Jay Johnson says MLB Draft timing is positive for college baseball, LSU players

On July 9, the lives of baseball players across the country will change, with the 2023 MLB Draft taking place. Head coach Jay Johnson is no stranger to seeing his players get selected and will have quite a few from this year’s LSU team. However, the overall experience has changed, with the draft now taking place once the postseason is over.

Johnson was asked if that was a positive or negative, weighing his options. While his first overall instinct was to say negative, there was one thing he likes about the pushed-back MLB Draft.

“There are some massive negatives to college baseball to have it when they have it now,” Johnson said. “The one positive is — guys aren’t on their phones in the middle of the NCAA Tournament.”

Johnson went on to tell a story he heard from another program back in the day — he guessed Ole Miss — about a player who was going through the process. Despite his team being in the middle of a deciding Super Regional game, he had to step into the clubhouse to take a phone call.

“The starting pitcher from the game before had to excuse himself from the dugout in Game 3 of a Super Regional to talk to a pro team or agent, or something like that,” Johnson said. “That’s tough, man. That’s tough. That’s not a good position to put the players in.”

Jay Johnson talks about how MLB Draft would affect LSU

Had the MLB Draft been at its old time slot, LSU might have been in trouble. Johnson’s two best players are expected to be top three picks this summer, with Dylan Crews having the potential to go No. 1 overall and Paul Skenes not too far behind.

With a later date, Crews and Skenes can focus on winning a national championship back to Baton Rouge instead of the draft process. Plus, they will get to enjoy the moment of hearing their name called by Commissioner Rob Manfred, truly soaking in the experience.

“When you have players like we have here that they’re giving everything that they have to this thing, it’s nice for them to be able to that without thinking about (the draft). And then it’s also nice in July, when this is all wrapped up, they’ve earned that opportunity and they can really enjoy it. The more I think about it, the more I think it’s a really good thing.”

The post Jay Johnson says MLB Draft timing is positive for college baseball, LSU players appeared first on On3.