Breakdown of 16 former LSU stars ready for Thursday’s start of the 2020 major league season

The start of the better-late-than-never 2020 major league baseball season is set for Thursday.

There are 16 former LSU players (including seven pitchers) on 10 teams included in the 60-player pools per team.

The 60-game MLB regular-season schedule will conclude in late September. The postseason is slated to begin shortly after the regular season and is scheduled to conclude by November 1.

Here’s the breakdown of the former Tigers ready to play ball this week after being idle for four months because of the coronavirus pandemic:

DETROIT TIGERS (3)

OF JaCoby Jones (last played at LSU in 2013, 3^rd round pick of Pittsburgh Pirates): Four years MLB experience, all with Detroit. Has played in 286 regular season games, .211 batting average with 25 HR, 75 RBI.

P Zach Hess (last played at LSU in 2019, 7^th round pick of Detroit): Threw 27.2 innings in 22 games for three teams last summer in his first and only year in the minors. Was 1-1 in 27.2 innings with 10 saves, 2.60 ERA, 33 strikeouts and 18 walks. Last 16 games were at Class A West Michigan where had seven saves in 21 innings.

P Alex Lange: (last played at LSU in 2017, No. 30 overall 1^st round pick of Chicago Cubs): Has played 54 games in three minor league seasons for four teams, last season in Class AA with two teams. Played in 54 games with 45 starts, 11-22 record in 232 innings pitched, 4.54 ERA, 94 strikeouts and 53 walks.

HOUSTON ASTROS (2)

3B Alex Bregman (last played at LSU in 2015, No. 2 overall 1^st round pick of Houston): Has played four seasons, 517 regular season games with a .286 batting average, 320 RBI, 99 HR. Has played in 44 postseason games in nine series with a .231 batting average, 27 RBI, 10 HR. Last season hit .296 with 112 RBI, 41 HR, drew an American League-leading 119 walks and finished second in AL MVP voting.

C Michael Papierski (last played at LSU in 2017, 7^th round pick of Houston): Has played for three teams in three minor league seasons, 238 games with a .210 batting average, 83 RBI, 17 HR, 53 of 117 (31 percent) caught stealing. Last year played 108 games for Class A Fayetteville in the Carolina League, batted. 233 with 38 RBI, 7 HR.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS (2)

P Will Harris (last played at LSU in 2006, 9^th round pick of Colorado Rockies): Has played eight MLB seasons, the last five with the Astros before signing a 3-year, $20 million deal in January with the defending World Series champions. Has appeared in 92 regular season games with 396.1 innings pitched, a 23-18 record, 20 saves, 2.84 ERA, 422 strikeouts and 22 walks. Has appeared in 23 postseason games in nine series with a 0-2 record, a save, 16 strikeouts and 3 walks in 17.2 innings,

OF Andrew Stevenson (last played at LSU in 2015, 2nd round pick of Washington): Has played three MLB seasons and 124 games for the Nationals with a .241 career batting average, 14 RBI, 1 HR. Has one fielding error in 59 chances. Has appeared in one playoff game, scoring a run.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (2)

P Aaron Nola (last played at LSU in 2014, No. 7 overall 1^st round pick of Philadelphia): Has played five MLB seasons with 127 starts in 127 appearances, 53-35 record and 3.49 EA in 771.1 innings, 826 strikeouts, 235 walks. Last year was 12-7 in a National League-leading 34 starts, 202.1 inning pitched, 229 strikeouts, 80 walks.

OF Mikey Mahtook (last played at LSU in 2011, No. 31 overall 1^st round pick of Tampa Bay): Has played five MLB seasons and 271 games (223 starts) for two teams with a .235 career batting average, 97 RBI, 33 HRs and 8 errors in 547 fielding chances. Spent most of last season with Class AAA Toledo, batting. 223 with 91 RBI and 7 HR.

SEATTLE MARINERS (2)

1B Austin Nola (last played at LSU in 2011, No. 31 overall 1^st round pick of Tampa Bay): Played an incredible 773 minor league games for nine teams in eight seasons batting .252 with 299 RBI and 22 HR before he finally got the call from the majors a year ago on June 13. For the Mariners, he played in 71 games, started five different positions, batted .269 with 31 RBI and 10 HR.

OF Jake Fraley, (last played at LSU in 2016, 2^nd round pick of Tampa Bay): Has played 250 minor league games for five teams in four seasons, batting .286 with 153 RBI and 26 HR. Was promoted to majors late last season, playing in 12 games for Seattle batting .150 with 1 RBI.

NEW YORK YANKEES (1)

INF DJ LaMahieu (last played at LSU in 2019, 2^nd round pick of Chicago Cubs): Has played 1100 regular season games in nine MLB seasons with three teams, batting .302 with 451 RBI and 75 HR. Also has played 14 postseason games in five series in three seasons, batting .267 with 7 RBI and 3 HR. Last year in his first season with the Yankees, he batted .327 in the regular season with 102 RBI and 26 HR, then hit .325 with 7 RBI and 3 HR in nine postseason games in two series. Started games at second base, first base and third base. Has finished with a .300 or more batting average four of the last five seasons.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (1)

P Kevin Gausman (last played at LSU in 2012, No. 4 overall 1st round pick of Baltimore Orioles): Has pitched seven years in MLB for three teams with 154 regular starts in 191 appearances and 925.2 innings pitched, a 47-63 record, 4.30 ERA, 855 strikeouts and 280 walks. Has appeared in four postseason games in three series, 0-0 record, 2.70 ERA in 10 innings pitched, 11 strikeouts and 4 walks. Last season pitching for Cincinnati, he was 0-2 in 22.1 innings in 15 games and had 29 strikeouts and 5 walks.

OAKLAND ATHLETICS (1)

OF Greg Deichmann (last played at LSU in 2017, 2nd round pick of Oakland): Has played 184 games in three minor league seasons for five teams, batting .232 with 94 RBi, 26 HR.

TEXAS RANGERS (1)

P Nick Goody (last played at LSU in 2012, 6th round pick of New York Yankees): Has played MLB seasons with two teams, no starts in 141 games with 141.2 innings, 4-6 record, 3.81 ERA, no saves, 171 strikeouts and 62 walks. Last season playing for the Cleveland Indians, he appeared in 68 games, pitched 40.2 innings, was 4-6 with a 3.81 ERA, 50 strikeouts and 22 walks.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (1)

P Riley Smith (last played at LSU in 2016, 24^th round pick of Arizona): Has played in four minor league seasons for five teams with 66 starts in 98 appearances, 423.1 innings pitched, a 23-16 record, 2 saves, a 3.64 ERA, 372 strikeouts and 108 walks.