Diamond Dawgs Land Number Three Recruiting Class In America
September 22, 2015 | Baseball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State baseball's 2014-15 signing class was ranked third nationally by Collegiate Baseball, the publication announced Tuesday. The ranking was the third-highest ever for the Bulldogs and marked the first time in school history MSU has had three straight top-10 classes. The Maroon and White were ranked No. 2 in 2013 and No. 6 last fall.
“I appreciate the hardworking people inside our industry who have recognized the tireless work of two of the finest recruiters in America, Nick Mingione and Butch Thompson,” head coach John Cohen said. “We feel this class has the potential to be special.”
Officially becoming Bulldogs this past fall, the incoming class features three selections from the 2015 Major League Baseball Draft as well as three more players who were named player of the year in their respective states. Eighty-six percent of the group either earned high school or junior college All-America honors this past spring.
Left-handed pitchers Jared Padgrett and Kale Breaux highlight the pitchers who arrived in Starkville this summer. Padgett was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 26th round of the 2015 MLB Draft, while Breaux was named the 2014-15 Gatorade Louisiana Baseball Player of the Year. In addition, Breaux was also a member of USA Baseball's 18U National Team which brought home the gold medal at the 2014 COPABE Pan American Championships.
Joining Breaux on that Team USA squad was Miami native Elih Marrero, considered one of the top incoming catchers in America. Marrero arrived at MSU with Breaux after being selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 29th round of this past summer's MLB Draft.
Infielder Delvin Zinn was chosen just before Marrero in the MLB Draft three months ago, being drafted by the Cubs in the 28th round. The Pontotoc, Mississippi, native earned Perfect Game All-America honors this past spring as an infielder with dynamic athleticism.
Named the 2014-15 Gatorade Alabama Baseball Player of the Year, Hunter Stovall joined the program after hitting .461 with 10 home runs and 28 stolen bases this past spring at Pelham High School. The middle infielder was named a 2015 Louisville Slugger, MaxPreps and Perfect Game All-American.
Junior college slugger Nathaniel Lowe transferred to MSU after being named a NJCAA First-Team All-American. The 2015 Florida Junior College Player of the Year, Lowe ranked second in the National Junior College Athletic Association in walks (54) and 12th in home runs (17), while hitting .372 with 53 RBIs in 56 games.
The bulk of the incoming class turned down opportunities to be significant draft picks this past summer in the 2015 MLB Draft.
Bulldog fans can watch the nation's No. 3 recruiting class this weekend at Dudy Noble Field, as the team plays three intrasquad scrimmages: Friday at 4 p.m., Saturday at 11 a.m. and Sunday at 11 a.m. Admission is free and open to the public.
For more information on Cohen's club, follow the program on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for “HailStateBB.” You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for “HailStateSnap.”
MSU's Recruiting Class Rankings by Collegiate Baseball
2015: 3
2014: 6
2013: 2
Collegiate Baseball's Top-10 Recruiting Classes For 2014-15
1. Florida
2. South Carolina
3. Mississippi State
4. Georgia Tech
5. Vanderbilt
6. UCLA
7. LSU
8. Oregon
9. South Florida
10. Auburn
