By Hunt Palmer
LSU is looking for a little bit of bullpen help as crunch time of the college baseball season arrives.
Could that help come from the training room instead of the dugout?
PALMER: Could Deven Sheerin help LSU down the stretch?
May 1, 2025 | 6:45 PM
Deven Sheerin, one of LSU’s top transfer portal additions last summer, is eyeing a late season return.
Sheerin, a 6-foot-5, hard-throwing right hander from Mount St. Mary’s, tore his ACL last summer and is progressing nicely toward a potential return.
“He’s throwing live simulated games.,” LSU head coach Jay Johnson said to Jacob Hester and T-Bob Hebert on Off the Bench Thursday. “He’s got a great arm. There’s just a lot more to it to be able to put him in a game, specifically an SEC game in terms of readiness. We’re excited about his health progress.”
Last season Sheerin struck out 109 in just 70 innings at Mount St. Mary’s. He led the MAAC in strikeouts and was a second team freshman all-American according to Perfect Game.
Due to the injury, he missed all of fall and has been slowly progressing. Johnson feels like he’s still got work to do to become a real option for a team struggling to find consistent depth beyond Zac Cowan and Casan Evans.
“The sharpness, we need to get him to where we feel good about putting him in a game,” Johnson told OTB. “I’m sure that day will come. I’m just not quite sure yet when.”
HUNT’S TAKE
Sheerin is a huge talent, literally and figuratively. Last year in Starkville he was clocked at over 95 mph. He’s someone LSU was really excited to get in the portal window.
So, can he help?
The answer is yes. He COULD help. Is it likely? I have my doubts.
We have done this song and dance before with injured pitchers hoping to get back in May or June. Jake Latz was talked about way more than he pitched. He actually started the regional final when Rice was in town in 2016. He gave up two runs in 1.1 innings before Jared Poche put on his Superman cape to save the regional.
Last year everyone held out hope for Chase Shores to return. That was 10 months ago, and Shores is still struggling a little bit.
The obvious difference here is that Sheerin’s injury is not elbow or shoulder related. It was his knee.
Simulated games are great, but getting into a game is altogether different. There is only one non-conference game left. It’s against Grambling next week. The other nine on the schedule are massive SEC games as it stands today. Now, if LSU sweeps Texas A&M and Arkansas, you may play meaningless game or two in South Carolina, and the SEC Tournament won’t matter either.
But likely all nine league games will be big. They aren’t spots to see if Sheerin can help.
And then there’s the issue of roster spots for the postseason. I have a hard time saying that Sheerin is going to take a postseason spot from Jaden Noot or Grant Fontenot who Johnson wanted to get into Tuesday’s game after an encouraging innings Saturday night.
He’s certainly not taking time from Kade Anderson, Anthony Eyanson, Casan Evans, Zac Cowan, Conner Ware, Chase Shores, DJ Primeaux, Mavrick Rizy, Connor Benge, William Schmidt, Cooper Williams or Jacob Mayers. I’ve listed 14 pitchers without naming Dalton Beck who probably has to be on the roster since he can hit and pitch.
Keep in mind, Will Hellmers wasn’t even active when LSU went to Omaha in 2023. He threw 11 innings for that team and was a freshman all-American two years prior.
This isn’t an impossibility, but I do find it to be a longshot. You’re always looking for more pitching, and I’m certain that Johnson and Nate Yeskie will monitor Sheerin closely.
My guess is that we see him healthy and ready to compete for a rotation spot in the fall.
