#STATEtoTheShow: Seven Former Diamond Dawgs On MLB Opening Day Rosters
March 29, 2018 | Baseball
As the 2018 Major League Baseball season kicks off Thursday, seven of Mississippi State baseball's former players in professional baseball are filling important roles on active rosters.
Mitch Moreland will begin his ninth season on the world's biggest baseball stage, and his second in a Red Sox uniform after re-signing with Boston on a two-year, $13 million deal. The veteran first baseman proved he was worth the money with a .246 average, 34 doubles, 22 home runs and 79 RBIs in 2017.
For the second-straight season, Kendall Graveman will take the ball on Opening Day for the Oakland Athletics. Graveman threw 19 starts in 2017 and collected 4.19 earned run average.
As announced Wednesday, Adam Frazier will lead off for the Pittsburgh Pirates in their season opener Thursday. Frazier led off in 63 of 121 games he played for the Pirates in on his way to a .276 batting average and 53 RBIs.
Chris Stratton and Brandon Woodruff earned starting roles for their respective teams after proving themselves in 2017 and in Spring Training. In 2017, Stratton posted four wins and a 3.68 ERA in 13 games, 10 starts, for the Giants. Woodruff will head into the season as a rookie after pitching under the minimum requirement in eight starts and earning a couple of wins.
Hunter Renfroe broke the San Diego Padres rookie home run record with 26 last season, and will look to blast even more this season as he earned a spot on the Opening Day roster.
Rounding out the group of former Bulldogs, Jonathan Holder made the New York Yankees bullpen following a Spring Training where he made eight appearances and grabbed a 1.64 ERA.
Along with the seven players, three more Bulldogs will continue their roles as staff for MLB organizations. Buck Showalter will begin his ninth season with the Baltimore Orioles, and his 20th season as an MLB manager, in which he's collected a 1,504-1,042 record. Will Clark will continue to be a special assistant with the San Francisco Giants and Jeff Brantley will continue to broadcast Cincinnati Reds games for Fox Sports Network.
