04 Apr

raise the curtain

While he got some at-bats in big league camp this spring with Pittsburgh, Konnor Griffin’s official pro debut is expected to come today, when the Low-Class A Bradenton Marauders visit the Daytona Beach Tortugas in a Florida State League opener. Former Jackson Prep star Griffin is one of a bundle of 2024 draftees from Mississippi who’ll make debuts today as the lower levels of the minors get into the 2025 swing. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Griffin was the ninth overall pick by the Pirates, drew rave reviews during his spring invite and is currently listed as their No. 2 prospect. He is expected to play shortstop for the Marauders, through he also works in center field. Former Madison Central High star Braden Montgomery, the 12th pick by Boston, is now with the Chicago White Sox and on their Low-A Kannapolis roster; the Cannon Ballers open today against Hickory in a Carolina League game. Mississippi State product and switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje, the 15th overall pick by Seattle, is at High-A Everett in the Northwest League; the AquaSox are at Spokane, where Cijntje is expected to start on Saturday. Khal Stephen, picked in Round 2 last year by Toronto, is listed as the probable starter today for Low-A Dunedin in the Florida State League, and fellow ex-MSU standout Nate Dohm, a third-rounder in 2024 by the New York Mets, is slated to start on the mound for Low-A St. Lucie in the FSL. Dakota Jordan, former Jackson Academy and State star, is at Low-A San Jose in the San Francisco system, where he is joined by MRA and Southern Miss product Niko Mazza. Jordan, a fourth-round pick in 2024, went 1-for-7 for San Jose last summer; Mazza, an eighth-rounder, has yet to debut. Brooks Auger, who pitched at MSU and Hinds Community College, is at High-A Great Lakes in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ chain; he was a sixth-round pick. … Cooper Pratt, former Gatorade player of the year at Magnolia Heights, is with Double-A Biloxi, which opens today at Pensacola in the Southern League. Milwaukee’s No. 3 prospect in his third pro season, Pratt spent most of 2024 in A-ball but played for the Shuckers in the SL postseason last year and was 2-for-8 with a homer. Also with the Shuckers is MSU product K.C. Hunt, who reached Double-A last year and went 1-2 with a 2.20 ERA in six starts.

03 Apr

powering up

The chase is real for Hunter Hines, who has powered his way to within six home runs of Mississippi State’s exalted career record. Rafael Palmeiro — a member of MLB’s 500-homer club — hit 67 bombs at State from 1983-85, including a single-season record 29 (shared with Bruce Castoria) in 1984. Hines, a Madison Central High product now in his fourth year in Starkville, hit his 61st homer on Tuesday at Memphis, tying Will Clark for second on the career list. You’re in rare air when you’re being mentioned with the legendary Thunder and Lightning. Hines has seven homers this season. A lefty hitter who goes 6 feet 3, 210 pounds, Hines averaged 18 homers in his first three MSU seasons, and there’s a lot of 2025 left, assuming he stays healthy. His power seems legit; he led the Cape Cod League — a wood bat league — with 13 homers in 41 games in 2023. He was listed on some MLB draft prospect charts last year but didn’t get called. So he returned to Starkville, where he was a freshman All-America pick in 2022, All-SEC in 2023 and is now in hot pursuit of a record that will cement his legacy as one of the Bulldogs’ greats. Of note: Hines’ father, Richey, is the career homer leader at NCAA Division II Mississippi College with 57. The overall state homer record is believed to be 69, set by D-II Delta State’s Dee Haynes (1998-2000). P.S. MSU alum and Tampa Bay rookie Jake Mangum got another hit Wednesday, one of just three allowed by Paul Skeenes in Pittsburgh’s 4-2 victory. Mangum now has eight MLB hits, which puts him 900 behind fellow former Bulldogs hit king and good friend Adam Frazier, who had two knocks for the Pirates and drove in their first run. Of course, Mangum topped Frazier by a wide margin on MSU’s career hits list: 383 to 224. … Garrett Crochet, the ex-Ocean Springs High star who just a got a huge contract extension from Boston, threw a career-high eight innings with eight strikeouts as the Red Sox blanked Baltimore 3-0. Crochet, a converted reliever, said he last threw eight innings in the first game of his freshman year at Tennessee in 2018. … Former MC standout Blaine Crim hit a walk-off three-run homer for Triple-A Round Rock, completing a game in which he also had a triple, a single and a walk. Crim, 27, is in his sixth season in Texas’ system and carries a .296 average with 104 homers.

02 Apr

numbers to crunch

From April 1, no foolin’:
.636 — Jake Mangum’s batting average through three MLB games after a 3-for-4 effort in Tampa Bay’s 7-0 win Tuesday against Pittsburgh. Today, the Mississippi State product gets to face Paul Skenes.
5 — RBIs by both Nick Monistere and Ozzie Pratt in Southern Miss’ 13-6 win over Tulane.
5 — RBIs by Judd Utermark in Ole Miss’ 18-7 romp past Jackson State.
2 — RBIs by Owen Abney on a pinch-hit single in the eighth inning, putting Belhaven ahead in its 4-1 victory vs. Millsaps in the Maloney Trophy Series.
4 — Stolen bases by Hayden Redding in Blue Mountain Christian’s 7-6, 10-inning win at Williams Baptist. Redding leads NAIA in steals with 41 in 43 attempts.
0 — Hits allowed by K.K. Clark over five innings for Pearl River Community College in a 14-0, run-rule win against Meridian CC. No. 2-ranked PRCC swept the doubleheader to move to 31-5, 11-1 MACCC.
1 — Hit allowed by Will Warren over five innings for the New York Yankees, who blew a late lead and cost the ex-Jackson Prep star his first big league win.
10 — Strikeouts in 22 at-bats by former DeSoto Central High standout Austin Riley, reflective of Atlanta’s offensive woes in an 0-6 start.
7 — Strikeouts recorded over five innings by Hurston Waldrep, the Southern Miss alum who won his season debut for Triple-A Gwinnett in the Atlanta system.
90 — Career minor league homers by ex-MSU star Justin Foscue, who went deep for Triple-A Round Rock (Texas affiliate) in a win over Toledo.

01 Apr

quite a career

Lance Lynn has called it a career — and quite a career it was for the former Ole Miss star, now 37. An imposing figure — 6 feet 5, 280 pounds in his heyday — with a gruff demeanor on the mound, he went 143-99 with a 3.74 ERA and 2,015 strikeouts, pitching for six different teams in a 13-year big league career. Lynn was 7-4 with a 3.84 for St. Louis in 2024. He played in the Little League World Series, won a prep state title with an undefeated team in Indiana, helped Ole Miss win an SEC crown and reach three NCAA regionals during his time in Oxford, won a World Series as a rookie with St. Louis in 2011, made two All-Star Games and won a World Baseball Classic game. Drafted in the first round out of Ole Miss by St. Louis in 2008, Lynn’s 143 wins are tied for fourth-most (with Meridian Community College product Cliff Lee) among Mississippi natives or school alums who have pitched in the majors. P.S. Cooper Pratt, the former Magnolia Heights standout, has been assigned to Double-A Biloxi by the Milwaukee Brewers. Pratt, the Brewers’ No. 3 prospect by MLB Pipeline, has a .286 career average in two minor league seasons with eight homers and 31 bags in 105 games. A 6-foot-2, 206-pound shortstop, he hit .381 in spring training with the Brewers this year. The Shuckers open at Pensacola on Friday.

01 Apr

on the docket

This promises to be a terrific Tuesday. Among the numerous compelling matchups is Game 2 of the Maloney Trophy Series, with Millsaps College visiting Belhaven University at Trustmark Park in Pearl. The Majors won the first game and can clinch the trophy with a victory. Both of these NCAA Division III teams are good: Millsaps is 19-7, Belhaven 17-9. The Blazers are 13-3 at Trustmark. … In Oxford, Ole Miss, 21-6 and ranked 10th by Baseball America, hosts Jackson State, which is 16-10 but likely doesn’t have the pitching depth (5.65 ERA) to subdue the Rebels’ bats. The Tigers lost to Mississippi State 16-3 two weeks ago. … Southern Miss (20-8, ranked 24th by BA) plays host to old rival Tulane in Hattiesburg. Going back to 2005, the Golden Eagles lead the series 26-23. USM is coming off a gritty Sun Belt series win over South Alabama, while the Green Wave (17-11) was just swept by AAC rival South Florida. … Mississippi State, reeling from a sweep at LSU, visits Memphis, reeling from an eight-game losing streak. The Bulldogs are 16-12. Memphis — coached by Mississippi native Matt Riser and listing numerous state prep products on its roster — is 11-16, including a loss to Ole Miss. … In the junior colleges: No. 2-ranked Pearl River Community College (29-5, 9-1 MACCC) might be tested in a trip to Meridian CC, which has been ranked this season and sits at 21-13, 8-4. Of note: PRCC will play an exhibition game Wednesday against the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers at Keesler Federal Park in Biloxi. East Central CC (27-7, 9-3), ranked fourth in NJCAA Division II, visits Hinds on Tuesday, and No. 8 Jones College (23-8, 9-3) hosts Copiah Lincoln. … In the big leagues, former Jackson Prep star Will Warren will make his 2025 debut for the New York Yankees, starting against Arizona at Yankee Stadium. At West Sacramento, new home of the A’s, George County High product Justin Steele (1-1, 8.00 ERA) will pitch for the Chicago Cubs against the A’s and ex-MSU slugger Brent Rooker. P.S. Jake Mangum (see previous posts) delivered a 4-for-4 performance — three singles and a double — in his second big league game, driving in two runs, scoring one and stealing two bases in Tampa Bay’s 6-1 win Monday night against Colorado. Ex-Mississippi State star Mangum even had two hits from both sides of the plate. “I can’t wrap my head around it still,” the 29-year-old rookie, already a fan favorite in Tampa, said in an mlb.com story. … Ex-Ocean Springs High standout Garrett Crochet has received a 6-year, $170 million extension from Boston. The 25-year-old lefty, acquired from the White Sox in an off-season trade, has a 3.29 ERA in 105 MLB games, 33 as a starter the last two years. He was an All-Star in 2024.

31 Mar

checking in …

Jake Mangum finally got his name in a major league box score on Sunday, joining the long list of Mississippi natives — and Mississippi State alumni — to make The Show. Barely a minute into the game, the Flowood native and Jackson Prep grad caught a fly ball in right field for the first out of Tampa Bay’s 6-4 victory over Colorado. Mangum was with his Triple-A Durham team in Virginia on Friday when he was told he had gotten “the call,” six years after he was drafted into pro ball. “Heartbeat went up a lot,” he said. He scrambled to get to Tampa on Saturday and completed his long journey on Sunday when he ran out onto Steinbrenner Field in a big league unie. A rookie at 29. Now another quest remains: the first big league hit. He went 0-for-3 in his MLB debut, driving a ball deep to left field in his first at-bat. He struck out in his second, flied out to center in his third and walked in his final plate appearance. He might get another chance today when the Rays host Pittsburgh. Mangum has had a ton of hits over the years: 383 of them at State, another 78 in summer leagues, then 496 in the minors. After all the work he’s put in and all the waiting he’s done since his first pro game in 2019, it’s hard to imagine what that first major league hit will feel like. P.S. A major league opportunity is a cherished thing, never taken for granted. Justin Foscue, a teammate of Mangum’s at MSU, is no doubt itching for another shot with the Texas Rangers. They needed an infielder on Sunday but recalled another player from Triple-A Round Rock, where Foscue is now playing. He made his MLB debut last April and got a hit in his second game before going on the injured list. He got a couple more call-ups over the year but managed only one more knock in 42 at-bats all told, finishing on an 0-for-39 skid. The 2020 first-round draftee is a .278 career hitter — with power — in the minors and is off to a 4-for-11 start in 2025.

30 Mar

worth noting

Mississippi State is in a lot of pain. The Bulldogs lost 17-8 Saturday night at LSU, which scored eight times in the first inning. State fell to 1-8 in the SEC and 16-12 overall. Six Bulldogs pitchers allowed 19 hits and seven walks. … Southern Miss is in a little pain. Closer Colby Allen blew a save, allowing four runs in three innings as South Alabama took a 6-3 victory at Taylor Park in Hattiesburg. Allen (3-2), who has six saves, saw his ERA jump to 2.73. USM is 19-8, 6-2 Sun Belt, heading into today’s rubber game vs. USA. … Former MSU star Jordan Westburg went 4-for-5 Saturday with two homers — one off Max Scherzer — two RBIs and three runs in Baltimore’s 9-5 win against Toronto. Westburg, batting .462 in three games, also homered on opening day. … Ex-MSU standout Nathaniel Lowe hit his first homer as a member of the Washington Nationals — the 90th of his MLB career. … USM alum Matt Wallner is 0-for-8 with a walk in his first two games as Minnesota’s leadoff batter; the Twins are 0-2. … Former Mississippi Braves star Drake Baldwin, now Atlanta’s starting catcher, got his first major league hit Saturday in the winless Braves’ loss at San Diego. … M-Braves alum Spencer Strider threw three innings (one run, six strikeouts) in a rehab start for Triple-A Gwinnett. … Mississippi Valley State’s Jace Jones put up an eight-RBI game in a win over Alcorn State on Friday. There were 80 runs scored in that three-game SWAC series, swept by the Delta Devils (8-10, 4-5) at Magnolia Field in Itta Bena. Alcorn fell to 4-19, 0-8. … In a matchup of top 10 NAIA teams, No. 3 Georgia-Gwinnett swept No. 8 William Carey 9-7 and 10-9 in a couple of wild affairs Friday at Hattiesburg. The Crusaders’ power-hitting lineup did not manage a home run in either game. … Here’s a name to know: Cannon Hensarling. The Ocean Springs senior went 7-for-11 with four RBIs and seven runs and threw a four-hitter with 12 strikeouts in three games last week, per an si.com piece. P.S. In the current issue of Sports Weekly, USA Today writers rank a top 100 Names to Know of rising stars based on their “anticipated impact” in MLB in 2025. Among the group are three Mississippi college products now in Triple-A: Ole Miss alum Doug Nikhazy (Cleveland), USM’s Hurston Waldrep (Atlanta) and UM’s Gunnar Hoglund (A’s).

29 Mar

debut watch

Jake Mangum was recalled by Tampa Bay today, opening the door for the ex-Mississippi State star to make his long-awaited big league debut. The Rays’ lineup for today’s home game against Colorado has not been posted. Mangum, 29, a Flowood native, has been in pro ball since 2019 when he was drafted by the New York Mets and spent most of the last three seasons at the Triple-A level. A switch-hitter and outstanding defensive outfielder, he has a .296 career average in 432 games in the minors and was the SEC’s all-time hits leader when he left Starkville. He was optioned out from spring camp to Triple-A Durham last week but recalled today when the Rays put outfielder Josh Lowe on the injured list.

29 Mar

ring ’em up

For those aficionados of the game who consider a punchout by a pitcher as cool as a home run, Southern Miss’ J.B. Middleton produced a toast-worthy performance Friday. The junior right-hander struck out 12 batters over eight shutout innings in an 8-2 win against South Alabama at Taylor Park in Hattiesburg. It was the most strikeouts in a game for USM since the much-decorated Tanner Hall punched out 12 vs. Louisiana-Lafayette in 2023. Middleton, out of tiny Benton Academy, allowed just one hit and one walk against the Jaguars. He is 5-1 with a 2.20 ERA for the nationally ranked Golden Eagles (19-7, 6-1 Sun Belt). Middleton had a 4.34 ERA working mostly as a reliever in 2024. … Jackson State pitchers also enjoyed some K-rations, striking out 28 Grambling State batters in a doubleheader split at Braddy Field. Eric Elliott fanned 13 in six innings and Erick Gonzalez K’d four more in 1 2/3 in relief in the Tigers’ 6-3 win in Game 2. Elliott, who walked seven, is 4-0 with a 2.70 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings for JSU (15-10, 3-5 SWAC). JSU’s staff ERA is 5.72. … At Trustmark Park in Pearl, Belhaven got a dominant effort from Colton Sylvester in a 4-0 win that completed a twinbill sweep over Covenant College (Ga.). Sylvester punched out eight in six innings as he improved to 4-1, 2.79, for BU (16-9, 5-3 CCS). … Delta State relied on the home run to batter visiting Alabama-Huntsville twice at Ferriss Field in Cleveland, blasting seven long balls all told in winning 10-8 and 12-7. Dylan Coleman, from Madison via Hinds Community College, hit three out in Game 1, including a walk-off shot in the ninth. Coleman leads the NCAA Division II nationally ranked Statesmen (24-8, 17-3 Gulf South) with nine homers. Drew Capobianco, from Guntown via Itawamba CC, hit a three-run bomb in an eight-run sixth inning that decided Game 2.

28 Mar

leading the pack

Heading into play today, No. 2-ranked Pearl River Community College still leads the MACCC standings at 7-1 after a sweep of Hinds CC on Wednesday. PRCC’s Jacob Johnson (6-1) leads the league in ERA with a 1.26, and Carson Fair is tops in saves with six. … The league’s most dominant pitcher to date has been Jud Files of Itawamba. He is 7-1, tied for the MACCC lead in wins, with a 2.76 ERA and a league-best 73 strikeouts in 45 2/3 innings. Files, a freshman, is a 6-foot-2 right-hander from Mooreville who originally signed with Mississippi State before transferring. ICC visits Copiah-Lincoln today for a twinbill which might pit Files against the Wolves’ Jennings Kimbrell, also 7-1 with a 2.54. Files’ teammate Evan McCarthy leads the conference in hitting with a .410 average for the Indians (18-12, 5-5). Co-Lin’s Tucker Jones has 24 steals, a league-high. … Resurgent Gulf Coast, 24-10 and 6-2 under first-year coach Zach Allen, features the league home run leader in Dom Jackson, who has 10. The Bulldogs host No. 23 Northeast (7-3 in the league, tied for third) today. … Barret Rodgers of fourth-ranked East Central (25-7, 7-3) tops the loop in RBIs with 35; he is batting .392 with seven homers. … Sixth-ranked Jones College is also 7-3 in the MACCC, and Meridian sits sixth at 6-4. P.S. Kudos to Ole Miss’ Hunter Elliott, who is tied for the SEC lead in wins after beating Florida 7-5 on Thursday night. The lefty from Tupelo, coming back from two seasons lost to injury, went 5 2/3 innings against the Gators, allowing three runs on a home run in the third inning. “One of the reasons he’s so good, he gets better … he answers the bell,” Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco said in a postgame interview. Elliott hung up zeroes in the fourth and fifth and got the first two outs in the sixth while the Rebels (20-5, 5-2 SEC) were surging ahead for their fifth straight win. Elliott, 5-0 in seven starts, has a 3.12 ERA and 47 strikeouts — seven on Thursday — in 34 2/3 innings. … UM alum Drew Pomeranz, the veteran left-hander, has re-signed with Seattle on a minor league deal. He hasn’t pitched in the majors in four years.