Wyatt Langford, B.T. Riopelle share initial thoughts on LSU's style of play

As the Florida Gators get ready to take on the LSU Tigers in the College World Series Final, several key Gators like Wyatt Langford and B.T. Riopelle shared their initial thoughts on LSU’s style of play.

As Langford explained, LSU is tough on both sides of the ball, making the Tigers a tough matchup.

“LSU obviously is a very historically good program,” Langford said. “Just like their lineup is very good and one of the best in the country. And their pitching staff is also good. Kind of makes sense that we match up with them for this championship series. We’re all excited to get playing.”

B.T. Riopelle added to that, saying that they are a well coached team that feeds off its emotions.

“Like Wyatt said, LSU is a historically blue blood program in college baseball I feel they always have been and will be,” Riopelle said. “Their program is in great hands with a great coach in Jay Johnson. They play with a lot of passion, a lot of fire. They feed off their crowd that they have every night when they play at home, and their crowd travels well when they play on the road.”

This is why Riopelle thinks LSU is in the position that they’re in now.

“So they definitely have the blueprint for a team that they have right now to play in the position they are right now. And I think that’s why they’re in the position they are.”

Josh Rivera also chimed in, praising LSU’s coaching and team depth. Rivera also pointed out how exciting the series is going to be.

“To piggyback off of them, like BT said, they’re coached really well. They play with a lot of fire and intensity. Like Wyatt said, they’ve got a really deep bullpen and a very deep lineup. It’s going to be very exciting to see us against them in the championship, for sure.”

MLB Network broke down Wyatt Langford

Wyatt Langford is going to be a high MLB Draft pick this year. Ahead of the draft, MLB Network broke down his unique and powerful swing.

“He’s a really interesting kid for me, because he’s more of a throwback type of guy for me,” Dan O’Dowd said. “Like if you watched games in the ’60s or ’70s or ’80s, his physical approach to the game reminds me of a player from that era. And he has just jumped. He’s a physical freak, like you can see. Like this kid is really strong.”

O’Dowd emphasized that it’s hard to find a good comparison for Langford. He’s unique, like a unicorn in this draft class.

“What I like about him are his short arms. His short arms, I feel, makes him so direct and quick to the ball that he can even be fooled with a pitch and still do damage with it. He looks different than a high pick. Like when you try to do a player comp on him, he looks like a Brian Downing. It’s not a real easy comp but I wouldn’t discount the fact that he also has electric hand speed and he’s very, very direct to the ball and he gets unique lag because it doesn’t really go into a lag position. It’s more from the head directly to the ball,” O’Dowd said.

“So, he’s like a unicorn. He’s a different looking player.”