Dardar, Pearson lengthening LSU lineup in stable roles

By Hunt Palmer

The first five weeks of the season create opportunity for players to demand playing time.

Produce, and you play.

Ideally, that timeframe allows a coaching staff to find its best options and move into conference play with a fairly consistent lineup. Matchups and injuries can always dictate tweaks to the position player group and batting order, but when a team is playing well, there’s no need for wholesale changes day-to-day.

That was the situation for LSU up to about a week ago. The lineup was a revolving door of options not living up to track records and expectations.

The outfield and catcher spots felt cemented with a rotation between Cade Arrambide and Omar Serna behind the plate. Steven Milam joined the returners in the outfield in the everyday order.

Second and third base were in major flux until recently when John Pearson and Seth Dardar grabbed the reins. They’re every day players at this point until something changes.

“I like their at bats,” said LSU head coach Jay Johnson. “I think it lengthens our lineup. I feel like we can score in every inning, score two in every inning is what I mean by that. I really like how Seth is playing on both sides of the ball. And I just thought we needed a jolt the last game at Vanderbilt. It hadn’t been flowing right, and I texted John that morning and said, ‘you’re playing. Give us as many quality at bats as you can. Give us a jolt. And he’s done that.”

JP BLAST 💥@John_Pearson_2 | SECN+ pic.twitter.com/s91ELKXng4

— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) April 1, 2026

Since his insertion 10 games ago, Pearson is hitting .276 with a pair of doubles, three homers, 13 runs driven in and has walked seven times and been hit twice. He’s reached base 17 times in 10 games.

Not known as a defensive ace at third base, Pearson has made most of the plays save one throwing error late on Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, Seth Dardar has made some solid plays at second base. Tuesday night, he moved to his left and gloved a double play ground ball. His backhand flip to Steven Milam was on the money, and the slick shortstop finished the play.

Seth 🤝 Monster 🤝 Zach

📺 SECN+ pic.twitter.com/X3jmoyOj9b

— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) April 1, 2026

Dardar also made a couple of agile plays over the weekend. It’s not perfect, but his’s role is to be an offensive presence while playing steady, if unspectacular defense.

He certainly has been over the last week.

The transfer Tiger earned SEC Co-Player of the Week for his efforts against Kentucky. He reached base nine times in three games and produced the biggest swing of the weekend, the titanic three-run shot over the seats in right to give LSU its first Sunday lead.

Darth Dardar 😈@sdardar_ | SECN+ pic.twitter.com/AKHVwKJFEx

— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) March 29, 2026

Dardar added two more hits on Tuesday including a big triple to jumpstart LSU after the rain delay. He’d score the go ahead run as LSU took a lead it never relinquished.

“I think some guys have kind of liberated themselves from external things and just kind of gotten to playing and focusing on what really matters,” Johnson said. “And we’re seeing the best version of a few guys. That’s normal. Coaching for a long time, I’ve seen this movie before.”

Dardar led Kansas State offensively last season. He hit .326 with 13 homers on an NCAA Tournament team out of the Big 12. Success at this level is not unprecedented for him. Pearson came in as a highly thought of recruit after a stellar prep career at West Monroe. His older brother enjoyed four years of success in purple and gold.

Both were examples of a slumping offense that seemed contagious.

“I really believe that when you have good hitters, when they’re not hitting, they will come around,” Johnson said. “I’ve believed that, and I feel good about more guys contributing…I think it’s just more guys playing closer to their capability at one time.”