LSU DAILY NEWS

With six games across four days at Tiger Park, LSU’s opening weekend becomes the first real opportunity to see how a nationally ranked team responds to different styles, different tempos, and early pressure. From Power-4 physicality to a 40-win mid-major, this field is designed to test sharpness — not just talent.

Few prospects in the 2028 class check as many boxes as AJ Davis out of Denham Springs, Louisiana. Highly touted and preparing to be heavily recruited come September 1st of this year, when coaches can start officially recruiting 2028 juniors. Davis’s game is built on a rare combination of confidence, discipline, speed, and versatility — traits that consistently show up both in the stat line and in high-pressure moments.

This installment of the watchlist highlights a group of athletes whose games already scale beyond their age group — players performing against elite competition while continuing to add layers to their development. From nationally recognized headliners to Louisiana-grown difference makers, this group represents the type of early evaluations college staffs monitor closely. Spoiler there are no pitchers in this group, next series will be pitcher heavy.

head coach Beth Torina made clear, this season will not be defined by what LSU already knows — it will be shaped by leadership growth, pitching depth, and relentless competition throughout the roster.