LSU Tigers: 2026 Season Preview
Defending national champions. 7 titles, 20 College World Series appearances, and a tradition that demands excellence. Jay Johnson lost key pieces but reloaded through the portal and the pipeline. The banner hangs in Alex Box — now they chase another one.
The Program
2025 Season Results
Season Highlights
Won the 2025 national championship — seventh in program history
Tommy White: .338, 24 HR, 78 RBI — CWS Most Outstanding Player
Paul Skenes drafted #1 overall, then returned for the title run
Set a program record with 102 home runs in a season
Tre' Morgan: .321 average, Gold Glove-caliber defense at first base
2026 Roster Breakdown
Key returnees and transfer portal additions
Key Returnees
Tommy White
3B · Sr.CWS Most Outstanding Player. The Big Bat from St. Pete. Returns to Baton Rouge chasing a second ring and a top-5 draft selection.
Tre' Morgan
1B · Sr.Gold Glove-caliber first baseman from New Orleans. Pure hitter with gap power who anchors the left side of the lineup.
Griffin Herring
RHP · Jr.Emerged as the closer in the postseason. Power arm with a devastating slider. Converted every save opportunity in Omaha.
Thatcher Hurd
RHP · Jr.Strike-throwing right-hander who carved up SEC lineups. Commands four pitches and competes in every at-bat.
Jared Jones
OF · Jr.Five-tool outfielder with game-changing speed. Covers center field and provides top-of-the-order spark.
Hayden Travinski
C · R-Sr.Veteran backstop who handled the championship pitching staff. Calls a great game and provides middle-of-the-order power.
Transfer Portal Additions
Cade Doughty
INF · Jr.Louisiana native comes home. Versatile infielder with pop who adds depth at second base and shortstop.
Rhett Lowder
LHP · R-Sr.Experienced left-hander from the CWS runner-up. Immediately slots into the weekend rotation behind Hurd.
Nathan Martorella
1B/DH · R-Sr.Elite left-handed bat who can DH or spell Morgan at first. Professional approach at the plate.
Mason Neville
RHP · Jr.SEC-tested arm from Oxford. Adds bullpen depth with mid-90s velocity.
Pitching Staff Analysis
The Headline
Griffin Herring converted every save opportunity in Omaha. The closer with the devastating slider returns as the lockdown ninth-inning arm in the SEC. When the game reaches the eighth, opposing lineups know they have two innings to score — or it is over.
The Rotation
Thatcher Hurd (3.48 ERA, 102 K) takes the Friday ball. He commands four pitches and competes in every at-bat. Rhett Lowder (from Wake Forest, 2.85 ERA) gives Jay Johnson a proven Saturday starter with CWS finals experience. The Sunday spot is open — but with the arms in this program, it will not stay open long.
The Depth
Mason Neville (from Ole Miss) adds SEC-tested bullpen depth. The returning relievers carried a combined 3.20 ERA in postseason play. Johnson has built the deepest bullpen in the conference — the kind of depth that lets you match up in elimination games. That depth won a national title last June.
Lineup Analysis
The Engine
Tommy White (.338, 24 HR, 78 RBI) is the most dangerous hitter in college baseball. The CWS Most Outstanding Player has a 70 raw power grade and an approach that gets better in big moments. He drives everything hard, hits to all fields, and makes pitchers pay for mistakes.
The Middle
Tre' Morgan (.321, 8 HR) gives LSU a second elite bat from the left side. Jared Jones (.296, 9 HR, 28 SB) provides speed-power combination at the top of the order. Hayden Travinski (.268, 11 HR) has pop from the catcher spot. Nathan Martorella (from Cal, .311, 14 HR) adds left-handed depth off the bench or at DH.
The Supporting Cast
Cade Doughty (from Texas A&M) fills the infield void. Jones covers center with elite range and can steal a base any time he reaches. The bottom of the order at LSU is better than the top of most SEC lineups. This is not a team that relies on one swing — it is a lineup that wears pitchers down over nine innings.
2026 Schedule Highlights
Scouting Verdict
20–80 scouting scale
BSI Projection
Defending national champions. Tommy White is the best hitter, Griffin Herring is the best closer, and Jay Johnson knows how to manage a roster through June. LSU lost key pieces — that is what happens when you win a title — but the portal replenished with SEC-tested arms and bats. The ceiling is another championship weekend. The floor is still a Regional host. In Baton Rouge, that floor is just the starting point.