Jay Johnson and the LSU baseball staff continue working through the offseason with nearly double-digit NCAA Transfer Portal entries since the 2024 season ended last week.
On Tuesday, the list grew after a pair of key contributors announced their intentions to depart the program: Outfielder Paxton Kling and right-handed pitcher Sam Dutton.
For Kling, he was one of the highest-rated prospects in LSU baseball history after signing with the Tigers as the No. 6 prospect in America according to Perfect Game.
The 2022 signee dominated at the high school ranks but his approach at the plate didn’t translate to SEC play.
Kling ended his first season in Baton Rouge hitting .289 as a freshman and .222 during the 2024 campaign
The coveted outfielder will have two seasons of eligibility remaining at his next destination. He saw significant playing time as a true freshman in 2023 as a key defensive piece before seeing his time in the field decline in 2024.
He started off the season in the leadoff slot before the outfield rotation of Josh Pearson, Jake Brown (freshman) and Ashton Larson (freshman) took shape.
Kling served as a defensive replacement in late-inning situations for much of the 2024 season.
For Dutton, his departure is a big one for the Tigers with Johnson’s program now losing a handful of arms this offseason.
A starter for LSU during his time in Baton Rouge, Dutton posted a 6.02 ERA in three seasons for the Tigers.
He started in 15 games in Baton Rouge and logged a 5.86 ERA in the 2024 season while also earning the start LSU’s final game of the season in the Chapel Hill Regional against North Carolina.
After three seasons with LSU, Dutton now departs in search of a new home for his final season of eligibility.
Dutton is the ninth LSU player to enter the transfer portal over the last eight days and the fifth pitcher, joining right-hander Micah Bucknam, left-hander Cam Johnson, left-hander Nic Bronzini and right-hander Aiden Moffett.
The LSU Departures:
Cam Johnson: Left-Handed Pitcher
Johnson is the most significant loss yet, not due to his current performance but because of his high potential. As a top 50 overall prospect from high school, he was one of LSU’s highest-ranked recruits to ever attend. Although picked late in the 2023 MLB Draft, Johnson decided to forgo a professional career then, opting instead to join Jay Johnson and the Tigers in Baton Rouge.
Johnson struggled with command issues at the start of the season and couldn’t find his rhythm in his first year with the program. In just nine innings, he walked 16 batters, threw four wild pitches, and allowed 12 earned runs on only five hits.
He participated in only six Southeastern Conference games during his single season with the reigning National Champions.
Since the season concluded last week, three relief pitchers from LSU have entered the NCAA Transfer Portal.
Aiden Moffett: Right-Handed Pitcher
LSU right-handed pitcher Aiden Moffett has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal after two seasons in Baton Rouge, he announced on social media on Wednesday.
Moffett took to X (Twitter) to post his announcement that he would be departing the program, ending with the statement, “Forever LSU.”
The coveted sophomore took a significant jump in his production during year two with the LSU program. Moffett played in only one game during his freshman campaign in 2023, but took that next step in 2024.
Moffett saw more time out of the LSU bullpen in his sophomore season. He went 0-1 with a 5.60 ERA in 16 appearances, striking out 21 and walking 12 in 17 2/3 innings.
It’s rare to have a second-year pitcher clocking 98 mph on the radar gun and Moffett has done it on a routine basis. A power pitcher, his fastball played a pivotal role in his success with the Tigers.
Moffett saw time during the Chapel Hill Regional for the Tigers after earning a slot on the postseason roster.
The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder will be a sought-after transfer with two years of eligibility at his next destination.
Micah Bucknam: Right-Handed Pitcher
LSU right-handed pitcher Micah Bucknam has announced his intentions to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal after just two seasons with the Tigers.
The decision came just one day after LSU was bounced from the Chapel Hill Regional after coming up short against the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Regional Final.
Bucknam appeared in eight games out of the bullpen during the 2024 season where he pieced together a 7.00 ERA with 10 strikeouts and three walks over the course of nine innings. He allowed seven earned runs on 12 hits this year during his second season in Baton Rouge.
The sophomore pitcher revealed his decision via social media last Tuesday:
Over the past 2+ years, I got to call LSU home,” he said. “To my teammates, coaches and fans, thank you. Thanks for welcoming me and allowing me to be part of something special. We got to experience what I dreamt of, winning a national championship.
“With that being said and after great reflection, I have decided to enter the transfer portal. I look forward to competing and continuing to play the sport I love.”
In his true freshman season in 2023, Bucknam appeared in eight games as a reliever during LSU’s National Championship run led by Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews, among others.
Now, he’s hit the Transfer Portal in search of a new home after spending the last two seasons under Jay Johnson and the Tigers.
The Other Departures:
Zeb Ruddell: Outfield
Ruddell, a Top 5 player in Louisiana less than two years ago, announced he would depart the program after a short stint in Baton Rouge. The redshirt freshman saw limited chances at the plate and will now look for a team where he can make an immediate impact moving forward.