Four Biggest LSU Tigers Baseball Additions Made This Offseason

This was an unprecedented offseason for Jay Johnson and the LSU Tigers baseball program, getting endless amounts of talent both out of the transfer portal and out of high school after a very favorable MLB draft.

The Tigers needed it, too, after the disappointment from this past year. There was a lot of hype around the talent level entering last season, but this feels like an entirely new level.

There have been some major recruiting wins for Johnson to hang his hat on, but these four might end up being the biggest pickups made in this cycle: 

One of the biggest undoings of LSU last season was its pitching staff. Granted they did lose two pitchers who have dominated professional ball since being drafted, but the replacements were not ready. 

Now, they bring in Hood to right the ship as the top arm out of the transfer portal. There might not have been a better pitching option available to them. As a true freshman for the Gonzaga Bulldogs, Hood posted a 2.48 ERA with 78 strikeouts in 54.1 innings of work. He's a big-framed hurler who can hit the high 90s with his fastball and a nice changeup to go with it, and should be starting on weekends for the Tigers.

There will be some conversations about who the best prospect that LSU was able to land out of the draft, but Washington is certainly one with the best claim, as he has true five-tool potential. The bat is the shakiest part of that, and even that has been on the rise.

His defense is not at all in question. He's a speedster with a cannon of an arm, which could help him force his way onto the field early, even if the Tigers reloaded with an elite outfield already.

Speaking of that reloaded outfield, Laya was one of the most dangerous hitters in the country last year as a true freshman. He also has a cannon for an arm and slots in perfectly into right field after the loss of Jake Brown.

For the Oregon Ducks last season, Laya slashed .296/.396/.538 with 14 home runs and 47 RBI. It was a bit of a shock that LSU was able to add Laya after already investing a ton into their lineup, and it might have turned out to be overkill after the draft, but it's a great problem for Jay Johnson to have.

Santarelli being an elite slugging prospect is no new revelation, but it really felt like he was certainly going to be drafted after his stellar combine performance. He showcased a very pretty lefty swing that should be able to generate a ton of pop.

Like Washington, Santarelli might be able to carve out an early role for himself as a more power-first option along with the contact-forward Mason Braun at first base. Along with the power, the freshman isn't a complete negative on the base paths.

He's also a bit more of a project because of his swing profile, but the potential is clear and worth any rough starts. They did find a quick balance with Omar Serna Jr. as a freshman, so perhaps they can do the same with Santarelli.