Tag Archives: Mud Monsters

08 Apr

one month out

One month from today, Mississippi’s new pro team — the Mississippi Mud Monsters — is scheduled to launch its 2025 season. The independent club, owned by Joseph Eng, will play Florence (Ky.) on May 8 at Pearl’s Trustmark Park, former home of the Mississippi Braves. The Mud Monsters will play a 96-game schedule — 48 home dates spread over nine homestands — in the 18-team Frontier League, an MLB Partner League. The team’s manager is Jay Pecci, the hitting coach Jamie McOwen and the pitching coach Robert Carson, a former Hattiesburg High star who pitched in the big leagues.
Here’s a look at the Mud Monsters’ unofficial, very preliminary roster, based on the Frontier League’s transactions page:

Pitchers
Chris Barraza, RH
Gage Bihm, LH (Hinds CC)
James Boeree, RH
Tahj Cunningham, RH/OF
Luis Devers, RH
Jalen Evans, RH
Aubrey Gillentine, RH (USM)
Josh Lanham, RH
Brandon Mitchell, LH
Zack Morris, LH
Josh Paulina, RH
Jeremy Peguero, LH
Michael Reed, RH
Sergio Sanchez, RH
Jackson Smith, RH (Northwest CC, MS Coll)
Rodney Theopile, RH
Tyree Thompson, RH
Brian Williams, RH

Catchers
Victor Diaz
C.J. Dunn (Olive Branch HS)
Nick Hassan
Andriel Lantigua

Infielders
Ryan Cash, 3B
Samil De La Rosa, 2B
Kasten Furr, SS
Travis Holt, SS
Dane Simon, UT

Outfielders
Kyle Booker (DeSoto Cent)
Davis Bradshaw (McLaurin, Meridian CC)
Basiel Roberts
Brayland Skinner (MSU)

18 Jan

familiar names

During his introductory teleconference on Tuesday, new Mississippi Mud Monsters manager Jay Pecci said he would “lean heavily” on players with local ties in constructing his roster for 2025. True to his word, two of the first three players the club has signed are Mississippi prep products: former DeSoto Central High star Kyle Booker and Lake Cormorant High alum Brayland Skinner, who played on Mississippi State’s College World Series winner in 2021. The signings were announced on the Frontier League website. The Mud Monsters, who will begin their inaugural season in the independent FL on May 8 at Trustmark Park in Pearl, also have signed Ryan Cash, a four-year indy league veteran. Outfielder Booker, 22, who played at Tennessee and Oral Roberts (.294 career average), spent the 2024 campaign in the Frontier League, batting .203 in 27 games. Skinner, 25, also an outfielder, played at State in 2021-22 and then at Memphis. He participated in the MLB Draft League in 2023 and played in the FL last season, batting .298 with eight homers and 49 RBIs in 90 games. Infielder Cash, 27, played college ball at Oklahoma State and Oral Roberts. He hit .250 in 81 games in the FL last season, having previously played in two other indy leagues. P.S. The Mud Monsters and Belhaven University announced Friday that the Blazers will play their home games at Trustmark Park through the 2030 season. BU, an NCAA Division III school, has played some home games at the Pearl ballpark the past few seasons after their long tenure at Jackson’s Smith-Wills Stadium ended.