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Tennessee's Dylan Loy (37) pitches during a NCAA baseball game at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Tuesday, May 7, 2024. Tennessee won 6-3 against Queens. Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jay Johnson, LSU Baseball Linked to Pair of Impressive Transfer Portal Pitchers

Originally posted on LSU Tigers on SI | By Zack Nagy | Last updated Jun 28, 2025 3:35 PM ET

Jay Johnson and the LSU Tigers are in the midst of a critical stretch in Baton Rouge with the program looking to retool the roster ahead of the 2026 season.

The Tigers are coming off of a National Championship victory in 2025 with all focus now on reconstructing the roster in order to once again be in the title conversation next spring.

After taking down Coastal Carolina in Omaha to capture a College World Series Final win last weekend, the LSU staff immediately began hitting the recruiting scene with the program in reload mode.

"If you're a pitcher out there, high school or portal, you should want to come here largely because of Nate [Yeskie]. And Jamie Tutko is our director of pitching development and analytics and has helped take this thing to a new level as well," Johnson said after winning the title.

"We've got it all. We've got it all. I'm just really proud of that side of the ball. We had to elevate the talent in the LSU baseball program on the mound when I took over here. And we have and we've executed it at developing them as good as I ever would have dreamed of or imagined."

LSU has added a pair of left-handers this week with North Dakota State's Danny Lachenmayer and Tennessee's Ryler Smart pledging to the program.

BREAKING: LSU has landed a commitment from Tennessee LHP Ryler Smart, a source tells @LSUTigersSI.

Smart redshirted during his lone season with the Volunteers after signing as a Top-200 prospect.

Jay Johnson and Co. strike again in the portal with an SEC southpaw.

High upside. pic.twitter.com/VZNwNZDsGH
— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) June 26, 2025

Now, LSU has been linked to another pair of available transfer arms as they navigate their portal process.

No. 1: Dylan Loy - Pitcher [Tennessee]

LSU has reportedly been linked to Tennessee Volunteers left-handed pitcher Dylan Loy after he entered the NCAA Transfer Portal in June.

Loy went 6-0 with a 3.22 ERA in two seasons with the Volunteers while playing an important role with the program.

The talented southpaw struck out 73 batters in 64⅓ innings in 54 appearances with six starts across his two seasons in Knoxville.

TRANSFER NEWS: @Vol_Baseball LHP Dylan Loy is headed to the Transfer Portal, per @benmckee14. Loy had a 3.97 ERA in 34 innings this past season.

Profile: https://t.co/iJbo6ys2DS

Portal: https://t.co/ptcTrU3pVy https://t.co/vgeLV20Ann
— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) June 16, 2025

The left-handed pitcher led the Southeastern Conference with 33 appearances during his sophomore campaign in 2025.

He went 4-0 with two saves and a 3.97 ERA for the Volunteers where he struck out 36 batters and walked 11 in 34.0 innings this past season.

Now, the LSU Tigers have been in touch with the Volunteers left-hander as the program begins retooling the roster ahead of the 2026 season.

No. 2: Santiago Garcia - Pitcher [Oregon]

The talented southpaw appeared in 22 games in 2025 for the Ducks where he finished with a 3-0 record and an ERA of 4.18.

Garcia also recorded four saves where he served as one of the team’s relief pitchers; getting 28.0 innings of work to throw 38 strikeouts to only 18 walks.

Left-handed pitcher Santiago Garcia (@SantiagoIsBeast) entered the transfer portal from Oregon on Monday, according to @64Analytics. Last season, Garcia made 24 appearances for the Ducks, recording a 3-0 record, four saves, a 4.20 ERA, and a 12.00 K/9.pic.twitter.com/7Sr1tFHwdq
— PNW College Baseball Report (@PNW_CBR) June 24, 2025

Prior to making his way to join the Oregon Ducks, Garcia spent one season at Central Arizona Community College where he pitched 23.2 innings with a 3.04 ERA, striking out 38 batters.

Now, the talented left-hander will look for a new home this offseason with the LSU Tigers a potential destination after the program was linked this week.