Next man up: Antoine Duplantis follows a storied tradition of great No. 8s for LSU Baseball
LSU Baseball announced outfielder Antoine Duplantis as the next player to wear the No. 8 jersey in the 2018 season Monday, an honor given each season to an upperclassmen who exemplifies the spirit of LSU Baseball through his leadership and dedication to the program.
Duplantis joins a who's who list of former LSU players to wear the number. Here's a look at the five players that came before Duplantis.
MIKIE MAHTOOK (2009-2011)
Outfielder Mikie Mahtook started the tradition of wearing the number 8, donning the number from the 2009-2011 seasons.
Regarded as one of the best players in LSU history, Mahtook had a career .344 batting average at LSU and ranks second in the school's record book for triples (12) and fifth in stolen bases (60).
He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the first round of the 2011 MLB Draft. He currently plays for the Detroit Tigers and is posting a .268 batting average with four home runs, 16 RBIs and a stolen base this season.
- Advocate staff photo by PATRICK DENNIS
MASON KATZ (2012-2013)
First baseman Mason Katz was the second LSU player to wear the number 8 during the 2012-2013 seasons.
Katz' had a stellar four-year career with the Tigers, finishing with a career .341 batting average and holding the ninth spot in career doubles (52) and 10th spot in RBIs (180). He was the runner-up to rising New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge in the 2012 College Home Run Derby.
Katz was drafted in the fourth round of the 2013 MLB Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. He's currently playing for the Springfield Cardinals, St. Louis' Double-A affiliate.
- AP Photo/Eric Francis
ALEX BREGMAN (2014-2015)
Shortstop Alex Bregman wore number 8 for the Tigers from 2014-2015.
Bregman carved out an electrifying three year tenure at LSU that culminated in him being selected the NO. 2 overall pick by the Houston Astros in the 2015 MLB Draft.
A career .337 hitter, Bregman also racked up 56 doubles, 8th in the school record books, and his 38 steals in the 2015 season rank as the second-highest single-season total in school history.
Bregman is playing in his first full MLB season with the Astros this season, batting .244 with 65 hits, 31 runs, eight home runs, 26 RBIs and six stolen bases.
- Advocate staff photo by HILARY SCHEINUK
JAKE FRALEY (2016)
Outfielder Jake Fraley was the fourth player to wear No. 8 for LSU, and the first to wear it for just one season.
Described as a 'five-tool player,' Fraley played for three years, notching a .328 career batting average with 28 doubles, 12 triples, 10 home runs, 142 runs, 100 RBIs and 59 steals, seventh in the school's record book, and won the 2016 Skip Bertman Award.
Fraley was drafted in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays, and he currently plays for the organization's Class A Advanced club, the Charlotte Stone Crabs.
COLE FREEMAN (2017)
The most recent No. 8, second baseman Cole Freeman wore the No. 8 for the 2017 season.
Freeman played two seasons at LSU and was an integral part to the Tigers' run to the Championship Series of the College World Series this season.
Freeman batted .315 in his final campaign for the Tigers with 85 hits, 54 runs, 14 doubles, two triples, two home runs, 41 RBIs and 19 stolen bases.
He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals.
- Advocate staff photo by HILARY SCHEINUK
ANTOINE DUPLANTIS (2018)
LSU announced outfielder Antoine Duplantis as the next man to wear the No. 8 jersey for the 2018 season -- his third year with the Tigers.
Duplantis was a Freshman All-American and Freshman All-SEC award winner in 2016, and was named to the 2017 All-Louisiana Second Team.
He held a .316 batting for the Tigers in the 2017 season with 90 hits, 50 runs, 14 doubles, two triples, two home runs, 61 RBIS and 19 stolen bases.
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MIKIE MAHTOOK (2009-2011)
Outfielder Mikie Mahtook started the tradition of wearing the number 8, donning the number from the 2009-2011 seasons.
Regarded as one of the best players in LSU history, Mahtook had a career .344 batting average at LSU and ranks second in the school's record book for triples (12) and fifth in stolen bases (60).
He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the first round of the 2011 MLB Draft. He currently plays for the Detroit Tigers and is posting a .268 batting average with four home runs, 16 RBIs and a stolen base this season.
- Advocate staff photo by PATRICK DENNIS
MASON KATZ (2012-2013)
First baseman Mason Katz was the second LSU player to wear the number 8 during the 2012-2013 seasons.
Katz' had a stellar four-year career with the Tigers, finishing with a career .341 batting average and holding the ninth spot in career doubles (52) and 10th spot in RBIs (180). He was the runner-up to rising New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge in the 2012 College Home Run Derby.
Katz was drafted in the fourth round of the 2013 MLB Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. He's currently playing for the Springfield Cardinals, St. Louis' Double-A affiliate.
- AP Photo/Eric Francis
ALEX BREGMAN (2014-2015)
Shortstop Alex Bregman wore number 8 for the Tigers from 2014-2015.
Bregman carved out an electrifying three year tenure at LSU that culminated in him being selected the NO. 2 overall pick by the Houston Astros in the 2015 MLB Draft.
A career .337 hitter, Bregman also racked up 56 doubles, 8th in the school record books, and his 38 steals in the 2015 season rank as the second-highest single-season total in school history.
Bregman is playing in his first full MLB season with the Astros this season, batting .244 with 65 hits, 31 runs, eight home runs, 26 RBIs and six stolen bases.
- Advocate staff photo by HILARY SCHEINUK
JAKE FRALEY (2016)
Outfielder Jake Fraley was the fourth player to wear No. 8 for LSU, and the first to wear it for just one season.
Described as a 'five-tool player,' Fraley played for three years, notching a .328 career batting average with 28 doubles, 12 triples, 10 home runs, 142 runs, 100 RBIs and 59 steals, seventh in the school's record book, and won the 2016 Skip Bertman Award.
Fraley was drafted in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays, and he currently plays for the organization's Class A Advanced club, the Charlotte Stone Crabs.
COLE FREEMAN (2017)
The most recent No. 8, second baseman Cole Freeman wore the No. 8 for the 2017 season.
Freeman played two seasons at LSU and was an integral part to the Tigers' run to the Championship Series of the College World Series this season.
Freeman batted .315 in his final campaign for the Tigers with 85 hits, 54 runs, 14 doubles, two triples, two home runs, 41 RBIs and 19 stolen bases.
He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals.
- Advocate staff photo by HILARY SCHEINUK
ANTOINE DUPLANTIS (2018)
LSU announced outfielder Antoine Duplantis as the next man to wear the No. 8 jersey for the 2018 season -- his third year with the Tigers.
Duplantis was a Freshman All-American and Freshman All-SEC award winner in 2016, and was named to the 2017 All-Louisiana Second Team.
He held a .316 batting for the Tigers in the 2017 season with 90 hits, 50 runs, 14 doubles, two triples, two home runs, 61 RBIS and 19 stolen bases.
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LSU announced Monday that rising junior Antoine Duplantis will be the next Tiger to wear the…