LSU Shortstop Steven Milam Leads Talented Infield

Milam returns as the anchor of the Tigers' defense after helping lead the team to a national championship in 2025.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 8:23am

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LSU baseball is losing nearly its entire starting infield from its 2025 national championship team, but the Tigers have a star returning at shortstop in Steven Milam. Milam, a fan favorite known for his flashy play and hairstyles, is one of the best defensive shortstops in the country and had a strong postseason at the plate in 2025. While the Tigers will have some holes to fill elsewhere in the infield, they have two highly touted freshman shortstop prospects in Ethan Clauss and Jack Ruckert who could compete for starting jobs in 2027.

Why it matters

Milam's return gives LSU stability and star power at a key position as the Tigers look to defend their national title. The development of Clauss and Ruckert will also be crucial in determining the long-term future of LSU's infield.

The details

Steven Milam is back for his junior season after hitting .295 with 11 home runs and 57 RBIs in 2025. He was an All-CWS Tournament team selection after hitting .350 in Omaha to help lead LSU to the national championship. Milam is known for his flashy play and hairstyles, and is considered one of the best defensive shortstops in college baseball. True freshmen Ethan Clauss and Jack Ruckert were both highly touted shortstop prospects coming out of high school, and they will compete for playing time in the Tigers' infield in the coming years.

  • Milam helped lead LSU to the 2025 national championship.
  • Milam is returning for his junior season in 2026.

The players

Steven Milam

A junior shortstop and fan favorite at LSU, known for his flashy play and hairstyles. Milam is considered one of the best defensive shortstops in college baseball and had a strong postseason at the plate in 2025 to help lead the Tigers to the national championship.

Ethan Clauss

A highly touted freshman shortstop prospect who was ranked the No. 65 overall college freshman coming into the 2026 season. Clauss will compete with fellow freshman Jack Ruckert for playing time in LSU's infield in the coming years.

Jack Ruckert

A highly touted freshman shortstop prospect who is expected to compete with Ethan Clauss for playing time in LSU's infield in the coming years.

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The takeaway

With the return of star shortstop Steven Milam and the arrival of two highly touted freshman shortstop prospects, LSU's infield is in good hands as the Tigers look to defend their national championship in 2026 and build for the future.