By Hunt Palmer
Steven Milam‘s 2025 didn’t match up with expectation on offense or defense.
He made the transition seamlessly from second base over to shortstop where he only made five errors on the season and fielded .979. That’s as well as a college shortstop can play, and it was a question last February.
Offensively, he hit .211 in SEC play with a .295 on base percentage. Both of those were the worst on the team in terms of the regulars.
Something happened in Hoover. Milam was pinch hit for in LSU’s loss to Ole Miss. And he didn’t like it.
From that point forward, all NCAA tournament games, Milam hit .385 (15-for-39) with five doubles, a grand slam and a team-best 13 driven in.
That’s more like it.
WHAT WE KNOW
Milam is the guy for LSU at shortstop.
He’s now made 128 starts in college and has proven himself an elite defender and a good bat. He’s a more consistent hitter from the left side of the plate, and that’s not unusual for switch hitters. There are far more right-handed pitchers.
Milam is the toughest Tiger to strikeout. Even in a bit of a sophomore slump, he posted the lowest strikeout rate on the team last year. Consider that Derek Curiel struck out 56 times in 258 at bats. Milam’s number was 27, less than half, in 241. He also finished second on the team in walks right behind Curiel.
Ethan Clauss and Jack Ruckert are the two freshman infielders with shortstop experience.
Clauss is 6-foot-2 and 185 lbs. Perfect Game ranked him the no. 37 high school shortstop in the country coming out Las Vegas. Ruckert is an inch shorter and a little bit heavier. He’s a Catholic High product who Perfect Game named the best player in Louisiana.
Both guys hit left-handed which is something Jay Johnson prioritizes. Consider that LSU has Milam, Ruckert, Clauss, Tanner Reaves and Seth Dardar on the roster, all of whom play the infield and hit left-handed.
That’s rare.
HUNT’S PROJECTION
I think Milam puts it all together this year and has a monster draft season.
I see him hitting second or third. The switch-hitting component makes him a fit in front of or behind anyone. He hit third in the four CWS games last year and fourth in the other.
I do think 12 to 15 home runs is very realistic, and I think he’ll hit .315 or better. When you draw walks and put the ball in play a lot as opposed to striking out, you’ve got a great chance to be a high-average player.
His flat swing creates a ton of line drives, and he’s always hit for some power despite his small frame.
Alabama’s Justin LeBron and Kentucky’s Tyler Bell will get more draft buzz, but Milam is in the discussion for top shortstop in the SEC when you factor in defense.
As far as Ruckert and Clauss go, almost every other infielder on the roster is going to be gone after this season. The three second basemen are out of eligibility, and Milam and Caraway are likely draft picks. That leaves those two and John Pearson as on-roster candidates for second, third and shortstop moving forward.
If either factors in this year, it will be a surprise.
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