LSU Baseball: Javen Coleman Returning for 2024 Season
LSU pitcher Javen Coleman will not sign his pro contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers and will return to Baton Rouge for another season.
Coleman was selected in the 16th round (490th pick overall) in the MLB Draft, but elects to return to the Tigers with something to prove.
LSU has had a school-record 13 players selected in the 2023 Draft, eclipsing the previous mark of 10 drafted LSU players in 2013.
Coleman, a left-hander from Richmond, Texas., enjoyed a strong freshman campaign in 2021 and he made three relief appearances in 2022 before suffering a season-ending elbow injury.
He rehabilitated at an accelerated pace after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March 2022, and remarkably returned to the mound in April 2023 to contribute to LSU’s National Championship season. He has appeared in 25 career games (six starts) at LSU, recording a 5-4 mark and 70 strikeouts in 52.2 innings.
Coleman appeared in eight games (four starts) in 2023, posting a 1-2 record and in 14.0 innings with 16 walks and 21 strikeouts. He started on the mound in LSU’s College World Series win over Wake Forest on June 21, recording two strikeouts in 1.1 innings of work.
He made his first career SEC start on May 14 vs. Mississippi State, working the first 2.2 innings and limiting the Bulldogs to one run on no hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
Making just his third appearance of the season after recovering from the Tommy John surgery, Coleman posted a relief win over Alabama on April 29.
He entered the game in the fourth inning and subdued Alabama’s bats to allow LSU to execute a rally from an early deficit. Coleman worked 2.1 scoreless innings with no hits, three walks and six strikeouts.
He made his 2023 season debut April 18 vs. UL Lafayette, retiring all three batters he faced with two strikeouts in a one-inning outing.
Now, Coleman returns to Baton Rouge with the chance to take that next step and make an impact to a talented pitching rotation.