Louisiana State University baseball and Major League Baseball have an interesting tie that could impact the future of baseball development.
Aside from being a renowned collegiate powerhouse that consistently pumps out big league talent (Paul Skenes, anyone?) the seven-time College World Series champs also serve as a home to multiple MLB Develops program alums and soon-to-be alums.
Four LSU commits participated in the 2025 Breakthrough Series, which took place this past weekend and featured standout athletes from across the country. And a few of the Breakthrough participants are sure to turn their attention to the NCAA Men's College World Series, which begins Friday.
Aside from taking in the normal glamour and allure of the College World Series, a handful of the Breakthrough athletes will get a glimpse at their possible future team -- the LSU Tigers -- whose roster currently holds two MLB Develops alums, but a bevy of commitments for the future.
The four Breakthrough Series players committed to LSU are outfielders Anthony Murphy and Nate Davis, along with first basemen Will Adams and Dylan Minnatee -- all juniors in the class of 2026.
This talented group represents not just the future of LSU baseball, but also the present of the MLB Develops program. And they are carrying that grassroots and gritty athletic spirit into the next stage of their playing careers.
“I chose it for the brotherhood, but also I chose it for the opportunity to develop and just be in a great area and school,” Murphy said.
The outfielder from California is looking forward to having familiar faces alongside him when he makes his way down south for college ball.
“It’s honestly a blessing that we are able to be together because not only have I played against them, but now I have the opportunity to play with them,” Murphy said. “To go to the same college and try and win a victory in Omaha, I think it's amazing.”
Even with the winning history and prestige surrounding the LSU baseball program, there are still many factors a young recruit must take into consideration before committing. But for Adams, the reason was simple.
“I decided to commit there because of their track record, and to me, they’re currently the best program in the nation,” he said. “From MLB Develops on the field, I'm going to take their emphasis on doing all the little things right. … I'm going to try to take that to LSU.”
A championship mindset is a must-have for young recruits hoping to make a name for themselves, especially playing for a program as successful as LSU, and the future Tigers are already manifesting trophies.
“Our group chat is literally named ‘The Future National Champions,’ so I think that's kind of our main goal, even though we're not even there yet,” Adams said.
With the talent shared between this group of players, a College World Series berth and even a championship are very real possibilities -- and would come as no surprise to those who work with these young athletes.
“They’re a very special group in various different ways,” said Kindu Jones, senior manager of baseball development at MLB. “Those guys can pretty much do a little bit of everything and impact the game in so many different ways.”
Jones and his team are the operating branch behind all MLB Develops baseball programs, and Jones sees, first-hand, the work and dedication put into the development programs and the talent of the players that pass through them.
“We started back in 2015. Now we are a decade in, and now we're starting to see from the seeds that were in the dirt,” Jones said. “Now, the trees are starting to grow, the grass is starting to get a little bit greener, and we're starting to see our players reach the potential that we dreamed of.”
The rest of the baseball world is seeing this potential also, with recruits from the MLB Develops programs committing to more competitive and decorated college athletic programs than ever before -- like LSU.
“What MLB has brought about, I think, is really, really cool,” Josh Jordan, LSU assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, said in a phone interview with MLB.com. “I think any college baseball program, LSU included, should recruit from MLB Develops because it's always going to have a lot of power.
“Coaches are in this to see others achieve their best version of themselves and have a chance to attain their goals.”
And for young athletes with high aspirations, these goals, however lofty they may be, are attainable through their continued effort and discipline in their craft.
This group of young athletes represents the present and future of the MLB development programs, and with over half a dozen MLB Develops alums making it on to College World Series rosters, the future seems like it has arrived.