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History of LSU Shortstops since 1991 and their professional career peaks
Posted on 5/29/26 at 10:39 pm
Posted on 5/29/26 at 10:39 pm
Decided to do this research with Steven Milam being draft-eligible to see how former LSU shortstops compare.
Highest level reached follows their name.
Numbers in () are their college batting averages by season.
(Data is from LSUsports.net and Baseball Reference)
(Disclaimer: Some seasons may have had multiple SS starters.
I used defensive stats and player Bio descriptions to choose the player that likely started the most games at SS - it wasn't always clear up until 2008.)
1991-1992 - Andy Sheets - MLB - 1,073 PA in 7 seasons (.273, .321)
1993-1994 - Russ Johnson - MLB - 966 PA in 7 seasons (.338, .355, .410)
1995-1996 - Jason Williams - (AAA) (.329, .301, .315, .340)
1997 - Brandon Larson - MLB - 332 PA in 4 seasons (.381)
1998-1999 - Josh Dalton - (A-) (.298, .294)
2000-2001 - Ryan Theriot - MLB - 3,615 PA in 8 seasons (.322, .305, .353)
2002-2003 - Aaron Hill - MLB - 6,217 PA in 13 seasons (.299, .329, .358)
2004 - Blake Gill - (Ind) (.292, .304, .343, .320)
2005 - 2007 - Michael Hollander (A) (.246, .280, .279, .297)
2008 - DJ LeMahieu - MLB - 6,822 PA in 15 seasons (.337, .350)
2009-2012 - Austin Nola - MLB - 1,237 PA in 6 seasons (.240, .320, .296, .299)
2013-2015 - Alex Bregman - MLB - 5,583 PA in 11 seasons (.369, .316, .323)
2016-2017 - Kramer Robertson - MLB - 1 PA in 1 season (.200, .232, .324, .307)
2018 - Hal Hughes - (None) (.221, .174, .154)
2019 - Josh Smith - MLB - 1,748 PA in 5 seasons (.240, .346)
2020 - Collier Cranford - (None) (.286 (short season), .106, .133)
2021-2023 - Jordan Thompson (A+) (.250, .286, .246)
2024 - Michael Braswell - (Rk - as a pitcher) (.284, .255, .311, .189)
2025-2026 - Steven Milam - TBD (.326, .295, .296)
10 out of 18 prior to Milam have played in a MLB game (9 of those with at least 4 seasons).
Lowest best-season batting average for players that have made it to MLB was .320 by Austin Nola.
Mainieri had quite a run with shortstops from 2008-2017.
Milam is most similar to Nola and Robertson from a batting average standpoint. It is interesting that all three were excellent defensively.
I personally think he has a chance to one day make it to the show, but the competition - especially internationally - is as good as ever.
(Hope this was interesting since we don't have any Tiger games to watch this June
)
Highest level reached follows their name.
Numbers in () are their college batting averages by season.
(Data is from LSUsports.net and Baseball Reference)
(Disclaimer: Some seasons may have had multiple SS starters.
I used defensive stats and player Bio descriptions to choose the player that likely started the most games at SS - it wasn't always clear up until 2008.)
1991-1992 - Andy Sheets - MLB - 1,073 PA in 7 seasons (.273, .321)
1993-1994 - Russ Johnson - MLB - 966 PA in 7 seasons (.338, .355, .410)
1995-1996 - Jason Williams - (AAA) (.329, .301, .315, .340)
1997 - Brandon Larson - MLB - 332 PA in 4 seasons (.381)
1998-1999 - Josh Dalton - (A-) (.298, .294)
2000-2001 - Ryan Theriot - MLB - 3,615 PA in 8 seasons (.322, .305, .353)
2002-2003 - Aaron Hill - MLB - 6,217 PA in 13 seasons (.299, .329, .358)
2004 - Blake Gill - (Ind) (.292, .304, .343, .320)
2005 - 2007 - Michael Hollander (A) (.246, .280, .279, .297)
2008 - DJ LeMahieu - MLB - 6,822 PA in 15 seasons (.337, .350)
2009-2012 - Austin Nola - MLB - 1,237 PA in 6 seasons (.240, .320, .296, .299)
2013-2015 - Alex Bregman - MLB - 5,583 PA in 11 seasons (.369, .316, .323)
2016-2017 - Kramer Robertson - MLB - 1 PA in 1 season (.200, .232, .324, .307)
2018 - Hal Hughes - (None) (.221, .174, .154)
2019 - Josh Smith - MLB - 1,748 PA in 5 seasons (.240, .346)
2020 - Collier Cranford - (None) (.286 (short season), .106, .133)
2021-2023 - Jordan Thompson (A+) (.250, .286, .246)
2024 - Michael Braswell - (Rk - as a pitcher) (.284, .255, .311, .189)
2025-2026 - Steven Milam - TBD (.326, .295, .296)
10 out of 18 prior to Milam have played in a MLB game (9 of those with at least 4 seasons).
Lowest best-season batting average for players that have made it to MLB was .320 by Austin Nola.
Mainieri had quite a run with shortstops from 2008-2017.
Milam is most similar to Nola and Robertson from a batting average standpoint. It is interesting that all three were excellent defensively.
I personally think he has a chance to one day make it to the show, but the competition - especially internationally - is as good as ever.
(Hope this was interesting since we don't have any Tiger games to watch this June
) This post was edited on 5/29/26 at 11:23 pm
14
Posted on 5/29/26 at 10:52 pm to NorthEndZone
Aaron hill was so damn good
Posted on 5/29/26 at 10:55 pm to Datsmoneydude
quote:Hiding north of the boarder hurt from him becoming a household name
Aaron hill was so damn good
Posted on 5/29/26 at 10:57 pm to NorthEndZone
All that and then Hal Hughes 
Posted on 5/29/26 at 11:00 pm to NorthEndZone
quote:I understand Smith was hurt, but I'll still never understand how he had 190 PA in games where Smith was healthy.
2018 - Hal Hughes - (None) (.221, .174, .154)
In his first start, he had arguably the best game of his career going 2/4 with a 2B and 2 RBI.
After that game, he had a total of 6 multi hit games against P5 competition. 1 against UT (the next game), 1 against Mississippi State in Hoover, 2 against Missouri, and 2 against Arkansas.
He also wasn't that great of a fielder. His career high in fielding percentage at LSU was .961 in 2019 playing 2B when he had 6 E in 153 TC. Gavin Dugas had a .973 fielding percentage with 4 E in 150 TC in 2023.
His best year was comparable to 2026 Seth Dardar defensively, from a statistical standpoint.
Sorry
had to get that off my chest. Posted on 5/29/26 at 11:00 pm to NorthEndZone
quote:Great thread. Keep it up. Very much still in baseball mode. Not ready to move to football yet
(Hope this was interesting since we don't have any Tiger games to watch this June )
I think Milam has the ability but I can just see him getting passed up by prospects with better tools. I hope, whenever he does go into the draft, he goes somewhere that appreciates him for what he is: An elite defender with a solid hit tool who will give you 10-15 HR a season.
He's not going to get any extra bags with his speed, but he could with his baseball IQ. He's not going to get to as many balls as Bobby Witt, but he can make every play.
I will say, I'm interested to see how the RH swing works for him in the pros. It's much longer than the tight left handed swing. That usually doesn't bode well with wooden bats. Regardless - I think he can make it.
This post was edited on 5/29/26 at 11:05 pm
Posted on 5/29/26 at 11:04 pm to NorthEndZone
Russ Johnson - maybe the most underrated LSU baseball player of all time
Posted on 5/29/26 at 11:19 pm to NorthEndZone
You left a couple of years off of Kramer. He was terrible in his first two seasons.
Posted on 5/29/26 at 11:24 pm to facher08
Thanks, I added those for Kramer (I forgot to look in the subs section of the stats).
Posted on 5/29/26 at 11:36 pm to NorthEndZone
Zero chance.
Posted on 5/30/26 at 12:10 am to NorthEndZone
IMO, Milam is a great SS but if he makes it to the bigs, his position is more than likely going to be 2b. You just don’t traditionally see SS’s his size.
This post was edited on 5/30/26 at 12:12 am
Posted on 5/30/26 at 12:46 am to NorthEndZone
quote:
Michael Braswell - (Rk - as a pitcher)
what does this mean? he pitched some at usc?
Posted on 5/30/26 at 1:33 am to Tigerpride18
quote:He came to college as a two way guy and had a couple appearances at USCe.
what does this mean? he pitched some at usc?
After going undrafted, he switched to being a PO and is currently in rookie ball for the Royals as a relief pitcher. Has gotten lit up in limited appearances, but I wouldn't say that's entirely unexpected. Was up to 95 off the mound.
Posted on 5/30/26 at 5:14 am to Asleepinthecove
quote:
IMO, Milam is a great SS but if he makes it to the bigs, his position is more than likely going to be 2b. You just don’t traditionally see SS’s his size.
I would agree. Most of those guys who made it to mlb are or were not ss. Nola is a catcher of all positions. Most others moved to 2b or 3b.
Not sure of any of the guys who played significant time in mlb weren’t in other positions
Posted on 5/30/26 at 7:23 am to Madking
quote:
Russ Johnson - maybe the most underrated LSU baseball player of all time
He was kind of overshadowed by Todd Walker, who was such a pure hitter.
Posted on 5/30/26 at 8:04 am to NorthEndZone
Before '91, Jeff Reboulet was '85-86 made the Majors and I always felt was very underrated.
Posted on 5/30/26 at 10:11 am to LSUFanMizeWay
I remember Reboulet. He played when I started following LSU baseball as a student.
He hit .306 and .291 his two seasons at LSU and had 2607 plate appearances in 12 MLB seasons.
He hit .306 and .291 his two seasons at LSU and had 2607 plate appearances in 12 MLB seasons.
Posted on 5/30/26 at 10:26 am to NorthEndZone
quote:
1998-1999 - Josh Dalton - (A-) (.298, .294)
tGOAT
Posted on 5/30/26 at 10:29 am to NorthEndZone
I don't see Milam ever taking an AB in MLB.
Posted on 5/30/26 at 10:43 am to NorthEndZone
Very interesting thread - thanks for research and posting. Random thoughts:
DJ LeMahieu played 15 friggin years in MLB and was batting champ at least once, correct? I mean, he might actually be the most successful Tiger baseball player ever (will see if Skenes becomes that). Would Albert (Joey) Belle be considered the best Tiger in MLB?
As other posters have reminded us, Aaron Hill was crazy good and I think he led the majors in batting average here and there.
Russ Johnson was great in college AND a great pro.
These days would a coach stick with a Kramer Robertson or a Josh Smith and give them time to develop or would they be processed or replaced by a transfer after one year? Different time man…
DJ LeMahieu played 15 friggin years in MLB and was batting champ at least once, correct? I mean, he might actually be the most successful Tiger baseball player ever (will see if Skenes becomes that). Would Albert (Joey) Belle be considered the best Tiger in MLB?
As other posters have reminded us, Aaron Hill was crazy good and I think he led the majors in batting average here and there.
Russ Johnson was great in college AND a great pro.
These days would a coach stick with a Kramer Robertson or a Josh Smith and give them time to develop or would they be processed or replaced by a transfer after one year? Different time man…
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