LSU baseball outfielder Brayden Jobert will not return to LSU in 2024 and sign his contract with the St. Louis Cardinals organization instead, he announced Monday on Instagram.
Jobert posted a .301 batting average and a 1.005 on-base plus slugging percentage for the Tigers this past season, starting every game at the 2023 College World Series. The Cardinals selected Jobert in the 12th round on the third day of the 2023 MLB Draft on Tuesday.
“I will carry the Purple and Gold love for the rest of my life,” Jobert wrote.
Without Jobert and Dylan Crews, who was selected by the Washington Nationals with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, the Tigers will be without two starting outfielders from their national championship run in Omaha.
Rising sophomore Paxton Kling and Arizona transfer and rising fifth-year senior Mac Bingham will be the leading candidates in replacing Jobert and Crews. Rising junior Josh Pearson is the lone returning starter.
LSU also has rising sophomores Mic Paul and Zeb Ruddell and freshmen Derrick Mitchell, Griffin Cooley and Dallas Dale II as likely backups. Freshman Ashton Larson, who was picked in the 20th round by the Minnesota Twins, would likely be a top backup option if he decides not to sign with Minnesota.
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Koki Riley covers LSU sports for The Daily Advertiser. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter at @KokiRiley
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU baseball: Brayden Jobert departs for MLB, St. Louis Cardinals