Baseball Recruits

[Santiago]

Do we keep Mershon in all this?

I know a good coach will bring in their recruits as well, but just wondering which current signees make it to campus when all said and done

[HoopsDawg]

I feel bad for Mershon. He commits to South Carolina and they fire his coach. Then he commits to MSU and his coach gets fired again.

I expect to lose at least 4 signees to the draft. New staff will just have to hit the portal.

[StarkVegasSteve]

You're not getting all 3 of Harmon and the Parker twins. I would expect at least on of them to go, Mershon is probably out(unless we were to keep Jake), I would expect that we lose Grindlinder, and either Bingham or Rhodes.

It isn't a big deal honestly because we're going to be portal heavy for the next couple of years. A lot of times in baseball, it's not the first class that you worry about losing a lot of kids. It's the next 2-3 classes.

[KB21]

I doubt we lose as many as some think we might lose.

[HoopsDawg]

I doubt we lose as many as some think we might lose.

We are definitely going to lose 3. Possibly as many as 6. You can bookmark this post.

[CaptainObvious]

If there EVER was a time NOT to choose a school based on the ahead Coach, this was the PRIME example of that! Everybody including the Real Bulldog Mascot knew going into this year it was a make or break season for Lemonis! Any parent that allowed their son to choose MSU based on Lemonis likely being the coach next year had his and her heads in the sand.

[StarkVegasSteve]

If there EVER was a time NOT to choose a school based on the ahead Coach, this was the PRIME example of that! Everybody including the Real Bulldog Mascot knew going into this year it was a make or break season for Lemonis! Any parent that allowed their son to choose MSU based on Lemonis likely being the coach next year had his and her heads in the sand.

I mean most of these families don't have any relation to State prior to being recruited so their point of news for Mississippi State is the coaches. They aren't on message boards or following beat writers for every tweet about Mississippi State. These kids are not committing to the programs, they are committing to the coaches. I mean what are the coaches going to tell a kid, "Yea this season looks pretty iffy, might be fired. But hey, come on and sign up to play for us!!"

[HoopsDawg]

If there EVER was a time NOT to choose a school based on the ahead Coach, this was the PRIME example of that! Everybody including the Real Bulldog Mascot knew going into this year it was a make or break season for Lemonis! Any parent that allowed their son to choose MSU based on Lemonis likely being the coach next year had his and her heads in the sand.

Most of these kids have been committed for several years.

[Thick]

Hell we got Hubbard bc Kermit got fired. It happens in every sport. Roll with the punches. The portal giveth and taketh away!

[Coach34]

Our biggest recruits this summer are Reese and McPherson. 2 all-SEC players

[Tbonewannabe]

One of the Parker twins was projected in the early to mid 1st round. Unless he just wants to play with his brother in college, he won't be here.

[Coursesuper]

Our biggest recruits this summer are Reese and McPherson. 2 all-SEC players

Them and a couple of more we have to retain. There is going to be a giant roster flip with the change and we have to try to make it for the better.

[TNDawg35]

I would really like to see what Nolan Stevens can do as the everyday 1B.

[maroonmania]

I am way less worried about holding onto recruits during this time period than I was say when we hired Lemonis. With the portal and NIL, if we hire the right coach, we will get the players we need fairly quickly. Back when you had to build a program off of HS recruits primarily, that's when changing coaches really set a program back.

[Todd4State]

Do we keep Mershon in all this?

I know a good coach will bring in their recruits as well, but just wondering which current signees make it to campus when all said and done

The thing is he has already signed a LOI with MSU so the only way I think he can get out of it besides go pro is enter the portal. And that applies for every recruit really.

If I were a recruit and I were in their shoes I would wait and see who MSU hires before I tried to leave to be honest with you. The coaches we are after are guys that a lot of players would like to play for.

[maroonmania]

The thing is he has already signed a LOI with MSU so the only way I think he can get out of it besides go pro is enter the portal. And that applies for every recruit really.

If I were a recruit and I were in their shoes I would wait and see who MSU hires before I tried to leave to be honest with you. The coaches we are after are guys that a lot of players would like to play for.

I'm pretty sure you can get out of your LOI these days if the HC changes but I agree these guys should at least wait and see who they will end up playing for.

[The Federalist Engineer]

Even with Vitello or Joe Torre as coach ....

Is MSU getting the Parker Brothers? Harmon? and the California catcher?

The out-of-state kids are always dubious.

Even the Mershon kid is on his 3rd or 4th collegiate commitment, that's pretty dubious. Ironic, if the Mershons get mad about Lemons being fired, Lemons would likely not have been fired if David Mershon had stayed in school for Junior season. Having an All SEC shortstop and All American Lead Off Switch Hitter would have been great for Lemons. So, basically David Mershon and Dakota Jordan fired Lemons by sell-themselves short with low Draft Picks.

[cheewgumm]

Our biggest recruits this summer are Reese and McPherson. 2 all-SEC players

Amen. Absolute MUSTs

[Coach34]

Ironic, if the Mershons get mad about Lemons being fired, Lemons would likely not have been fired if David Mershon had stayed in school for Junior season. Having an All SEC shortstop and All American Lead Off Switch Hitter would have been great for Lemons. So, basically David Mershon and Dakota Jordan fired Lemons by sell-themselves short with low Draft Picks.

This is a great point. Mershon stays and there is no SS problem with us likely in the field as a host right now. Since we put Reeves at SS and settled on a line-up we are 7-5 in the SEC. We have essentially replaced Jordon but it would have made us even better had he stayed

[Todd4State]

This is a great point. Mershon stays and there is no SS problem with us likely in the field as a host right now. Since we put Reeves at SS and settled on a line-up we are 7-5 in the SEC. We have essentially replaced Jordon but it would have made us even better had he stayed

It sounds like Lemonis was cooked anyway if the rumors I'm hearing are correct.

He still did stuff that caused us to underachieve. Like pitcher tryouts against Troy. You can't do that against a ranked opponent and losing games like that was costing us every single year.

And even with Reeves- if that is your best shortstop you can't wait until halfway through the SEC season to figure that out.

If we are going to a more pro model of organization I don't think Lemonis is the guy to do that. He had all the tech out there and if he wants something MSU will get it for him. And yet, we're behind in hitting tech and his management of the pitching staff was so poor it offset any benefit we got from the tech. Our defense and baserunning had always been shaky under him as well and while a lot of times the defense improved it usually cost us a game or two in OOC play and those things add up when you are trying to host.

[Todd4State]

And I'll say this about our baseball recruiting- my biggest issue with it is we have evaluated signability very poorly. In other words we have taken way too many guys that are MLB signing risks. Losing 1-2 guys is acceptable. But losing six is WTF?

The group of freshmen we currently have- that class at one time had William Schmidt who was going to LSU as soon as they offered so basically a waste, Conrad Cason who was going pro no matter what, PJ Morlando who was going pro no matter what, Noah Franco who had his hand out for NIL, and Dante Nori who we got a little unlucky with.

Now we have JoJo Parker who is probable first round pick and I'm sure if he goes pro it's very likely his brother will too. Then Harmon, Grindlinger, and Mershon are other draft risks.

What Cann did so well is he was able to eval signability and that's how you end up with a class of Foscue, Westburg, and TA.

[The Federalist Engineer]

This is a great point. Mershon stays and there is no SS problem with us likely in the field as a host right now. Since we put Reeves at SS and settled on a line-up we are 7-5 in the SEC. We have essentially replaced Jordon but it would have made us even better had he stayed

Jordan would be putting up video game numbers this season and Mershon is a 2-run per-game impact player, score a run and driving a run.

If you win half of the 1 or 2 run games that where lost, Lemons would still be leeching and scuttling the MSU baseball program.

You win One Texas Game, One More OU Game, One LSU Game, Sweep USCe, and Likely One more Auburn game. 5 Wins. So you would be something like 12-12 up to 15-9 right now in the SEC.

[Coach34]

It sounds like Lemonis was cooked anyway if the rumors I'm hearing are correct.

He still did stuff that caused us to underachieve. Like pitcher tryouts against Troy. You can't do that against a ranked opponent and losing games like that was costing us every single year.

And even with Reeves- if that is your best shortstop you can't wait until halfway through the SEC season to figure that out.

If we are going to a more pro model of organization I don't think Lemonis is the guy to do that. He had all the tech out there and if he wants something MSU will get it for him. And yet, we're behind in hitting tech and his management of the pitching staff was so poor it offset any benefit we got from the tech. Our defense and baserunning had always been shaky under him as well and while a lot of times the defense improved it usually cost us a game or two in OOC play and those things add up when you are trying to host.

You can say this or that all you want- if we have Mershon at SS hitting leadoff from Day 1 we would be at least 3 wins better which would have us in a host spot. Lemon left a shit ton to be desired and was deservedly fired- but that’s the difference in him losing or keeping his job- about 3 games. If we were 13-12 in the SEC Lemon would still be the HC. Now we agree completely that Lemon looking like he hadn’t met the team before Feb 1st 100% cost us this season and ultimately his job

[Santiago]

You can say this or that all you want- if we have Mershon at SS hitting leadoff from Day 1 we would be at least 3 wins better which would have us in a host spot. Lemon left a shit ton to be desired and was deservedly fired- but that’s the difference in him losing or keeping his job- about 3 games. If we were 13-12 in the SEC Lemon would still be the HC. Now we agree completely that Lemon looking like he hadn’t met the team before Feb 1st 100% cost us this season and ultimately his job

That season we kept trying different lead off batters as the season progressed was something else also

[cheewgumm]

Did Mershon leave because he thought he might get out at second base?

Lemonis? loyalty to Cupp might have ultimately been his downfall.

[StateDawg44]

That season we kept trying different lead off batters as the season progressed was something else also

THIS season was no different when it comes to him trying to find the leadoff guy until Frei stuck for him.

[basedog]

It sounds like Lemonis was cooked anyway if the rumors I'm hearing are correct.

He still did stuff that caused us to underachieve. Like pitcher tryouts against Troy. You can't do that against a ranked opponent and losing games like that was costing us every single year.

And even with Reeves- if that is your best shortstop you can't wait until halfway through the SEC season to figure that out.

If we are going to a more pro model of organization I don't think Lemonis is the guy to do that. He had all the tech out there and if he wants something MSU will get it for him. And yet, we're behind in hitting tech and his management of the pitching staff was so poor it offset any benefit we got from the tech. Our defense and baserunning had always been shaky under him as well and while a lot of times the defense improved it usually cost us a game or two in OOC play and those things add up when you are trying to host.

Can't disagree Todd. Coaches have to be motivated 12 months. I told my daughter after the Natty we better get motivated and stop celebrating, Lemonis was a lazy coach who was way too soft.

[Coach34]

Did Mershon leave because he thought he might get out at second base?

Lemonis? loyalty to Cupp might have ultimately been his downfall.

No- Mersh was ready for pro ball and didn’t want to be in college anymore. His brother committed to Lemon. The family loves Lemon. Hell, if it was Lemon Mersh could have gotten more NIL from another SEC school than he did signing with MLB

[Leroy Jenkins]

No- Mersh was ready for pro ball and didn’t want to be in college anymore. His brother committed to Lemon. The family loves Lemon. Hell, if it was Lemon Mersh could have gotten more NIL from another SEC school than he did signing with MLB

Taking a pay cut for turning pro is a wild concept.

[Coach34]

Taking a pay cut for turning pro is a wild concept.

welcome to 2025