LSU baseball lineup, rotation projection post 2026 MLB Draft | LSU

That was unexpected.

The 2026 MLB Draft brought tons of surprises for Jay Johnson and company this summer, as LSU got 16 of its 22 high school signees through the draft and, at least presumably, onto campus for the 2027 season.

The only riddle Johnson will have to solve now is the size of his new roster. LSU is projected to have 42 players on its team next season, eight more than the Tigers are allowed to have under the NCAA’s roster limit rules.

LSU had 38 players on its team last season, but had a handful of players labeled as designated student-athletes, meaning that they could be on the team without counting against the 34-man roster restriction that was implemented after the House vs. NCAA settlement.

It’s unclear which LSU players are tagged as DSA players.

Still, regardless of how the roster shakes out, LSU has more than enough players now to put together a way-too-early lineup and starting rotation projection for the 2027 season.

Here’s how the Tigers are shaping up on the field heading into next year.

Lineup

1. Mason Braun, 1B

2. Cade Arrambide, C

3. Steven Milam, SS

4. Omar Serna, DH

5. Bino Watters, LF

6. Dawson Park, 3B

7. Angel Laya, RF

8. Cade Kurland, 2B

9. Malachi Washington, CF

Bench: Jason Wachs (OF), Dominic Santarelli (OF), Jack Ruckert (2B), Nathaneal Davis (OF), Anthony Murphy (OF), John Pearson (3B), Eddie Yamin (C/1B/OF), William Patrick (OF), Lucas Nawrocki (OF), Diego Velazquez (SS), Parker Loew (SS), Luke Tucker (3B/1B), Jordan Martinez (3B), Masen Belding (C), Dylan Minnatee (1B)

Breakdown: Braun, Arrambide, Milam and Serna were four of LSU’s five best hitters by the end of last season. Their excellence at the plate in Southeastern Conference play makes them shoo-in starters to begin next year.

Watters was LSU’s biggest addition out of the portal. He was a first-team All-ACC selection this year and made the All-ACC Freshman Team in 2025 at Notre Dame. Park follows him in the order as a right-handed bat (Watters is a lefty) who has the arm and glove to play shortstop. He hit 13 home runs in just 48 games last season at Texas State.

Laya was another massive portal addition from Oregon. The lefty hit 14 homers and made the All-Big Ten Freshman Team. Kurland follows him as a right-handed four-year starter at Florida who posted an .809 on-base plus slugging percentage last year in SEC play.

The last starting spot came down to Washington, Wachs and Santarelli. Wachs is a transfer from Tulane who posted an OPS over .900 in each of his two seasons with the Green Wave. Washington and Santarelli were both top-85 prospects in the draft, according to ESPN.

Washington took the last spot in this exercise because he’s a true center fielder. Wachs only played the position part-time at Tulane (he primarily started in right), and Santarelli is also a corner outfielder by trade. Santarelli is 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, but he’s fast for his size. One scout told The Advocate that another evaluator in his organization suggested that Santarelli could play center at the next level.

Davis, Murphy and Patrick are three more options in center field. Ruckert is a strong reserve behind Kurland, which could be important given Kurland’s injury history. Nawrocki and Velazquez are two-way players who will likely make a bigger impact on the mound than at the plate, at least in 2027.

Pearson became a full-time starter at third base this year but mostly struggled, especially on defense. Yamin earned time as a pinch-hitter against left-handed pitching and had some good moments. Martinez, Loew, Tucker, Belding and Minnatee may have trouble finding the field as freshmen, although Loew provides valuable depth at shortstop.

Starting rotation

Friday: Casan Evans, RHP

Saturday: William Schmidt, RHP

Sunday: Cooper Moore, RHP

Potential options: Landon Hood (RHP), Cooper Sides (RHP), Velazquez (RHP), Coleton Brady (RHP), Cooper Williams (LHP), Kolby Stringer (RHP) and Reagan Ricken (RHP)

Breakdown: Hood poses the biggest threat to crack the rotation despite LSU bringing back all three of its weekend starters from last season. Schmidt and Evans have the talent to be co-aces, while Moore looks to get through a full season healthy.

Hood still has a chance to start in SEC play after winning the WCC Freshman of the Year award at Gonzaga. He’s the top arm LSU added out of the portal. Velazquez — a transfer from Southern Cal — made the All-Big Ten Freshman Team and started five games for the Trojans. Johnson primarily sees him as a pitcher moving forward.

Sides, Stringer and Brady were the top-ranked right-handed arms to make it to campus. Injuries would need to occur in order for them to crack the rotation, but they’re all candidates to start midweek games. Stringer and Sides were top-110 prospects in the draft, per MLB.com, and Brady was the No. 71 player on The Athletic’s draft rankings.

Williams struggled this year, but he was a candidate to start back in January, and among LSU’s lefties, he’s the best equipped to do it at the moment. Ricken had a strong final outing in his freshman season, allowing just two earned runs in 4⅓ innings against Florida.

Bullpen

Multi-inning closers: Hood, Velazquez, Williams

Middle relief: Nawrocki (LHP), Kaden Smith (RHP), Braxton Beaty (LHP), Danny Lachenmayer (LHP), Major Osbolt (RHP), Zion Theophilus (RHP), Ethan Plog (LHP), Jonah Aase (LHP), Braydon Wisener (RHP), Bradyn Cupit (LHP), Sides, Ricken and Brady

Breakdown: Among the freshmen, Nawrocki has the chance to make the biggest immediate impact. His fastball is up to 95 mph, and he might’ve had the best slider in the draft within the high school pitching crop. LSU needs lefties to step up on the mound next season, and Nawrocki has the polish and talent to fill the void.

Beaty is another freshman lefty who can help the Tigers immediately. He’s not as strong as Nawrocki (Beaty is only 178 pounds), but he is polished and throws strikes. Cupit is the lone freshman from Louisiana and can, at the very least, help provide more depth from the left side.

Smith is a transfer from South Florida who, Johnson believes, has the stuff necessary to get outs in the SEC. He also started eight games, which means he could also be used in a bulk role if need be. Osbolt is another new addition, this time from the junior college ranks at Walters State. He’s LSU’s lone add at that level this year.

Lachenmayer, Plog, Theophilus and Aase return from last season. Lachenmayer had the best season of the group, and Aase missed the whole year because he was recovering from Tommy John surgery. Wisener is another freshman who throws a fastball and a slider, but he needs to throw more strikes.