2017 College Preseason Top 25 Capsules: No. 4 LSU

4. Louisiana State

2016 Record (Ranking): 45-21 (12). RPI: 10.
Coach (Record at school): Paul Mainieri (460-182-3, 10 years)
Postseason History: 29 regionals (active streak: 8), 17 CWS trips (last in 2015), 6 national titles (last in 2009).

In each of the last two years, Louisiana State has returned its pitching staff or lineup nearly intact while having to replace nearly the entire other unit. This year, thanks in part to four players returning to Baton Rouge after getting drafted last June, the Tigers have remarkable continuity among both hitters and pitchers.

LSU returns 20 lettermen, including eight seniors. That gives the Tigers a veteran presence that has coach Paul Mainieri even more optimistic than usual going into the season.

“It’s very unusual when you can have both position players and pitchers returning,” he said. “The nature of college baseball is that you’ll have attrition every year from graduation, the draft or, unfortunately, transfers. We have a good nucleus returning.”

LSU’s returners include righthander Alex Lange and lefthander Jared Poche’, its top two starting pitchers. Lange is a likely first-round pick in June, while Poche’, who has won nine games in each of his first three seasons, chose to come back as a senior after being drafted in the 14th round. Together, they give LSU’s rotation a potent one-two punch.

“At this level of college baseball, you can’t win without outstanding pitching,” Mainieri said. “It’s difficult to have a top-caliber team to compete on a national basis if you don’t have that big horse on Friday night.”

Behind Lange and Poche’, LSU will turn to its newcomers from the fourth-ranked recruiting class to fill out its rotation. Mainieri has a few options to choose from, with righthanders Zack Hess and Eric Walker the leading contenders. Other newcomers such as righthanders Hunter Kiel and Todd Peterson will likely add more power arms to the bullpen, which is again anchored by closer Hunter Newman.

At the plate, LSU brings back seven starters from the team that ranked second in the Southeastern Conference in scoring last year, averaging 6.45 runs per game.

Outfielder Greg Deichmann, second baseman Cole Freeman and shortstop Kramer Robertson all chose to return to LSU for another season even after being drafted last June. All three were critical to the Tigers’ success last season—Deichmann led LSU in home runs (11), Freeman led the team in batting (.329) and Robertson anchored the lineup as the three-hole hitter—and will be heavily leaned on again this year. Deichmann moved from first base to right field in fall ball and earned solid reviews at his new position. Freeman hit .374/.442/.417 to win the batting title in the Cape Cod League, while Robertson—the son of Baylor women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey—has continued to be a steadying presence for the younger players on the team.

Mainieri is excited to have Robertson back in the middle of the diamond and the lineup. “Kramer Robertson’s evolution as a shortstop was the main reason why we won 45 games and were able to be a national seed,” he said. “Kramer coming back gives us that real leader out there. He’s playing as maturely and confidently as a guy in college baseball can.”

While LSU brings most of its lineup back, expect freshmen Jake Slaughter and Josh Smith to carve out key roles. Sophomore outfielder Antoine Duplantis will fill another hole, as he moves from right field to center to replace Jake Fraley, who was drafted in the second round.

With so much talent and experience all over the field, expectations are high for LSU. But Mainieri has grown accustomed to the pressures of a program with six national titles in the last quarter century, one won by Mainieri in 2009. No matter how many returning starters or pro prospects they have, the Tigers’ sights are always on Omaha.

“I don’t think anyone can make the expectations any higher then they always are,” he said. “It’s an ‘Omaha or bust’ attitude here. We know how hard that is. There are so many good teams, not just nationally but in our own conference. It’s a long way to go to get to Omaha, but we’re going to enjoy the journey.”

2017 LINEUP
Pos.	Name, Yr.	AVG	OBP	SLG	HR	RBI	SB
C	Mike Papierski, Jr.	.242	.358	.387	3	20	1
1B	Jake Slaughter, Fr.	HS—Choudrant, La.
2B	Cole Freeman, Sr.	.329	.427	.403	1	27	26
3B	Josh Smith, Fr.	HS—Greenwell Springs, La.
SS	Kramer Robertson, Sr.	.324	.417	.440	2	39	14
LF	Beau Jordan, Jr.	.286	.354	.379	4	39	5
CF	Antoine Duplantis, So.	.327	.404	.419	2	39	13
RF	Greg Deichmann, Jr.	.288	.346	.513	11	57	5
DH	Bryce Jordan, Jr.	.293	.419	.410	5	33	0
Pos.	Name, Yr.	W	L	ERA	IP	SO	SV
RHP	Alex Lange, Jr.	8	4	3.79	112	125	0
LHP	Jared Poche’, Sr.	9	4	3.35	102	87	0
RHP	Zack Hess, Fr.	HS—Forest, Va.
RP	Hunter Newman, Sr.	1	1	2.13	38	40	8