Which 2026 deadline pitching candidate played college baseball for LSU?

Which 2026 deadline pitching candidate played college baseball for LSU? Kevin Gausman.

Kevin Gausman played two seasons for Louisiana State University before entering professional baseball. At LSU, the right-hander emerged as one of the top college pitchers in the country, combining a lively fastball with a developing split-changeup and strong strikeout ability.

The Baltimore Orioles selected Gausman fourth overall in the 2012 MLB draft. As a sophomore that season, he went 11–1 with a 2.72 ERA and 128 strikeouts in 115⅔ innings, numbers that made him the first pitcher chosen in that draft. He had originally been selected by the Dodgers in 2010 but chose LSU instead.

Gausman later became known for his split-finger fastball, a pitch that helped him succeed as both a starter and, briefly, a reliever. The LSU connection can be confused with other prominent college pitchers, but Gausman is the player among these options whose draft background is directly tied to the Tigers.