Jacob Berry, who led the Pac-12 in RBIs and extra-base hits as a freshman at Arizona, is transferring to LSU.
Berry, who earned multiple All-America accolades this past season, announced Saturday night that heโs following former Wildcats coach Jay Johnson to Baton Rouge.
Berry batted .352 with a team-leading 17 home runs and 70 RBIs as Arizonaโs primary DH in 2021.
โDue to recent changes, I am excited to play for Coach Johnson and Iโm following him to the SEC,โ tweeted Berry, who grew up in Page and Queen Creek. โI am thankful for the good (people) and teammates at UA ... wishing yโall the best! Iโm also excited for the opportunity to wear the iconic purple/gold for LSU!โ
Berry is one of 19 UA players to recently enter the NCAA transfer portal, per D1Baseball.com. It’s unknown how many will head to LSU to play for Johnson, but it’s unlikely to be more than a handful. Some of the players who are in the portal, such as first baseman Branden Boissiere and outfielder Ryan Holgate, are expected to be selected in the upcoming MLB draft.
Several players have announced theyโre returning to Arizona, and itโs likely that most who havenโt entered the portal yet will return to the UA next season.
Berry will be eligible for the 2022 draft. He currently projects as a first-round pick.
Berryโs father, Perry, played at Louisiana-Lafayette and was a fourth-round pick by the Houston Astros in 1990.
