The second ranked LSU Tigers will open the season on Friday by hosting VMI on Friday at 2 PM. Coach Jay Johnson says he's yet to settle on a game one starter, but he's not concerned because there are plenty of options.
“It’s something for you all to write about but it doesn’t mean that pitcher is any more important,” said Johnson. “If it meant we got five wins for winning the game on Friday than it would be more important, but that’s not how it works. There are candidates, I mean we can choose from one of five candidates, and I don’t think that’s an exaggeration.”
Johnson didn’t list those five candidates. But Thatcher Hurd, Luke Holman, Gage Jump, Griffin Herring and Javen Coleman are likely options. Three of those pitchers are left-handers.
LSU has 10 southpaws on its roster. In 2019, LSU didn’t have a single left-handed pitcher and in Paul Mainieri’s final College World Series team, he only relied on two lefties, Jared Poche and Nick Bush.
Herring is one of those left-handers, and he’s expected to have a major role on this team after an outstanding freshman season, 5-2, 3.93 ERA. But he’s impressed with what the other southpaws can do.
“Guys with just elite stuff and strike throwing ability like Justin Loer, you got lefties throwing 98 with sink, you got guys like Gage (Jump) throwing 5 to 6 with ride, we got a lot of different tools from the left side,” said Herring.
There is talk that Jump, a transfer from UCLA, could be LSU’s best pitcher this season. He missed the 2023 season after Tommy John surgery but looked good in seven appearances with the Bruins in 2022.
Another left-hander with electric stuff is freshman Cam Johnson. He’s considered the highest ranked prospect to ever make it on LSU’s campus. He throws it 97 mph from the left side and could have easily been a high draft pick last July. But a Major League team did not meet his financial number for him to skip college.
Expect Johnson to start the season in middle relief, but if he excels, he’ll be a late inning option.
Another talented freshman left-hander is Kade Anderson from St. Paul’s High School in Covington. The three-time All-State player was ranked by Perfect Game as the 19th best left-hander in the country. If Anderson didn’t have Tommy John surgery after the 2022 season, he’s someone that could have been drafted high and never made it on campus.
Johnson likes a lot of left-handed pitchers and hitters on his roster. He believes it allows him to match-up better against right-handed heavy teams on the mound or at the plate.
It’s this type of versatility that makes LSU a favorite to repeat as national champs.