Tiger Rag News Services
LSU is ranked No. 2 in the 2026 D1 Baseball preseason poll released Monday, representing the Tigers’ second Top two ranking in a week.
LSU is No. 1 in the Perfect Game Baseball preseason poll released last week.
The Tigers won LSU’s second national championship in three years in 2025 under coach Jay Johnson after beginning the season ranked No. 2. LSU began the 2023 season ranked No. 1, held the top ranking for 12 weeks, and went on the claim the national title. LSU previously won national titles in 2009 under coach Paul Mainieri and five under coach Skip Bertman from 1991-2000.
The 2026 season starts on Friday, February 13, when LSU hosts Milwaukee in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.
Johnson enters his fifth season with a very talented squad that has 19 returning players and 20 newcomers on its roster.
“Our program focuses upon taking pride in our performance and striving to be the best at what we do,” Johnson said. “Can we build the best infrastructure for a college baseball program, can we recruit better than anybody else, can our player development operation be a machine? Can we continue to bring in talented players and be the best at making them a team, and get them to buy in to the team over themselves? I’m energized by those challenges, and I want LSU Baseball to continue to be the biggest source of pride in LSU Athletics.”
All right, Sam Leverage, you want Whiskey (Tennessee) or Gumbo (LSU)? (And you can put a little bourbon in your gumbo.) https://t.co/agm2BMEfbQ
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) January 12, 2026
The reigning national champions feature seven returning position players with starting experience at LSU, and 10 hurlers who have recorded innings for the Tigers.
The 20-player class of newcomers is composed of eight NCAA Division I transfers, one NCAA Division II transfer, two JUCO transfers and nine high school signees. Five LSU rookies have been ranked among the Prep Baseball Report Top 100 College Freshmen, and another six of the Tigers’ newcomers appear on the Baseball America list of the Top 100 College Transfers.
LSU is one of 11 Southeastern Conference teams appearing in the D1 Baseball 2026 preseason Top 25, along with No. 3 Texas, No. 4 Mississippi State, No. 7 Arkansas, No. 9 Auburn, No. 13 Florida, No. 14 Tennessee, No. 15 Georgia, No. 18 Kentucky, No. 23 Vanderbilt and No. 25 Texas A&M.
2026 D1 Baseball Preseason Poll
Rank Team 2025 Record
1 UCLA 48-18
2 LSU 53-15
3 Texas 44-14
4 Mississippi State 36-23
5 Georgia Tech 41-19
6 Coastal Carolina 56-13
7 Arkansas 50-15
8 Louisville 42-24
9 Auburn 41-20
10 TCU 39-20
11 North Carolina 46-15
12 Oregon State 48-16-1
13 Florida 39-22
14 Tennessee 46-19
15 Georgia 43-17
16 Florida State 42-16
17 NC State 35-21
18 Kentucky 31-26
19 Clemson 45-18
20 Southern Miss 47-16
21 Wake Forest 39-22
22 Miami 35-27
23 Vanderbilt 43-18
24 Arizona 44-21
25 Texas A&M 30-26
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