Baseball Recruits Future, Present, and Past - Why not us?

[Count Istvan Teleky]

Wondering if anybody on here can offer some thoughts about some Mississippi-based baseball recruits that won't or didn't sign with State. There's always a back story, whether the kid wanted to go elsewhere, we didn't offer, or some other reason.

For example:
Colton Keith, INF/P for Biloxi. Famiy moved to the state from Arizona and he had commmitted to Arizona State. The connection is pretty obvious, but ASU isn't in the top 25. Did we try to get into the ballgame with him?

Next, what about Kendall Williams, a 6'6" RHP from Olive Branch who signed with Vandy. He left OBHS and played for IMG. He has since been drafted and signed with the Blue Jays. Were we ever in it?

Those seem like they have easy-to-follow back stories, but what about Garrett Crochet, LHP from Ocean Springs who signed with Tennessee in 2017? He had a good 4.02 ERA and 5-3 record on 18 appearances this year for UT. I believe it was he that Lemonis referred to as 'one of the best arms in the country' when we played them. I see that he's majoring in Nuclear Engineering so if that was what he had his heart set on, then may he enjoy his Oak Ridge home after his playing days are over.

One from the past is Spencer Turnbull. Played at Madison central and went to Alabama where he was drafted after his junior year (stats weren't that great, but they saw what they liked) and now he's on the Detroit major league roster. Why were we not in the ballgame with him or with Josh Laxer who also went to Madison Central and signed with Ole Miss?

Curious is all - thought some of the baseball recruiting centric guys might could help me out.

Any others that come to your mind that we didn't get that went elsewehre (mainly out of state)?

[The Federalist Engineer]

Crochet was a late bloomer- was a Pearl River JC commit, then USM, and then Tennessee snaked him into the SEC

Some fans here said he only threw 83 MPH (he apparently made a huge leap as a HS Senior), turns out he throws 97 mph

This is the thing, we have All Americans from Mobile, Memphis Suburbs, Huntsville, and Houston Texas suburbs, we recruit the entire South and need to recruit the Nation to win the NC.

Vols got Crochet- but we took Small, Maholm, and the great Ross Mitchell from Tennessee. And a triple Crown hitter named Brent Rooker

[Todd4State]

Crochet- truly a late bloomer. Should have offered him in hindsight. May have been when we were transitioning from Wes Johnson to Gary Henderson. Not sure on that.

Williams- no.

Turnbull and Laxer were Alabama and Ole Miss fans growing up respectively and therefore weren't really misses for us.

[ShotgunDawg]

Crochet- truly a late bloomer. Should have offered him in hindsight. May have been when we were transitioning from Wes Johnson to Gary Henderson. Not sure on that.

Williams- no.

Turnbull and Laxer were Alabama and Ole Miss fans growing up respectively and therefore weren't really misses for us.

Us, OM, and LSU were all out of scholly money with Crochet and he had some makeup issues during the recruiting process that caused him to get passed over.

[PSYCHO(thesis)DEFENSE]

always heard Polk said Brian Dozier didn't have enough power coming out of Itawamba AHS. Went to Southern Miss & played in CWS as a senior. He led all 2nd basemen in HRs in 2016, 2nd behind Moustakas in 2017.

[Homedawg]

Crochet- truly a late bloomer. Should have offered him in hindsight. May have been when we were transitioning from Wes Johnson to Gary Henderson. Not sure on that.

Williams- no.

Turnbull and Laxer were Alabama and Ole Miss fans growing up respectively and therefore weren't really misses for us.

Turnbull we passed on. Laxer we got holder instead. We did recruit him though

[Homedawg]

always heard Polk said Brian Dozier didn't have enough power coming out of Itawamba AHS. Went to Southern Miss & played in CWS as a senior. He led all 2nd basemen in HRs in 2016, 2nd behind Moustakas in 2017.

We passed on him. Huge mistake. I'll leave it at that.

[Todd4State]

Turnbull we passed on. Laxer we got holder instead. We did recruit him though

It has been awhile but I definitely remember that we had some interest in Turnbull. Whether we offered or not or wanted him to walk-on I'm not sure. I do remember hearing from locals that he was going to Alabama for awhile. I do remember us offering Laxer. Holder if I remember correctly we originally offered him as an OF but then his senior year his pitching passed his hitting and the rest is history. I'm pretty sure we would have taken both had both wanted to come to MSU.

[Todd4State]

always heard Polk said Brian Dozier didn't have enough power coming out of Itawamba AHS. Went to Southern Miss & played in CWS as a senior. He led all 2nd basemen in HRs in 2016, 2nd behind Moustakas in 2017.

We made a LOT of mistakes between 1999-2008. I remember USM going to Omaha and thinking- a lot of those guys really should be on our team. Todd MacInnis was another one on that team we missed.

[bulldogcountry1]

I can't imagine how tough it is being an SEC baseball coach. You have breadcrumbs to divide up amongst 24 players, and you are trying to find guys who are 4-5 years from contributing. There are only so many players you can offer scholarships to, but yet there is so much pressure not to "miss" anyone. You have to get the most talented guys, but also try to read the situation to try to figure out who will get drafted and who really wants to go to college.