percentage in the 2022 year. He also added hits in 45 out of his 55 games, including 26 multi-hit performances and 19 multi-RBI games.
He’s proven to be one of the most lethal players in the country when at the plate, looking to translate that success to Baton Rouge this spring.
Christian Little - Pitcher - Vanderbilt
Little had a 4-4 record in two seasons with the Commodores, tallying a 4.65 ERA, while striking out 95 batters in 81.1 innings on the mound.
Still looking to hit his stride, the Tigers add a right-handed pitcher with tremendous upside at the mound. Coach Wes Johnson has the ability to develop Little and add another piece to a bullpen that is coming together.
Dylan Tebrake - Pitcher - Creighton
At Creighton, the two-time Big East Pitcher of the Year put together a strong 2022 season, finishing with an 8-2 record while adding 115 strikeouts, 73 hits, 33 walks and a 2.81 ERA in 93 innings pitched in 17 appearances this season.
In his career at Creighton, Tebrake has thrown 222 innings over 49 appearances with a 2.84 ERA and 230 strikeouts. Allowing just 14 home runs in his career, LSU is bringing in an ace with significant experience at the collegiate level.
Tebrake will be a player this freshly assembled coaching staff may have to push to Baton Rouge as his name is in this year’s MLB Draft.
Jack Pineda - Infielder - Baylor
The 5-foot-10, 170-pounder has been the starter for Baylor the last two seasons, playing both second base and shortstop, but took over full-time at shortstop midway through 2021. Also earning Honorable Mention All-Big 12 the last two seasons, Pineda is due for a breakout year and put it all together both at the plate and in the field.
Hitting .300 this past season and leading Baylor in hits, doubles and triples, his ability to get on base is a piece the Tigers will surely use to their advantage. Starting to get some power underneath him, he was third on the team with seven homers last year as well.
A Tigers team that struggled defensively at the shortstop position in 2022, Pineda will look to be a difference maker for LSU.
Carter Young - Shortstop - Vanderbilt
The Tigers landed Vanderbilt transfer Carter Young, who has started all three years at shortstop for the Commodores, providing them with more defensive intensity.
At the plate last year, Young struggled, batting .207, but hit .252 with 16 home runs during the 2021 season with Vanderbilt. He’ll look to improve significantly at the plate in 2023 to boost his draft stock with an LSU program that has a solid player development program.
Thatcher Hurd - Pitcher - UCLA
Hurd is coming off of an incredible freshman campaign for the Bruins, appearing in nine games in 2022. Boasting a 1.06 ERA in 34 innings pitched with 48 strikeouts, his season was cut short due to a back injury.
His back injury can be best described as a stress fracture in the lower back bones of the spine, but clearly Johnson and his LSU staff feel he is progressing well.
When healthy, Hurd has proven to be a dominant force on the mound who has the chance to come in and help pitching coach Wes Johnson’s rotation in 2023.