The 2026 MLB Draft was an undeniable success for Jay Johnson and LSU baseball.
The Tigers were able to retain multiple top recruits in their signing class, holding on to 16 of their 22 players during the draft this past weekend. That group joins a strong eight-man transfer portal class and a core of returning players, headlined by Steven Milam and Cade Arrambide.
In an exclusive interview with The Advocate, Johnson shared his thoughts on the class and where LSU’s roster stands after the draft. Here are the five biggest takeaways from that conversation.
How LSU was able to keep its top signees
After losing eight signees to the draft last summer, LSU was determined to keep more of its recruiting class intact this year. The 2026 season was a struggle, and the smaller freshman class meant that the program needed to replenish its young talent.
The Tigers accomplished that this weekend by getting the likes of Dominic Santarelli, Malachi Washington, Cooper Sides, Kolby Stringer and more through the draft and onto campus.
“Once a player signs with us and plays their way into a decision between college and professional baseball, at least at LSU, we don’t make it a college versus pro thing,” Johnson said. “We just make it a path to being a major league player thing, and show them how we feel like we can advance them to get to that point. I think we did a good job of that this year.”
Along with countless hours of phone calls and meetings with signees, Johnson added that LSU had a few of its current players help convince top recruits that college baseball was their best path forward.
“Some of our players have also contributed to that and shared their experiences,” Johnson said. “It helps when you get a Derek Curiel or a Jake Brown getting drafted as high as they did at LSU. Having five top-six overall picks in five years, we’re not selling something we don’t know something about.”
After Curiel was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the No. 5 overall pick on Saturday, he spoke about what he’d tell LSU’s signees regarding their decision to go pro or head to LSU.
“I’d tell them, do what’s best for you and always bet on yourself,” Curiel said. “It could work out two different ways. I mean, Konnor Griffin (a former LSU signee) and I are on two completely different career paths.
“He was ready for the major leagues. He was ready for the minor leagues right out of high school, and it showed. For me, I wasn’t. I needed that development in college (and) it paid off. So it’s different for every person.”
Jay Johnson’s thoughts on Malachi Washington, Dominic Santarelli
Washington and Santarelli were the biggest names LSU mustered through the draft. Despite both outfielders getting picked in the 18th round, they confirmed on social media after the draft that they will be on campus for the 2027 season.
Santarelli hit seven balls over 114 mph with a wood bat at the MLB Draft combine last month. The top recruit from Wisconsin was a top-85 prospect in the draft, according to ESPN.
“Dom’s performance at the MLB combine was pretty well documented,” Johnson said. “And there’s not many people on planet Earth that hit the baseball as hard as he does, and can impact the ball with authority, the way that he does.
“He’s also got really good strike zone discipline. He’s a phenomenal human being, great character. It’s what you hope to get. It’s what pro baseball, oftentimes, doesn’t allow you to get from a talent standpoint.”
Washington has a chance to start in center field as an athletic power hitter with excellent speed. He also grabbed a spot in the top 85 of ESPN’s draft rankings.
“Just really uncoachable tools,” Johnson said, “Speed, power, solid hitting skills, plays with a ton of confidence. I’m very excited.”
Left-handed pitchers who can step up
LSU heads into next season with a deep stable of left-handed pitchers. The Tigers brought back Cooper Williams, Ethan Plog, Danny Lachenmayer and Jonah Aase, and added Lucas Nawrocki, Bradyn Cupit and Braxton Beaty from the high school ranks.
There’s talent within the group, but one could argue that the Tigers lack a reliable go-to option in tight spots. Johnson acknowledges that reality, but he enters this fall confident that at least one arm will emerge as a top option.
Johnson expects Williams to bounce back from a poor sophomore season after showing promise as a freshman. Lachenmayer and Plog struggled in their first year, but Johnson believes both players will be better in 2027, going so far as to label their 2026 seasons an “acclimation year.”
“That kind of pocket of those three guys, I’m expecting a much better contribution out of,” Johnson said. “If I didn’t, we probably would not have brought them back, but I believe that they will be better.”
He also said he thinks highly of the three freshmen LSU got through the draft, and said Aase will be ready to throw again this fall after missing all of last year recovering from Tommy John surgery.
“Braxton Beaty pulling out of the draft was a big deal,” Johnson said. “I don’t know where he would have been drafted, but I believe he’s really, really good.
“(Adding) Lucas is a big deal. I mean, there’s plenty of ability there. You can look up the performance in high school. You can look up the metrics from a pro side, and you can piece together what we believe he’s going to be capable of doing.”
Why Lucas Nawrocki will play both ways
LSU has added an abundance of players with two-way ability since Johnson took over the program. Paul Skenes, Jake Brown, Gavin Guidry and Casan Evans were all talented athletes who arrived in Baton Rouge as possible contributors on the mound and at the plate.
But Johnson decided to peg all of them to one side of the ball once their careers in Baton Rouge began. In fact, the only Tiger who’s been used as a two-way player under Johnson is Dalton Beck, who played a small role on LSU’s 2025 national championship team.
That trend, however, is set to be broken this fall with Nawrocki, who Johnson says LSU would’ve recruited as an outfielder if he were just an outfielder or as a pitcher if he were just a pitcher.
“He’s going to do both at LSU,” Johnson said.
So what makes Nawrocki different than, say, an eventual Cy Young Award winner in Skenes?
“Paul was a legitimate two-way player too,” Johnson said. “The only way that changes is if it becomes in the best interest of the player (to play one side of the ball). And the difference there is that you have one year with Paul until he was going to be the first pick in the draft.
“With Lucas, we have three years now before (he gets drafted). And just as I thought with Paul, it’s a different body type, but a player that could be drafted on both sides of the ball. And there was serious consideration by teams to draft him on both sides of the ball.”
Remaining signees help create depth and competition at multiple spots
LSU’s remaining signees help fill up roster needs at multiple spots that needed insurance.
On the mound, Coleton Brady, Sides and Stringer are a trio of right-handed pitchers who can start midweek games immediately and work their way into bigger roles as the season progresses.
All three arms drew interest from MLB clubs as prospects. Stringer and Sides were top-110 players in the draft, per MLB.com, and Brady was a top-75 prospect in The Athletic’s rankings.
“I think (because of) the pro demographic of being scared off by high school right-handers,” Johnson said, “Major league teams benefited us in getting both of them (Stringer and Sides) onto campus. And I’m thankful for that.
“I think Coleton is incredibly mature, both physically and mentally. I think he’ll get the benefit of (being) a three-year college performer.”
On the position player side, Johnson is excited to have added shortstop Parker Loew, third baseman Jordan Martinez, third baseman Luke Tucker and first baseman Dylan Minnatee as freshmen to a position player group that had already entered the draft with a strong lineup.
Johnson also mentioned using Martinez as a two-way player. One scout had told The Advocate before the draft that he thought Martinez could be a pitcher in the future.
“Parker is a true, true shortstop. He has elite, elite defensive ability. I’m really excited about that,” Johnson said. “Jordan’s got tremendous power. He is also an excellent defensive player.
“Luke Tucker is another one I’m really excited about (as a) left-handed hitting infielder. On the first base side, Dylan Minnatee is a left-handed hitter and a tremendous first baseman. Very similar to Tre Morgan in terms of talent (and) ability.”