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College  | Story | 1/9/2026

LSU Reloads & Returns; Opens No. 1

Vincent Cervino
Photo: Jay Johnson (Perfect Game)
“How do you get to success? You have to honor the process that you built to get to that success…The standard is how we operate, train, and get better each day.””

Process-oriented leadership is a popular coaching strategy here in the mid-2020s but no one exemplifies that more than LSU head coach Jay Johnson. He’s won the Tigers two national titles during his time in Baton Rouge and expectations won’t be any lower in 2026 as LSU is the No. 1 team in the country in Perfect Game’s Preseason Top 25. 



Johnson is heading into his fifth season at the helm in Baton Rouge and it’s fair to say that he has already experienced enormous success. There have been two national titles in four years (2023, 2025), a Golden Spikes winner (Dylan Crews, 2023), a first overall MLB Draft pick (Paul Skenes, 2023), and five first-round MLB Draft picks during his time leading the Tigers. Defending a national title and starting the season with No. 1 expectations but Johnson is confident in his team’s ability to turn the page and focus on the mission for 2026. 

“We’ve done a good job of moving past the 2025 championship,” comments Johnson. “I credit a lot of returning players having the maturity to do that. They’ve set a good example for the new players in the program of what it takes. It takes a lot in our league with the schedule.”

Johnson made sure to stress that while having the veteran leadership and experience from returning players who were able to win-it-all in 2025 is invaluable, that the 2026 LSU Tigers have to find an identity themselves.

“How do you get to success? You have to honor the process that you built to get to that success. That has to be recreated every year,” said Johnson. “There’s no win over the last 4 years that means anything for this team. This team has to reinvest and that’s challenging with the schedule they have to play. It’s a very high standard. The immediate thought goes to Omaha or National Championships, but we don’t look at it that way. The standard is how we operate, train and get better each day.”

LSU is tied for second nationally in terms of Perfect Game Preseason All-Americans, highlighted by First Team All-American and potential first-round pick Derek Curiel. Casan Evans and Zac Cowan join Curiel on the prestigious list but fellow returnees Jake Brown and Steven Milam are also key cogs to this team. 

“Lots of strong feelings toward all returners, they’re very good players across the board,” Johnson said. “The big separator for last year’s team was character. Derek (Curiel), Casan (Evans), and Zac (Cowan) exhibit that. When you dive into recruiting, all three of those guys are winners. As are Jake Brown, Steven Milam, William Schmidt, Cooper Williams. We have a big challenge in front of us but I have good peace of mind in the character and the leadership as far as those people.”

Having the winning character and leadership is one component of any championship contender but LSU has the benefit of being able to rely on past experiences as well. Who would know better how to take home a national title than those who were able to achieve that goal just 6 months ago?

“There’s guys who have overcome challenges and come out the other side of it,” Johnson tells me. “They’ve been in Game 7 of a Regional and come through. There are enough guys a part of those games that can draw from it. We have infused ourselves with some really good new talent. It’s about putting the hay in the barn and taking that talent and really becoming a team. Setting our own course. Everyone needs to be all in on now. I think they’re excited to do that. I get a sense that the players are ready to go for it.”

LSU earned this No. 1 preseason ranking based on the merits of their roster and coaching staff, not only because they were the last team standing in 2025. They feature a very strong core of veteran, battle-tested players while also hitting the high school and transfer portal recruiting very hard. There will undoubtedly be a target on their back, but at this point it’s fair to assume that Johnson and company operate best under fire. 

“(It’s about) having it all in perspective,” declares Johnson. “Those rankings are validation of something another team did (last year’s team), the projections of what some guys on this year’s team can do. We’re never going to validate ourselves based on what others say about us. We’ll validate ourselves by how we train, prepare, and execute baseball.”

The focus for Johnson heading into Year 5 in Baton Rouge? Stay committed to the process, control the controllables, and position yourself for success. 

“Attack what’s relevant. We put a lot of work into that and we have a group that went through a lot of positive things. If we can emulate some of the qualities of the 2025 team we’ll be in a good position for success.”

LSU opens the season at home on Skip Bertman Field at Alex Box Stadium on Friday, February 13th. The Tigers will host the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for a three game set that weekend. For more 2026 college baseball content, stay plugged in at perfectgame.org where we will be unveiling our full preseason content schedule starting next week.
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College | Recruiting | 9/18/2026

Top DII/DIII/NAIA Incoming Freshmen
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Top Incoming DII Freshmen Rank Name Pos School HS City ST 1 Isaiah Fernandez C Barry Chaminade Madonna College Prep Fort Lauderdale FL 2 Jaiden Palmer SS Newberry University High School Deland FL 3 Mills Carrillo RHP Saint Leo Wesley Chapel Wesley Chapel FL 4 Reuben Vasquez OF Barry Strawberry Crest Dover FL 5 Andrew Petrock SS West Alabama Pelham Pelham AL 6 Jonathan Duffy OF Bentley Walt Whitman Huntington Station NY 7 Tyson McFarlin SS Texas A&M-Kingsville Elgin Elgin TX 8 Chip Glogorski C Georgia College & State Kings Ridge Christian Cumming GA 9 Tanner Pope 1B Francis Marion Garner Magnet Garner NC 10 Brice Gillis 1B University of North Georgia Wesleyan Johns Creek GA 11 Dillon O'Connor RHP Ferrum College The Miller School of Albemarle Charlottesville VA 12 Cooper Obst C Lander Pine Crest Fort Lauderdale FL 13 Brent Sollars OF Colorado Mesa Sandra Day O'Connor Phoenix AZ 14...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/3/2026

WWBA Underclass Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Perfect Game Staff
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Gage McRae (‘27 NC) obliterates this ball well over the LF wall and into the top of the trees for a solo shot💣 evident power tool being put on display from the @PG_Uncommitted prospect #WWBAWorlds@PG_Coastal https://t.co/AFKGSrGz8n pic.twitter.com/RbwgsUK2yi — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) October 2, 2026 Gage McRae (2027 Mount Gilead, NC) certainly put his name in the conversation for longest HR during Underclass Opening Day, as the uncommitted catching prospect finished his night by simply demolishing a moonshot into the trees well above the LF wall at Fort Myers High School. Strength is clear for the coastal kid standing at 6-foot, 195 pounds with power generated from the lower half. Starting from a slightly crouched, quiet base, McRae displays dangerous barrel whip and to say he impacts it with authority would be an understatement. It’s safe to say he can put...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/3/2026

14u/17u Fall National Champ. Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Kipton Vose (‘29, AZ) shows a solid 3 inning outing while striking out 4. FB up to 83mph from the left side paired w/ a confident CB. Over the top and attacks early #FallNatChamp https://t.co/y2Zy7JKanE — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) September 25, 2026 Kipton Vose (2029, Queen Creek, Ariz.) earned Most Valuable Pitcher honors after a strong weekend that included a three-inning outing with four strikeouts and a start in the championship. The left-handed pitcher worked with a fastball up to 83 mph. Vose paired it with a curveball that he landed for strikes. The pitch mix was consistently thrown for strikes, allowing Vose to attack hitters early in counts. He showed the ability to generate swings and misses while maintaining a steady rhythm and working efficiently in the zone. The 5-foot-10, 145-pound frame and consistent delivery gave him an effective presence...
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Draft | Story | 10/3/2026

2027 Draft: College Demographic Breakdown

Ryan Miller
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The 2027 MLB Draft cycle is still in its early stages, but the overall makeup of the class is beginning to come into focus. With the first version of our Top-100 board out, we took a closer look at positional demographics from both college and prep players within the class.  Last week we took a look at the preps, so this week lets dive into the college class.  College Right-Handed Pitchers  Top Ranked Players: Dax Whitney, Oregon State | Chris Levonas, Wake Forest | Ryan McPherson, Mississippi State | Casan Evans, LSU | Sam Cozart, Texas Potential Sleepers: Tanner Bradley, Oregon | Austin Nye, Vanderbilt | Smith Bailey, Arizona   Dax Whitney (‘27 elig.) showing LOUD stuff in collegiate debut. FB sitting 94-97 mph (T98 mph). Upwards of 22” IVB. Can create over 21” of HB on SL at 82-84 mph (~2900 rpm). CB at 77-79 mph with sharp, 12-6 action pairs...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/1/2026

MW Champions Cup Scout Notes: Part 2

Perfect Game Staff
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Midwest Champions Cup Scout Notes: Part 1 Alexander Kakach (‘27, MN) high level stuff with athleticism on the mound. 89-94 with the FB today. Two distinct breaking balls with a SL at 80-83 & over 3000 RPM at times. Another vertical depth breaking ball in the upper 70’s. Real developing arm talent. #Creighton commit.… pic.twitter.com/EUS21vI7o0 — Perfect Game Illinois (@PG_Illinois) September 27, 2026 Alexander Kakach (2027, Plymouth, Minn.) for pitchers from cold weather states in the fall, scouts look for who can potentially make the jump next spring and who has big stuff. And I think this one proved that he is in that category while in Chicago last weekend. He’s athletic, he moves well on the mound and rolled out throwing 90-94 for 3+ innings. Spun sharp breaking balls with distinct shapes including a couple sliders north of 3000 RPM. There’s a...
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Press Release | Press Release | 10/1/2026

PG Introduces New Event Classification System

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  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME INTRODUCES NEW EVENT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM   Sanford, Florida (Thursday, October 1, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced a reorganization of its events into five distinct classes in order to provide more clarity to families and teams across the country. PG’s event offerings – from onsite experience to DiamondKast to social media coverage – will evolve based on each event class. The five event classes are: Flagship, Premier, Signature, Classic and All-Star. All include both team and individual events except for All-Star, which are invitation-only individual events that operate at a Flagship level. The...
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Tournaments | Story | 9/30/2026

MW Champions Cup Scout Notes: Part 1

Perfect Game Staff
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Jake Michel (‘27, MN) 2 swings on base hits from today. 1st an impressive swing in a 2-strike count left on left matchup. Swinging the bat well this fall. Made a couple nice plays at 3B too. #Oregon commit. #MWChampionsCup @RedsScoutTeam pic.twitter.com/LQW7e7sGHO — Perfect Game Illinois (@PG_Illinois) September 26, 2026 Jake Michel (2027, Rosemount, MN) the MVP of this year’s 18u Midwest Champions Cup. Went 6-for-11 with a double, a home run and 8 RBI in 4 games. A left-handed hitting corner infielder that is swinging the bat at a high level this fall. This was back-to-back tournaments with a home run, one to the pull side and one to the opposite field. Has hit LHP’s and RHP’s equally well and really uses the whole field. One to really watch in Jupiter in about a week. Committed to Oregon.    Cole Chambers (‘27, MO) 3 hit game with a double...
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Tournaments | Story | 9/29/2026

Florida Fall World Series Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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2029 RHP/SS Kevin Rodriguez Marrero (FL) Physical two-way prospect who continues to show intriguing upside on both sides of the ball. At the plate, shows a whippy barrel with present pop and the ability to drive the ball up the middle. Off the mound, works in the high-80s with life through the zone and a sharp 12-6 CB. Size, arm strength, and two-way ability make him an interesting young prospect to follow throughout the weekend. 2030 2B Daniel Alvarez (FL) Athletic middle infielder with a direct swing and strong barrel control. Stays on plane through the zone and works long through contact. Has shown the ability to turn on pitches and drive the ball to both gaps, including a double to left field and a line drive to right field. Consistent quality of contact has stood out throughout the tournament. 2028 C Andrew Gonzalez (FL) Physical right-handed bat with a violent swing and present...
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Tournaments | Story | 9/29/2026

18U WWBA National Invite Scout Notes

Quinton Hall
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Baylor Denny (‘27 | AZ) The #Oklahoma commit has a MONSTER day at the plate for GBG National 2027, going 3 for 4 w/ two 2Bs, a HR, & 5RBI, while scoring twice. Top-of-the-order stick w/ a quick trigger, strength in the frame, easy G2G ability 💣 #NBI pic.twitter.com/ZwhlwweLaL — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) September 25, 2026 Baylor Denny (2027, Queen Creek, AZ) The 6-foot-1, 185-pound, right-handed hitter and middle infielder earned #1 on the Top Performers list for the 2026 18U WWBA National Baseball Invitational. The Oklahoma commit finished 3-for-10 with two doubles, a home run, six RBI and two runs scored, showing a quick trigger and quality impact to the pull side. Denny's athleticism plays in the box, with strength in the frame and an efficient move into launch that allows him to consistently impact the baseball.   Ryan Sanchez (‘27 | AZ)...
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Tournaments | Story | 9/29/2026

WWBA Champ. Pool Preview & Release

Perfect Game Staff
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It's the time of the year again when nearly every golf cart in the United States, or so it feels, flocks to Roger Dean and crowds the backstops, getting one last look at the top players in the country before the spring season. Below our staff breaks down every pool as we are set to release them in 10 minute increments, starting with Pool A and working all the way down to Pool DD. Once again laying claim as the champion of "Jupiter" will be no easy task as every pool game will be a battle just to advance to the bracket where the intensity of each pitch will multiple 10-fold.   Pool A Team Top Pos. Player RK Class Top Pitcher RK Class Location East Cobb/SD Padres ST Underclass Myles Tate 109 2028 Luke Crowder 174 2028 Marietta, GA Lonestar Baseball Club - National - 2027 Braylon Jones 309 2027 Owen Sieve 500 2027 Austin, TX Spects National 2027 Gominsky Charlie Sarsfield 99 2027...
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Tournaments | Championship | 9/28/2026

ZT National Takes Down Sophomore

Hannah Jo Groves
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ZT National Prospects Hold Out to Win 2026 WWBA Sophomore Championship In a game that kept everyone guessing until the very end, the ZT National Prospects won the 2026 WWBA Sophomore Championship over Wow Factor/Toronto Blue Jays Scout Team 8-7. Over the past few days of the tournament, the usually cruel southwest Florida weather had been unusually kind - but the warmth of the sun had still taken energy out of both championship teams. They had finished hard-fought semifinal matches before walking from the backfields of JetBlue Park to the big-league stadium. Enzi-Yaw Otieku threw the first pitch for ZT National at 11:43 a.m. - and this highly anticipated championship match-up was underway. The first three outs came quickly for the ZT National Prospects with their defensive chemistry and strength on display right away. ZT’s head coach, Carlos Avila, expressed his happiness with his...
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