After missing last season with a back injury, LSU right-handed pitcher Gavin Guidry has looked great in his two relief appearances. The former Barbe standout has allowed just one hit in 4.1 innings and has struck out ten. Guidry admits he had doubts about whether he would pitch again after having back surgery last April.
“After the surgery, I felt better, and then it started hurting again,” said Guidry. “I had conversations with my parents about not really knowing where it was going to go and how everything was going to look afterwards. Just kind of put my head down and worked and see where it got me, if it didn’t work out, just be content with the work that I put in.”
Guidry made his return to the mound in the season opener and struck out the side after coming out of the bullpen. He earned the win in that game and earned the save in Monday night’s win over Kent State as he threw 2.1 innings of scoreless baseball.
Guidry was an outstanding player at Barbe High School, a powerhouse baseball program in Lake Charles. He was named the 2022 Gatorade Louisiana High School Player of the Year.
His senior season at Barbe, he went 8-0 with a 0.16 ERA with 83 strikeouts in 45 innings. But he could also swing the bat, as he hit .422 in his senior season.
Coach Jay Johnson said they talked about making him an infielder, but Guidry found a home in the Tigers' bullpen his freshman season. He went 3-0 with a 3.77 ERA and three saves that season and recorded the final out when the Tigers won the national championship in 2023.
When LSU Coach Jay Johnson got the job in 2021, Guidry was already committed to LSU, and Johnson couldn’t wait to coach him.
“I just think he’s special, I always have, I met with him the day after his press conference here, I was like, I can’t wait to coach this dude, this is exactly what you want,” Johnson said. “It takes a special competitor to be the Friday pitcher or the closer, and he’s got it. He’s just going to win.”
There has been some thought of making Guidry a starter, but it seems Johnson has recognized how valuable Guidry can be when you give him the ball, late in the game, with the game on the line.
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“I’m excited to be back, to be completely honest with you, I ‘ll do whatever they ask me to do, pitching-wise,” Guidry said. “Three out saves, start games, get extended, throw multiple innings out of the bullpen, I feel like I’m more prepared to do that with my body than I have ever felt, whatever I need to do, if it’s throwing multiple times a week and bouncing back quicker or getting more extended, I feel like I’m ready to do whatever I need to do.”
Guidry also pitched well in 2024, but just before he was set to make his season debut in 2025, his back started hurting. Guidry said it would hurt for a few days, then start to get better, then start to hurt again. Eventually, the decision was made to have surgery, and now the Lake Charles native is glad to be pitching again for the Purple and Gold.
“Just super content with everything I’ve done for the last 12 months, just happy with the work that I’ve put in, and just get to go out there and play a game that got taken away from me for the last year, just being able to go back out there and compete again is amazing.”