There is already a thread discussing 2020's pitching. What about 2020 hitting?

[Mjoelner34]

What are the chances that at least 1 of our Sophs makes the jump to Jr in a Brent Rooker/JJ Bleday fashion? Who do you think has the best chance to make that jump? Based on this season, it looks like Foscue but I'm gonna bet on Westburg. If one (or more) make that jump and Cerantola and MacLeod develop, watch out!

[state66]

Check foscues numbers. He faded towards the end of the season but he was on pace with Renfroe. He could have a really big year next year.

[CadaverDawg]

Westburg should make a big jump. I think Landon Jordan will be so good most of us will be going "why the hell wasnt he hitting more last year??"

[KOdawg1]

Hitting doesn't concern me next year.

[Coach34]

Allen
Westy
Rowdey
Hatcher
Foscue

Thats 5 legit bats next season. All will be .300 plus and with Allen, Foscue and Westy potentially hitting .350

[BuckyIsAB****]

I think Cumbest would have a chance to be a first round baseball talent if he would just play it and drop football.

And I'm a football guy all the way, and he is a good football player, we just have a lot of TEs/H backs on the roster right now and he misses every spring to play baseball.

[Homedawg]

Hitting doesn't concern me next year.

Me either. But defense still will except worse. No Mangum no Mcnamee. Not one above avg defender left. I'm sure whoever catches will be fine. I hope. Jones has a hose. He just needs to get better receiving. Hancock is a good receiver, just doesn't have jones' arm.

[MetEdDawg]

Questions for me:

1. Who hits leadoff? I'm guessing that's Rowdey

2. What does our OF look like? We replace Mangum and Mac. Figure Cumbest will be one of those. What happens to the other spot? Does Allen move to OF and Hatcher go to 1B?

3. What do we do at 3B? Ginn? Move Foscue back and try Halter at 2B? Landon Jordan?

Those are the 3 biggest questions to me. We need a 2 hole hitter if Rowdey leads off because Westburg isn't a typical SEC 2 hole. He's too swing and miss, not enough oppo for hit and runs or moving guys over from 2B. So I'll be interested to see how that all shakes out.

[CadaverDawg]

I'll take a stab....

Lineup:
CF Rowdey
3B L Jordan
SS Westburg
1B Allen
2B Foscue
RF Hatcher
DH Hancock/Halter/Ginn
C Jones
LF Cumbest/Freshman

Rotation:
Fri - Ginn
Sat - Smith
Sun - Cerantola/MacLeod

[Todd4State]

Westburg has the highest ceiling of our hitters and I hope he busts out. Going to the Cape is going to be good for him.

I think our defense will be Ok but we're going to have to work really hard at it in the offseason. Having guys in settled positions will help a lot.

I don't think we're going to move a lot of guys like Foscue around. If he's comfortable at second base just let him develop there.

It would be really nice to pick up a grad transfer or two honestly- I'd be fine with a Grant Hogue type leadoff hitter that can play CF for us.

I think playing every day will help Cumbest. But will he hit like Jordan Westburg where he only hits 5-6 home runs and around .300 or will he be Brent Rooker his RS sophomore year and hit 11+ bombs?

Hayden Jones I think will improve enough to where he will start. But we'll see. Homedawg is right about him needing work, but at least if he isn't ready Hancock will do a good job. I can't see that duo replacing Skelton's offense although the raw power is definitely there with Hayden Jones.

TA and Foscue will probably have similar seasons although I could see Foscue regressing some home run wise. I think Halter starts at third. He should be better. Westburg I am hoping busts out. All should be better defensively.

We'll miss Mangum and MacNamee a LOT leadership wise. I think Hatcher starts in LF and will hit 5-10 HR's while hitting .300. Needs to work on his defense. Rowdey should be in CF. I think he will get his average up some and he could hit 5-10 home runs as well. I think Cumbest can match MacNamee production wise. Landon Jordan will start at DH or third base. I think he hits over .300.


Lineup:


1. Rowdey
2. TA- should have been here last year
3. Westburg
4. Foscue
5. Cumbest
6. Landon
7. Halter
8. Hayden Jones/Luke Hancock
9. Hatcher

[timotheus]

I got u on all of em but Cumbest. He has some major improvement of pitch recognition to improve on if he is to hit 5th , much less anywhere in the lineup. I hope he can but I know what I saw live and in person.

[CadaverDawg]

I got u on all of em but Cumbest. He has some major improvement of pitch recognition to improve on if he is to hit 5th , much less anywhere in the lineup. I hope he can but I know what I saw live and in person.

Yeah I wasn't going to say anything, but I've heard that he is probably the worst hitter on the team in practice/scrimmages, which reflects his playing time as the season went on. I'm sure he will improve, but it may be premature to pencil him in as a starter, and very premature to put him batting 5th....but who knows

[Tbonewannabe]

We definitely have the potential. I think the only person coming into this year that had hit above .300 was Mangum. Our offense might take a step back but we should still be pretty good especially if some guys make a jump.

I am excited to see what Landon Jordan does next year when he gets regular at bats. I think we will have good production behind the plate. Skelton had the best year since Easley behind the plate but Hancock and Jones should be at least SEC average.

[Todd4State]

Yeah I wasn't going to say anything, but I've heard that he is probably the worst hitter on the team in practice/scrimmages, which reflects his playing time as the season went on. I'm sure he will improve, but it may be premature to pencil him in as a starter, and very premature to put him batting 5th....but who knows

I'm not sure about practice but he looked pretty good during batting practice before games.

[timotheus]

Then i hope he can work each count to his favor and sit on a heater.

[BuckyIsAB****]

Then i hope he can work each count to his favor and sit on a heater.

I dont know as much as some of you but he is extremely athletic. No reason he cant be a power guy and a power arm in the OF. Should be good on defense as well knowing his ball skills and body control in FB. I know a baseball travels different but its the same concept.

I expect big things out of him, like I said I just want him to pick one

[Todd4State]

I dont know as much as some of you but he is extremely athletic. No reason he cant be a power guy and a power arm in the OF. Should be good on defense as well knowing his ball skills and body control in FB. I know a baseball travels different but its the same concept.

I expect big things out of him, like I said I just want him to pick one

To me he has five tool potential and is built like Mark McGwire. I think he is a darkhorse candidate to be a closer for us as well. He pitched some in the spring.

I want him to get AB's this summer at least through July somewhere like the Cal Ripken League and then if he wants to play football in August I'm good with that.

[WeWonItAll(Most)]

Hancock looked good hitting the ball towards the end of the year and in the SEC tourney.

[Saltydog]

I could also see a platoon catching situation with Hancock playing against righties and Jones against lefties.

[timotheus]

heck man, luke could play any position on the field

[Homedawg]

To me he has five tool potential and is built like Mark McGwire. I think he is a darkhorse candidate to be a closer for us as well. He pitched some in the spring.

I want him to get AB's this summer at least through July somewhere like the Cal Ripken League and then if he wants to play football in August I'm good with that.

That's just it, no at bats in the summer and none in the fall, he's on football's dime now. .... he's talented but that's hard to overcome. He's not BO Jackson.

[Homedawg]

I could also see a platoon catching situation with Hancock playing against righties and Jones against lefties.

You know they are both left handed right??

[timotheus]

I hope one of em can hit a lefty then.

[Saltydog]

For some reason I was thinking Jones was a righty. Hadn't seen him on the field for so long I guess I had forgotten.

[I seen it dawg]

Allen LF
Rowdey CF
Westburg SS
Foscue 2b
Hatcher rf
Jordan/Halter 3b/DH
Halter DH
Jones 1b/C
Hancock c

This is spitballing of course but I'm intrigued by hitting Allen leadoff. He is most likely our LF next yr. Jordan jones and Hancock are too good to not play. We will need to find a RH hitter somewhere bc this lineup will Be LH heavy.

[HoopsDawg]

1. Rowdey, CF
2. Westy, SS
3. Allen, LF
4. Foscue, 2B
5. Hatcher, 1B
6. Hayden Jones, C
7. Landon Jordan, 3B
8. Hancock, DH
9. Halter, RF

Disappointed we don't have a stud bat coming in. Need to find a grad transfer.

[I seen it dawg]

1. Rowdey, CF
2. Westy, SS
3. Allen, LF
4. Foscue, 2B
5. Hatcher, 1B
6. Hayden Jones, C
7. Landon Jordan, 3B
8. Hancock, DH
9. Halter, RF

Disappointed we don't have a stud bat coming in. Need to find a grad transfer.

Can totally see this as our lineup.

[Todd4State]

1. Rowdey, CF
2. Westy, SS
3. Allen, LF
4. Foscue, 2B
5. Hatcher, 1B
6. Hayden Jones, C
7. Landon Jordan, 3B
8. Hancock, DH
9. Halter, RF

Disappointed we don't have a stud bat coming in. Need to find a grad transfer.

Yeah we really could use a couple of power hitting corner infielders and a power arm closer. Not sure how many of those are realistically on the grad transfer market though.

[Madisonmd]

From a baseball dad, pitchers like Hancock a lot better behind the plate. Frames things up much better! Watch out for Ginn to 3B! May move to BP/closer

[louisvilledawg]

Mine would be:

1. Landon Jordan, 3B (batted .330ish as a freshman and only struckout 9 times all season)
2. Rowdey, CF
3. Allen, 1B
4. Foscue, 2B
5. Westburg, SS (one of my fave MSU players, but he struckout over 25% of his at bats this past season)
6. Hatcher, RF (think he was the second-highest rated recruit in the 2017 class behind Jordan Anderson. Time for him to turn it on.)
7. Hayden Jones, DH
8. Luke Hancock, C
9. Maybe a newcomer like Basiel Williams in LF. Top 100 prospect with sub 6.7 speed.

[timotheus]

I just hope that somebody watched the game last nite and can understand that if u don't swing at Vandy's trash pitches that u will either get walked or receive a nice straight heater down the middle. And please hit it where it's pitched and quit trying to pull everything.

[Homedawg]

I just hope that somebody watched the game last nite and can understand that if u don't swing at Vandy's trash pitches that u will either get walked or receive a nice straight heater down the middle. And please hit it where it's pitched and quit trying to pull everything.

So simple, just hit the fast ball. Lay off the slider in the dirt. It's way tougher than that. Trust me. Ask Michigan too. Then he gets in your head and you take a cock shot cause you think it's a slider and wait, it isn't. Nobody is swinging at crap they don't think is a strike. They are fooled. Period.

[timotheus]

They were patient and had chances in the first 4 innings but couldn't score runners in scoring position. My point is that they were patient and didn't just fly open and try to kill his pitches. I figure Vandy has the upper hand tonite now.

[bostondawg]

Halter is leaving the program, per Rosebowl.

[maroonmania]

Halter is leaving the program, per Rosebowl.

Did he get drafted?

[HoopsDawg]

Did he get drafted?

No....On another note, It seems like it would be so easy at MSU to find a 6'2+ power hitter to play 1st base for us. Need a strong bat in RF too.

[Todd4State]

Halter is leaving the program, per Rosebowl.

Landon Jordan is a better hitter.

Probably not a great decision by Halter though. He could have stayed and pitched or just improved his game enough to get drafted as a position player.

[Todd4State]

No....On another note, It seems like it would be so easy at MSU to find a 6'2+ power hitter to play 1st base for us. Need a strong bat in RF too.

Hatcher and Cumbest? I'm curious to see how Hatcher does this summer in Utica.

[Homedawg]

Landon Jordan is a better hitter.

Probably not a great decision by Halter though. He could have stayed and pitched or just improved his game enough to get drafted as a position player.

Jordan is a better hitter for sure.

[HoopsDawg]

Hatcher and Cumbest? I'm curious to see how Hatcher does this summer in Utica.

The door is wide open for Cumbest.

[Tbonewannabe]

Jordan is a better hitter for sure.

Didn't Lemonis say that Landon Jordan actually had the best fall hitting the ball on the team? It seems like I remember him saying that which would be something with the hitters on the team this year.

[Todd4State]

Didn't Lemonis say that Landon Jordan actually had the best fall hitting the ball on the team? It seems like I remember him saying that which would be something with the hitters on the team this year.

As far as hitting for average he's one of the best in Mississippi High School history.

[Homedawg]

Didn't Lemonis say that Landon Jordan actually had the best fall hitting the ball on the team? It seems like I remember him saying that which would be something with the hitters on the team this year.

He led us in hitting in the fall. Avg wise, yes. Just needs to get better defensively