Baseball team

[bobcat91]

Who left the team besides draftees and Seniors. I know there were questions about Flair and Fullerton.

[Homedawg]

They both left.

[MsStateBaseball]

Flair and Fullerton left. Roster hasn't been released but should be 43 or so and that has to be 35 by first game. Walk ons can be redshirted and not go against 35. I predict a few to leave in January. Nature of baseball theses days

[bully99]

Where did Flair and Fullerton end up? Any idea who may already be thinking of leaving? Are we just signing too many players every year? Thanks

[MsStateBaseball]

Flair went to JC somewhere, I don't know where. Fullerton I think went to a smaller school bc he wanted to play infield. Maybe someone else knows the school. I'm not going to call out names of guys who I think will be cut. I will say walk ons are likely. But hard to tell who is a walk on bc they aren't announced. But for example, we got 4 catchers, my guess is we only keep three.

[Homedawg]

Flair went to JC somewhere, I don't know where. Fullerton I think went to a smaller school bc he wanted to play infield. Maybe someone else knows the school. I'm not going to call out names of guys who I think will be cut. I will say walk ons are likely. But hard to tell who is a walk on bc they aren't announced. But for example, we got 4 catchers, my guess is we only keep three.

We've kept 4 almost every year. Last year no exception. So if we have 4 that can play I'd be shocked of we didn't keep 4. Who is going to get cut? Zach? Don't think so.

[MsStateBaseball]

I don't know. Fall ball is tryout. All I know is 35 and walk ons that can be redshirted. If you are a walk on and have been redshirted then you are not safe.

[bully99]

How often are signees cut. I was looking at the fall rosters from the last few years and it's interesting how many of those guys never played here and left the program. That's why I think it's always risky to hype up recruits every year.

[notsofarawaydawg]

On Sept 27th Fullerton tweeted this .. Sitting here at apsu and can't help but think of the deaking radar gun .. earlier a former MSU teammate wished him luck in Columbia .. I'll let you guys do the rest.

[MsStateBaseball]

Fullerton is at Austin Peay then. Not a bad baseball school at all. I hope he starts and plays years in pro ball.

Big question for me: school doesn't announce signees anymore, why? I don't know. Haven't heard a reason. Walk ons and signees. I do know if a signee leaves and he was penciled in on 35 roster then officially you have 34, can't replace him w walk on.

[MsStateBaseball]

And to add this: kids who walk on are told they will be redshirted. They get lots of practice, reps, etc. They have a chance to make the team if they make a jump in their play. But now we are highly thought of by recruits so walk ons are against the wall making it.

[MsStateBaseball]

And more: the kids have to say they are a walk on, never heard a coach say it. Again, school doesn't announce signees so you are left in the dark. Come signing day I will ask on twitter for players to announce they signed whether walk on or not. Only way my followers would know. Compared to football which is front page news. This is why my twitter has large following. I supply news/thoughts.

[Todd4State]

As far as Flair- I have heard rumors about either a JUCO in Florida or a JUCO in Louisiana. At one time, I had heard that Cody Brown was considering going to a JUCO, but I don't think he did.

As far as the roster, cutting people, etc- There is a 35 man NCAA mandated roster. From my understanding, we can have technically as many "on the team" as we want BUT we can only use the 35 guys on the roster in games that year. I don't know that we technically "cut" people as much as it is they choose to leave. For example, if I'm the 36th guy, Cohen and Butch will probably say something along the lines of- "OK Todd, you didn't quite make the roster, we appreciate you being on the team and coming out- but we suggest that you go to Mississippi Gulf Coast CC so that you can play and then you can come back out if you want or you can sit out the year and stay in school. And then work on whatever in the meantime to make the team. The choice is up to you." At that point the player will either sit out the year, go to a JUCO, transfer somewhere like Delta State, or just quit baseball and focus on school.

As far as why we don't announce signees- it's the same reason why we don't announce our preferred walk-ons in football. The NCAA only allows you to announce guys that actually sign a scholarship. Of course, in baseball you have a lot of walk-ons that are getting academic aid, but that's only because Title IX screws over baseball. They're not walking on because they suck. I could be a first round pick and throwing 100 MPH with a Sandy Koufax curve and be a dare I say it five tool player, but if I have a 4.0 GPA and a 36 on the ACT and I get a Shillig Scholarship or whatever they call it now at MSU, I'm technically a walk-on on the baseball team and they can't announce me with the class.

I don't think very many if any schools announce their baseball signees for the same reason- it attaches stigmas to players who don't deserve it potentially. Or on the opposite end of the spectrum "how can Bob4State get a scholarship and Todd4State has to walk-on?" It sucks for all of us who follow baseball recruiting.

[bully99]

Good job keep the info coming when fall ball starts.