Tag Archives: non-roster invitee

10 Feb

spring is in the air

Spring training has officially sprung. Pitchers and catchers are reporting this week and starting workouts in Arizona and Florida. Position players soon will follow. The first Cactus League game is Feb. 20; Grapefruit League play starts the next day. Here’s a list of players with Mississippi ties currently slated to be in big league camps:

40-man roster
Hitters
Nick Fortes (Ole Miss), Miami;
Justin Foscue (Mississippi State), Texas;
Adam Frazier (MSU), Pittsburgh;
Colt Keith (Biloxi HS), Detroit;
Grae Kessinger (UM), Arizona;
Nathaniel Lowe (MSU), Washington;
Jake Mangum (MSU), Tampa Bay;
Hunter Renfroe (MSU), Kansas City;
Austin Riley (DeSoto Central HS), Atlanta;
Chuckie Robinson (Southern Miss), Los Angeles Angels;
Brent Rooker (MSU), A’s;
Matt Wallner (USM), Minnesota;
Jordan Westburg (MSU), Baltimore

Pitchers
Eric Cerantola (MSU), Kansas City;
Garrett Crochet (Ocean Springs), Boston;
J.P. France (MSU), Houston;
J.T. Ginn (MSU), A’s;
Gunnar Hoglund (UM), A’s;
James McArthur (UM), Kansas City;
Doug Nikhazy (UM), Cleveland;
Nick Sandlin (USM), Toronto;
Justin Steele (Lucedale/George County HS), Chicago Cubs;
Chris Stratton (MSU), Kansas City;
Jacob Waguespack (UM), Tampa Bay;
Hurston Waldrep (USM), Atlanta;
Will Warren (Jackson Prep), NY Yankees;
Brandon Woodruff (MSU), Milwaukee

Free agents of note
Kendall Graveman (MSU);
Lance Lynn (UM);
Spencer Turnbull (Madison Central)

Non-roster invitees
Tim Anderson (East Central CC), Los Angeles Angels;
Gavin Collins (MSU), St. Louis;
Blaine Crim (Miss. College), Texas;
Tim Elko (UM), Chicago White Sox;
Matthew Etzel (USM), Tampa Bay;
Jacob Gonzalez (UM), White Sox;
Konnor Griffin (Jackson Prep), Pittsburgh;
Dakota Hudson (MSU), Angels;
Cooper Johnson (UM), Texas;
David Mershon (MSU), Angels;
Braden Montgomery (Madison Central), White Sox;
Ryan Och (USM), San Diego;
Konnor Pilkington (MSU), Washington;
Drew Pomeranz (UM), Seattle;
Cooper Pratt (Magnolia Heights), Milwaukee;
Ethan Small (MSU), San Francisco;
Tyler Stuart (USM), Washington;
R.J. Yeager (MSU), St. Louis

31 Jan

a growing list

Coming off an outstanding first full season in pro ball, Matthew Etzel is the latest Mississippian in the minors to get an invitation to major league spring training. The former Southern Miss star will go camping next month with Tampa Bay, which acquired the 22-year-old outfielder in a trade with Baltimore last summer. Etzel, drafted out of USM in 2023 by the Orioles, batted .272 with 11 homers, 66 RBIs, eight triples and 45 stolen bases in 2024, playing for three different teams. He finished the season at Double-A Montgomery. He joins a growing list of non-roster invitees with state ties:
Tim Anderson (East Central CC), Los Angeles Angels;
Gavin Collins (Mississippi State), St. Louis;
Blaine Crim (Mississippi College), Texas;
Tim Elko (Ole Miss), Chicago White Sox;
Matthew Etzel (USM), Tampa Bay;
Jacob Gonzalez (UM), Chicago White Sox;
Dakota Hudson (MSU), Los Angeles Angels;
Cooper Johnson (UM), Texas;
Braden Montgomery (Madison Central), Chicago White Sox;
Konnor Pilkington (MSU), Washington;
Drew Pomeranz (UM), Seattle;
Cooper Pratt (Magnolia Heights), Milwaukee;
Ethan Small (MSU), San Francisco;
Tyler Stuart (USM), Washington;
R.J. Yeager (MSU), St. Louis.
P.S. The Mississippi Mud Monsters have hired Robert Carson III, former Hattiesburg High standout and ex-big leaguer, as their pitching coach. Carson pitched in 31 games for the New York Mets in 2012-13 and spent seven seasons in independent leagues, most recently in 2021. He been an indy league pitching coach the last three years. The independent Mud Monsters will start their inaugural season in the Frontier League in May at Trustmark Park in Pearl. The “Mud-sters” have announced three signees to date, none of them pitchers.

08 Mar

spring flings

Making a major league club as a non-roster invitee to spring training is a tall order. Jake Mangum, the former Jackson Prep and Mississippi State star, is making a strong case in Tampa Bay’s camp. Now with his third organization in three years, Mangum is 6-for-12 with a homer, two RBIs and three steals in Grapefruit League play. The switch-hitting outfielder had a couple of hits in Thursday’s game against Philadelphia. Mangum, now 28 years old, hit .357 over four years at State and has hit .289 over four minor league campaigns. He is also an outstanding defensive player. But he hasn’t gotten the big league call. Yet. … Things have not gone as well this spring for several veteran Mississippi-connected pitchers in camp as NRIs with new clubs. Zac Houston, an MSU alum, has a 12.27 ERA in four games for Tampa Bay. The 29-year-old right-hander has been in pro ball since 2016 without an MLB look. Jonathan Holder, 30, another ex-Bulldogs star, is trying get back to The Show with Texas. He has an 11.57 in five Cactus League games. And 35-year-old Drew Pomeranz, the former Ole Miss standout who last pitched in the majors in 2021, has put up a 9.82 in four appearances with the Los Angeles Angels. … Ex-Southern Miss standout Chuckie Robinson, in the Chicago White Sox’s camp, is 1-for-9 in six games as a catcher. Petal High product Anthony Alford is 0-for-3 for Cincinnati as he attempts to get back in the big leagues after two years in Korea.