LSU Baseball: Five Newcomers Who Can Make an Immediate Impact
We’ve seen this LSU baseball program reel in an embarrassment of riches to the 2023 roster as they prepare for next spring. Securing five of the top transfers in the portal while getting a majority of their 2022 signees to campus, the Tigers offseason has been one for the history books.
Assembling the roster is one thing, but head coach Jay Johnson also had his work cut out for him after losing his top two assistants to head coaching gigs. Replacing recruiting coordinator Dan Fitzgerald and pitching coach Jason Kelly, it’s been a complete turnaround with this program.
Bringing in Josh Jordan and Wes Johnson to the staff, this coaching staff has a three-headed snake to develop the best of the best in Baton Rouge. With the talent on this roster, it’s hard not to think this team could make a College World Series run in 2023.
Here’s a look at a few newcomers who can make an immediate impact:
Tommy White - Infielder/DH - North Carolina State transfer
White needs no introduction. Just an absolute slugger who became one of the first transfers to announce his commitment to Jay Johnson and the Tigers, this program got a game changer in the monstrous hitter.
White hit .362 with 85 hits, 12 doubles, 27 home runs, 74 RBIs and a .757 slugging percentage, setting the NCAA freshman record for homers in a season. He had 26 multi-hit games and 19 multi-RBI outings, and he finished the year on a 26-game reached base streak.
White was named the ACC Freshman of the Year after a record breaking season with the Wolfpack.
Related: LSU Baseball Adds Coveted Transfers Tommy White and Christian Little
Paul Skenes - Pitcher/Outfielder/DH - Air Force transfer
Yes, Skenes has the chance to contribute to all three positions. A dual threat athlete who can seemingly do it all on the diamond, LSU lucked out in securing the first-team All-American out of Air Force.
Skenes recorded a 2.96 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 85.2 innings (15 starts) in 2022, limiting opponents to a .224 batting average. Also a threat at the plate, Skenes hit .314 with 10 doubles, 13 homers and 38 RBI. In 2021, Skenes posted a 2.70 ERA while batting .410 with 11 homers and 43 RBI.
Look for Skenes to be a player who can make an impact at a myriad of positions for Johnson’s squad in 2023. Benefiting from the player development skills newly named pitching coach Wes Johnson attains, Skenes has all the tools to be a first round talent when his time comes.
Chase Shores - RHP - 2022 Signee
The 6-foot-8, 240-pound right-handed pitcher added 50 pounds to his frame and 13-15 miles per hour on his fastball in two years. His curveball and changeup are the two pitches he goes to most when on the mound.
Shores enters Baton Rouge as one of a few pitchers in the 2022 class, but his potential is through the roof with the Tigers. Though a number of guys from this year’s recruiting class can make an instant impact, it’ll be interesting to monitor just how well Shores develops this year as he looks to crack the rotation for this LSU bullpen.
Related: 2022 Baseball Signee Chase Shores Pulls Name Out Of MLB Draft
Carter Young - Shortstop - Vanderbilt transfer
The news of Young heading to Baton Rouge is a big win for the program after he was selected in the 17th round of the 2022 MLB Draft. With questions concerning his arrival to LSU, those have now been answered with Johnson announcing he’ll head to campus.
Young blasted a team-high 16 homers and drove in 52 runs in 2022 for the Commodores, looking to complement current LSU slugger Dylan Crews well this upcoming season. A team that struggled in the field last year, Young can make an impact in that slot in a huge way.
Paxton Kling - Outfielder- 2022 Signee
Kling announced he will honor his LSU commitment and head to Baton Rouge after pulling his name out of the 2022 MLB Draft in early July. Kling, a Top 100 prospect in the MLB Draft, gives Jay Johnson a massive weapon for the 2023 season.
Per MaxPreps, Kling hit .566 in his final season for Central High School, tallying 43 hits and 33 RBI. His consistency at the plate is a piece of his game the Tigers will surely rely on in the foreseeable future.
Related: A Look at LSU Baseball's Fully Assembled Coaching Staff
Final Thoughts
It’s hard to just pick five newcomers who can make an impact to this 2023 roster with Thatcher Hurd, Christian Little and a number of 2022 signees coming to Baton Rouge. The 2022 recruiting class LSU put together has the chance to be special for this program.
Jay Johnson put in work this offseason and as things begin to take shape during fall ball, we’ll develop a better understanding of the rotation heading into the 2023 season.