Cade Doughty

Doughty has been a pillar for LSU baseball since arriving on campus in the fall of 2019. Following the shortened Covid spring in 2020, Doughty’s second year in the purple and gold was an impressive one. He hit .308 with 13 doubles and 11 home runs. The 2022 campaign began where 2021 ended. With Doughty adding strength to his frame, the 6-foot-1 195-pound righthanded hitter has worked himself into a solid-average raw power grade, driving balls into gaps with higher exit velocities than seen before, adding additional power to an already-potent LSU lineup. Doughty stands in with a slight crouch and the barrel rested on his shoulder. Prior to the release of the pitch, he likes to sink in to his lower half before letting his hands work. Doughty doesn’t possess the lightning-quick bat speed seen in other high-round prospects, but more times than not, his timing is right, and his barrel stays in the zone with slight lift and proper extension. He has expanded the zone a bit more in 2022, as the punchouts increased from a year ago, with 49 in 238 at-bats. Seeing a heavy dose of plus sliders with high-velocity fastballs that the SEC has to offer, Doughty has proven in his time at Baton Rouge he can perform against the country’s top arms. When his plate discipline is on point, he is in the discussion of the upper-tier bats in this year’s class. On the defensive side, the Tigers have used Doughty primarily at second base with a start at third on occasion. His range isn’t quite there for shortstop, but his solid-average arm is more than capable to handle third. There is room for improvement on the dirt—Doughty has a .931 fielding percentage—but his athleticism and baseball IQ are enough to be hopeful that Doughty will be able to stay on the infield moving forward. An average runner, Doughty won’t collect a high number of stolen bases but will capitalize on defensive mishaps as he has throughout his career at LSU. Doughty is a gritty, high-makeup player on and off the field. He suffered a dislocated shoulder diving after a grounder in late May, but made it back for regionals. Look for Doughty to come off the board quickly in July due to the resume he’s produced in college baseball’s toughest conference.