LSU Baseball Has Some Decisions to Make in a Crowded Outfield
If there's one position group Paul Mainieri isn't worried about filling, it's the outfield. The Tigers enter the 2021 season with quite frankly, some overcrowding issues in the outfield, which is a good problem to have but tricky to manage nonetheless.
As the roster currently sits, there are as many as seven players competing for one open spot. Centerfield and right field are two positions Mainieri feels comfortable penciling in an every day starter. In center, the Tigers will start the season with Giovanni DiGiacomo, a junior entering his third year with the program and has all the potential in the world because of his athletic ability.
"He brings a unique skill set to our team, he might be the fastest guy in the league. He can really cover ground and he's improved his reads, his confidence, his hands, his angles on the ball," Mainieri said. "He makes highlight reel catches virtually everyday in practice and is very similar to some of the great ones we've had here."
The hope for both DiGiacomo and Mainieri is that he becomes more consistent behind the plate. As a sophomore in 2020, he really seemed to be hitting his stride just as the season was shut down, hitting .300 in the 17 games.
He's capable of hitting it well and the consistency is what the program is hoping improves, which is why hitting coach Eddie Smith has been so integral to his development this offseason.
"I think putting in a lot of extra work with coach Smith, really just trying to focus mentally and make sure before every at bat that I'm where I should be and that I have all of my keys locked in," DiGiacomo said. "When it comes to mechanics, working on small drills and he's been helping me to find that consistency that you want to have."
The second position that can be penciled in is right field, where freshman Dylan Crews figures to be the overwhelming favorite to earn the every day starts. Crews comes from the same cloth of an Alex Bregman or Daniel Cabrera type recruit for the program so it's important to see what the highly touted prospect can do from the beginning.
Mainieri understands that making a freshman an everyday starter will come with its ups and downs but also recognizes that the positives will outweigh the negatives on most nights.
"He's just one of those talents that you need to put him in right field every day and let him go," Mainieri said. "He's gonna have some days where he struggles a little bit and any player would. But as a coach you grit your teeth and get through it because he's gonna do a lot more positive things than negative."
That leaves left field and the it's not going to be easy pickings for Mainieri for that final open spot in the outfield. Cade Beloso has moved from first base to the outfield and is making real positive strides. Veterans Drew Bianco and Gavin Dugas have been in the outfield have both earned starts over the years and are viable options.
But the wild card according to Mainieri is Maurice Hampton, who has the athletic capabilities to be a dominant outfielder but because he's been with football for the fall, has some catching up to do in baseball.
"He's been off for so long but he's looked good," Mainieri said. "He's lost some balls in the sun because he hasn't had the reps out there so we're gonna kind of see how that goes."
That's not to mention sophomore Mitchell Sanford or true freshman Brody Drost, another highly valued recruit who has a powerful bat and deserving of playing time as well.
"We have a lot of options and it's gonna be a real challenge as the manager of the team," Mainieri said. "You don't want kids to think 'oh if they have a good day, they play the next day' or if they have a bad day they won't be in the lineup. So you have to be decisive on what you think your best combination is and go with it while also keeping other kids involved and sharp."
Mainieri knows it's a good problem to have and at the end of the day will do what's best for the team. But keeping the younger players and the guys who might not be everyday starters engaged will be a challenge.
DiGiacomo has seen first hand how great the potential is in the outfield and even with a ton of guys competing for the same spots, is excited about what each could bring to the outfield.
"I think we have a lot of talent out there and a lot of guys who haven't had the ability to play a full season yet," DiGiacomo said. "I think me, Gavin and Cade are the only ones. We have a lot of young talent but I'm excited because we have some kids who are unbeleiveable athletes so I'm excited."