LSU pitcher Kade Anderson is expected to be a top-three MLB draft prospect and in Game 1 of the College World Series Finals, he showed exactly why.
Anderson became the third pitcher to throw a complete nine-inning shutout in the current 22-year era of the MCWS finals. To make matters even more impressive, he did so against a Coastal Carolina team that was riding high on a 26-game win streak.
Although proud, LSU head coach Jay Johnson wasn’t surprised to see Anderson put the Tigers one win away from claiming their eighth World Series title.
“That’s what we’ve seen all year,” Johnson said. “He’s the best pitcher in the country, and he did it again tonight.”
This wasn’t new to the Tigers. The 20-year-old threw his first career complete-game shutout earlier this season against Oklahoma, which made him the first LSU pitcher to do so since 2018.
Johnson is confident that Anderson’s success this season will lead to him being the first name called on draft night.
“His next pitch should be for someplace in the Washington Nationals organization,” Johnson said, referring to the Nationals having the No. 1 pick in the draft. “It’s not close.”
On Saturday, Anderson limited Coastal Carolina to just three hits and recorded 10 strikeouts with his 130 pitches, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing on the mound. He allowed five walks and hit the same batter twice, the first of which came in the third inning.
“I went down to say a little something to him [in the third inning], and he said. ‘I’ll settle in,’” Johnson said.
That poise allowed Anderson to pitch six more innings, completing the shutout, and showing similarities to those of former LSU pitcher and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB draft, Paul Skenes.
“We had the best pitcher on the planet two years ago [Skenes] in a similar situation, and I felt like Kade’s had a very similar season,” Johnson said. “I think the commonality between the two is the person. The character, the toughness, the team-first attitude.”
Johnson and the Tigers won’t be surprised if they see another LSU pitcher be drafted first overall this year, nor will they be surprised to see Anderson thrive in the big leagues the same way that Skenes has already done.
“I’m glad [Anderson] did that tonight, so everybody got to see what we’ve seen and known for an entire season,” Johnson said.