LSU Freshman Class, The Best Ever?

[LSUDad]

I’d have to say yes. I followed baseball before Skip made it to LSU. I’ve never seen anything like this class. I mean we’ve had some great freshman, nothing I can recall. I’ll get better clarification from two of the LSU experts later today. 
 

LSU Baseball Freshman Class Growing Leaps and Bound by the Game

Freshmen hitters and pitchers are the fuel that's ignited hot start in 2021 season

GLEN WEST

12 HOURS AGO

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Rarely in college baseball will a true freshman class impact a team the way LSU's 2021 class has this early in the season. From position players to the pitching staff, the Tigers' hot start to the 2021 season has seen players young and old contribute, but has been fueled by the freshmen playing in their first handful of college games. 

On offense, LSU (8-1) currently leads all of college baseball in home runs with 21 through the first nine games of the season. What perhaps is most impressive is that 11 of those have come from true freshmen Dylan Crews, Tre' Morgan, Brody Drost and Jordan Thompson. 

Crews has taken the college baseball world by storm, blasting a team high five home runs (fourth nationally) while batting .457 on the season. He's picked up at least one hit in all nine games he's played in but Crews says it's the chemistry among this freshman class that has helped each player come in and find a way to contribute.

 

 

 

"I've said this since the fall. This class is very special. I've played with all of these guys before, growing up at events but these guys are very special and definitely not scared at all," Crews said. "Coach Mainieri said he wasn't afraid to put four or five freshmen in the lineup because he knows they're very special and aren't scared to perform at all."

At the plate, the players have heaped a ton of credit on the mindset and approach that hitting coach Eddie Smith has instructed since the fall. But at the same time, watching the smooth, almost effortless swings of Crews, Morgan and Drost, it points to this group just beginnning to scratch the surface of their potential. 

 

 

 

 

0:43/0:50

 

"Our approach really, we've really just gone in and are getting our hacks in every single day," Crews said. "We want to be ready from the first pitch to the last and this team is really coming together. We've got a different mindset when we walk up to the plate and it's fun to watch."

On the mound, LSU has seen the emergence of Garrett Edwards, Blake Money, Will Hellmers, Ty Floyd and Javen Coleman all have great outings as either starters or out of the bullpen. Most importantly, these freshmen are helping each other get out of jams on the mound.

For example, when Coleman allowed Nicholls to score two runs in the second, it was Money who came in relief, firing four scoreless innings to set the Tigers offense up and eventually edge out a 5-4 win. The week prior, it was Coleman who entered the game for a struggling AJ Labas and threw three scoreless innings that was a key factor in LSU's win over Louisiana Tech. 

Even Hellmers, who went through an awful experience being thrust into a starting role at third base the first two games of the season where he committed four errors, found some redemption. He even received a phone call from Alex Bregman the next day, who offered some words of encouragement to Hellmers. 

For most true freshmen, that first weekend would be a crippling experience but since Hellmers has returned to the mound, he's made two appearances, thrown nine innings, allowed one run with 10 strikeouts on 1.00 ERA.

"Getting back on the bump and having an experience like that the last couple of outings have been great," Hellmers said after a shutout performance against Southern. "It's a great confidence booster to get back on the mound and go those five innings."

For Mainieri, who's been around some great teams over the years, having these building blocks for the next three seasons, it's hard not to be giddy about. 

"I get pretty excited and I've said it many times that we have a special group of freshmen," Mainieri said. "Not only do they have talent but they're very coachable. They're very poised and played against great competition before they ever come to college. We're very fortunate these kids came to school."

"The freshman class is incredible and everybody's contributing whether it's pitchers or position players," Hellmers said. "I've loved LSU baseball since I was a kid and you've seen this team do some amazing things throughout the years. You look back at previous seasons, if LSU baseball is starting off hot, it's bound to be a good season. The chemistry on the team is incredible and I think we're gonna go a long way with that."

[Nutriaitch]

i think it is. 

we’ve had some damn good ones, but i don’t ever remember this many all being immediate contributors. 

including one (Crews) that’s simply the best player on the team. and another (Morgan) who would be getting a lot more love if it wasn’t for the attention Crews gets. 

[Hatchertiger]

Our top 3 in batting average are freshman.