Baseball recruiting

[MsStateBaseball]

If you follow me on twitter, you can tell Greg Pickett is tearing it up this summer. Way too early to tell if we keep him but remember now we have our foot in the door to Chandler World, his travel team and they are loaded. We should be getting guys from that team and west coast more now.

[KB21]

I saw where Austin Riley had 9 strike outs and touched 94 on his fastball yesterday.

[CadaverDawg]

http://www.realscience.us/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Wooly_Mammoth.gif

[KB21]

Just so we know, Pickett hit 6 home runs in one week at the PG tournament in GA.

[RBritt]

Wow! That's nuts. Hope we load up on talent but don't let the draft kill us.

[KB21]

Wow! That's nuts. Hope we load up on talent but don't let the draft kill us.

Like I said before, you have to recruit these kinds of players to even get them on campus in the first place.

[engie]

Seen at least one PG guy saying that he just might be the best power hitter in this highschool class...

[Todd4State]

Pickett and Riley for that matter are good risks to take because they both come from MSU baseball families.

We can bemoan scholarship disadvantages and all of that, but our greatest asset that we have that most schools don't have is our tradition. There are a lot of young boys who are going to be good players that dream of playing baseball at MSU, and they know that they get one chance at it.

What we have to do is identify them and bring them in.

And before someone says it, no- it doesn't guarantee that we're going to get Riley or Pickett, but it does increase our chances.

[RBritt]

Who's doing the main recruiting Cohen, Ming, or Butch?

[engie]

Who's doing the main recruiting Cohen, Ming, or Butch?

All 3. I think we've got to credit Mingione, at least partially, for broadening our horizons and going after and getting more national talent. Time will tell if he deserves this credit -- or if he stepped into a situation with our team profile back on the rise and took advantage of it. He's by far the coach of ours I'm least high on -- but he gets some credit on these things...

[AlSwearengen]

What is Pickett's connection to MSU? Parents?

[Todd4State]

Who's doing the main recruiting Cohen, Ming, or Butch?

Like engie said, all three. Butch has a lot of connections in Mississippi, especially the Tupelo area, Alabama and Georgia. If it's a pitcher, he is definitely going to be involved whether Mingione finds him first or not. Cohen has connection here in Mississippi, Florida from his days as the Gators hitting coach, California, and a couple in Texas as well as Canada. Mingione kind of goes everywhere- but our recruiting in California has picked up under him.

Edit to add- I'm pretty sure the new coach Dillon has some connections in Texas based on his bio, and probably the Midwest which hopefully includes St. Louis, Kanas City, and Chicago.

[Todd4State]

What is Pickett's connection to MSU? Parents?

Yes. His Mom went to MSU and apparently had a class with Will Clark according to Gene.

I suspect that we found out about him at the Sun Belt Classic, but I'm not 100% sure on that.

[MsStateBaseball]

Remember those HS coaches clinics? Connections is bottom line.

[State82]

Who's doing the main recruiting Cohen, Ming, or Butch?

I know all three hit the recruiting trail, but I have always kind of thought recruiting is the main reason Mingione is here.

[Todd4State]

I know all three hit the recruiting trail, but I have always kind of thought recruiting is the main reason Mingione is here.

Pretty much.

[HailState13]

Stovall had two home runs and a triple in two games for Dulin Dodgers at that same tournament so far too.

[Goat Holder]

We can bemoan scholarship disadvantages and all of that, but our greatest asset that we have that most schools don't have is our tradition. There are a lot of young boys who are going to be good players that dream of playing baseball at MSU, and they know that they get one chance at it.

Not sure if that is true anymore in totality, unless they have some sort of tie to our program. 2014 HS seniors were 10/11 years old back in 2006/2007, which, before Cohen, was the last time we were perceived as somewhat of a power. #1 ranking in 2006 for a time, then the CWS in 2007. Ole Miss was probably on their minds back then just as much. Before that, it was 1997/1998.

I agree, though, in theory, but I think that it's more of our fanbase than it is our tradition at this point. Cohen has now built his own tradition though, so it'll be much better going forward. The longer you let your success 'lapse' as we did, the harder it becomes to regain your glory. Have to hire a proven commodity like Cohen. Similar to Alabama and Saban. Not any Tom, Dick or Harry was going to be able to restore that football program, no matter what Tusk says.

[messageboardsuperhero]

Saw where Hunter Stovall had two home runs and a triple in two games for Dulin Dodgers at that same tournament so far too.

I'm excited about Stovall. Just judging on his twitter, he seems like someone who really wants to be here and has a great attitude- so I feel good about getting him. Stovall's also very talented and will be able to play either 2B or catcher for us.

[Todd4State]

Not sure if that is true anymore in totality, unless they have some sort of tie to our program. 2014 HS seniors were 10/11 years old back in 2006/2007, which, before Cohen, was the last time we were perceived as somewhat of a power. #1 ranking in 2006 for a time, then the CWS in 2007. Ole Miss was probably on their minds back then just as much. Before that, it was 1997/1998.

I agree, though, in theory, but I think that it's more of our fanbase than it is our tradition at this point. Cohen has now built his own tradition though, so it'll be much better going forward. The longer you let your success 'lapse' as we did, the harder it becomes to regain your glory. Have to hire a proven commodity like Cohen. Similar to Alabama and Saban. Not any Tom, Dick or Harry was going to be able to restore that football program, no matter what Tusk says.

That's actually what I was talking about. A family tie to the program/MSU. Baseball is still more special at MSU than it is most places. Normally we don't get players in Mississippi that grew up Ole Miss fans.

We take for granted what we have a lot of times.

[Todd4State]

Saw where Hunter Stovall had two home runs and a triple in two games for Dulin Dodgers at that same tournament so far too.

The home runs pleasantly surprise me, but the triple doesn't. He is very fast for a catcher- and I know that's clich?, but I mean like he could steal 10-15 bases easily.

[Todd4State]

I'm excited about Stovall. Just judging on his twitter, he seems like someone who really wants to be here and has a great attitude- so I feel good about getting him. Stovall's also very talented and will be able to play either 2B or catcher for us.

He went to the East Coast Pro Showcase and I know that scouts like him a lot despite the fact that he is 5'10" or so.

[KB21]

He went to the East Coast Pro Showcase and I know that scouts like him a lot despite the fact that he is 5'10" or so.

The Braves drafted Bryan De La Rosa two years ago in the third round. He was 5'9", 180 lbs when they drafted him, but he was drafted mostly because he had a ridiculous 1.72 pop time to 2nd base and was billed as the best defensive catcher in that draft. I'm not sure how Hunter Stovall compares defensively. It should be noted that De La Rosa has yet to hit the ball well in the pros.

[Todd4State]

The Braves drafted Bryan De La Rosa two years ago in the third round. He was 5'9", 180 lbs when they drafted him, but he was drafted mostly because he had a ridiculous 1.72 pop time to 2nd base and was billed as the best defensive catcher in that draft. I'm not sure how Hunter Stovall compares defensively. It should be noted that De La Rosa has yet to hit the ball well in the pros.

PG has Stovall's at 1.83 and that was in June.