LSU fans are familiar with Derek Curiel, Stevan Milam, and Casan Evans. But with every season, there are new guys who become household names. Here are six newcomers to watch for in 2026.
#18 Mason Braun, freshman, OF/1B
With so many veteran position players, it will be difficult for a freshman to break through, but if there is a guy who can do it, it would be Mason Braun. According to Perfect Game, Braun was the nation’s number one high school first baseman. The Indiana native has big-time power and Coach Jay Johnson likes his approach at the plate. Braun has had several multi-hit performances in the scrimmage, including a four-hit day. Braun will certainly get some at-bats at designated hitter, but if Chris Stanfield or Zach Yorke struggle, Braun will get his chance.
#22 Cooper Moore, junior, right-handed pitcher
D1 Baseball ranked Moore as the sixth-best pitcher in the transfer portal, and there’s a good chance he will be in the weekend rotation after two solid seasons at Kansas. Moore was named Second-Team All-Big 12 as he went 7-3 with a 3.96 ERA in 88.2 innings. Only 19 walks and 85 strikeouts. He does not throw hard, but he throws strikes.
#33 Zach Yorke, senior, 1B
Zach Yorke will be a fan favorite. He’s 6-2, 295-pound left-handed hitter who hits home runs. Who doesn’t love that description for a baseball player? Yorke is a transfer from Grand Canyon and is the school’s all-time home run hitter with (32) over three years. He also drove in a school-record 157 runs. Yorke’s mother might be the best hitter in the family. Robyn Yorke is considered one of the best softball players in Fresno State history. She was a four-time All-American and helped the Bulldogs win the 1998 national championship.
#44 Trent Caraway, junior, 3B
Third base was a revolving door for LSU last season between Michael Braswell and Tanner Reaves. Caraway should be the guy at the hot corner this season. The transfer from Oregon State is ranked among D1Baseball’s Top 100 college prospects for the 2026 MLB draft. He’s played on the West Coast his whole life, and if he adjusts well to the pressure of being an LSU player, he’s expected to hit around .300 with double-digit home runs. He’ll need to be better defensively; 12 errors in 64 games last season for the Beavers is a bit too high.
#52 Zion Theophilus, freshman, right-handed pitcher
Theophilus was the best high school pitcher in Ohio in 2025. Last April, he struck out 17 hitters in a no-hitter. The Cincinnati native has looked good in the preseason scrimmages. On February 1st, he threw three scoreless innings and struck out five. This past weekend, Thieophilus threw 3.2 inning scoreless innings and struck out three.
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#97 Marcos Paz, freshman, right-handed pitcher
If Paz hadn’t injured his throwing elbow and undergone Tommy John surgery in July 2024, he probably would have been a first-round pick in the 2025 MLB draft and would not have made it on the LSU campus. Despite not pitching in 2025, the two-time All-State selection from Texas is still ranked as one of the top freshmen this season. Paz has an easy delivery to the plate, and he’ll carve himself a nice role out of the bullpen.