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College | Story | 3/29/2019

Scout Take: Louisiana State

Greg Gerard

Photo: Daniel Cabrera (LSU Athletics)

College Notes: March 22 | March 23 | College Player Database

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LSU Tigers

What Happened: A hard fought weekend for the Tigers resulted in a 1-2 series loss in Athens, Georgia. Zack Hess was phenomenal on Friday night pitching the Tigers to a 1-0 victory. Games two and three went the way of the Bulldogs as LSU could not muster a run across in game two and a late game surge ran out of time as the Tigers fell 9-7. The first game saw LSU facing off against one of the top arms in the country in Georgia’s Emerson Hancock who stifled them before Antoine Duplantis roped a double to the opposite field gap before scoring on a sac fly by Daniel Cabrera. Game two saw a total of five hits and no runs produced for the Tigers and the rubber match Sunday was too little too late as six of their seven runs came in the eighth and ninth innings of the contest.

Carrying Tool: Although it was not completely apparent in these contests, the carrying tool for this bunch is the offense. Josh Smith at the top of the order is a lefthanded hitting shortstop with plenty of 2019 MLB Draft buzz, Antoine Duplantis has a proven track record of being a run producer at the top and in the middle of the Tigers' order, Zach Watson leads the team in batting average and the quick-twitch outfielder plays a rangy center field. Duplantis and Watson, along with sophomore Daniel Cabrera, form one of the nation's best outfield trios.

Concerns: Young players being put into large roles immediately. Landon Marceaux, the team’s Sunday starter, has seen his freshman struggles this season and that raises some concern long term for this team. Giovanni DiGiacomo, Cade Beloso and Drew Bianco are all freshman who are seeing big-time roles in the Tigers lineup at first base or at the designated hitting position. DiGiacomo had success this weekend at the plate going 4-for-10 with a professional approach. Beloso did as well, especially in Sunday’s 9-7 defeat.

Best Player on the Field: Offensively it is a toss-up between Zach Watson and Antoine Duplantis while on the mound it is Zack Hess. Watson has impact speed and a great eye at the plate. He hits the ball with confidence and is an ideal two-hole hitter for the team from Baton Rouge. Duplantis has had plenty of success throughout his four years at LSU and this weekend’s series was no different. A strong lefthanded swing with a gap-to-gap approach is what Duplantis brings to the plate. His production is ultimately going to be what drives this offense in full force. Hess is a true competitor on the mound with a low- to mid-90s fastball and a wipeout slider.

Fearless Forecast: Omaha or bust. A pair of Regional losses to eventual National Champion Oregon State in Corvallis was where LSU’s road to Omaha ended last year after competing against Florida in the CWS Finals two years ago. Omaha is the goal again for the Tigers with anything short being a bust. LSU was the preseason No. 1 team in the country for a reason. They have a College World Series-type team and this combined group of experienced veterans and talented freshman can certainly get hot as the middle of conference play continues in Baton Rouge.

Players covered: Daniel Cabrera, Josh Smith, Antoine Duplantis, Zach Watson, Zack Hess, Cole Henry, Todd Peterson.

Daniel Cabrera
Cabrera is not draft eligible until 2020 but the impact he made on the series for the Tigers against Georgia was pretty impressive going along with a skill-set that has present tools. Cabrera, who was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 26th round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of high school, has a strong lefthanded swing for power and an above average arm in the outfield.

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