“The talent is uncoachable.” Those are the words from the man in charge, Jay Johnson, the LSU coach, who summed up Chase Shores. On July 22, he threw a fastball that hit 101mph and won the 2025 College World Series. When Shores struck out two batters and got the last out, Charles Schwab Field shook. LSU won 5–3, and Shores’ name outshone on the mound.
But before touching the trophy, the 21-year-old missed all of 2024 because of Tommy John surgery (which he had in April 2023). This year, he came back not as a starter but as a reliever. He did not disappoint in both the Super Regionals and the CWS final, throwing a lot of innings and striking out Coastal Carolina. Behind all the glory, there was hard work, resilience, and support from family and loved ones.
Who is Chase Shores? All about him, his parents, family, and more
Robert Chase Shores was born on May 21, 2004, in Clayton, New Mexico. He established himself at Legacy High School in Midland, Texas. He was 6’8″ tall and weighed 240 pounds. Shores struck out 211 batters in 142 innings during his high school career. Amazing, right?
Athleticism isn’t new for Shores; it’s in their blood. His mother, Nicole, played basketball at Frank Phillips Junior College, while his father, Bryan Shores, threw for both Frank Phillips Junior College and Eastern New Mexico.
Credits: Reveille
SU baseball redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher Chase Shores (34) smiles during LSU’s! 5-3 win over Coastal Carolina in the Men’s College World Series Championship Sunday, June 22, 2025, at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb.
Shores struck out 211 batters in 142 innings and hit .430 in his senior year. Not only this, but he was also a top-5 right-handed pitching prospect for Perfect Game in 2022. Chase Shores did well not only on the mound but also in school. In 2023, he made the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll. However, it was not all ups; he also had a setback.
He had to undergo surgery in 2023, which was followed by 18 months of rehab. The path to CWS was not a walk in the garden, but he came back stronger. When they won the CWS, his parents were proud and praised him. Bryan said, “Seeing him on the mound again—after everything—reminded me why this family lives for baseball.” Nicole echoed the same emotions, “We never doubted he’d be back stronger.”
A superstar on the field: Chase Shores’ baseball journey so far and MLB rejection
Do you know that before his surgery in 2023, he was on scouts’ radars for the 2022 MLB Draft right after a great high school season? But his name wasn’t picked in the first nine rounds of the draft. When asked about it in an interview, he said, “It was kinda cool being part of it, and it’s a dream come true.” But for him, being in the “LSU Tigers is a win.” And then he decided to go to college for 3 years and play at LSU.
Chase Shores pitched 18.1 innings as a freshman in 2023, starting and relieving, and had a clean 1.96 ERA and 15 strikeouts. He did well in the spring, but an elbow injury ended his season, and he wasn’t approved for the postseason. But even then, there were signs of what was to come.
In 2025, he struck out 66 batters, a high 9.74 K/9 that shows how good he is at striking out hitters. Not only this, but his performance against West Virginia in the Super Regionals was also a good one. He struck out nine batters in 9 2/3 innings, including a 102-mph heater in the SEC tournament months earlier.
He came back with a vengeance in 2025. And his performance hasn’t gone unnoticed. Draft analysts put him on their list of top prospects. Baseball America gave his fastball a 65 rating, and Nominal scouting gave him a 50 overall grade. MLB Pipeline put him at about #85 in the draft class that was coming in.
And the last game of the College World Series? LSU starter Anthony Eyanson pitched the first 6 1/3 innings and struck out nine batters. Then Chase Shores came in with the game on the line. He struck out three batters in a row, including one at 101 mph, and ended the game with a double play. It was perfect!
Four strikeouts, almost no hits allowed, and triple-digit fastballs all over the place in 2 2/3 shutout innings. And this is how you win a national championship.
After the game, coach Johnson didn’t hold back: “There’s nobody I would have rather had finish the game.” Shores echoed the sentiment: “Being a part of the 2023 team was special, but just to play a part in this run in Omaha is a dream come true.”
It will be a treat to watch him in the majors if he gets picked this time.
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