LSU starter Kade Anderson dominated the 2025 season and, as a result, has become a top-5 draft prospect. En route to a 12-1 record, Anderson posted a 3.18 ERA with a 1.06 WHIP for the Tigers. With that, he struck out 180 batters over 119 innings while walking 35 hitters. His best performance was a 3-hit shutout in the College World Series game 1, where he struck out 10 on 130 pitches. Anderson would join Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews as Tigers taken in the top 3 should he go that high.
Taking a Look at 2025 Draft Prospect Kade Anderson
His 2025 season followed an up-and-down 2024 season, during which he posted a 3.99 ERA. This player made 18 appearances but started only 9, totaling 38.1 innings. In those 38.1 innings, Anderson managed to strike out 59 batters, good for a 13.9 K/9, higher than his 13.6 in 2025. However, he walked 20 batters in his appearances, giving him an 11.5% walk rate. That would rank him in the 10th percentile of all MLB pitchers so far this year. These walks inflated his WHIP to 1.51 in 2024 and a SO/BB rate of 2.95, compared to 5.14 in his 2025 season.
Kade Anderson’s Pitches Playing Up
While his fastball typically sits in the 92-94 mph range, he has reached 97 mph on a couple of occasions. Despite that, it plays up and better due to both the spin rate and location of the pitch. This is accompanied by a curveball, slider, and changeup that have all developed into weapons. In particular, Anderson’s slider and changeup have been his main offerings, both showing high potential. While he has faded away from his curveball, it still has the potential to be a fourth-option pitch at the MLB level.
Kade Anderson authored one of the most complete and captivating seasons in recent memory.
The @lsubaseball ace allowed just one run and struck out 17 batters in 16 innings, including a complete-game shutout, during the CWS.
Now he adds another accolade to his resumé.… pic.twitter.com/CsaFXnTZNy
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) June 26, 2025
His pitches grade out at a 60,55,55, and 60 for each one, good for a 60 overall grade. This grade joins Chase Burns and Hagen Smith from the 2024 class to accomplish this grade. This bodes well for Anderson, as Burns has made it to the Majors already, making 3 starts. While Hagen Smith is slightly behind, it is not due to talent, as he currently has a 2.70 ERA in 9 starts. Additionally, Burns has a 13.5 K/9 in the Majors, and Smith has a 15 K/9 in Double-A. While it is not a direct correlation, it certainly provides hope for Anderson to continue his dominance into pro ball.
What’s Left to Improve on?
Despite having a 4-pitch arsenal as a lefty starter, Anderson’s 6’2 frame still needs work. Sitting at only 179 lbs, if Anderson can develop, he could still add velocity to his pitches. Additionally, Anderson’s 1.2 HR/9 would be below average for MLB starters. He was able to get away with it in college, as he limited his hits and had an increased number of strikeouts. However, his strikeout rate will drop, and with that comes more risk if he is unable to limit home runs as a starter. If he can fill out his frame and limit hard contact, Anderson has all the tools to be a frontline starter.
What’s His MLB Comparison?
When looking at arsenal and pitch shape, the most similar is the Yankees’ Max Fried. This is due to the high-carry fastball they both possess, in addition to the slider and curveball secondaries. In addition, they can both throw strikes at a high rate, which limits walks and allows their secondaries to play better. While Anderson may not reach the level Fried is at, he still can be a consistent rotation arm for the team that ends up drafting him.
Main Photo Credits: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
