LSU could easily be called Shortstop U. Austin Nola, Alex Bregman, Josh Smith, Kramer Robertson, and Jordan Thompson all played the position very well for the LSU Tigers and provided offense at the plate.
Nola, Bregman and Smith are in the major leagues. Robertson also had a brief stint in the majors with the St. Louis Cardinals and time will tell if Thompson can get to the Bigs in a talented Dodgers minor league system.
Michael Braswell is set to man shortstop this season after spending the last two seasons at South Carolina. There are no doubts about his glove. He committed just four errors in 51 games last season, and he’s described as a silky-smooth infielder.
But will he hit enough for an LSU offense that is not expected to be as explosive last year?
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In two seasons in Columbia, South Carolina, Braswell hit .271 and slugged just .367. Three home runs in 354 collegiate at-bats for the big-time prospect out of Georgia.
Braswell had a few clutch hits for the Gamecocks, but he’s looking to get the ball in the air more and drive the ball into the gaps. It’s something he’s worked hard on since arriving on LSU’s campus.
“It started to come to fruition during the fall, obviously I’m not there completely, still have a long way to go, but I will definitely say it’s been a great process though,” said Braswell.
LSU Coach Jay Johnson says Braswell led the team in hitting in the fall ball.
Johnson quickly contacted Braswell once he entered the transfer portal. Right after the super-regional series victory against Kentucky, Johnson reached out to Braswell, who called LSU a dream school. Braswell visited LSU as they prepared for Omaha and committed shortly after his visit to Baton Rouge.
The other man in the double play combo for the Tigers is someone LSU fans are familiar with. Josh Pearson played great defense in left field down the stretch and in the postseason last year for the Tigers, but he’ll start this season at second base.
Pearson hasn’t played second base since his days at West Monroe High School, but he’s having fun with it.
Last year’s starting second baseman also moved from outfield to second base, so Pearson received advice from Gavin Dugas.
“His big thing was just making the routine plays, I don’t have to do anything extra out there, just field the ground ball when I get it, get the out that’s really all that matters at the end of the day, I don’t have to do anything fancy, just make the play whenever the ball is hit to me,” said Pearson.
Moving Pearson to second, gives Johnson more options for the corner outfield positions as there are several young players fighting to be in the everyday lineup, Jake Brown, Ethan Frey, Ashton Larson and Zeb Ruddell.
And if it doesn’t work out for Pearson at second or he’s needed back in the outfield, Johnson will not hesitate to move him again.
But the potential is there for LSU to have a great double play combination, with two athletic players manning the middle of the infield.