caught in a draft

Dakota Jordan, widely expected to go in the first round of the MLB draft, slipped to the fourth, picked by San Francisco at No. 116 overall. The Mississippi State product from Canton, a draft-eligible sophomore at age 21, batted .354 with 20 homers and 72 RBIs this season and won the Ferriss Trophy as the state’s top college player. Scouting reports rave about Jordan’s bat speed but note concerns over his strikeout rate (35 percent in 2024) and defense (not his arm strength). And despite possessing good speed, he stole just three bases for the Bulldogs in 63 games. … All told, nine players from state schools have been drafted through 10 rounds, five of them MSU pitchers. Going in the second round on Sunday night was State pitcher Khal Stephen, 59th overall to Toronto. Today, in addition to Jordan, the Bulldogs’ Nate Dohm went in the third round to the New York Mets; MSU’s Brooks Auger in the sixth to the Los Angeles Dodgers; Southern Miss’ Niko Mazza in the eighth to the Giants; Ole Miss’ Jackson Ross in the ninth to Washington; and MSU’s Colby Holcombe in the ninth to Toronto. … There were 14 players picked from state colleges or high schools in 2023, led by Ole Miss’ Jacob Gonzalez at 15th overall. Gonzalez already has reached Double-A in the Chicago White Sox’s system. … Konnor Griffin of Jackson Prep, picked ninth overall Sunday by Pittsburgh, is the only high school player drafted from the state so far. Rounds 11-20 are today. The track record for high school players from Mississippi going straight to pro ball isn’t particularly good. … With switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijnjte going 15th overall on Sunday to Seattle, MSU has now had 13 players drafted in the true first round (not counting supplemental picks) since 1965, according to an mlb.com article. Will Clark went No. 2 in 1985, the highest any player from Mississippi has been drafted.