D1 Baseball: Summer Baseball update

[AusTexDawg]

Keegan James and Tanner Poole performed well at Valley League All-Star Game (http://www.d1baseball.com/prospects/prospect-rundown-valley-league/). Per Aaron Fitt, James demonstrated good 3-pitch technique "and appears to dabble with a cutter as well." Poole is "hitting .315/.442/.457 24 with two homers and 14 stolen bases in 24 games."

[KB21]

Fitt also said that James is probably the best prospect in the Valley League as well.

[Tbonewannabe]

Our pitching is going to be really good in 2 years but might even be good next year. These freshmen might win us a National Title especially if Mangum and the other freshmen improve and we improve the roster with some power.

[AusTexDawg]

Article on Jake Mangum (not D1BB) (http://capecod.wickedlocal.com/sports/20160712/cape-cod-baseball-bournes-hot-hitters-are-on-tear/?Start=1):
"Leading the Bourne offensive charge is Binghamton's Justin Yurchak at .321 followed closely by Mississippi State's Jake Mangum at .320. Both are among the league's top 10 hitters.

Mangum's success translated early to the Cape League with two hits in his first game, and he hasn't let up maintaining at least a .300 average since game three.
Just a freshman, Mangum hasn't had a lot of experience with wooden bats, but is getting a great taste of them here. "They are definitely harder to use for sure," he said. "But if you get the right pitch to hit and get it right on the barrel it's all the same.""

[Backspin]

Magnum and every other player who has played summer travel/showcase baseball in high school has used wood bats during the summer.

[Todd4State]

Our pitching is going to be really good in 2 years but might even be good next year. These freshmen might win us a National Title especially if Mangum and the other freshmen improve and we improve the roster with some power.

Honestly, in terms of talent- it's probably the best top to bottom I have seen at MSU. Pilkington, Small, James, Cyr, and Breaux are all guys that are guys that could be legit SEC weekend starters. Two of them won't be in our SEC rotation. That doesn't even include Noah Hughes who I really like but is coming off of an arm injury and then we added Ashcraft and Self in this entering class. And then there is Parker Ford who is also coming off an arm injury.

I'll be interested to see how Cohen and Henderson handle the staff going forward. I think we may make Padgett our closer eventually- maybe next year if not the year after. Do we go with the guys with the three highest ceilings who are all LH pitchers in Pilkington, Breaux, and Small or do we go Pilkington as the ace and then have James/Cyr compete for the RH guy and then Small and Breaux compete for the LH guy in the rotation? Does Henderson piggy back guys? It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.