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Jared Jones declares Steven Milam 'the best shortstop in the country'

Danby: Daniel Hager06/13/25DanielHagerOn3
Jared-Jones-declares-Steven Milam-the-best-shortstop-in-the-country
© Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

LSU second baseman Steven Milam burst onto the college baseball scene last season, hitting for a .326 average with 12 doubles, eight home runs and 40 RBI in his freshman campaign. He was named a 2024 First-Team Freshman All-American and was selected to the 2024 Freshman All-SEC team.

This season, however, Milam was shifted to shortstop (his natural position). This has been a welcome change, as the Las Cruces, N.M. has evolved into one of the best defensive players in the sport. This season, Milam has made just five errors on 71 putouts (0.977 FLD%) for an LSU team that is making its second appearance in three years at the College World Series.

Milam shifted from second base to shortstop preseason

Head coach Jay Johnson detailed Milam’s position shift at Thursday’s Men’s College World Series Media Day Press Conference. Johnson explained more in depth.

“It was an interesting dynamic, because we were looking at it hard in the fall,” Johnson said.” Right about the time we were going to really go for it and go, like, this is what we’re doing for three weeks, he actually got really sick and missed the last three weeks of the fall. So I actually didn’t get the look I wanted to say this is what we’re going to do and stamp it. And then it was going to be ‘you’re going to go to the left side’. We wanted to move Daniel [Dickinson] to second base because I thought that was best for him and best for our team. And it was going to be a shortstop/third base thing with Michael [Braswell III].

“Probably about 10 days into scrimmages in the spring, I made up my mind that’s what we were going to do. [Steven]’s had the best defensive season of any shortstop I’ve ever coached. I think he only has four errors. One of them was in game one of the super regional. And he didn’t make the play — it was almost kind of weird because he has been so good. And he has really, really lifted our team. You heard Kade [Anderson] talking about the confidence he has in the defense. A lot of that starts with Steven at shortstop.”

Teammate Jared Jones speaks highly of Milam

Along with his defensive prowess, “Monster” Milam, as his teammates like to call hi,m has been a major contributor at the plate. His batting average dipped slightly this season to .290, but he once again smacked 12 doubles and upped his home run (11) and RBI production (55). A fan-favorite around the clubhouse, Milam recently revealed that he had dyed his hair for their upcoming run in Omaha.

“I actually live with him,” teammate Jared Jones said. “I’ve gotten to know him pretty good over the year. And he’s been the best shortstop in the country all year long. There’s not a day I go over there to first base and catch a throw, it’s not chest high, middle of the bag. He makes every play — if he can get his glove on it the play’s made. I know it’s huge for Kade going out there pitching, knows he’s got a defense behind him. He brings a lot of energy to the field. He’s very competitive. And he wants to win and he wants to be a really successful baseball player. And I think you see that in the way he goes about his business.”

Milam and the Tigers open play in the Men’s College World Series on Friday at 6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET against fellow SEC foe Arkansas. LSU won the regular season series between the two programs in May.