LSU Tigers Baseball Pulls More Top Baseball Prospects from MLB Draft

The LSU Tigers baseball program celebrated on Sunday night as they pulled a couple of top prospects from the MLB draft.

May 25, 2024; Hoover, AL, USA; The LSU Tigers head coach Jay Johnson signals in to his players during a game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at the SEC Baseball Tournament at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. / Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

The LSU Tigers baseball program celebrated on Sunday night as two more of the top prospects in the MLB draft decided to head to college instead of the pros.

Head Coach Jay Johnson and his staff have been huge benefactors of the rise of top high school prospects being able to choose college baseball instead of heading to the draft thanks to NIL providing a source of income.

Athletes of all sports have flooded to the Tigers as one of the top NIL destinations in the country.

Top programs like LSU have better facilities than some minor league teams, combine that with the potential to make good money then it becomes and easier choice than ever before.

A few days ago, outfield prospect Derek Curiel decided to pull his name and head to Baton Rouge, however that wasn't nearly as much of a surprise as the other players that went on to join him.

The successful day started as right-handed pitcher William Schmidt took the whole baseball world by surprise in announcing that he would go to school and take his name out of the draft pool.

Callin Baton Rouge! Time for another Natty🐅 pic.twitter.com/4ceMRwpMvg

— William Schmidt (@_williamSchmidt) July 14, 2024

He was the top right-handed pitcher in his high school class and the No. 15 overall prospect in the draft per the MLB pipeline rankings.

The 18-year-old has dominant stuff that made his peers look like fools at the plate.

"Schmidt can spin his curveball at upwards of 3,000 rpm, and it's an low-80s hammer that breaks so much that it often fools umpires as well as hitters," said his scouting report. "He has good command of a fastball that has gained 3 mph this spring, now sitting in the mid-90s and maxing out at 99 mph with carry and arm-side run. He rarely has needed a third pitch but shows some feel for a low-80s changeup with some sink."

His only peer that was ranked above him, Cam Caminiti, was drafted by the Atlanta Braves with the No. 24 overall selection. Schmidt was likely going to go in a similar range.

The aforementioned Curiel took to social media platforms to celebrate Schmidt going to school and sharing that the two would actually be roommates.

Later in the night, the two were joined by another top player in Cade Arrambide, who was the highest rated prep school catcher heading into the night.

He's a power hitter with a stellar arm but is a very raw player. Heading to college makes sense as a lower-pressure environment as he proves he can improve at the art of the catcher and in his plate discipline.