Who does LSU baseball have returning from College World Series championship team for 2024?
LSU baseball has won the 2023 national championship.
The Tigers clinched their seventh national title in program history on Monday, taking down Florida in Game 3 of the College World Series final in dominant fashion, 18-4.
It was the last hurrah for many of LSU's stars, most of whom will depart for the 2023 MLB Draft or have run out of eligibility.
But which LSU players will be back to defend LSU's crown in 2024? And what will the reigning national champs' roster look like?
Here's a way-too-early preview of LSU's 2024 roster.
Who will be returning from LSU baseball's national championship team for the 2024 season?
Tommy White and Thatcher Hurd are expected to be the headliners returning for next season's team. White smashed 24 home runs and posted 105 RBIs this year while Hurd gave up just two earned runs in six innings pitched against Florida in Game 3. Sophomore outfielder Josh Pearson, who homered in Game 3, is also returning.
All of the freshmen are also expected to come back, with the likes of Jared Jones, Gavin Guidry, Griffin Herring, Paxton Kling and Brady Neal all playing bigger roles on next year's team with Dylan Crews, Tre Morgan, Ty Floyd, Paul Skenes, Cade Beloso, Gavin Dugas and Jordan Thompson departing.
Brayden Jobert, Alex Milazzo, Nate Ackenhausen, Javen Coleman, Ben Nippolt, Christian Little, Riley Cooper, Garrett Edwards and Hayden Travinski are all eligible to return but could leave for MLB. Any of their departures could mean more opportunities for freshmen Ethan Frey, Micah Bucknam, Chase Shores, Jaden Noot and Aiden Moffett.
One sophomore who is eligible for the MLB Draft is Grant Taylor. Despite not pitching an inning in 2023 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Taylor is still the No. 98 player in MLB.com's draft prospect rankings.
Who from LSU baseball will likely sign with a team after 2023 MLB Draft?
Crews, Skenes, Morgan, Floyd and Thompson will undoubtedly sign with an MLB team next month. Milazzo, Jobert, Ackenhausen, Coleman, Nippolt, Little, Cooper, Edwards and Travinski are closer to 50/50 propositions as to whether or not they'll sign if they are selected.
The biggest name to watch will still be Taylor, who was projected to be a starter for LSU this year before his preseason injury. If he returns, the Tigers will have another top arm to pair with Hurd at the top of the rotation.
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Who is in LSU baseball's 2023 recruiting class and which players are expected to come to Baton Rouge?
According to Perfect Game, LSU has the No. 12 recruiting class in the nation entering this year's MLB Draft. But because of the draft, not all of the Tigers' signees will be on campus this fall.
The least likely among them to come to Baton Rouge in August is Blake Mitchell. ESPN's Kiley McDaniel projects that Mitchell will be the No. 8 overall pick next month and MLB.com lists him as its No. 13 overall prospect.
Other players in MLB.com's top-200 draft prospects list includes left-handed pitcher Cameron Johnson, left-handed pitcher Jake Brown and shortstop Steven Milam.
The rest of LSU's recruiting class includes outfielder Ashton Larson, left-handed pitcher Kade Anderson, third baseman Trenton Lape, shortstop MJ Seo, outfielder Derrick Mitchell, shortstop Austen Roellig, shortstop Ryan Kucherak, shortstop Dylan Thompson, outfielder Griffin Cooley and outfielder Dallas Dale II.
What are LSU baseball's greatest needs heading into the offseason?
Without Skenes or Floyd, LSU will have to rebuild its rotation almost from scratch. Hurd and potentially Taylor will be back but the Tigers are likely going to have to add more depth from the transfer portal or need someone like Shores, Noot or Herring to step into one of those roles.
The middle infield and outfield are also question marks heading into this offseason.
With Thompson and Dugas gone, LSU will need to find a new starting shortstop and second baseman. Guidry returns and the Tigers have already added South Carolina shortstop Michael Braswell from the transfer portal, but it's doubtful that they'll stop there.
Kling and Pearson will likely start in the outfield next season. However, if Jobert departs along with Crews, LSU will have an open starting outfield spot and may need more depth at the position anyway.
Most of the Tigers' bullpen could at least potentially return, despite coach Jay Johnson having already added Alabama right-handed pitcher Kade Woods and Xavier left-handed pitcher Justin Loer from the transfer portal.
Koki Riley covers LSU sports for The Daily Advertiser. Email him at kriley@theadvertiser.com and follow him on Twitter at @KokiRiley
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU baseball: Previewing 2024 roster after national championship
