Steven Milam arrived at LSU with a significant leg kick in his swing, a technique that served him well during his time at Centennial High in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Despite being a highly ranked player in high school, he found that the leg kick was not as effective once he began fall practice at LSU. Recognizing the need for adjustment, Milam decided to make changes during winter break, working with his father to eliminate the leg kick and refine his mechanics for better consistency.
His father, Steven A., had been involved in coaching Milam since Tee-ball, providing consistent guidance throughout his baseball career. Eliminating the leg kick was just the beginning of Milam’s adjustments. He also added weight to his frame and adjusted his stance at the plate to improve his ability to reach pitches on the outer-half of the plate. These changes allowed him to return from winter break as a more polished player.
LSU coach Jay Johnson noted the significant progress Milam made, comparing his journey from high school baseball to LSU to “going to the moon.” Despite initial struggles in the fall, Milam’s improvement carried over into the regular season, earning him a starting role at second base. His contributions have been vital for LSU’s lineup depth and versatility, allowing the coach to maintain consistency in defensive positions and benefit from Milam’s switch-hitting ability, which eliminates the need for lineup adjustments based on opposing pitchers’ handedness.