COLLEGE RECRUITING RANKINGS
A dozen top 100 prospects for the 2022 draft made it to campus, including Indianapolis prep righthander Andrew Dutkanych, who was ranked as the No. 35 prospect when he withdrew his name from the draft.
Dutkanych honored his Vanderbilt commitment and was the top draft prospect to make it to campus. The majority of the other top 100 draft prospects who headed to college are attending SEC rival Louisiana State. The Tigers add righthanders Jaden Noot (No. 71) and Chase Shores (90), catcher Brady Neal (83) and shortstop/ighthander Gavin Guidry (86), a Louisiana prep product.
TOP 10 COLLEGE RECRUITING CLASSES
#1 louisiana state
RECRUITING COORDINATOR: Josh Jordan
TOP RECRUIT: Jaden Noot, RHP (No. 71)
OVERVIEW: After
Jay Johnson and his staff were hired last summer, they went to work and supplemented what was already a strong recruiting class with more high-end talent. The result is that even after losing five commits on the first day of the draft, LSU still brings in more players ranked as top-500 draft prospects than any other school. This is the Tigers’ third No. 1 class in the 23-year history of the rankings and their first since 2018.
HITTERS: Catcher Brady Neal (83) graduated high school a year early and was one of the youngest players in the draft class. He has a compact lefthanded swing and good bat-to-ball skills, though he doesn’t project for big power. He’s a good athlete, receives well and has solid arm strength, all tools that play well behind the plate. Gavin Guidry has two-way ability as a shortstop and righthander. His defensive ability, well above-average speed and promising righthanded bat all stand out for him as a shortstop. On the mound, he throws his fastball in the low 90s and pairs it with a promising slider. His future is likely as a position player. Outfielder Paxton Kling was rated as a top-five rounds pick before he formally opted out of the draft. He stands out for his feel for hitting and polish offensively. He’s an above-average runner and can hit for power as well. He could step right into the lineup at LSU and could be the center fielder of the future. Listed at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, catcher Jared Jones (215) is big and physical and has huge power potential. Though he’s a righthanded hitter, his size invites comparisons to Joe Mauer, and while catchers of that size are rare in the big leagues, he’ll get the chance to handle the position at LSU. He has premium arm strength but still needs to refine his receiving. Catcher Ethan Frey (499) gives the class even more depth behind the plate, though he also has the athleticism to play outfield or first base. His combination of raw power and arm strength is his calling card. Outfielders Mic Paul and Zeb Ruddell have promising lefthanded swings.
Righthander is big and physical, at 6-foot-4, 235 pounds, and he has a loose, easy delivery. His fastball gets into the mid 90s, touching 97 mph, and plays up thanks to its hard, running life. He mixes in a slider and a changeup, but neither is as advanced as his fastball. He throws a lot of strikes and has (90) has a huge frame at 6-foot-8, 250 pounds and a powerful arm, running his fastball up to 97 mph. He throws from a lower three-quarters slot and gets good riding life on his fastball, which he combines with a sharp, biting breaking ball and a promising changeup. It’s easy to dream on Shores thanks to his size, stuff and athleticism. Righthander , a junior college transfer, was an all-star in the Cape Cod League last year. He has a quality three-pitch mix with a fastball that sits in the low 90s, a sharp slider and a solid changeup. He has a long track record of success and should be able to make a quick impact. Righthander (495) has a big build and a powerful fastball that has made a jump in the last year, reaching 97 mph. There’s some effort in his delivery, but with a big arm, a hard curveball and a changeup, his upside is significant. Righthander , a Canada native, was drafted in the 16th round by the Blue Jays in 2021 but opted to do his Grade 13 year. He offers a lot of upside and a promising three-pitch arsenal. Lefthander has a strong, physical frame and attacks hitters with a fastball/curveball combination. Lefthander stands out for his pitch-ability and throws a lot of strikes with his three-pitch arsenal. The class also includes another pair of high-end junior college transfers on the mound in lefthander and righthander . Ackenhausen has a lively fastball that gets swings and misses. Applebey is big and athletic at 6-foot-7, 220 pounds and had Division I offers to play football out of high school. Instead, he offers huge upside on the mound thanks to his mid-90s fastball and power slider.
