Looking at our baseball recruiting

[Coach34]

We have a SS in Foreskin that looks like he is 15....hits .200....but he can play some D. Got to give him that.

So what does this coaching staff do to address the problem? We have signed a SS for next year from SC that?s 5?8/160

It?s like we?re not even trying at this point.

[BrunswickDawg]

So I guess having Jett Williams committed doesn't count?

[Coach34]

5’9/185 Jett Williams? Another guy that is small and will likely not make an impact in 2023?

[ZedFedder]

5’9/185 Jett Williams? Another guy that is small and will likely not make an impact in 2023?

Jett Williams probably won’t make it to campus. If he does, he is a game changer.

[Todd4State]

I don't know. Maybe they need to look at the roster?

If Forsythe hits like he has this past week I'm fine with him. He's probably our guy for the next two years unless we get someone from the portal.

[AlSwearengen]

5’9/185 Jett Williams? Another guy that is small and will likely not make an impact in 2023?

I doubt Williams gets to campus even though he is undersized. He can swing it, apparently well enough that he is considered the best hitter in TX.

I have watched some video of some of the younger commits that we have and there are some good looking swings coming in. Of course, looking doesn’t translate to producing, but at least they look the part.

[Homedawg]

5’9/185 Jett Williams? Another guy that is small and will likely not make an impact in 2023?

Jett Williams is a stud. But won't see campus. At least not likely.

[GolfDawg]

Forsythe is hitting .258, not .200 which is higher than Kellum Clark and I don?t hear any complaints about him. Lane has also hit pretty well in conference play, but I?m not sure where to find SEC individual stats.

I think our issues lie elsewhere. Would it be nice to have an all SEC SS batting .350 with some power? Yes. Our problem is that our experienced guys are hitting for power but not very well for average. And they aren?t getting timely hits worst of all. Clutch hits have been hard to come by. Gotta think that will work in our favor down the stretch just by the law of averages if nothing else.

I wish we had tried Kam at CF sooner to get Alford more ABs early in the year. If Alford can start hitting, that rounds out our lineup nicely.

[Todd4State]

Forsythe is hitting .258, not .200 which is higher than Kellum Clark and I don?t hear any complaints about him. Lane has also hit pretty well in conference play, but I?m not sure where to find SEC individual stats.

I think our issues lie elsewhere. Would it be nice to have an all SEC SS batting .350 with some power? Yes. Our problem is that our experienced guys are hitting for power but not very well for average. And they aren?t getting timely hits worst of all. Clutch hits have been hard to come by. Gotta think that will work in our favor down the stretch just by the law of averages if nothing else.

I wish we had tried Kam at CF sooner to get Alford more ABs early in the year. If Alford can start hitting, that rounds out our lineup nicely.

I wish we would put Jess Davis back in the lineup. Our offense seemed to work better with him.

[GolfDawg]

I wish we would put Jess Davis back in the lineup. Our offense seemed to work better with him.

I find it odd that he was not used at all early in the season and then suddenly was our starting CF when conference play started. Then recently he?s been nowhere to be seen. Only thing that makes sense is some sort of injury.

[The Federalist Engineer]

Jett Williams is so good Vitello is trying to flip him.

JW is supposed to be Nick Madrigal 2.0

Just asking, Why can't Lemonis go flip Tennessee recruits. Fire with Fire. Make Vitello his special project.

[BeardoMSU]

J

Just asking, Why can't Lemonis go flip Tennessee recruits. Fire with Fire. Make Vitello his special project.

You typically just don't see that in college baseball...but Vitello's schtick is that of being a giant/loud douche, so traditional "gentlemen's agreements" don't apply to him, apparently.

[Todd4State]

Jett Williams is so good Vitello is trying to flip him.

JW is supposed to be Nick Madrigal 2.0

Just asking, Why can't Lemonis go flip Tennessee recruits. Fire with Fire. Make Vitello his special project.

If he flips then Lemonis might do that.

Odd to me that a guy that is likely going pro would be getting so much recruiting attention.

[Todd4State]

I find it odd that he was not used at all early in the season and then suddenly was our starting CF when conference play started. Then recently he?s been nowhere to be seen. Only thing that makes sense is some sort of injury.

Lemonis recently said he was just looking at match ups. I guess he likes center fielders hitting at the Mendoza Line? LOL.

[Coach34]

Nobody that’s 5’9/185 is a difference maker at 19 years old

[Todd4State]

Nobody that’s 5’9/185 is a difference maker at 19 years old

He's the kind of player this team is missing. I doubt we get him. He's a top 50 prospect right now. I think he would come in and be a .300 hitter at least at the top of the order and as he progresses he has enough pop where he could hit about as many home runs as a Tanner Allen easily.

[Patrick Tibbons]

5’9/185 Jett Williams? Another guy that is small and will likely not make an impact in 2023?

At 185 he?s already bigger than Frazier, Heck, Gridley, Stovall, Pirtle and about all of our middle infielders for the past 10 years besides Westburg.

[The Federalist Engineer]

Getting past Jett Williams, 34th best prospect in the Nation, who probably does not come to Starkville...

The real concern should be that comparing 2022 classes with Ole Miss, it looks like Bianco won the 2021 national championship. I hope we are loaded with Justin Foscues and Jonathan Holders that rate low, but play like All Americans.

Alabama's and Auburn's 2022 recruiting has arguably the same level of talent as MSU 2022 class. Florida is better, not inferior in any way. Arkansas is close to OM and much better than MSU. LSU has a ridiculous class, if the draft does not wreck it, then it's almost unfair.

It looks to me that MSU is recruiting the same as 2012, there is no jump in outcomes with Lemonis. MSU still depends on Mississippi kids, has less overall talent than the SEC elites, needs the JUCOs to pan out, and needs to out-scout the competition for diamonds-in-the-rough.

Someone change my mind. I know it's just "ratings", maybe the raters don't like MSU or our recruits are not paying for higher grades. Or Geautreu is so good at scouting that his boys can't be accurately graded.

[Tbonewannabe]

At 185 he?s already bigger than Frazier, Heck, Gridley, Stovall, Pirtle and about all of our middle infielders for the past 10 years besides Westburg.

Mangum was probably lighter than 185 lbs and he did pretty good as a freshman also. So was Rowdy and maybe Tanner Allen.

[BrunswickDawg]

Getting past Jett Williams, 34th best prospect in the Nation, who probably does not come to Starkville...

The real concern should be that comparing 2022 classes with Ole Miss, it looks like Bianco won the 2021 national championship. I hope we are loaded with Justin Foscues and Jonathan Holders that rate low, but play like All Americans.

Alabama's and Auburn's 2022 recruiting has arguably the same level of talent as MSU 2022 class. Florida is better, not inferior in any way. Arkansas is close to OM and much better than MSU. LSU has a ridiculous class, if the draft does not wreck it, then it's almost unfair.

It looks to me that MSU is recruiting the same as 2012, there is no jump in outcomes with Lemonis. MSU still depends on Mississippi kids, has less overall talent than the SEC elites, needs the JUCOs to pan out, and needs to out-scout the competition for diamonds-in-the-rough.

Someone change my mind. I know it's just "ratings", maybe the raters don't like MSU or our recruits are not paying for higher grades. Or Geautreu is so good at scouting that his boys can't be accurately graded.

Our next two classes ('22 & '23) are rated higher than any classes since 2015. His classes have been ranked 7 ('20), 15 ('21), 6 ('22), and 6 ('23). 2024 is currently 4th with 10 commits. That has us most consistently in the top 10 this century. And keep in mind - the class that gave us the heart of our 3 straight CWS trips and a Natty ('17), was only ranked 21. That class had Mac, Foscue, Westy, Hatch, TA, and Rowdey - so it's not always just about rankings.

[msstate7]

Jett Williams is so good Vitello is trying to flip him.

JW is supposed to be Nick Madrigal 2.0

Just asking, Why can't Lemonis go flip Tennessee recruits. Fire with Fire. Make Vitello his special project.

Why is this an issue with baseball? All the other sports try to flip recruits

[msstate7]

Our next two classes ('22 & '23) are rated higher than any classes since 2015. His classes have been ranked 7 ('20), 15 ('21), 6 ('22), and 6 ('23). 2024 is currently 4th with 10 commits. That has us most consistently in the top 10 this century. And keep in mind - the class that gave us the heart of our 3 straight CWS trips and a Natty ('17), was only ranked 21. That class had Mac, Foscue, Westy, Hatch, TA, and Rowdey - so it's not always just about rankings.

Probably bc we hit the sweet spot where recruits actually wear maroon and white, not the flying pigs or whatever milb team you wanna use

[BrunswickDawg]

Probably bc we hit the sweet spot where recruits actually wear maroon and white, not the flying pigs or whatever milb team you wanna use

It's damned if you do and damned if you don't when it comes to highly rated players. One half bitches about our lack of recruiting rankings and the other bitches about us not landing guys who get drafted - who are guys you will miss on when you have top 20 recruiting rankings. Baseball recruiting is nothing like football but too many people treat it that way. It's crazy enough that we have 10 HS sophomores committed right now.

[KOdawg1]

Why is this an issue with baseball? All the other sports try to flip recruits

College baseball has a "gentleman's agreement" of sorts where coaches usually back off once a kid commits elsewhere.

Flips rarely happen, but one of the best players in our program's history was a flip from Alabama, so it happens

[The Federalist Engineer]

It's damned if you do and damned if you don't when it comes to highly rated players. One half bitches about our lack of recruiting rankings and the other bitches about us not landing guys who get drafted - who are guys you will miss on when you have top 20 recruiting rankings. Baseball recruiting is nothing like football but too many people treat it that way. It's crazy enough that we have 10 HS sophomores committed right now.

The sweet spot is real and ratings aren't everything, 100% true.

But I don't see that MSU has really raised the platform on the sweet spot relative Arkansas and some others.

[Dawg2003]

College baseball has a "gentleman's agreement" of sorts where coaches usually back off once a kid commits elsewhere.

Flips rarely happen, but one of the best players in our program's history was a flip from Alabama, so it happens

Flips happens in baseball. We flipped Mangum, Tanner Allen, Fristoe. I believe Small was committed to either Vandy or Tennessee at some point.

[Saltydog]

5?9/185 Jett Williams? Another guy that is small and will likely not make an impact in 2023?

Robert Moore from Upig is around that size and he can rake. May have been the best freshman in CBB last year.

[Homedawg]

The sweet spot is real and ratings aren't everything, 100% true.

But I don't see that MSU has really raised the platform on the sweet spot relative Arkansas and some others.

we have in 24/25 classes. the 22 class will be the weakest class we have going forward.

[preachermatt83]

The one thing I’m not worried about in the least with baseball under this staff is recruiting

[The Federalist Engineer]

Flips happens in baseball. We flipped Mangum, Tanner Allen, Fristoe. I believe Small was committed to either Vandy or Tennessee at some point.

Mangum flipped himself, as I understand it. His dad was an Alabama football hero, but Mangum liked MSU baseball better.

Tanner Allen was a Cannizarro guy, wanted to stick with Cann

Fristoe was a Kenctucky? decommit, that selected MSU

Alford was an Auburn decommit, that selected MSU

Small was a player that MSU had to sweeten the Scholarship because Vandy offered a full deal. So, he almost flipped away

In 2017 after the TJ apocalypse, I think MSU had to raid USMs commits and JC Rosters to field a functional pitching staff. Spencer Price, Payton Plumlee and two other guys.

[Coach34]

Robert Moore from Upig is around that size and he can rake. May have been the best freshman in CBB last year.

and hitting .238 this year- plus he is actually a Jr this year

[Coach34]

So what we have determined in this thread is that we very likely arent going to get Williams- and will be getting the tiny guy from SC as I first posted? Ok.

Are we aware that there are kids that can play SS that are 5'11-6'0 and dont weigh 160?

[Coach34]

I guess people are missing the point so I'll spell it out.

Mercer signed a guy like Yeager who is now 6'3/200 pounds. We have had guys like Westburg. Even Belmont was 6'0/190

Signing guys 5'9/160 that look 14 years old aint gonna cut it

[somebodyshotmypaw]

We have a SS in Foreskin that looks like he is 15....hits .200....but he can play some D. Got to give him that.

So what does this coaching staff do to address the problem? We have signed a SS for next year from SC that?s 5?8/160

It?s like we?re not even trying at this point.

After reading this entire thread, I went and looked at our commitment list. We have a commitment from a pitcher named Logan Forsythe. What will his nickname be?

[Hambone]

I guess people are missing the point so I'll spell it out.

Mercer signed a guy like Yeager who is now 6'3/200 pounds. We have had guys like Westburg. Even Belmont was 6'0/190

Signing guys 5'9/160 that look 14 years old aint gonna cut it

That’s right, teams that win national championships have to have those bigger infielders……….

Oh, wait……..

[Coach34]

a look at SEC Shortstops:

LSU- Thompson 6'1/180
UPig- Battles 6'2/210
Jawja- McCallister 5'10/185
A&M- Kaler 5/10 175
Vandy- Young 6'0/180
Florida- Rivera 6'2/210
Tenn- Lawson 6'2/200
Bama- Jarvis 5'10/185
Mississippi- Gonzalez 6'2/200
SC- Braswell 6'2/195

State- Forsythe 5'11/175 (thats being generous) Leggette 5'10/165

Our SS position is hitting .234 combined. Foreskin has yet to get an extra base hit this season. Leggs actually has 7 so that offsets his awful .212 average.

We almost have to get a SS thru the portal as well as a 2B for the 3rd year in a row

[Coach34]

That?s right, teams that win national championships have to have those bigger infielders???.

Oh, wait??..

Programs that routinely stay in the top 10 do. Remind how big our SS was in 2018 and 2019?

Bednar becoming Superman won us a CWS. Not the 170 pound SS

[Coach34]

After reading this entire thread, I went and looked at our commitment list. We have a commitment from a pitcher named Logan Forsythe. What will his nickname be?

Not sure yet. Got to see how he pitches and how much growth he needs

[smootness]

Nobody that?s 5?9/185 is a difference maker at 19 years old

This is just completely wrong.

[HoopsDawg]

I guess people are missing the point so I'll spell it out.

Mercer signed a guy like Yeager who is now 6'3/200 pounds. We have had guys like Westburg. Even Belmont was 6'0/190

Signing guys 5'9/160 that look 14 years old aint gonna cut it

We're going to have to hit the portal.

[smootness]

Flips are happening more and more in baseball. Jett Williams himself was a flip from A&M.

[msstate7]

This is just completely wrong.

C34 must never have saw Ozzie albies. He's not even that big

[confucius say]

Mangum was probably lighter than 185 lbs and he did pretty good as a freshman also. So was Rowdy and maybe Tanner Allen.

Jake was maybe 5'10" 165 pounds in 2016 and hit over .400.

[BrunswickDawg]

Programs that routinely stay in the top 10 do. Remind how big our SS was in 2018 and 2019?

Bednar becoming Superman won us a CWS. Not the 170 pound SS

Well, our 2018 SS was Belmont - and he was only 6' 185 as a Jr. And he was playing along that Giant 2B, better known as the 5'7" 165 Hunter Stovall

[confucius say]

we have in 24/25 classes. the 22 class will be the weakest class we have going forward.

That would make sense since this staff got here prior to 2019 season

[Patrick Tibbons]

I guess people are missing the point so I'll spell it out.

Mercer signed a guy like Yeager who is now 6'3/200 pounds. We have had guys like Westburg. Even Belmont was 6'0/190

Signing guys 5'9/160 that look 14 years old aint gonna cut it

When Adam Frazier was drafted his junior year he was listed at 5?11? 174lbs. He?s certainly one of the best shortstops, if not the best shortstop to ever play for State.

Obviously, we all want the 6?4? 220lb SS who runs a 6.4 60, but I think you are putting too much emphasis on equating measurements to talent.

[confucius say]

This is just completely wrong.

The overall rationale is one of the dumber things he's posted. He usually has decent takes. Signing a stud 5'9" 185 pound ss would be a great thing. As would signing a 6'2" 200 pound stud ss.

[HoopsDawg]

The overall rationale is one of the dumber things he's posted. He usually has decent takes. Signing a stud 5'9" 185 pound ss would be a great thing. As would signing a 6'2" 200 pound stud ss.

The better take is we are in deep trouble at 2B and SS next year due to our recruiting. We are going to have to hit the portal for 4 key positions when you include CF and C and that's inexusable heading into Year 4 of the Lemonis era.

[msstate7]

The better take is we are in deep trouble at 2B and SS next year due to our recruiting. We are going to have to hit the portal for 4 key positions when you include CF and C and that's inexusable heading into Year 4 of the Lemonis era.

I really don't follow baseball recruiting/transfers, but it seems like there should be some options for us in the transfer portal. We are a pretty big name

[PMDawg]

a look at SEC Shortstops:

LSU- Thompson 6'1/180
UPig- Battles 6'2/210
Jawja- McCallister 5'10/185
A&M- Kaler 5/10 175
Vandy- Young 6'0/180
Florida- Rivera 6'2/210
Tenn- Lawson 6'2/200
Bama- Jarvis 5'10/185
Mississippi- Gonzalez 6'2/200
SC- Braswell 6'2/195

State- Forsythe 5'11/175 (thats being generous) Leggette 5'10/165

Our SS position is hitting .234 combined. Foreskin has yet to get an extra base hit this season. Leggs actually has 7 so that offsets his awful .212 average.

We almost have to get a SS thru the portal as well as a 2B for the 3rd year in a row

So all the heights and weights are accurate, except ours is generous? All you've proven here is that there's a good mix throughout the league regarding size. I get what you think your point is, but I don't care if our SS is 3'10" and weighs 85 lbs if he can play the position and hit the ball. SS and 2B are the two positions where smaller guys can still excel. I'm not that worried about it. That's not where the power usually comes from in your line up. If we have the corner infielders, a DH, a catcher, and a couple of outfielders who supply the power, then we can survive a couple or 3 guys who hit for average instead of power. I understand our current shortstops don't hit for average either, but that doesn't mean any future "small" guy we sign won't either. This thread is pretty pointless and irrelevant. I mean, for Goodness sake, we won it all with Forsythe playing SS last year.

[Homedawg]

The better take is we are in deep trouble at 2B and SS next year due to our recruiting. We are going to have to hit the portal for 4 key positions when you include CF and C and that's inexusable heading into Year 4 of the Lemonis era.

Not saying we won't go after a ss in the portal but it will be at the bottom of the list with 2b, of,,c and p all ahead of that need

[Hambone]

Dude 34, take a break. Your point on this is way off.

[Johnson85]

Nobody that?s 5?9/185 is a difference maker at 19 years old

Wasn't Jake Mangum about that size when he graduated? I know he was a little taller, but I would have guessed he was in the 180ish range when he was at state.

[YazooDawg23]

We have a SS in Foreskin that looks like he is 15....hits .200....but he can play some D. Got to give him that.

So what does this coaching staff do to address the problem? We have signed a SS for next year from SC that?s 5?8/160

It?s like we?re not even trying at this point.

Guys, Yancy has hacked this account.

[StarkVegasSteve]

I've been able to watch Jett Williams a couple of times this year and that kid is special. He's got some Dansby Swanson in him. You get a kid like that to campus and he's a day 1 starter. You enjoy him for 3 years and then watch him be a top 10 pick. I'd say our chances of getting him to campus is probably 15-20%, but to have a chance you have to play the game. I know he likes Lemonis and the staff so we do have that going for us.

[Coach34]

Dude 34, take a break. Your point on this is way off.

Oh yeah. In nearly 300 college AB's- our SS has 6 extra base hits. And we are continuing to go down the same road on some of these guys.

[Ari Gold]

Huge concern for me is
Talked to very respected high school on the coast, said there isn’t a MLB draft threat kid in Miss this and prob not next year
Either and if I’m not mistaken we have over a dozen commits from the state ..??

[somebodyshotmypaw]

Huge concern for me is
Talked to very respected high school on the coast, said there isn’t a MLB draft threat kid in Miss this and prob not next year
Either and if I’m not mistaken we have over a dozen commits from the state ..??

I don’t follow baseball recruiting much. Would Dakota Jordan and Highfill not be draft risks?

[Cooterpoot]

Huge concern for me is
Talked to very respected high school on the coast, said there isn’t a MLB draft threat kid in Miss this and prob not next year
Either and if I’m not mistaken we have over a dozen commits from the state ..??

There are a couple this year. One has a low price tag and is probably going pro. The other is 50/50. I watched over 20 scouts at a game watching one. He's been contacted by every MLB team. We'll see if he gets what he wants.
Now, I can tell you, we've signed a couple I have no idea why. Got some commits in-state down the road I don't get either. Recruiting has been disappointing.

[Homedawg]

Huge concern for me is
Talked to very respected high school on the coast, said there isn’t a MLB draft threat kid in Miss this and prob not next year
Either and if I’m not mistaken we have over a dozen commits from the state ..??

We have sent some of those elsewhere.... there are some good players that will help us in ms. But we have taken a several that will never play here. Most aren't on baseball aid. Thank goodness. Forsythe, highfill, Gibbs, loftin all have some upside...

[DownwardDawg]

This is a yancy take on baseball.

[Todd4State]

Huge concern for me is
Talked to very respected high school on the coast, said there isn?t a MLB draft threat kid in Miss this and prob not next year
Either and if I?m not mistaken we have over a dozen commits from the state ..??

Mississippi is always going to have some up and down years due to the population of the state being small. It is what it is.

Thing is we usually don't get "draft threat" kids anyway. As long as we get the best in the state we are going to be fine in general. Ole Miss built their program on Mississippi kids. And that's also how we rebuilt our program under Cohen. USM has been a consistent mid major with Mississippi kids. La Tech of all people built their program with Mississippi players.

Now because the population is small we have to supplement ourselves with players from around the country- which we do and will continue to do.

The biggest change for us will be with the portal. We will be able to fill needs with that. We also have the JUCO system which we can use to fill role positions which we finally started to do recently instead of relying on them to be starters as much. Ever since we won the National Championship we have gotten more out of state commitments and the recruits are noticeably much more athletic than before.

[Cooterpoot]

Stud pitching has to come mostly from out of state. Our best position players overall in the program are also out of state. But MS has some good baseball. Got to get the best like Todd said.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Huge concern for me is
Talked to very respected high school on the coast, said there isn?t a MLB draft threat kid in Miss this and prob not next year
Either and if I?m not mistaken we have over a dozen commits from the state ..??

If they don't consider Ross Highfill a draft risk then I'll happily take that assessment and have him starting for us next spring. That kid will be as good as Easley and Tatum.

[State82]

If they don't consider Ross Highfill a draft risk then I'll happily take that assessment and have him starting for us next spring. That kid will be as good as Easley and Tatum.

Yeah, if he is not considered a draft risk then I wonder who "they" may be.

[raymonddawg]

Our best position players overall in the program are also out of state.

LOL what? Kam James, Logan Tanner, Kellum Clark, Hancock, Cumbest are all from MS

[Cooterpoot]

LOL what? Kam James, Logan Tanner, Kellum Clark, Hancock, Cumbest are all from MS

Historically, our best players are not from MS. We're too MS heavy. Hell, our best players last year weren't even from MS. But the supporting cast was. Now that supporting cast is struggling with a lineup etc. full of MS kids.

[The Federalist Engineer]

Historically, our best players are not from MS. We're too MS heavy. Hell, our best players last year weren't even from MS. But the supporting cast was. Now that supporting cast is struggling with a lineup etc. full of MS kids.

Alabama has provided: Tanner Allen (Program GOAT), Rowdey, Graveman, Foscue, Dubose, MacLeod, BJ Wallace, Girodo, Maniscalco, Nick Vickerson, John Cohen, and many others

Tennessee has provided: Maholm, Hudson, Small, Rooker, and many others

Florida: Raffo, Shave, Paps, Thigpen, Palmeiro, Arriette, Chapman, and we have generally been shutout since Polk and McMahon, but did get CT Bradford

Georgia: Sims, George, Lowe, Gridley, Frazier, and many others

If MSU is not a player in Tennessee and Alabama, the program is in serious trouble and will not compete nationally. Just look at the marquee names in Alabama.

I wonder how MSU became total non factors in Florida.

[State82]

I wonder how MSU became total non factors in Florida.

Probably that prick O'Sullivan. Can't stand that guy.

[Johnson85]

LOL what? Kam James, Logan Tanner, Kellum Clark, Hancock, Cumbest are all from MS

Well, we're not very good this year, so...