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Everything old is new again.
LSU’s outfield has undergone a complete makeover in the offseason, but most of the pieces of that makeover were already in Baton Rouge, just elsewhere on the roster. So it’s old faces in new roles to replace the dear recently departed.
The outfield could be a team strength, but let’s be honest, it also needs time to develop. There’s a lot of moving pieces and no returning starters to the same position as last season. So that’s fun. I don’t want to make it sound the outfield is on the brink of disaster, but it also might need a few weeks to sort itself out before SEC play.
As always, the numbers are AVG/OBP/SLG.
RIGHT FIELD
R/R Dylan Crews (Fr)
R/R Gavin Dugas (Jr) 286/412/607 in 28 AB
Dugas was a jack of all trades last season, seeing action as both an outfielder and a second baseman, but it appears that he’s likely going to pushed off of the field entirely despite his immensely productive bat. He had forced his way into a starting role by the time the virus hit and cancelled the year. He was flat out raking by the end of the year.
But that doesn’t matter, because Dylan Crews has arrived, and he’s forcing his way into the lineup. Mainieri is raving about the kid and made it clear that the right field job is his. Crews is going to get every chance to succeed. Tre Morgan is the freshman who is more of a sure thing, but Crews is the guy who is getting accolades like he’s a “dirtbag” kind of player who will one day be a fan favorite. I like the cut of that jib.
But let’s not pretend he is not an incredible prospect. Not only was Crews as Perfect Game All-American, he was ranked the 13th best high school prospect in the nation by Perfect Game, and the highest ranked to actually make it to a college campus. Mainieri is already making comparisons to Alex Bregman. No pressure, kid.
CENTER FIELD
L/L Giovanni DiGiacomo (Jr) 351/429/459 in 37 AB
R/R Mo Hampton (So) 231/310/269 in 26 AB
DiGiacomo had worked his way into basically a starting gig as the season ended last year thanks to his glove. He doesn’t carry the bat Daniel Cabrera did, but he is a superlative defensive player, and a team that plans to rely so heavily on its pitching staff probably needs to be putting its defensive ace out there in center. And its not like he can’t hit. DiGiacomo held his own last season, though most of his production is tied up in making contact and getting on base. Speed helps.
Mo Hampton is the team’s lottery ticket. He came into last year well behind thanks to football, and we expect the same this year, but if he ever gets into the groove, he was a top 50 prospect in high school according to Perfect Game. He’s got speed, raw power, and athleticism to spare. If he can get into the rhythm of baseball season, he could be the team’s best player, as he is a legit MLB prospect. The question is whether he will ever shake off the rust from football and commit to baseball.
LEFT FIELD
L/L Cade Beloso (Jr) 313/353/453 in 64 AB
R/R Drew Bianco (Jr) 074/286/111 in 27 AB
Beloso was the starting first baseman last year, and that should tell you everything you need to know about Tre Morgan. Because Beloso is a hell of a player. He hit 10 homers in 2019 and while he never got going in 2020… come on. It was 64 at bats, and he still was making good contact. The homers were gonna come. Moving him to the outfield allows Mainieri to keep one of his middle of the order hitters in the lineup while still letting the freshmen play.
Bianco is likely the first option should Beloso falter in the outfield. He’s played nearly every position on the diamond, and will likely still be asked to play a super utility role. He’s likely lost any real chance of starting barring an injury, but he’s proven himself to be a valuable bench player due to his versatility.
UTILITY
L/L Brody Drost (Fr)
L/R Mitchell Sanford (So) 250/400/250 in 12 AB
I’m not sure how these two fit into the plans, but you never know. Drost was the #100 high school prospect in the nation, and he was one of the top Louisiana high school players. So the team certainly wants him to succeed to help with future recruiting. Having a left-handed bat who can play any outfield position is a nice thing to have
Sanford is a depth guy who will see only limited action.
DESIGNATED HITTER
R/R Gavin Dugas (Jr) 286/412/607 in 28 AB
R/R Drew Bianco (Jr) 074/286/111 in 27 AB
Right now, the plan is to hand the job to Dugas and see if he flourishes with it. Among the outfields, Bianco or maybe Drost would be the next option . If Hampton emerges as a viable option in the field, maybe he forces Beloso to the DH position if DiGiacomo has a hammerlock on CF, but that’s a long way from reality.
I also wouldn’t rule out Hayden Travinski. He never really found momentum last year, but he has serious power potential and could force his way into the lineup. The good news for LSU is that there are a ton of options even if Dugas works out. Having too much talent to play it all on the field is one of those good problems. But it’s still a problem, and we need to see how things shake out.