Mississippi State Baseball Roster: The Players to Watch

The Mississippi State baseball team is gearing up for another season, and there are a few players to keep an eye on. Here’s a look at the roster and who to watch out for.

Catchers

The Mississippi State Baseball team is set to begin its 2019 season soon, and there are a few Key Players to keep an eye on. One position that will be crucial to the team’s success is catcher. Here are the catchers who will be donning the maroon and white this season:

Junior Brock Wingo is the primary starter at catcher for the Bulldogs. Last season, he saw action in 38 games, starting 37 of them. He batted .233 with one home run and 13 RBIs. Wingo will be counted on to provide leadership behind the plate and help call games for a pitching staff that could be one of the best in the nation.

Freshman Hayden Dunhurst is another catcher who will see time on the field this season. He was rated as a four-star recruit by perfect game and was ranked as the second-best prep catcher in Mississippi last season. Dunhurst has a lot of potential and could be a key contributor for the Bulldogs this season.

Junior Elijah MacNamee is also on the roster as a catcher, but he will likely see most of his time at designated hitter or in the outfield. He played in 44 games last season, starting 23 of them. MacNamee batted .270 with two home runs and 19 RBIs last season. His experience and versatility will be valuable for the team this season.

Infielders

The Mississippi State Baseball Team is led by a strong group of infielders. These are the players to watch on the team this season.

The first baseman for the Mississippi State baseball team is junior Gavin Collins. Collins is a big player at 6’5″, 235 pounds. He power hitting will be a big asset for the team this season.

The second baseman for the Mississippi State baseball team is sophomore Jacob Robson. Robson is a speedy player who uses his speed to his advantage on both Offense and defense He led the team in stolen bases last season as a freshman, and he will be counted on to do the same this season.

The shortstop for the Mississippi State Baseball Team is junior Matthew Britton. Britton is a solid defender with good range. He has also shown the ability to hit for power, as he hit six home runs last season.

The third baseman for the Mississippi State Baseball team is senior Wes Rea. Rea is a big player at 6’5″, 275 pounds. He is a very good defender at third base, and he also has a lot of power at the plate. Rea hit 13 home runs last season, which was second on the team behind only Gavin Collins.

Outfielders

The Mississippi State baseball team is made up of some very talented players. Here is a look at the top outfielders on the roster:

1. Jacob May – May is a senior from Jackson, Mississippi. He is a left-handed hitter who has a career batting average of .287. He has also stolen 26 bases in his career.

2. Brent Rooker – Rooker is a junior from Germantown, Tennessee. He is a right-handed hitter who batted .311 last season with 13 Home Runs and 38 RBIs. He was named First Team All-SEC last season.

3. Cody Brown – Brown is a senior from Tupelo, Mississippi. He is a left-handed hitter who batted .276 last season with four home runs and 27 RBIs.

4. Daniel Garner – Garner is a junior from Senatobia, Mississippi. He is a right-handed hitter who batted .231 last season with two home runs and 13 RBIs.

Pitchers

The Mississippi State baseball team is stacked with talented pitchers this season. Here are some of the players to watch.

Redshirt junior ace Ethan Small was named a preseason All-American by multiple publications. He’s coming off a 2018 season in which he posted a 7-4 record and a 2.38 ERA in 16 starts. Small was especially dominant down the stretch, posting a 1.54 ERA in his last eight starts.

Another player to watch is senior right-hander Zac Houston. Houston has been a key member of the Mississippi State bullpen for the past three seasons. He’s coming off a 2018 campaign in which he posted a 3-0 record and a 2.08 ERA in 23 relief appearances.

sophomore right-hander JT Ginn is one of the most promising young pitchers on the Mississippi State roster. Ginn was named a preseason All-American by Baseball America and perfect game after impressing as a freshman last season. In 19 appearances (seven starts), Ginn posted a 5-2 record and a 3.13 ERA. He also struck out an impressive 72 batters in just 54 innings of work

Newcomers

This Mississippi State baseball roster is loaded with talent, and there are several newcomers who are expected to make an immediate impact. Here are the players to watch:

Pitcher Ethan Small was the 2018 Gatorade National Player of the Year and is one of the top prospects in the country. He was also named a preseason All-American by several publications.

Outfielder Jake Mangum is a two-time All-American and was recently named the SEC Preseason Player of the Year. He’s expected to be one of the best hitters in the country.

Third baseman Jordan Westburg was drafted in the first round by the Baltimore Orioles last year, but he opted to return to school for his junior season. He’s a potential All-American and could be one of the top draft picks next year.

First baseman/outfielder Josh Hatcher is a transfer from Chipola College who was named a JuCo All-American last season. He should provide some power at the plate.

Catcher Dustin Skelton is a transfer from Itawamba CC who will add some depth behind starter Elih Marrero.

Key Departures

Mississippi State will have some big shoes to fill this season with the departures of a few key players First baseman Jared Padgett and third baseman Luke Alexander were both drafted in the fifth round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Houston Astros and Miami Marlins respectively. Outfielder Hunter Stovall was also drafted, in the 18th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks. These three players accounted for a lot of production last season and their loss will be felt by the team.

The good news is that there are still plenty of talented players on the roster who are ready to step up and fill the void. Here are a few players to keep an eye on this season:

Infielder Jake Mangum is one of the best hitters in college baseball and he is coming off a season where he hit .347 with eight home runs 42 RBIs and 17 stolen bases. He will be counted on to lead the offense this season.

Outfielder Elijah MacNamee is another player who can swing a hot bat. He batted .315 with 10 home runs and 41 RBIs last season. He will need to provide some power in the middle of the lineup this year.

On the mound, Mississippi State will be relying on right-hander Ethan Small to anchor the pitching staff. Small had a breakout year last season, going 9-4 with a 3.13 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 104 innings pitched He will be looking to build on that success this season.

Position Battles

There are a few position battles that will be worth watching during Mississippi State baseball’s spring training

At catcher, junior college transfer Jack Everly will compete with returning senior Tyler Renfroe for the starting job. Everly is a left-handed hitter with a good arm and solid defensive skills. Renfroe is a right-handed hitter who batted .266 with three home runs and 19 RBI last season.

In the infield, freshman Luke Alexander will compete with sophomore Elijah MacNamee for the starting third baseman job. Alexander is a left-handed hitter with good power while MacNamee is a right-handed hitter who can also play first base.

On the pitching staff, there are a few options for the Bulldogs’ Closer role Junior Jacob Billingsley had eight saves last season while seniorgrant Cole had seven. Other candidates include Junior College transfer Riley self and sophomore Jinson Reyes.

Coaching Staff

Mississippi State University’s baseball team is led by Head Coach Chris Lemonis. He is assisted by pitching coach Gary Henderson and hitting coach Jake Mangum. The Bulldogs have qualified for the NCAA Baseball Tournament 11 times and have reached the College World Series six times.

Schedule

Mississippi State baseball will have their first game on February 14th against Memphis. Here is the schedule for the remainder of their season:

February:
14th- @ Memphis
16th- @ Memphis
17th- @ Memphis
19th- @ Texas Tech
21st- @ Texas Tech
22nd- @ Texas Tech
23rd- Central Arkansas
24th- Central Arkansas
28th- Wright State

March:
1st- Wright State
2nd- Wright State
3rd- Bowling Green
6th- Notre Dame
9th- Sacred Heart
10th= St. Bonaventure
13th= Coastal Carolina* 14th= Coastal Carolina* 16th= Rhode Island* 17th= Rhode Island* 20h= Dayton 22nd= Campbell 25th= Virginia Commonwealth 28st= Alabama A&M 30st= Alabama A&M 31st= Alabama A&M April: [email protected] Virginia Commonwealth [email protected] Davidson [email protected] Davidson [email protected] Davidson 6h 7h 11h 12h 13h 17ht 18ht 19ht [email protected] Kentucky [email protected] Kentucky 25rh 26rh May: 1st 2nd 3d 7rh 8rh 9rh 10rh 14rh 15rh 16rh 17sh 21st 22nd 23rd 24rd 28gh 29gh 30j 31k

Predictions

The Mississippi State baseball team is looking to make a run at the College World Series this year. Here are the players that we think will have the biggest impact on the team’s success.

Pitchers

1. Konnor Pilkington – The ace of the Mississippi State pitching staff, Konnor Pilkington is a left-handed junior from Tunica, Mississippi. He’s been a big part of the team’s success over the past two years, and he’s looking to take things to the next level this season.

2. Cole Gordon – A right-handed senior from Brandon, Mississippi, Cole Gordon is one of the most experienced pitchers on the Mississippi State roster. He’s been a key contributor out of the bullpen over the past few seasons, and he’ll be looked upon to provide some stability in that role again this year.

3. pitchers Jackson Fristoe and Jacob Billingsley – Both Fristoe and Billingsley are right-handed freshmen who are expected to make an immediate impact for Mississippi State this season. Fristoe is a highly touted prospect from Biloxi, Mississippi, while Billingsley comes to Starkville from Monticello, Arkansas.

Catchers
1. Brent Rooker – A senior from Germantown, Tennessee, Brent Rooker is one of the most productive hitters in all of college baseball He was named SEC Player of the Year last season after hitting .387 with 23 home runs and 82 RBI. Rooker is also a very good defender, and he provides a huge boost to the Mississippi State lineup both offensively and defensively.
2. Josh Lovelady – A junior transfer from Meridian Community College Josh Lovelady is expected to be Rooker’s backup this season. He’s not quite as accomplished as Rooker at the plate, but he’s a solid defender who will give Mississippi State some good depth behind the plate.