LSU Adds Veteran Second Baseman Cade Kurland From Florida Via Transfer Portal

By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor

LSU coach Jay Johnson dipped into the best conference in college baseball on Thursday for a veteran, slick fielding middle infielder in fourth-year junior Cade Kurland of Florida.

Curland hit .279 last season for Florida (41-21, 18-12 SEC) with nine home runs, seven doubles and 33 RBIs through 48 starts. Usually a second baseman, Curland fielded at .994 in 2026 with one error over 108 assists and 54 put-outs, including 19 double plays.

🐯#GEAUXTIGERS #ThePowerHouse pic.twitter.com/oOnrhGqYBu

— Cade Fox Kurland (@CadeFox4) June 12, 2026

He played in just 14 games in 2025 because of a shoulder injury that required surgery, but he still hit .316. In 2024, Curland hit .245 with 14 home runs and 44 RBIs in 62 games despite dealing with a hand injury.

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As a freshman out of Berkeley Prep in Tampa, Florida, in 2023, Curland had his best season. He hit .297 with 17 home runs, which was the second most by a Gators freshman in history. A freshman All-American, he also had 50 RBIS, 17 doubles and 75 runs scored in 68 games.

In the Gators’ national championship best-of-three series loss to LSU in 2023, Kurland was 5-for-11 at the plate with seven runs scored and a home run. Kurland would be a fifth-year senior for the Tigers in 2027, but he still could be taken in the Major League Baseball Draft on July 11-13.

Johnson now has four commitments to his 2027 portal class, including a previous middle infielder in Texas State second baseman and shortstop Dawson Park, who will be a junior next season. LSU’s other commitments are Notre Dame outfielder Bino Watters, who is the No. 1 prospect in the portal and will be a junior next season, and Gonzaga right-handed pitcher Landon Hood, who will be a sophomore in 2027.