The LSU Tigers had arguably the top transfer class in all college baseball this offseason. The team is looking to win their program’s eighth national championship, and this incoming class of players can help retool the team into doing just that.
This transfer class includes former Puerto Rican Baseball Academy graduate and utility player Luis Hernandez. His college career came to life in 2024 after a great third season at Indiana State, where he batted .359 with a .421 on-base percentage. He also hit 23 home runs and had 76 RBI.
This made him a top-five hitter in the Missouri Valley Conference, and he was second in the conference in home runs behind his teammate Mike Sears this past season. This led to him being named to the all-conference first team and all-conference defensive team.
The best part for Hernandez is that he got better with more at-bats. The 2024 season saw him get more chances than his freshman and sophomore seasons with the Sycamores, both at the plate and just in the game in general. These are signs of a trajectory heading toward a great senior season in Baton Rouge.
Regarding his offense, he fits the bill of the team’s play style. The Tigers had 114 home runs as a team a season ago, putting them in the top 20 of home run hitting teams in college baseball.
LSU adds offensive firepower to a team that had that last season. A great benefit of adding Hernandez is his versatility as a utility player. He can play catcher, along the infield, or even be a designated hitter.
The catcher position will be a point of emphasis for the Tigers in Fall practices. They lost long-time LSU player Alex Milazzo, and the roster currently has some uncertainty about it.
The Fall roster has three other catcher options. The first is redshirt junior Blaise Priester, who is returning to Baton Rouge after two seasons playing community college baseball. The second is a freshman from Texas named Cade Arrambide. The third is a Dayton transfer named Eddie Yamin IV. Hernandez could find a role here with prior catching experience. However, he would make for a strong designated hitter option at LSU.
Luis Hernandez’s prior career at Indiana State, which saw massive leaps in his game, could possibly make for a very exciting season at LSU. The Puerto Rican power hitter has a chance to leave a big mark at one of college baseball’s top programs in 2025.
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WBN NCAA: https://worldbaseball.com/league/ncaa/
Photo Credit: Luis Hernandez field. (Image courtesy of Indiana State Athletics)
