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Jay Johnson will make $1.2 million in first year as LSU Baseball head coach
BATON ROUGE - LSU has decided on its next head baseball coach.
The Tigers hired University of Arizona Head Coach Jay Johnson. Johnson will be introduced at a news conference Monday at 4:30. Watch the news conference streaming live on WBRZ Plus.
Johnson, who's been with Arizona since 2015, finished first in the Pac-12 last season with a 45-18 record. They were eliminated in the College World Series this week by Stanford.
The announcement comes after longtime LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri announced his retirement. Mainieri's career came to a close a little more than a week ago when the Tigers were eliminated by Tennessee in their super regional.
"I am humbled and honored to be the head baseball coach at LSU and serve as the steward of the next generation of national champions," Johnson said Friday morning.
"I view this as the opportunity of my lifetime and will do everything in my power to have our team playing a brand of baseball that makes everyone at LSU, the Baton Rouge community, and the entire state of Louisiana incredibly proud. Geaux Tigers!"
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"LSU Baseball is the premier program in the nation, and the interest we received from great coaches across the country was significant," LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward said. "Ultimately, Jay's track record of postseason success, explosive lineups, and highly-ranked recruiting classes set him apart from the field. He's made an immediate impact at every program he's led, and he's one of the most energetic, innovative, and focused coaches in America. I am confident he is ready to add to our extensive championship tradition at LSU, and we welcome Jay and Maureen to Baton Rouge."
Contract details
WBRZ obtained the contract offered to Johnson Friday. See the contract here.
Johnson will make $1.2 million in the first year of the five-year deal. Johnson's salary grows each year, reaching $1.4 million in the final year. There are incentives for winning conference championship games and national titles, including a $100,000 bonus should the Tigers win the College World Series.
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