LSU RHP Thatcher Hurd enters NCAA Transfer Portal

LSU pitcher and former UCLA Bruin Thatcher Hurd has once again decided to enter the NCAA transfer portal following the 2024 season, On3 has learned.

A Manhattan Beach native from the Los Angeles area, Hurd spent one year at UCLA before transferring to LSU, where he spent the past two seasons, posting a 5.68 and 6.58 ERA in those years. Now, he’ll evaluate portal options once again.

Hurd is also a candidate to sign professionally, as he is eligible for the 2024 MLB Draft.

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Hurd put together a very promising freshman campaign back in 2022, appearing in nine games and starting six of them to finish with a 2-0 record and 1.06 ERA. Unfortunately, that still stands as by far his best season, as the transition to the SEC, plus a heavier work load, led to much worse performance in 2023 and 2024.

He did deal with an injury which cut that terrific freshman year short, and since, the ERA has been in the 5-6 range. With one more year left to play at least, Hurd will be hoping to return to prior form.

LSU hires Josh Simpson

He’s coming home. After one year coaching at Georgia, former LSU baseball staffer Josh Simpson is returning to Baton Rouge to be an assistant coach for Jay Johnson.

Here was LSU’s release announcing the news on Monday morning:

“Josh Simpson, the director of baseball operations for LSU’s 2023 National Championship team, is returning to the Tigers as assistant coach, head coach Jay Johnson announced on Monday. Simpson worked during the 2024 season as assistant coach at Georgia, where he helped lead the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament No. 7 National Seed and the NCAA Athens Regional title.”

Johnson is certainly happy to have Simpson back in the fold and provided the following quotes on the move:

“I am really excited to bring Josh back to LSU as a member of our coaching staff. Josh is an elite evaluator, and will help us continue to bring the nation’s top players to Baton Rouge both from the high school ranks and the transfer portal.

“He was an instrumental member of our staff for the 2023 National Championship team, and he did a terrific job at Georgia this past year. I am looking forward to getting Josh back in our dugout and program, and our players will benefit tremendously with him being back in the purple and gold.”

What a solid addition for the Tigers.