LSU pitcher Javen Coleman taken in 16th round by Dodgers in MLB Draft

BATON ROUGE, La. – LSU pitcher Javen Coleman was selected Tuesday by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 16th round (490th pick overall) of the MLB Draft.

LSU has had a school-record 12 players selected in the 2023 Draft, eclipsing the previous mark of 10 drafted LSU players in 2013.

Coleman, a left-hander from Richmond, Texas., enjoyed a strong freshman campaign in 2021 and he made three relief appearances in 2022 before suffering a season-ending elbow injury.

He rehabilitated at an accelerated pace after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March 2022, and remarkably returned to the mound in April 2023 to contribute to LSU’s National Championship season. He has appeared in 25 career games (six starts) at LSU, recording a 5-4 mark and 70 strikeouts in 52.2 innings.

Coleman appeared in eight games (four starts) in 2023, posting a 1-2 record and in 14.0 innings with 16 walks and 21 strikeouts. He started on the mound in LSU’s College World Series win over Wake Forest on June 21, recording two strikeouts in 1.1 innings of work.

He made his first career SEC start on May 14 vs. Mississippi State, working the first 2.2 innings and limiting the Bulldogs to one run on no hits with three walks and five strikeouts.

Making just his third appearance of the season after recovering from the Tommy John surgery, Coleman posted a relief win over Alabama on April 29. He entered the game in the fourth inning and subdued Alabama’s bats to allow LSU to execute a rally from an early deficit. Coleman worked 2.1 scoreless innings with no hits, three walks and six strikeouts.

He made his 2023 season debut April 18 vs. UL Lafayette, retiring all three batters he faced with two strikeouts in a one-inning outing.

Coleman is one of 12 LSU players selected in the 2023 draft through 16 rounds, joining pitcher Paul Skenes (No. 1 overall – Pittsburgh Pirates); centerfielder Dylan Crews (No. 2 overall – Washington Nationals), pitcher Ty Floyd (No. 38 overall – Cincinnati Reds), pitcher Grant Taylor (No. 51 overall – Chicago White Sox), first baseman/outfielder Tre’ Morgan (No. 88 overall – Tampa Bay Rays), second baseman Gavin Dugas (No. 165 overall – Washington Nationals, pitcher Garrett Edwards (No. 333 overall – Tampa Bay Rays), pitcher Blake Money (No. 361 overall – Baltimore Orioles), outfielder Brayden Jobert (No. 365 overall), pitcher Riley Cooper (No. 391 overall – Baltimore Orioles), and shortstop Jordan Thompson (No. 460 overall – Los Angeles Dodgers).