logo
Projecting LSU baseball's starting pitching rotation for the 2026 season

Projecting LSU baseball's starting pitching rotation for the 2026 season

USA Today2 days ago
After leading LSU baseball to a College World Series title, star pitchers Kade Anderson and Anthony Eyanson are off to the professional ranks.
The duo was arguably the top pitching tandem in the country. Anderson threw 119 innings with a 3.18 ERA. He led college baseball with 180 strikeouts and capped his LSU career with a complete game shutout vs. Coastal Carolina in the College World Series final.
Eyanson was equally impressive. He tossed 108 innings to the tune of a 3.00 ERA. He struck out 152 and walked 136.
Anderson and Eyanson leave big shoes to fill. That's 227 quality innings out the door. But LSU has the talent to reload.
The 2026 season is a long way away, but we'll take a look at what LSU's 2026 rotation is expected to look like. LSU will once again expect to compete for a CWS title with a top-notch rotation.
The Ace: Casan Evans
Evans was a true freshman in 2025 and didn't waste time emerging as one of LSU's top relievers. Evans' stuff was electric, earning him high leverage innings early in the year.
Evans was so good that Jay Johnson decided to give him a chance as a starter after Chase Shores began to struggle as LSU's Sunday arm. Evans impressed, but with LSU needing help in the bullpen, Evans returned to his relief role in the postseason.
With LSU's season on the line, Evans was dynamite out of the pen in Game 7 of the Baton Rouge Regional. He struck out nine straight batters at one point in that game.
Evans finished 2025 with a 2.05 ERA in 52.2 innings. He averaged 12.1 strikeouts per nine innings, which put him among the nation's elite arms. Evans has the stuff to be an SEC ace, and if his 2025 NCAA Tournament was a preview of things to come, LSU is in a good spot. Evans is the heavy favorite to win LSU's Friday night pitching job in 2026.
Saturday: Cooper Moore
With LSU losing the experienced arms of Anderson and Eyanson, the Tigers took a look in the transfer portal. Jay Johnson secured a starter with Power Four experience in Cooper Moore.
Moore, a right-hander, comes to LSU after spending two years at Kansas. Moore was one of the best available arms in the portal, and LSU had to battle programs like Tennessee to earn his services.
Moore only walked 1.9 batters per nine innings. That ranked No. 3 among all Big 12 starting pitchers. He only issued 19 walks all year.
Moore finished 2025 with a 3.96 ERA in 88.2 innings pitched. Expect Moore to take another step forward as he now gets to work with LSU resources and Nate Yeskie, one of the best pitching coaches in the country. Transfers pitchers have seen their draft stock skyrocket after transferring to LSU in recent years. Moore is looking to get the same boost in Baton Rouge.
Sunday: Zac Cowan
Zac Cowan transferred to LSU ahead of the 2025 season after excelling as a starting pitcher at Wofford. Cowan assumed a bullpen role with LSU and emerged as one of the top relievers in the SEC.
Cowan announced his plans to return to Baton Rouge for another season, but his exact role is unclear. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Cowan start on Saturday, start on Sunday, or continue in the closer role.
But right now, Cowan is the third-best arm on LSU, and he's capable of taking on a starter workload. We saw him do it at Wofford, and we saw him do it in the College World Series, where he pitched 5.1 fantastic innings vs. Arkansas. If that's the version of Cowan LSU will get in 2026, it's hard to justify keeping the right-hander in the bullpen.
Cowan finished 2025 with a 2.94 ERA in 52 innings. He struck out 60 and walked 12.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

SEC media days: Greg Sankey apologizes to Texas, Steve Sarkisian
SEC media days: Greg Sankey apologizes to Texas, Steve Sarkisian

Yahoo

time19 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

SEC media days: Greg Sankey apologizes to Texas, Steve Sarkisian

Commissioner Greg Sankey began the third day of SEC Media Days with an apology directed toward Steve Sarkisian and Texas football. Why? Well, on Tuesday, Sarkisian walked for his media session on that main stage at the Omni Hotel in Atlanta with Texas A&M's Aggie War Hymn blaring from the speakers. "Mistakes happen," Sankey said on Wednesday morning. "No ill intent there. We'll make sure we do better at possessing our responsibilities." MORE: Texas football: SEC introduces Steve Sarkisian with Texas A&M's Aggie War Hymn by mistake The incident went viral, with media outlets all over the country posting about the mistake. The War Hymn, after all, includes several lyrics that throw shade at Texas, such as: "Good-bye to 'Texas University', so long to the orange and the white." "The eyes of Texas are upon you, that is the song they sing so well, so good-bye to Texas University, we're going to beat you all to..." The Aggies and Longhorns renewed their rivalry last season after a hiatus lasting 13 years. Texas topped Texas A&M 17-7 in College Station. ARCH: Texas football: QB Arch Manning takes center stage at SEC media days Reach Texas Insider David Eckert via email at Follow the American-Statesman on Facebook and X for more. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Access all of our best content with this tremendous offer. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas football: SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey apologizes to Longhorns

ESPN says this early-season SEC matchup is Florida football's swing game for 2025
ESPN says this early-season SEC matchup is Florida football's swing game for 2025

USA Today

time37 minutes ago

  • USA Today

ESPN says this early-season SEC matchup is Florida football's swing game for 2025

Florida football's swing game for the 2025 college football season will come during the Week 3 contest against the LSU Tigers, according to ESPN. On Wednesday, ESPN compiled a list of swing games for every Top 25 college football team and for the Gators, they decided to land on the matchup with the Tigers. A swing game is essentially the one game on the schedule that determines whether the season is going to be successful and an early-season road test at Death Valley under the lights certainly fits that criteria. Last season, Florida took care of business against LSU in the Swamp, winning 27-16. DJ Lagway threw for 226 yards and a touchdown while Jadan Baugh rushed six times for 65 yards and a score. But this year's factors–a road game, early-season matchup and new faces–present a bigger challenge for the Florida Gators. If head coach Billy Napier can prepare his team and come up with a game plan to win this road test, the Gators have a chance to build momentum and make some noise in the SEC. Here is everything ESPN's Harry Lyles Jr. said about why LSU is Florida's swing game for the 2025 season. Why ESPN said Florida's swing game is at LSU "Swing game: at LSU, Sept. 13" "Florida once again didn't get any favors from the schedule makers, and the Gators will get an early test in Baton Rouge against LSU. On paper, this feels like a year that Brian Kelly is going to have things put together in the Bayou, in part because he has the coveted returning starter at QB in Garrett Nussmeier. "Along with the incumbent talent, Kelly and his staff did a really good job in the transfer portal and will be a tough out every Saturday this fall. If Florida wins this game, or even loses a close one, it will bode well for the rest of the season." Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Where does Florida football's Billy Napier fall in CBS Sports' SEC coach rankings?
Where does Florida football's Billy Napier fall in CBS Sports' SEC coach rankings?

USA Today

time37 minutes ago

  • USA Today

Where does Florida football's Billy Napier fall in CBS Sports' SEC coach rankings?

Florida football head coach Billy Napier has been ranked No. 11 in CBS Sports' SEC coach rankings for the 2025 season. Last year, Napier was ranked No. 13 on the list, although moving up two spots doesn't feel like much of an improvement despite finishing the season on a four-game win streak. Included in those victories were then-ranked No. 21 LSU, No. 9 Ole Miss, Florida State and Tulane in the Gasparilla Bowl. But that late-season surge didn't move the needle much going into this year's SEC coach rankings. Napier is entering his fourth and most important season with the Florida Gators and has garnered an exact record of 19-19 during his tenure. CBS Sports' Brad Crawford emphasized the reliance that Napier has on quarterback DJ Lagway. If Lagway struggles, it could be Napier's last season in Gainesville. Here is everything Crawford wrote about Napier heading into the 2025 college football season. What CBS Sports said about Napier "Napier slashed his way through what many considered the toughest schedule in college football history last fall and lived to fight another day with the Gators. And part of the reason for optimism under his tutelage is the emergence of D.J. Lagway at quarterback, a former elite recruit that Napier managed to hold onto before unleashing as a freshman in 2024. "Lagway's the singlemost important player for the former Louisiana coach and likely determines whether his tenure will be successful or not." CBS Sports' 2025 SEC coach rankings Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store