LSU Baseball and the Portal: Who Jay Johnson has added (so far)

LSU baseball head coach Jay Johnson and his staff are retooling the roster through the NCAA Transfer Portal, and the Tigers are up to double-digit transfer additions.

The NCAA Transfer Portal window is now closed for college baseball programs, but teams are still looking to add the final pieces to rosters ahead of the 2025 season.

The 2024 season was a roller coaster for LSU as the Tigers made a late surge into postseason play before falling short of a Super Regional appearance. The early departure came just a year removed from Johnson and LSU winning the College World Series.

“We held the trophy last year and I’m equally proud of my team and our program today as I was that day,” Johnson said after the season-ending loss to North Carolina. “Where we were in the middle of SEC play to right now is one of the most gratifying coaching years of my entire life. To come out of that the way we came out of that, nobody does that, and to take these guys [to the end].”

Now, Johnson has turned his focus to the transfer portal.

“The reality is we’re in a different landscape right now,” Johnson said in June. “I don’t think it’s about building a program anymore and that’s my wheelhouse. My specialty is developing a program,” Johnson said. “But I think it’s probably now about building your team one year at a time and I don’t say that in any other way than I want the guy that Skip Bertman was able to redshirt.”

How has LSU fared (so far) in the portal? Here’s a closer look at each of the 10 transfers headed to Baton Rouge.

LSU Baseball Transfer Additions: Pitchers (6)

USF RHP Chandler Dorsey – In 2024, he led the Bulls’ pitching staff with 26 relief appearances as the team’s primary closer, going 2-1 with eight saves, a 3.60 ERA (12 ER/30.0 IP), a 1.20 WHIP and 40 strikeouts. Dorsey held opposing batters to a .180 average.

Wofford RHP Zac Cowan – Cowan ended his sophomore year with a 10-2 record, a 3.35 ERA, 124 strikeouts, and 29 walks in 110 innings and was selected to the All-SoCon First-Team. The 5-foot-11 South Carolina native was one of the top players in the entire conference and pitched on two separate occasions in the SoCon Tournament to help lift Wofford to a championship and an NCAA tournament berth.

Indiana State RPH Luke Hayden – In the 2024 season, Hayden went 7-2 and had a 3.81 ERA. He registered 78 innings pitched, gave up 73 hits, 40 runs, 33 earned runs, 47 walks and 91 strikeouts.

Mount St. Mary’s RHP Deven Sheerin – Appearing in 18 games for the Mountaineers, the Reading, Pennsylvania native set the team record for strikeouts in a season by fanning 109 opponents.

Nicholls State RHP Jacob Mayers – Mayers parlayed a big freshman debut a year ago with a Southland Conference-best 106 strikeouts and a .165 opponent batting average. The Nicholls transfer ranked third in the NCAA in hits per nine (4.97) and 15th in strikeouts per nine (13.50). In 2024, Mayers went 5-1 with a 4.58 ERA in 70.2 innings, striking out a season-high 12 batters against New Orleans in 6.1 innings. He also had double-digit strikeout games against Southeastern and Lamar. Mayers struck out more batters (60) than any pitcher in the Southland, closing out the year with a .150 average in conference play.

Dallas Baptist RHP Connor Benge – Benge struck out 35 batters in 33 innings of work for Dallas Baptist this past season, and he made a splash the year prior at LSU-Eunice. During his time in JUCO, Benge otaled the second-most wins at the NJCAA Division II level (11) and led the team in ERA (2.82), innings pitched (70.1), and strikeouts (86). He closed out his freshman campaign with an 11-1 record before transferring to DBU. Now, Benge is headed to LSU.

LSU Baseball Transfer Additions: Batters/Non-Pitchers (4)

Indiana State IF/C Luis Hernandez – Hernandez was a major force in 2024 with a .359 average, 23 homers and 76 RBIS along with a 1.114 OPS. The Tigers get a much-needed addition in the lineup with the major power hitter plus, he’s got versatility having been Indiana State’s designated hitter, catcher and first baseman at times.

Auburn OF Chris Stanfield – Stanfield played two seasons with the Tigers and appeared in 52 games while starting 51 in 2024 with a .276 batting average, a .365 on-base percentage, and a .395 slugging percentage for the season. He had four home runs and 25 RBIs on 51 total hits. He also stole nine bases. He struck out 38 times in 185 at-bats. On the defensive side of the ball, Stanfield had a .981 fielding percentage, only making two errors while making 103 putouts and two outfield assists.

Dayton Edwin Yamin IV INF/C – With 53 starts, Yamin saw 199 plate appearances, closing out the season with a .342 batting average. In his second season with the program, Yamin logged 68 hits, 55 runs, 54 RBI, 14 doubles, 13 home runs and 20 walks. For LSU head coach Jay Johnson, it was enough to add the versatile transfer out of Dayton to next year’s roster in Baton Rouge.

Incarnate Word OF Dalton Beck – Beck led the SLC in slugging percentage (.733), hits (89), RBIs (67), and home runs (18). He was top three in nine different conference categories while holding the UIW season record for most RBIs, doubles, hits, home runs, intentional walks, slugging percentage most at bats, and total bases. Across the NCAA, he ended regular season 39th in slugging percentage, 25th in hits, and 26th for RBIs. He was named Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year and to the SLC All-Conference First Team.