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LSU baseball landed its first transfer portal commit of the cycle on Thursday, signing former Gonzaga pitcher Landon Hood. The 6-foot-3 right-hander hit the portal after one year with the Bulldogs and was one of the most sought-after pitchers available.
As a true freshman, Hood tossed 54.1 innings with a 2.48 ERA. He appeared in 16 games, four of which were starts. Hood's 2.55 FIP ranked 97th percentile and his 0.98 WHIP was 98th percentile.
Pitching was a significant portal need for the Tigers. LSU's pitching staff was inconsistent in 2026, ranking near the bottom of the SEC in several key categories. LSU's 5.72 ERA was 15th in the SEC and the Tigers' 298 walks were the most in the conference. A handful of LSU pitchers have already entered the portal and head coach Jay Johnson is looking to rebuild the arm with more talented arms.
Here are five things to know about LSU baseball's newest pitcher -- Landon Hood.
Hood was the 2026 West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year. He wasted no time carving out a role on the Gonzaga pitching staff. He played high school baseball in Arizona, a place where Jay Johnson has plenty of recruiting connections.
Hood's ERA was the best in the West Coast Conference and allowed only a .160 batting average. Hood will see a steep step up in competition in the SEC, but his gaudy numbers with Gonzaga indicate he's ready for it.
Hood averaged 13 strikeouts per nine innings with Gonzaga, totaling 86 Ks in his debut season. But what's more intriguing is his ability to command the ball while maintaining strikeout-level stuff. Hood averages 3.6 walks per nine. LSU's pitching staff will welcome that after the Tigers struggled to throw strikes in 2026. Hood gets the job done with a hard fastball and nasty change-up.
Coming out of the bullpen, Hood registered five saves in 2026. That means he recorded a save in five of his 16 appearances. With a hard fastball, his stuff plays well in high-leverage moments. His ability to generate the swing and miss allows coaches to trust him when working out of jams.
LSU benefited from the versatility of pitcher Zac Cowan in the last two seasons. Cowan transferred to LSU after a good year as a starter at Wofford, but with the Tigers, he found a role in the bullpen. That allowed Cowan to be one of the league's best closers while remaining available to start when needed. Hood can take on a similar role.
LSU returns all three pitchers from its 2025 opening series rotation, so the path to a starting job isn't clear for Hood, but that's not what LSU needs. The Tigers need Hood to be a guy who can deliver in a multitude of situations.
Even if Hood doesn't earn a starting job in 2027, he isn't draft eligible until 2028. That means LSU should get two years from the talented righty. LSU could lose Casan Evans, William Schmidt, and Cooper Moore after 2027 and require replacing the entire rotation. It would be nice to have some in-house options, like Hood will be at that point, to take over. This move wasn't just about 2027; it was about 2028, too.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU baseball signs transfer portal pitcher - 5 things to know
Continue reading...
As a true freshman, Hood tossed 54.1 innings with a 2.48 ERA. He appeared in 16 games, four of which were starts. Hood's 2.55 FIP ranked 97th percentile and his 0.98 WHIP was 98th percentile.
Pitching was a significant portal need for the Tigers. LSU's pitching staff was inconsistent in 2026, ranking near the bottom of the SEC in several key categories. LSU's 5.72 ERA was 15th in the SEC and the Tigers' 298 walks were the most in the conference. A handful of LSU pitchers have already entered the portal and head coach Jay Johnson is looking to rebuild the arm with more talented arms.
Here are five things to know about LSU baseball's newest pitcher -- Landon Hood.
Landon Hood was a breakout freshman with Gonzaga
Hood was the 2026 West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year. He wasted no time carving out a role on the Gonzaga pitching staff. He played high school baseball in Arizona, a place where Jay Johnson has plenty of recruiting connections.
Hood's ERA was the best in the West Coast Conference and allowed only a .160 batting average. Hood will see a steep step up in competition in the SEC, but his gaudy numbers with Gonzaga indicate he's ready for it.
Hood's strikeout rate was elite
Hood averaged 13 strikeouts per nine innings with Gonzaga, totaling 86 Ks in his debut season. But what's more intriguing is his ability to command the ball while maintaining strikeout-level stuff. Hood averages 3.6 walks per nine. LSU's pitching staff will welcome that after the Tigers struggled to throw strikes in 2026. Hood gets the job done with a hard fastball and nasty change-up.
Hood is comfortable in high-leverage situations
Coming out of the bullpen, Hood registered five saves in 2026. That means he recorded a save in five of his 16 appearances. With a hard fastball, his stuff plays well in high-leverage moments. His ability to generate the swing and miss allows coaches to trust him when working out of jams.
Hood brings flexibility to LSU's pitching staff
LSU benefited from the versatility of pitcher Zac Cowan in the last two seasons. Cowan transferred to LSU after a good year as a starter at Wofford, but with the Tigers, he found a role in the bullpen. That allowed Cowan to be one of the league's best closers while remaining available to start when needed. Hood can take on a similar role.
LSU returns all three pitchers from its 2025 opening series rotation, so the path to a starting job isn't clear for Hood, but that's not what LSU needs. The Tigers need Hood to be a guy who can deliver in a multitude of situations.
Hood has multiple years of eligibility left
Even if Hood doesn't earn a starting job in 2027, he isn't draft eligible until 2028. That means LSU should get two years from the talented righty. LSU could lose Casan Evans, William Schmidt, and Cooper Moore after 2027 and require replacing the entire rotation. It would be nice to have some in-house options, like Hood will be at that point, to take over. This move wasn't just about 2027; it was about 2028, too.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU baseball signs transfer portal pitcher - 5 things to know
Continue reading...
