LSU Tigers shortstop Steven Milam talked about his college baseball career with World Baseball Network.
“It’s awesome — a dream come true,” Milam said. “I’ve always wanted to play here [LSU], win a national championship, and be the starting shortstop. To accomplish everything I’ve wanted to accomplish speaks volumes to me and my family. It’s all the hard work, all the dedication my family has given up — and how much time I’ve put into the weight room and the mental side of it.”
In his two seasons at LSU, Milam has a .310 batting average, a .406 on-base percentage, 19 home runs, and 97 RBI.
The Tigers’ national championship in 2025 is the eighth in their program’s history. Milam played a huge role in the title with All-Tournament nominations in both the Baton Rouge regional and the College World Series.
The shortstop talked about the ups and downs LSU experienced throughout the 2025 season that led to a national championship.
“The guys on that team have been through a lot,” Milam said. “Tougher together” was our thing. From getting swept at Auburn to grinding it out in the back end of SEC play and making a run — to losing a little at Little Rock and then coming back to win the regional and the supers — then going undefeated in Omaha was awesome. That team is special and will be cemented in LSU’s legacy forever.”
Milam will be a junior for the 2026 college baseball season. As an older player now, his leadership for the Tigers will be key this upcoming season.
“Eventually, someone else will play shortstop,” Milam stated. “I think it’ll be Ethan Clauss. He’s going to be the next one up when I’m gone, and I want him to learn as much as he can from me. That’s what Michael Braswell, Daniel Dickinson, Tommy White, and those guys did for me.”
The shortstop also talked about how good LSU looked during fall practices and exhibitions.
“We’re going to have another really deep lineup,” Milam stated. “And our pitching staff might be just as good — maybe better.”
Milam mentioned that incoming transfers Brayden Simpson, Zach Yorke, and Trent Caraway have all looked exceptional. He also said that returning hitters Jake Brown and Chris Stanfield look good.
LSU’s incoming freshmen have been playing well in the fall. This is something that caught Milam’s attention during practices and exhibitions.
“The freshmen are showing up too,” said the junior shortstop. “I’m impressed because I know how hard it was as a freshman.”
An important part of LSU defending their national championship in 2026 is not getting caught up in the national championship from last season. Milam made this clear with World Baseball Network.
“It’s a different team and a different dynamic,” Milam said. “You celebrate the accomplishments from last year, but when it’s time to move on, you move on. You’ve got to be hungry and show up every day ready to outwork and outplay everybody. That’s the LSU mindset.”
This mindset is something that begins with the leadership from LSU head coach Jay Johnson, who has now won two national titles with the Tigers.
“Coach Johnson demands perfection,” Milam said. “He wants the best out of all of us — and he’s not stopping.”
With two national championships in 2023 and 2025, the LSU shortstop hinted at the idea of the Tigers putting a dynasty together. Milam even made a comparison to the back-to-back World Series championship Los Angeles Dodgers.
“We’re the Dodgers of college baseball,” Milam said. “They’re building a dynasty over there; they’ve won three, and we’re trying to do the same. We’ve got a great coaching staff and great minds around us.”
NCAA News: https://worldbaseball.com/league/ncaa/
PHOTO: LSU infielder Steven Milam (4) during an NCAA College World Series baseball game on Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/Cory Eads)
