"That's not even debatable" - LSU HC Jay Johnson claims the Tigers are 'one of the top 10-15 teams in college baseball'

LSU Tigers Baseball Head Coach Jay Johnson made his pitch for his team to make the NCAA Tournament after they swept 18-9 Ole Miss earlier today with a 9-3 win at Baton Rouge.

Johnson, who led LSU to their 7th NCAA Division I title last year, firmly believes they are still among the top baseball programs in the country despite their struggles in the regular season this year. He also believes the NCAA Division I baseball committee cannot ignore the reigning champions following their victory earlier today.

"I don’t think there’s any doubt. There’s no doubt we’re one of the top 10-15 teams in college baseball, so that's not even debatable."

"If we lost today, you could start peeling it back and finding a reason and give the committee an excuse to not put us in. There’s no excuse now. This is one of the best teams in the country."

In their championship-winning 2023 season, they finished with 54-17 overall and 19-10 in the SEC West, which saw them finish the conference just 1 game behind division winners Arkansas. However, their current 13-17 conference record puts them in 4th place in the SEC West.

The LSU Tigers' struggles have been evident on more than one occasion this season.

The Tigers' current 36-20 overall record also shows the struggles they have faced following the call up from the Major Leagues for their star players, with Pittsburgh Pirates' Paul Skenes being a notable name.

Despite their struggles this season, certain players have shown their capabilities to lead the team to a successful postseason. Prominent names include Dick Howser Trophy semi-finalists Tommy White and Luke Holman, Jared Jones and freshman infielder Steven Milam, who have given the Tigers crucial victories on various occasions this season.

Will LSU baseball make the postseason this year?

Currently, the Tigers 13-17 conference record is the same as that of three other teams in the SEC East. They are Vanderbilt, South Carolina and Florida. Since they are unlikely to top the SEC West, they will have to rely on having their bid accepted by the committee to make the postseason.

With their championship pedigree and fairly decent results this season, it is unlikely that they will see their bid rejected. However, the upcoming SEC tournament could play a big hand in deciding their postseason fate. The NCAA Division I baseball committee will share the field of 64 teams on May 27th, with the regionals commencing on May 31st.