LSU baseball likely has the most talented roster in all of college baseball this year. That isnât necessarily up for debate. Still, that doesnât necessarily mean they have an easy route to a national title. If the Tigers want to win the Menâs College World Series, theyâll need their depth to shine, particularly at the pitcher position. Thatâs precisely where freshman pitcher Gavin Guidry comes into play.
LSU baseball freshman pitcher Gavin Guidry is always ready for the big moment
When you think about LSU baseball pitching, who do you think of? Generally, the answer is Paul Skenes, and deservingly so. Heâs likely the best pitcher in the country and could go No. 1 overall in the upcoming MLB draft.
Still, he might not even be the most important pitcher on the roster. All year, the pitching bullpen has been the downfall of this team. Itâs essentially a guaranteed win each time Paul Skenes steps up to the mound.
Up to this point, itâs not quite as guaranteed with the rest of the LSU baseball pitching rotation. However, that doesnât mean thereâs a lack of confidence in the team.
Freshman pitcher Gavin Guidry might be the most confident player on the roster. It isnât blind confidence, either. Heâs elite and could even turn into an All-American pitcher down the line for the Tigers.
Not to mention, heâs definitely not afraid to show off said confidence. Immediately following the Tigersâ regional victory over Oregon State, it was announced that LSU baseball pitching coach Wes Johnson had accepted the head coaching position at the University of Georgia.
Unsurprisingly, Guidry was unphased. In an interview on the âMikâd Upâ podcast, coach Jay Johnson revealed a unique interaction he had with the freshman pitcher following the news.
As a reminder, this is a freshman in the middle of his first collegiate postseason. To be in that position and have the confidence to say, âIâm striking everybody out anyways,â takes a different level of mental fortitude.
Guidry could be an x-factor for the Tigers in the Menâs College World Series
As much as coach Jay Johnson and LSU baseball might want to, they canât have Paul Skenes 140 pitches per game. It simply isnât sustainable, so there needs to be trust between the coaching staff and the rest of the pitching rotation.
While some of that trust might have gone away towards the end of the regular season, it appears to be back. The Tigers are officially 5-0 in the NCAA baseball tournament, and it doesnât look like theyâre ready to slow down.
While the offense has obviously been the star of the show, pitching has been excellent in its own right. In the last five games, LSU baseball has outscored its opponents 48-17.
First off, wow. Pure domination is the only proper way to describe a run like that. Itâs especially notable that in Guidryâs three appearances in those five games, heâs recorded seven strikeouts compared to just one run allowed.
If Guidry can keep up that level of play, the Tigers will be hard to compete against. Skenes will likely play most of LSU baseballâs first game versus Tennessee, but keep an eye out for Guidry. Itâs becoming increasingly difficult to keep him off the field.
LSU baseball faces off against the Tennessee Volunteers tomorrow, Saturday, June 17, at 6:00 p.m. CST.
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