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 he’s following former Wildcats coach Jay Johnson to Baton Rouge.
Berry batted .352 with a team-leading 17 home runs and 70 RBIs as Arizona’s primary DH in 2021.
“Due to recent changes, I am excited to play for Coach Johnson and I’m following him to the SEC,” tweeted Berry, who grew up in Page and Queen Creek. “I am thankful for the good (people) and teammates at UA ... wishing y’all the best! I’m also excited for the opportunity to wear the iconic purple/gold for LSU!”
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 they’re returning to Arizona, and it’s likely that most who haven’t 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.
Berry’s father, Perry, played at Louisiana-Lafayette and was a fourth-round pick by the Houston Astros in 1990.
