Who is our catcher next year

Serious question. I'm gonna miss LoTan behind the plate.

Portal... has to be.

Jesus so even though we've had THREE YEARS of a solid catcher, and are one of the few teams in the country with a dedicated catching coach, we didn't recruit a SEC catcher to replace LoTan?

If we had a Quarterback start for 3 years and had nobody in house capable of replacing them, we'd crucify the HC for bad recruiting.

Highfill would be if he makes it to campus.

I understand that Hancock is the back up if needed this year, But it really concerns me that we don't have a young guy getting reps at this position. This would be like us not recruiting a backup QB...

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Originally Posted by Commercecomet24

Highfill would be if he makes it to campus.

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Is he that good that he can step right in?

Is your son healing up?

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Originally Posted by Cowbell

Is he that good that he can step right in?

Is your son healing up?

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Yeah he's really good, elite. Will be a high draft pick. If he makes it to campus we in good shape.

Thanks for asking man. He was back and played a couple games this week and actually singled in the winning run in the 10th against coahoma last week. But the shoulder bit him again Thursday night against east central and he didn't play yesterday. We trying to make it through the season and hopefully spend summer getting back to 100%. He's already got it all lined up and hopefully avoid surgery. Appreciate you asking.

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Originally Posted by Cowbell

I understand that Hancock is the back up if needed this year, But it really concerns me that we don't have a young guy getting reps at this position. This would be like us not recruiting a backup QB...

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I get your point, but in defense, w scholarship limitations it's tough... it was going to be tough to sign a top notch one w Tanner and Hancock both here. And we couldn't afford to give a "good one" enough money to sit on the bench a year. So either, we go to the portal OR we hope highfill doesn't sign AND he pans out. That's a big roll of the dice.

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Originally Posted by Homedawg

I get your point, but in defense, w scholarship limitations it's tough... it was going to be tough to sign a top notch one w Tanner and Hancock both here. And we couldn't afford to give a "good one" enough money to sit on the bench a year. So either, we go to the portal OR we hope highfill doesn't sign AND he pans out. That's a big roll of the dice.

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Yep this in a nutshell

Hancock most likely. It's not like he is a draft risk

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Originally Posted by Coach34

Hancock most likely. It's not like he is a draft risk

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Covid year?

yeah

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Originally Posted by Coach34

Hancock most likely. It's not like he is a draft risk

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Someone will take him. Billy Beane is still in the game. He'll probably sign since he has no leverage.

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Originally Posted by Homedawg

OR we hope highfill doesn't sign AND he pans out. That's a big roll of the dice.

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Yep, big risk there.

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Originally Posted by Coach34

Hancock most likely. It's not like he is a draft risk

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I thought there was no chance of that. That would be big.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

Someone will take him. Billy Beane is still in the game. He'll probably sign since he has no leverage.

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This

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

Someone will take him. Billy Beane is still in the game. He'll probably sign since he has no leverage.

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I dont see it with only 20 rounds and almost no looks as a catcher. Scouts arent showing up very often to watch us play SWAC teams

We'll probably take a portal catcher regardless of whether Highfill comes to campus or not. Have to from a numbers perspective.

Whether we get him or not will probably determine whether we go after a Kruger type or a Mitch Slauter type.

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Originally Posted by Coach34

I dont see it with only 20 rounds and almost no looks as a catcher. Scouts arent showing up very often to watch us play SWAC teams

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They have enough video on that they can access without having to go to Starkville. He has shown power and he has a good batting eye. When they do away with shifts he'll be even better. Someone that can catch is hard to find and the fact that he has less wear and tear is not a negative. They've seen him in our scrimmages as well. Scouts are traveling less and less nowadays too. That's why Perfect Game is a nice luxury for organizations. They can herd all of the prospects in one place rather than go around the country to every high school and college in the country.

Hopefully one who doesn?t loaf behind the plate and cost us extra bases and runs because his receiving position is horrible.

Tanner has gotten the largest head since last season. He?s trying to go yard every AB and not being a team player. There are a few more of those but he?s the most noticeable. Too many me players and few team guys.

Yep and I can tell you absolutely that he will leave if he does get drafted and even if he doesn't I can see him leaving, especially knowing what we'll be like next year (and it ain't good). He's kinda a tweener but he does get on base and I think he's going to get hot before the years over.

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Originally Posted by RougeDawg

Hopefully one who doesn?t loaf behind the plate and cost us extra bases and runs because his receiving position is horrible.

Tanner has gotten the largest head since last season. He?s trying to go yard every AB and not being a team player. There are a few more of those but he?s the most noticeable. Too many me players and few team guys.

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Glad I?m not the only one who sees it. Dude thinks he is Jack Parkman or some shit?

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Originally Posted by RougeDawg

Hopefully one who doesn?t loaf behind the plate and cost us extra bases and runs because his receiving position is horrible.

Tanner has gotten the largest head since last season. He?s trying to go yard every AB and not being a team player. There are a few more of those but he?s the most noticeable. Too many me players and few team guys.

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He laced a ball to left today and about took the pitchers head off but sure... watch the games or have a better memory or continue w nonsense.

Just to give y'all some info on Logan that some of y'all may not know, he's been playing on a bum ankle since the Tulane series. He dinged it up again last week. Dude has been playing on one leg for awhile now because he knows we need him. Hard to catch on one leg but he's doing it so y'all may want to cut him a tiny bit of slack.

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Originally Posted by Commercecomet24

Just to give y'all some info on Logan that some of y'all may not know, he's been playing on a bum ankle since the Tulane series. He dinged it up again last week. Dude has been playing on one leg for awhile now because he knows we need him. Hard to catch on one leg but he's doing it so y'all may want to cut him a tiny bit of slack.

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LT is a baller, and bulldog and one of the best catchers in the country. Crazy that people would direct any negative energy his way.

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Originally Posted by HoopsDawg

LT is a baller, and bulldog and one of the best catchers in the country. Crazy that people would direct any negative energy his way.

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Yep. Catching is hard on a body and doing it on one leg even harder. I've seen people say he didn't run hard on that ground ball and crap like that. When your ankle is the size of a ham it makes it difficult to sprint sometimes. Much respect for him and what he's doing right now. I mean he has a pro ball future and he doesn't have to be out there with this injury right now but he's trying to help us win. He certainly hasn't "opted out" like so many college players in all sports do now.

It was iffy that Hancock would come back this year if I remember correctly, so I don't see him coming back next year even if he doesn't get drafted. The dude is what he is and another season won't change much.

Gonna need to hit the portal.

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Originally Posted by KOdawg1

It was iffy that Hancock would come back this year if I remember correctly, so I don't see him coming back next year even if he doesn't get drafted. The dude is what he is and another season won't change much.

Gonna need to hit the portal.

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He wasnt drafted. He was never iffy on coming back to State for MLB. The iffy was him transferring to catch every day

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Originally Posted by Coach34

He wasnt drafted. He was never iffy on coming back to State for MLB. The iffy was him transferring to catch every day

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I'm aware.

He's not coming back though.

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Originally Posted by KOdawg1

I'm aware.

He's not coming back though.

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Maybe not. But I would catch at State a whole season before I would end up in Low A riding the bus living with 3 other guys trying to make the most out of my meal money in Biden's economy

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Originally Posted by Coach34

Maybe not. But I would catch at State a whole season before I would end up in Low A riding the bus living with 3 other guys trying to make the most out of my meal money in Biden's economy

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Got that right especially with nil deals and such. Staying at State he would make more money and not have to play on crappy fields and ride the buses in A ball.

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Originally Posted by Coach34

Maybe not. But I would catch at State a whole season before I would end up in Low A riding the bus living with 3 other guys trying to make the most out of my meal money in Biden's economy

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I'd love to have him back catching for us next year. Lemonis needs to either find a catcher or organize an LOI deal to keep him at MSU.

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Originally Posted by Homedawg

I get your point, but in defense, w scholarship limitations it's tough... it was going to be tough to sign a top notch one w Tanner and Hancock both here. And we couldn't afford to give a "good one" enough money to sit on the bench a year. So either, we go to the portal OR we hope highfill doesn't sign AND he pans out. That's a big roll of the dice.

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Oh I understand - I rarely question our coaching/recruiting. I just think some on here don't realize just how good we have it to have him and then Hancock to back him up. I think he frames up pitches as good as any I've seen in a while...

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Originally Posted by Commercecomet24

Got that right especially with nil deals and such. Staying at State he would make more money and not have to play on crappy fields and ride the buses in A ball.

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Regardless of what Hancock decides to do MSU needs to use NIL to recruit some of our past round 10 guys back to school. Would be really nice to have Houston Harding back right now! Getting a guy like a Hancock or in the past say a Hunter Stovall makes a huge difference. And MSU could absolutely outbid MLB for players like that with the slot system using NIL.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

Regardless of what Hancock decides to do MSU needs to use NIL to recruit some of our past round 10 guys back to school. Would be really nice to have Houston Harding back right now! Getting a guy like a Hancock or in the past say a Hunter Stovall makes a huge difference. And MSU could absolutely outbid MLB for players like that with the slot system using NIL.

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Yeah with what's in place now we definitely should be able to get/hang onto more fringe draft players who are really good college players but will never sniff an mlb roster.

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Originally Posted by Commercecomet24

Yeah with what's in place now we definitely should be able to get/hang onto more fringe draft players who are really good college players but will never sniff an mlb roster.

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I hope Stovall and Harding make it. If we can show that we can get fringe guys back for their senior year and then they still get to MLB it will be an even bigger selling point. Harding did end up in AA last year and Stovall is starting the year there now. So maybe...

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

I hope Stovall and Harding make it. If we can show that we can get fringe guys back for their senior year and then they still get to MLB it will be an even bigger selling point. Harding did end up in AA last year and Stovall is starting the year there now. So maybe...

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Definitely would be beneficial for State and the player

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Originally Posted by Homedawg

He laced a ball to left today and about took the pitchers head off but sure... watch the games or have a better memory or continue w nonsense.

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I do watch the games. He?s lazy behind the plate and coat us at least one run in the first two Ark games. He costs us at least one run in more games than. He doesn?t.

Hitting wise he?s over swinging and dipping his back side to try to hit bombs. Hence all or nothing. And more of the nothing than all. He pimps his homeruns and then strikes out 6-8 times between them by being pull and homerun happy. He doesn?t shorten his swing and play team baseball when needed. Shall I continue, because I could co about 8 paragraphs about his and others selfish at bats that are the reason we are on the outside looking in currently.

Maybe you are watching last years games and not 2022. Might want to get that checked out.

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Originally Posted by Coach34

Hancock most likely. It's not like he is a draft risk

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I usually don?t post here, just read. But for the record, I know for a fact Luke had two offers in the draft last year. He turned them down to come back to state. To act like he wouldn?t ever be drafted and come back next year is false information.

Dunno but hope he can play shortstop too. ****