LSU Baseball Adds Big 10 Pitcher From Transfer Portal

Jay Johnson and the LSU Tigers have added their second pitcher to the 2027 roster via the transfer portal, according to a report from TigerRag.

Diego Velazquez comes to LSU after pitching 31.2 innings as a freshman in 2026. He posted a 4.26 ERA, and struck out 34 while only walking nine and throwing one wild pitch. His opponents had only a .206 batting average against him.

Velazquez, who was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, joins right-handed pitcher Landon Hood from Gonzaga in the transfer portal class, along with four position player additions.

Velazquez's time at USC

USC celebrates during the 2026 super regional round | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

The Californian was only a freshman when he pitched 31.2 innings for a team that was a run shy of tying up game three of the Chapel Hill Super Regional with a trip to Omaha on the line. He was warming up when USC was walked off in that game.

Against Big 10 competition, he posted a 7.36 ERA over 14.2 innings with 18 strikeouts.

His only appearance in the postseason came at the College Station Regional when he pitched 3.1 innings against Texas State in an elimination game. He allowed three hits and two runs while walking three and striking out three.

His nine walks came in bunches, which can make him vulnerable to big innings. He walked three against Texas State, two versus top-ranked UCLA in April, and two against Illinois in March.

Velazquez also played shortstop in his freshman year. While he probably won't see the field in the infield at LSU, his versatility and athleticism is worth noting. He batted .167 with a .348 on-base percentage.

What this pickup means for LSU

LSU pitching coach Nate Yeskie walks on the field during a game | SCOTT CLAUSE / USATODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Velazquez learned to play baseball with balled up newspapers, and is now set to suit up for the powerhouse of college baseball.

LSU has been needing more pitchers in the portal, and Velazquez's potential is what LSU needs. He shares his name with a famed 17th century Spanish painter, and the hurler paints his corners much like the artist.

His control is exactly what LSU was missing this year. The Tigers had a historically poor year in the control department, primarily with wild pitches that often moved up baserunners into scoring position who would come around to home later in that same inning.

Velazquez only having one over 31.2 innings will be extremely useful. His nine walks are easily translatable into the SEC.

But Velazquez did struggle against the four NCAA tournament teams that he faced in his first collegiate season, mainly against UCLA and Oregon. His matchup against the Ducks only lasted 1.2 innings where he let up four runs in the start of a game that ended 6-5 in 14 innings.

Johnson and the Tigers will likely still look to add another arm, but Velazquez's potential and control fills a hole.

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