College World Series Preview: LSU

From top down, the LSU Tigers might have the most talent and the most depth to make a run in the College World Series in 2025.

This team is just built different. They are loaded on the mound. It’s not just Aces Kade Anderson and Anthony Eyanson, but they have the likes of Casan Evans, Chase Shores, Zac Cowan, William Schmidt, and so many more not even mentioned.

We talk about how depth is a key for massive postseason runs, and LSU may have some of the best depth in the entire country. As an opponent, you don’t have to get through one Friday night ace and then test your luck with the rest of the pitching staff. You basically have three aces at LSU.

On top of that, they have one of the best lineups in the country with the likes of freshman Derek Curiel, the breakout star Ethan Frey, the veteran Jared Jones, and the steady presence of Daniel Dickinson.

The Tigers’ have taken that depth to a 48-15 overall record and a 19-11 SEC record. They were 35-6 at home and 8-8 on the road. So if anything was going to take this team down, it is the fact they aren’t playing at The Box.

It’s no surprise that the Tigers are a favorite in Omaha. They seemed destined from day one to get there. Lets dive into the journey for LSU.

Journey to Omaha 

It wasn’t necessarily an “easy” journey for the Tigers to get to Omaha. During the regular season, they faced some adversity in SEC play, as one typically does in the SEC. They flirted with being the number one team, but eventually settled as a mostly top 5 team all year long.

They ended the regular season with two straight series wins, one against their first opponent in Omaha in Arkansas and then against one of the weaker teams in the SEC in South Carolina.

They tried to keep that momentum going in the SEC tournament. They went 1-1, getting a solid win over Texas A&M, but then ran into a red-hot Ole Miss team, which beat them 2-0. It was a tough loss, but nothing that was overly concerning as they entered regional play.

LSU hosted the Baton Rouge Regional at Alex Box Stadium (which boasts an impressive postseason winning percentage of .853 this year as we mentioned). The Tigers finished 3–1 to claim the regional crown.

They kicked things off with a commanding 7–0 shutout over Little Rock on May 30, paced by starter Anthony Eyanson (10–2), who held Little Rock hitless through six innings.

The next day, LSU erupted for a 12–0 win over Dallas Baptist behind Kade Anderson. After a surprising hiccup, a 10–6 loss in the elimination game, the Tigers regrouped and shut down Little Rock 10–6, sealing their trip to a Super Regional.

Enter the Super Regional against West Virginia, where LSU just absolutely dominated. LSU swept the Mountaineers to clinch their 20th College World Series appearance.

Game one between the two was a slugfest. LSU scored 16 runs behind Kade Anderson who didn’t have his best stuff in this one. Game two was more of the same. LSU rolled to a 12-5 victory behind a solid performance from Anthony Eyanson.

Chase Shores was also electric, closing out the series with a perfect inning and a third wth three strikeouts and touching 101 MPH on the fastball.

During both the regional and super regional, LSU showed off the mix of power offense, a lockdown rotation, and bullpen firepower that will make them a tough opponent in the College World Series.

Expectations in the College World Series

The expectation for the Tigers is that they will make a deep run in the College World Series. LSU enters the 2025 College World Series as the No. 6 national seed, riding a hot streak and playing some of its best baseball of the season.

After a midseason slump, the Tigers found their rhythm in the postseason, taking care of business in both the Baton Rouge Regional and the Super Regional against West Virginia with convincing wins.

Under head coach Jay Johnson, who led LSU to the national title in 2023, the Tigers bring valuable championship experience back to Omaha, and they have the pieces to make another run.

On the mound, LSU boasts one of the best 1-2 punches in the tournament. Lefty Kade Anderson (10-1, 163 strikeouts) is a projected top-10 pick in the MLB Draft and has dominated all season, while right-hander Anthony Eyanson (11-2) has been a consistent force in big games.

The bullpen is deep and experienced, with Chase Shores returning from injury to throw triple-digit heat in key relief outings, and reliable arms like Casan Evans and Zac Cowan continuing to deliver in high-leverage spots.

LSU’s side of the bracket includes Arkansas, Florida State, and Murray State, making it one of the more challenging paths to the Championship Series. They open against SEC rival Arkansas on Saturday, June 14.

The key for LSU will be getting length from Anderson and Eyanson; if either starter falters early, the bullpen could be stretched thin across the double-elimination format.

Still, with their pitching depth, postseason experience, and offensive firepower, LSU has all the tools to contend for what would be the program’s eighth national title.

Players to Watch

1B Jared Jones

Jared ‘Bear’ Jones is a massive human being with some insane amounts of power. He hits the ball long and far. He cranked 28 home runs in 2024 and has hit 20 this year. He’s got 62 total over three collegiate seasons. The best part about Jones is the adjustments he’s made this year. He’s seen improvements to the hit tool and has come up clutch more times this year in crucial runners in scoring position situations—just a fun player to watch.

OF Ethan Frey

The craziest thing about Ethan Frey was that he wasn’t starting at the beginning of the year, and now he is a top 125 player for the 2025 MLB Draft. Frey puts up some crazy exit velo numbers and just flat out rakes. He’s only started 41 games, and in that span, he’s hit 13 doubles, 13 home runs, and driven in 49 runs. He’s incredible on the offensive side of the ball and has become an absolute force in the middle of the LSU lineup.

OF Derek Curiel 

All year long, Derek Curiel has been flirting with the potential of being freshman of the year. There were thoughts he might not make it to campus, but Jay Johnson and the Tigers were able to get him to come, and man has it paid off. The outfielder has slashed an incredible .347/.473/.531 with 19 doubles, two triples, seven home runs, and 52 RBI—just some absurd numbers from a freshman. He’s an incredible athlete in the outfield as well and an exciting plater.

LHP Kade Anderson

Kade Anderson has legitimately put himself in the conversation as the best pitcher in college baseball and possibly the first arm off the board in the 2025 MLB Draft. Anderson has struckout 163 batters in 103 innings while posting a 3.58 ERA. He’s been everything you want and more out of a Friday night ace. The stuff is incredible, and his ability to command the strike zone is elite. He has not missed a beat all year long.

RHP Anthony Eyanson

Why not have one ace when you can have two?! Anthony Eyanson has been just as good as Anderson all year long, if not better in some cases. He’s struck out 142 batters in 98.2 innings while posting a 2.74 ERA. Coach Johnson has used him in some bullpen situations when they’ve needed a win, and he’s been electric in that role as well. He’s just the guy you want to have the ball in any big moment. No moment is too big for him and he pitches with a ton of passion and controlled emotion.

RHP Casan Evans

If you thought the freshman class for Coach Johnson couldn’t get better, enter Casan Evans. The Tigers struggled most of the year to find a Sunday guy, and eventually Evans stepped up into that role for a short period. Evans struck out 65 batters in 47.1 innings while posting a 1.90 ERA. He served mainly in the bullpen besides a couple of Sunday starts, and just has been an electric factory out there. It’s safe to say the Tigers future is going to continue to be bright.