LSU players drafted in Day 1 of MLB Draft 2024 ft. Tommy White

Day 1 of the 2024 MLB draft has now come and gone, as the first 74 picks were filled with great and surprising selections. One program that made out particularly well was the 2023 national champions, LSU, which had three players selected during the initial phase of this year's process.

Beginning with third baseman Tommy White's selection by the Oakland Athletics with the 40th overall pick, two Tigers pitchers were also taken last night. Right-hander Luke Holman went 71st overall to the Cincinnati Reds, while the A's took another LSU standout in lefty Gage Jump two slots later at No. 73. So far, the MLB draft has treated Tigers just fine.

3 LSU Tigers heading to big leagues after draft selections

#1. "Tanks" White heading to West Coast after A's second draft selection

After three successful seasons in college, including two with LSU, Tommy White is taking his talents to the major league level. The corner infielder might not be the best player defensively, but there is no doubt that his bat translates to whatever might be ahead of him in the pros.

He's heading to an organization that is in desperate need of stars, particularly as the Athletics are getting ready to move to Sacramento for a few seasons before settling into their long-term home in Las Vegas. Second baseman Zack Gelof and catcher Shea Langeliers could be a couple of cornerstones, but more talent is definitely needed.

Well, White has the tools to be another potential building block. His power is easily his best trait, as scouts have given it a 60 grade overall. In fact, he ranks eighth all-time in home runs at the NCAA Division I level with 75 overall, including hitting 24 during each of his two seasons in Baton Rouge.

The man, also known as "Tanks," could have been drafted in 2021, where his raw power and exit velocities were among the best in that year's class. However, he opted to go to NC State after teams didn't meet his asking price. It's safe to say that was a smart choice, as he heads to Oakland to try and help bring the A's back to contention.

White is a great follow-up after the Athletics' selection of Wake Forest's Nick Kurtz at the number four overall spot. He's one of the best power bats in this draft class, and every team needs more power. Hopefully, he will send plenty of balls into the bleachers in both Sacramento and Las Vegas in the future.

#2. Holman-Reds connection adds to Cincinnati's growing pitching staff

With young guns Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott and Nick Lodolo in the rotation already, the future is looking bright for the Reds rotation. However, fellow young arm Graham Ashcraft has struggled a bit this season, and veteran Frankie Montas is only in Cincinnati on a one-year deal. So the Reds could have at least one long-term spot open.

Despite taking Wake Forest's Chase Burns second overall, picking Luke Holman at 71 could be a major steal for GM Nick Krall and the rest of the Cincinnati front office. He features four pitches that are successful to varying degrees and has a high floor as a potential middle or back-end rotation member.

Holman was also drafted in 2021 by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 20th round. However, he only lasted that long due to his commitment to Alabama, which he ended up honoring. After two years in Tuscaloosa, he transferred to coach Jay Johnson's program in Baton Rouge.

The development will be a major key for the right-hander, as two of his four pitches need more work, and hopefully, he can add a couple more ticks to his fastball velocity as well. Working with the Cincinnati coaching staff in the minors should help him continue to get better, and we could see him in the majors sooner rather than later.

#3. Athletics take second LSU Tiger of 2024 draft in Jump

Another 2021 draftee (selected by the Padres in the 18th round of that process), left-hander Gage Jump, has the potential to become a mid-rotation starter given time and the proper development. Although he missed the entirety of the 2023 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, the lefty's transfer to LSU helped him take off to the next level.

Also featuring a four-pitch mix like Holman, Jump's fastball is probably his best pitch at the moment. It also features a good amount of vertical break and solid velocity, although it wouldn't hurt to try adding a couple more miles per hour to the offering.

During his first go-around in the draft, Jump was considered California's best high school pitching prospect, and he slipped during the event due to his commitment to UCLA. Even with the major injury and transfer afterward, there is a lot to like about the left-hander's upside moving forward.

The Athletics need quality arms, particularly in the rotation. Although some young arms have already made their way to the majors, none have become the staff ace the team lacks. Jump might not be that either, but after working his way through the minors, he could still become a difference-maker on a team that doesn't really have a lot of them at this point in time.