Lacher, Gant, Mungle, Ramsey Complete MSU's Draft List
May 25, 2016 | Baseball
Lacher, a four-year letterman from Hattiesburg, Miss., was selected in the 24th round by the Florida Marlins while Gant, a third-year sophomore from Winona, Miss., was a 37th-round pick of the Montreal Expos. Mungle, from Germantown, Tenn., was selected for the second consecutive year by the Milwaukee Brewers, going in the 44th round while Starkville native Saunders Ramsey became the sixth Diamond Dog drafted in 2004, going to the Florida Marlins in the 50th round.
Lacher compiled a 5-6 record and a 4.08 earned run average, leading MSU with 14 starts and 88-1/3 innings pitched. He also registered the MSU pitching staff's two complete-game pitching performances in road wins against Kentucky and Alabama and came within an out of a third route-going performance in his final collegiate appearance, a 7-6 win over Jacksonville State in the NCAA Atlanta Regional.
The MSU co-captain appeared in 48 career games, making 30 starts and compiling a 15-6 record with a 3.96 earned run average in 197-2/3 innings.
Lacher is the second Bulldog taken by the Florida Marlins in the 2004 draft. Senior shortstop Steve Gendron of Tampa, Fla., was a 13th-round pick of the Marlins on the opening day of the draft Monday. Lacher's battery mate, sophomore catcher Craig Tatum of Hattiesburg, Miss., was the first MSU player selected in this year's draft, going to the Cincinnati Reds in the third round, the highest drafting of an MSU catcher.
Gant posted a 4-6 record with a save and a 5.84 earned run average as a sophomore. He drew seven early-season starts, earning a win in MSU's 7-3 win at then-top ranked Louisiana State. He registered 46 strikeouts in 57 innings as a sophomore and sports a 10-7 career mark with two saves and a 3.55 earned run average in 39 career appearances.
Mungle sustained a season-ending knee injury the second weekend of the 2004 campaign. A .299 career hitter, Mungle hit .333 with four hits in 12 at-bats, drawing five starts in left field in his six games played. Mungle hit at a .341 clip with eight home runs and 36 RBI as a freshman and totaled seven home runs with 35 RBI as a sophomore. Milwaukee selected the former Houston High School standout in the 23rd round in last year's June draft.
Ramsey compiled a 7-2 record with a 3.50 earned run average and four saves in 2004, leading the MSU pitching staff in wins, saves , earned run average and appearances. He registered 48 strikeouts in 43-2/3 innings, making 25 appearances, all in relief. The former Starkville Academy standout became the third Bulldog drafted this year by the Florida Marlins.
Mississippi State competed in its 21st NCAA regional tournament last week and concluded the season with a 35-24 record.
MISSISSIPPI STATE IN THE 2004 MLB FIRST-YEAR PLAYER DRAFT
3rd round --- catcher Craig Tatum (Cincinnati)
13th round -- shortstop Steve Gendron (Florida)
24th round -- pitcher Jeff Lacher (Florida)
37th round -- pitcher Jamie Gant (Montreal)
44th round -- outfielder Jon Mungle (Milwaukee)
50th round -- pitcher Saunders Ramsey (Florida)
