Finally healthy, Tommy White has new motivation at LSU in 2024

Tommy White remembers the dogpile after LSU won the 2023 national championship. He remembers the surreal feeling and the overwhelming joy of that moment. It marked the end of an unforgettable ride, but as he laid in the dogpile, he felt his shoulder pop out one last time.

In his first year at LSU, White ended last year as one of the best players in college baseball. The transfer third baseman ended the year a consensus first-team All-American, a first-team All-SEC selection, and a national champion, but what makes it even more impressive is he did it with a faulty shoulder.

“It popped out probably 20 times throughout the year – it even popped out during the dogpile,” White said. “Surgery went well, but it was definitely a struggle having to play through that the entire year, so I’m excited to finally play healthy.”

White immediately had surgery on the shoulder once the team got back from Omaha, ensuring that the championship dogpile would be the last time he had to go through that feeling.

From there, he had to sit and wait. Repetitions at the plate turned into rehab for six months, all the way through fall ball. It was unlike anything White had been through, but he worked to take the challenge in stride.

“I found out that I love baseball even more than I thought I did,” White said. “It being taken away from me and having to watch was the hardest thing, I’ve never been in that situation. I’ve always been out there playing. I found a new love for the game and I know this is something I want to do for the rest of my life. That’s my biggest takeaway from being out for the fall.”

With this realization behind him, White has become even more disciplined, more determined, and more demonstrative in his push to be the best player in the country.

In two years in college baseball, White has a staggering .368 batting percentage, .740 slugging percentage, with 51 home runs, 179 RBIs, and 36 doubles in 508 at bats. Last year, he solidified himself as one of the best players in the sport, even while Dylan Crews and Paul Skenes dominated the headlines at LSU. The walk-off home run against Wake Forest will live forever.

“He’s special,” head coach Jay Johnson said. “The competitive nature is second to none. When he steps in the batter’s box, it’s something else. We saw that to the tune of 105 RBIs last year and it was always when we needed it. The drive to be as good as he possibly can and it’s served him well. He had surgery on his shoulder right after Omaha, missed the entire fall, but kept his body in a great spot, took exceptional step in leadership during that time. I’m super proud of Tommy for that and then he’s rehabbed in a way where he’s ready to go. You wouldn’t know he didn’t take an at-bat for six months. Complete is the word I would use. Super excited about him being here again.”

With Skenes and Crews gone to the MLB as the top two picks in the 2023 MLB Draft, all of the attention now turns to White with questions to be answered. How will he perform with more pressure on him? Can he elevate his teammates? Can he lead LSU back to a deep run in Omaha?

While he’s been sidelined for the past seven months, White’s taken a key first step in building a championship team, and that’s elevating as a leader. After losing several key upperclassmen from last year’s team, there’s a new crop of players tasked with leading on LSU’s roster and White is at the forefront.

“I like to lead by example,” White said when asked of his leadership style. “I will be vocal when I can, but I just try to do what’s right and show them how it is without talking too much. That’s just how I am. That’s how Dylan [Crews] was and I just watched him all last year and tried to copy his style because he’s the greatest to do it.”

With all of the changes around him, White’s focus has shifted from this time last year. Now, there’s no proving himself to LSU, so now he can focus on ensuring his team is in the best position to win every single day.

He continues to ramp up his level as the season is just over two weeks away, taking upwards of seven at bats in their live scrimmages, but White’s impact will be more than just his gaudy numbers at the plate in 2024. He knows there’s more to it in his final season of college baseball.

“I’m not looking at numbers or anything, I’m just looking at wins,” White said. “If I helped the team win that day then I did my job. If I’m 0-for-5 or if I’m 5-for-5 as long as we win.

“Every out and every pitch matters and that’s what I learned in Omaha. Every pitch was so locked in and if we can be like that all year, we’ll be dangerous.”