We might be even better by the end of next year.....

[Taog Redloh]

We may not be a national seed, because I figure we'll struggle early again, but I bet we have a good shot at hosting or a high 2 seed at worst.

Assumptions:
- Hudson, Sexton, Humphreys, Robson are obviously going pro
- Brown, Houston, Collins, Lowe are very likely going pro (assuming they are drafted)
- Tatum and Brown stay on team
- Young moves on, one way or the other
- Hughes and Ford still injured

Returning Lineup:
C - Marrero, So.
1B - Gordon, RSo.
2B - Gridley, Jr.
SS - Alexander, So.
3B - Stovall, So.
LF - Brown, RSr.
CF - Mangum, So.
RF - Rooker, RJr.
DH - Kruger, Sr.

SP - Pilkington, So.
SP - Small, So.
SP - Tatum, Sr.
SP - Cyr, So.
RP - Rigby, Jr.
RP - Smith, Sr.
RP - Breaux, So.
RP - James, So.
CP - Billingsley, RJr.

Off the wall prediction - Padgett becomes a Friday or Saturday caliber guy.

This is not including any incoming recruits, or Barlow. Assuming marginal development/maturity for the freshmen, that lineup could be strong. I imagine I'm off on a few, a few of the seniors might not come back.

[msstate7]

We've lost 1 Friday (first sec game) game all year and a huge part of that is having perhaps a top 10 mlb pick as an ace. I'm just not sure we'll have that next season. I do think we'll be very good offensively if we return Kruger and rooker like you predicted

[Taog Redloh]

We've lost 1 Friday (first sec game) all year and a huge part of that is having perhaps a top 10 mlb pick as an ace. I'm just not sure we'll have that next season. I do think we'll be very good offensively if we return Kruger and rooker like you predicted

Definitely understandable but we have the talent to replace them. A lot of our freshmen had Hudson-type accolades. I think we have a couple of them make big jumps. I really wish Ford hadn't gotten hurt.

I went out on a limb and predicted this in 2015 too, but the then-sophomores (Hudson, Sexton, Humphreys, Collins) didn't make the jumps I thought they would, and we petered out rather than rose. I expect the opposite next year because these guys are more talented.

[missouridawg]

We've lost 1 Friday (first sec game) game all year and a huge part of that is having perhaps a top 10 mlb pick as an ace. I'm just not sure we'll have that next season. I do think we'll be very good offensively if we return Kruger and rooker like you predicted

We lost Florida and aTm on Friday, right?

[msstate7]

We lost Florida and aTm on Friday, right?
I don't count the Florida game bc the umps gave shore a power nap mid-inning**

Yeah, my bad

[AlmostPositive]

I think the'll be fun to watch no matter what. Mangum and Rooker and Thor Jr and the rest seem to revel in the game.

[Tbonewannabe]

Cohen is recruiting at a high level now so hopefully the season we dip is a #2 seed somewhere with the chance to make some noise. I am anxious to see what Wes is able to do with this pitching staff after an entire year. Just in the short time he was here most of the guys added a couple of mph on their fastballs. The future is definitely bright.

[Bothrops]

We may not be a national seed, because I figure we'll struggle early again, but I bet we have a good shot at hosting or a high 2 seed at worst.

Assumptions:
- Hudson, Sexton, Humphreys, Robson are obviously going pro
- Brown, Houston, Collins, Lowe are very likely going pro (assuming they are drafted)
- Tatum and Brown stay on team
- Young moves on, one way or the other
- Hughes and Ford still injured

Returning Lineup:
C - Marrero, So.
1B - Gordon, RSo.
2B - Gridley, Jr.
SS - Alexander, So.
3B - Stovall, So.
LF - Brown, RSr.
CF - Mangum, So.
RF - Rooker, RJr.
DH - Kruger, Sr.

SP - Pilkington, So.
SP - Small, So.
SP - Tatum, Sr.
SP - Cyr, So.
RP - Rigby, Jr.
RP - Smith, Sr.
RP - Breaux, So.
RP - James, So.
CP - Billingsley, RJr.

Off the wall prediction - Padgett becomes a Friday or Saturday caliber guy.

This is not including any incoming recruits, or Barlow. Assuming marginal development/maturity for the freshmen, that lineup could be strong. I imagine I'm off on a few, a few of the seniors might not come back.

Not if we lose all those guys from the lineup we wont. What we have now, we haven't had in a long ass time. It's pretty special.

[maroonmania]

Biggest thing to me that would help our program not take significant dips from year to year is getting guys to play at a high level starting in their Sophomore year whereas now we have a LOT of guys that don't play significant roles until they are Juniors. And due to that, we get one good year out of them and then they are gone. We've had many players under Cohen do this and this year the examples would be Hudson, Humphreys, Rooker and to a lesser degree Sexton. These guys have barely even contributed until this year even though they've been in our program but this year they are playing great yet will all likely be leaving after this year. Hard to keep things at a high level with that continuing to happen. If we could get 2 big years out of guys before they leave it would make a world of difference in keeping the program at a championship type level.

[bulldogcountry1]

If we lose 8 guys to the draft, I don't see how we could be better. Give me an example where that has happened to any team ever.

[CadaverDawg]

A year ago, Dakota Hudson was a head case that rarely pitched well. We didn't know if the following guys would have any impact at all as first year players....
Mangum
Kruger
Lowe
Marrero
Pilkington
Bl Smith
(I may be leaving out a few)

Yes, that is the top 3 guys in our current batting order that weren't even on the team a year ago. Not to mention our #3 starter and Marrero who clearly will be a really good player before he's done.

So I think Goat makes a good point. Between Jucos, Freshmen, & just guys stepping up off of a more talented overall roster....there's no reason to believe we can't be pretty good next year. It would be foolish to predict "as good as this year", but it would be even more foolish to expect no incoming guys to become big time impact first year guys too, based on the talent we have and will be coming in.

[BrunswickDawg]

Biggest thing to me that would help our program not take significant dips from year to year is getting guys to play at a high level starting in their Sophomore year whereas now we have a LOT of guys that don't play significant roles until they are Juniors. And due to that, we get one good year out of them and then they are gone. We've had many players under Cohen do this and this year the examples would be Hudson, Humphreys, Rooker and to a lesser degree Sexton. These guys have barely even contributed until this year even though they've been in our program but this year they are playing great yet will all likely be leaving after this year. Hard to keep things at a high level with that continuing to happen. If we could get 2 big years out of guys before they leave it would make a world of difference in keeping the program at a championship type level.

But, you are already seeing a change in that trend - look at the line up Goat posted. Look at how many of those guys are young and already contributing this year. Marrero, Stovall, Mangum, Lowe, Pilk, Cyr, Rigby, Smith, and Breaux are all contributing as FR - meaning we will get 3 out of them. Gridley is a Soph now, and is in his 2nd year of contributing. If Rooker comes back, that will be his third year. That is the majority of our lineup giving 3 years of solid production.

[louisvilledawg]

But, you are already seeing a change in that trend - look at the line up Goat posted. Look at how many of those guys are young and already contributing this year. Marrero, Stovall, Mangum, Lowe, Pilk, Cyr, Rigby, Smith, and Breaux are all contributing as FR - meaning we will get 3 out of them. Gridley is a Soph now, and is in his 2nd year of contributing. If Rooker comes back, that will be his third year. That is the majority of our lineup giving 3 years of solid production.

Lowe and Blake Smith are juniors, Rigby is a sophomore. I would love for Lowe to come back, obviously, but what about cole gordon playing 1b after lowe? Dude has a monster stroke

[msstate7]

We're a national seed and perhaps sec champs. We're gonna lose 2 of 3 weekend starters and perhaps as many as 7 position starters (Kruger, hump, Lowe, holland, Collins, rooker, and Robson... Hopefully not rooker, Lowe, Kruger, and Robson, but possible). I would hold off on predicting us to be among sec elite next season

[louisvilledawg]

Also, don't forget about Luke Alexander. His bat will come around. Watching a game earlier this season when he was playing, i remember Bart mentioning he had heard a scout say that Alexander was one of the best defensive players in the state in last ten years. Said he could've started at MSU in the field since he was sophomore in high school. I'm eager to see his growth from his freshman to sophomore campaign.

Is there any way we get Walker Robbins on campus? Since big, hard-throwing lefties are coveted by MLB i figure he'll go pro.

[BrunswickDawg]

We're a national seed and perhaps sec champs. We're gonna lose 2 of 3 weekend starters and perhaps as many as 7 position starters (Kruger, hump, Lowe, holland, Collins, rooker, and Robson... Hopefully not rooker, Lowe, Kruger, and Robson, but possible). I would hold off on predicting us to be among sec elite next season

I think the point is that we are looking at "reload" and not "rebuild". That "rebuild" is what got us in a pinch after 2013 - we lost too many quality arms. After 2014, we lost what we had in quality bats coupled with the change in the ball. Give Cohen credit for recognizing after 2014 we had to change our recruiting strategy. It is paying off this year in a team primed to make a run - but it could pay off again next year and there after by us having players who contribute longer and keep us in the conversation every year.

[Big4Dawg]

LSU has been a national seed host for 4 straight years. How do they not have down years??

[msstate7]

LSU has been a national seed host for 4 straight years. How do they not have down years??

They're lsu and unfortunately, we aren't on their level.

[bulldogcountry1]

They're lsu and unfortunately, we aren't on their level.

If they lose out on TOPS (or whatever it's called), they won't be on their level.

[msstate7]

If they lose out on TOPS (or whatever it's called), they won't be on their level.

They'd still be an elite program. 6 national titles and 17 CWS appearances since '86

[Taog Redloh]

LSU has been a national seed host for 4 straight years. How do they not have down years??

How do you still not know the answer to this question? Do you follow college baseball at all and/or understand the scholarship situation?

[Jack Lambert]

We've lost 1 Friday (first sec game) game all year and a huge part of that is having perhaps a top 10 mlb pick as an ace. I'm just not sure we'll have that next season. I do think we'll be very good offensively if we return Kruger and rooker like you predicted

Hudson improved over the summer to get to where he is now. I think some of these young guys will end up being really good.

[msstate7]

Hudson improved over the summer to get to where he is now. I think some of these young guys will end up being really good.

Hudson certainly improved during the summer, but it started before then. Hudson came on strong down the stretch last year after adding cutter