PALMER: Breaking down LSU’s signing class in the MLB Draft

By Hunt Palmer

June and July have erupted into moderately controlled chaos in college baseball.

Once the regionals end, the portal opens. Sixteen teams are fighting for a championship, and the rest are furiously trying to maintain roster pieces and add others. Eventually, everyone unites in roster-building mode, and the draft sneaks up to poach more players from rosters and signing classes.

Jay Johnson has repeatedly said the only way to win in Omaha is with Major League players. Those come with a risk in the recruiting process.

The 2025 class is loaded with risks.

The 20-round draft is wildly fickle as professional organizations juggle evaluations and slot bonuses while college coaches preach about the rise of college baseball as a better way to The Show. I’m not going to present like I can predict the future, and a couple of these picks are destined for disaster. However, I’m confident in my sourcing and ability to fairly analyze each situation. Here’s your LSU guide to Sunday and Monday of the MLB Draft.

The players are listed in alphabetical order, not by any sort of percentage.

LIKELY PROFESSIONAL SIGNS

Brady Ebel, INF, California

• Ebel is a 6-foot-3, left-handed hitting infielder who can really hit. His dad coaches third base for the Dodgers, and he’s just been raised in pro baseball.

Jaden Fauske, INF/OF, Illinois

• Currently, Fauske is in summer school at LSU. He wouldn’t be the first or the last to pack up a dorm room and sign a multi-million-dollar MLB contract. Fauske is 6-foot-3 and can play everywhere on the diamond. He’s a true five-tool player with huge athleticism. It wouldn’t be stunning to see him go in the first 40 picks of the draft. His upside is a top 10 pick which is likely LSU’s pitch to get him in school.

River Hamilton, RHP, Oregon

• Hamilton is a hard-throwing right-hander from Oregon. He was committed to Oregon State but flipped to LSU. That 95 mph fastball from loose arm action has scouts’ attention, and Baton Rouge is a long way away from Oregon.

Landon Hodge, C, California

• Hodge has a big arm and hits left-handed which is a big plus for catchers. Scouts in southern California are on him. It’s been huge for LSU to get Cade Arrambide to school and have Omar Serna opt out of this draft to come to LSU. That gives the Tigers huge talent at that position in the next couple of years with or without Hodge.

Miguel Sime, RHP, New York

• It’s pretty simple. Sime throws 101 mph from a 6-foot-4 frame as a high schooler.

Quentin Young, INF/OF, California

• Young could to be the first player from this list to be taken. MLB baseball is in his blood. His uncles Delmon and Dimitri had great careers, and he’ll look to follow in those footsteps. LSU hasn’t been able to keep the ex-big leaguer bloodlines around with Delino Deshields Jr, Cam Caminiti, Christian Cairo among others opting for pro ball.

LIKELY LSU TIGERS

Jonah Aase, LHP, Washington

• A partial UCL tear in December means Aase will almost certainly come to school. He’s a talented lefty that will have to come along from Tommy John to begin his career.

Mason Braun, 1B, Indiana

• Because he’s only six feet tall, Braun doesn’t fit the mold of the traditional slugging first baseman, but he can really hit. He swings from the left side and can play first base really well despite being a smaller target. ESPN ranked him No. 231 on their prospect list.

#2 @TJHannam10 pic.twitter.com/Xd5XNMHfzd

— Mason Braun (@MasonBraun1) April 26, 2025

Ethan Clauss, SS, Nevada

• Jay Johnson loves left-handed hitting infielders. Clauss is one with good size and the ability to play shortstop. He’s certainly a draftable prospect, but I think he’s a good bet to stay on campus.

‘25 SS Ethan Clauss (NV, @LSUbaseball) with a majestic 💣💣💣 sent sailing high over the RF fence.

Turns a heavy barrel on a 91mph fastball to the inner half.

Emphatic start to the day. 👍👍#MLBDraft || @PB_DraftHQ pic.twitter.com/LhjWdKw7fk

— Shooter Hunt (@ShooterHunt) March 18, 2025

William Patrick, OF, Louisiana (Monroe)

• When Patrick focuses all of his time on baseball, he’s going to blossom. He’s just an elite, elite athlete. The professional ranks are aware of that, but there are some questions about him because he’s not as polished as some of these year-round baseball players. Still, per Perfect Game his 60 yard dash and outfield arm are both in the 99^th percentile. He set an event record in the 60-yard dash earlier this year. He’s ranked in the Top 150 draft prospects by ESPN. Money could definitely come his way, but it helps that he’s one of two Louisiana guys on this list.

Jack Ruckert, SS, Louisiana (Baton Rouge)

• The Catholic High Bear is not a significant draft risk at this point. He’ll join former teammate William Schmidt in purple and gold.

Zion Theophilus, RHP, Ohio

• Theophilus is another summer school enrollee. He’s got a good 6-foot-2 frame and throws a lot of strikes. He’s not a fireballer, so he’s not likely a super early pick. That should have him stick in Baton Rouge.

THE TOSS UPS

Briggs McKenzie, LHP, North Carolina

• This would be a really nice piece to add for Jay Johnson. Maybe Kade Anderson can be a selling point. McKenzie is a 6-foot-2 lefty with a 93 mph fastball that comes out really easy. It’s a reasonable assumption to guess that 96 in in there pretty soon. He’s a Top 100 player by ESPN who could command $1mm-plus. Does he turn that down like Anderson or Kevin Gausman or Chase Shores? Or does he sign? My tepid prediction is that he signs, but he’s a big key to watch.

Briggs McKenzie
2025 | LHP| Corinth Holders HS

LSU commit. Has faced the minimum thru 3. 7 K and 1 walk. Solid feel for FB/CB. 6 swing and miss on fastballs in the zone.

FB: 90-92
CB: 74-78@PB_DraftHQ | @shooterhunt | @corinthbasebal1 | @LSUBaseball | @BriggsMcKenzie_ pic.twitter.com/tnfeT6cjVg

— Prep Baseball North Carolina (@PrepBaseballNC) April 14, 2025

Dean Moss, OF, California

• This is a left-handed bat that’s probably ready to hit SEC pitching today. Moss is not an elite athlete, and he doesn’t have big power consistently right now. But he can find the barrel. Moss is another Top 100 player who will field calls in the first three rounds. He’ll do that from Baton Rouge where he, too, is in summer school. Moss would be a real option in left field if Chris Stanfield and Ethan Frey both sign. I feel like this is another professional lean.

🚀 107 pic.twitter.com/rHgJr6M4Xi

— Dean Moss (@Deanomoss54) March 6, 2025

Marcos Paz, RHP, Texas

• Kylie McDaniel of ESPN called Paz a tough sign in his final draft preview. Paz had Tommy John his junior year which may help LSU get him to campus like Anderson did two years ago. Paz could have a Casan Evans-like impact next year assuming he’s heathy and regains his sharpness. That’s, admittedly, a big assumption. They’re both Texans. I think Paz ends up in school.

First public bullpen today. Thank you to everyone who came out! Special thanks to my catcher @TUCKER_07 for making me look good.@NomadBaseball@CoachSchweiss pic.twitter.com/2St5lFcg86

— Marcos Paz (@Marcos_Paz5) May 30, 2025

Reagan Ricken, RHP, California

• Ricken is a 6-foot-5 right hander with enough athleticism to play high school quarterback in California. The word on him is that he can really spin a breaking ball. His fastball has been clocked at 97. He’s in summer school, but he’s got a lot of attributes organizations like. Ricken could be a big-time prospect after a couple of years in Baton Rouge focusing on nothing but baseball. I think that’s a real possibility.

6 K’s over 4 innings of work for @gohsbaseball righty Reagan Ricken (2025). Bumped 97 early, living 91-94 w/ 4 pitch mix, CB 78-82, SL SL 84/5, CH 87. D didn’t help the cause extending multiple innings (allowed 4 Unearned). + Athlete, committed to @LSUbaseball @PG_Scouting… pic.twitter.com/1tyG5eTawN

— Perfect Game California (@California_PG) April 16, 2025