LSU has loaded up on infielders.
Of course, that was the case around this time last year, but these players have a little different profile. Dawson Park has a very draftable grade next summer. Cade Kurland has 190 starts at Florida to his name. Now, Steven Milam is coming back for his senior season.
If you count that as an addition, this group has been transformed over the last 10 days as LSU looks to rebound from a dismal season in 2026.
WHAT WE KNOW
Kurland has been a staple in the Florida lineup since 2023.
The Tampa native was sensational as a freshman for the College World Series runners up. That season, he hit .297 with 17 home runs. In SEC play, he was a .296 hitter with an impressive 10 homers in 30 games. He also added eight doubles. In the three-game title series against LSU, he had five hits, including a game three homer.
That work earned Kurland freshman All-American honors from everyone. Not surprisingly, he was a pre-season first team All-SEC pick, but he hasn’t garnered a single postseason award since.
He hit .225 in SEC play as a sophomore and only played in one SEC game as a junior. A shoulder injury basically cost him the entire 2025 season. He came back as a redshirt junior and hit .279 with nine homers in 2026. Four of those came in league games, and the final two came at Alex Box Stadium.
Kurland finished strong as a Gator. He hit four home runs in the Gainesville Regional that was ultimately won by Troy.
Florida second baseman Cade Kurland has entered the transfer portal after four years with the Gators. He hit .279/.384/.469 with nine home runs and seven doubles this year. Kurland said he wanted to pursue pro opportunities after Florida was eliminated. pic.twitter.com/Xk6AiQ1Rpj
— Jacob Rudner (@JacobRudner) June 6, 2026
For a second baseman, he’s got real pop. He’s hit 20 SEC home runs and 43 total longballs. He will also punch out. He’s struck out 184 times in 193 games.
Defensively, he’s steady as they come. He’s only made two errors in his last 60 games over two seasons.
The thought in Gainesville was that Kurland’s time in college baseball was done. A source indicated to me that he would not be surprised to see Kurland sign with an MLB club even if it meant taking an undrafted free agent contract.
Some of that had to do with Kurland’s quote after the season.
“I think I committed here (Florida), the end of my eighth-grade year, and it’s kind of all I’ve ever known, all I’ve ever wanted. Just the opportunity to play for the school and play with guys like Wyatt Langford and them, and spend time with these guys on and off the field and build relationships that’ll last forever… I have no regrets, and having an opportunity to go to Omaha twice, and being on such a winning program over the years, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
Instead, Kurland will don the purple and gold after pulling his name completely out of the draft.
THE FIT
Kurland slots in beside Milam at second base where he’s played for four years when healthy at Florida. Freshman All-Americans don’t generally play five years of college baseball.
If LSU gets the 2023 Kurland, it’s a golden addition. The 2024 version struggled. The 2025 version was hurt. The 2026 version was solid. He’s a lifetime .262 SEC hitter and lifetime .276 hitter overall.
This breaking ball doesn’t really do much and Cade Kurland punishes it out to LCF for a leadoff Home Run! pic.twitter.com/CrpbI1TtrA
— Peter Flaherty III (@PeterGFlaherty) May 31, 2024
What he does certainly offer is steady second base defense and a power threat wherever he hits in the lineup. He hit 31 home runs in his first two seasons.
Based on the current names we’re penciling into LSU’s 2027 lineup, Kurland feels like the likely starting second baseman who hits around the seven or eight spot in the order. Having a guy with nine career College World Series hits in that role is obviously encouraging.
HUNT’S PROJECTION
As of Friday at noon, my projection was that Kurland would sign professionally by using LSU as a little bit of leverage. That was a miss. He’ll be on the team next year.
I have a hard time forecasting the monster season from four years ago as opposed to the results of the last three. I think Kurland is the everyday second baseman. I think he hits .275 with eight to 10 homers.
What you know is that he’s going to catch the ball on defense and won’t be overmatched by SEC pitching. You can’t know that about mid-major transfers.
The addition of Kurland, for me, moves Dawson Park over to third base where he has plenty of quickness and arm to handle that position. I also think it’s going to squeeze time from John Pearson. That will make LSU a lot more athletic on the infield than when Pearson and Seth Dardar were in the lineup in 2026.
I would have lost some cash if you’d told me the Kurland I watched in Omaha in 2023 would be on a college roster in 2027. Every path is different. This one means that LSU’s middle infield will have played 382 games with SEC programs with 1,410 at bats between them.
They also combined for five total errors this season.
Not bad.
