Ginn Named Midseason Freshman of the Year, Three Other Earn Midseason Laurels
April 03, 2019 | Baseball
Ginn, Mangum and Westburg all honored on Perfect Game Midseason award list, Skelton named to Posey Award Watch List
by: Greg Campbell, Assistant Director/Communications
STARKVILLE – Four Mississippi State baseball student-athletes were honored at the mid-way point of the 2019 season, as the trio of freshman JT Ginn, senior Jake Mangum and sophomore Jordan Westburg each earned accolades from Perfect Game, and junior Dustin Skelton was named to the Buster Posey Award Watch List.
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Perfect Game tabbed Ginn as its Midseason National Freshman of the Year, while Mangum was a first-team midseason All-American pick and Westburg earned second-team midseason All-American from the publication. Skelton was one of 79 Division I catchers named to the Buster Posey Award Watch List, which is awarded by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission.
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After winning his first six starts on the mound, Ginn was named the Midseason National Freshman of the Year by Perfect Game. The rookie has started seven games on the mound, with four of those quality starts, and owns a 3.32 ERA. Among the victories that make up his 6-1 overall mark, the right hander has posted wins over No. 21 Southern Miss, No. 8 Texas Tech, No. 4 Florida and No. 16 Auburn on the season.
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The Brandon, Mississippi, native, has piled up 58 strikeouts to rank No. 17 nationally and No. 5 in the SEC, while his strikeout-to-walk ratio of 9.67 is No. 11 in the NCAA and No. 3 in the SEC. His six wins are tied for No. 2 nationally and tied atop the SEC. On the year, he has allowed just 35 hits and six walks in 43 1/3 innings of work in 2019, while earning a pair of SEC Freshman of the Week honors.
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Arguably the best leadoff hitter in the NCAA, Mangum continues his assault on the Mississippi State and SEC career hits list, moving into No. 2 at MSU and No. 7 on the SEC's all-time hits chart. His 53 hits in 2019 rank No. 2 nationally and lead the SEC, while his .398 batting average is No. 2 in the conference and No. 37 nationally.
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Mangum enters the eighth week of the season with 328 career hits, which is tied with Richard Lee (1995-98) for No. 2 all-time at State. That MSU tandem is also tied for No. 7 in SEC history. The Pearl, Mississippi, native, is just eight hits away from eclipsing Jeffrey Rea (335; 2004-07) for the career hits mark at MSU. He is just 25 hits away from supplanting LSU's Eddy Furniss (352; 1995-98) as the SEC's hit king.
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So far in 2019, Westburg is having a career year. The sophomore already owns career highs for hits (44), runs (35), RBIs (33), doubles (13), triples (2), home runs (5) and walks (15). He has also been hit-by-pitch seven times and is a perfect 4-for-4 in stolen base attempts, after not stealing a base as a freshman. He has 15 multi-hit games and eight multi-RBI contests on the season.
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With 44 hits, the New Braunfels, Texas, native, ranks No. 13 nationally and No. 2 in the SEC – behind Mangum – and his .383 batting average is No. 4 in the conference. He leads the SEC and ranks No. 10 in the NCAA with 35 runs scored and his 33 RBIs are No. 5 in the SEC and No. 28 nationally. He has a pair of double-digit reached base streaks, as he was on base in each of the first 14 games of the season and currently carries a 13-game streak.
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Skelton is among the initial candidates for the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award, formerly the Johnny Bench Award, which honors the nation's top Division I catcher as voted on by head coaches and sports information directors. Former MSU catcher Edward Easley won the prestigious award following a stellar 2007 campaign, which also saw him drafted in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft.
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The Olive Branch, Mississippi, native, is having his best season to date for the Maroon and White, hitting .337 with career highs in hits (29), runs scored (18), RBIs (20) and home runs (5). His 48 total bases are the most in his career, as well. Behind the plate, Skelton has thrown out eight potential base stealers, which ranks No. 4 in the SEC.
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STARKVILLE – Four Mississippi State baseball student-athletes were honored at the mid-way point of the 2019 season, as the trio of freshman JT Ginn, senior Jake Mangum and sophomore Jordan Westburg each earned accolades from Perfect Game, and junior Dustin Skelton was named to the Buster Posey Award Watch List.
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Perfect Game tabbed Ginn as its Midseason National Freshman of the Year, while Mangum was a first-team midseason All-American pick and Westburg earned second-team midseason All-American from the publication. Skelton was one of 79 Division I catchers named to the Buster Posey Award Watch List, which is awarded by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission.
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After winning his first six starts on the mound, Ginn was named the Midseason National Freshman of the Year by Perfect Game. The rookie has started seven games on the mound, with four of those quality starts, and owns a 3.32 ERA. Among the victories that make up his 6-1 overall mark, the right hander has posted wins over No. 21 Southern Miss, No. 8 Texas Tech, No. 4 Florida and No. 16 Auburn on the season.
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The Brandon, Mississippi, native, has piled up 58 strikeouts to rank No. 17 nationally and No. 5 in the SEC, while his strikeout-to-walk ratio of 9.67 is No. 11 in the NCAA and No. 3 in the SEC. His six wins are tied for No. 2 nationally and tied atop the SEC. On the year, he has allowed just 35 hits and six walks in 43 1/3 innings of work in 2019, while earning a pair of SEC Freshman of the Week honors.
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Arguably the best leadoff hitter in the NCAA, Mangum continues his assault on the Mississippi State and SEC career hits list, moving into No. 2 at MSU and No. 7 on the SEC's all-time hits chart. His 53 hits in 2019 rank No. 2 nationally and lead the SEC, while his .398 batting average is No. 2 in the conference and No. 37 nationally.
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Mangum enters the eighth week of the season with 328 career hits, which is tied with Richard Lee (1995-98) for No. 2 all-time at State. That MSU tandem is also tied for No. 7 in SEC history. The Pearl, Mississippi, native, is just eight hits away from eclipsing Jeffrey Rea (335; 2004-07) for the career hits mark at MSU. He is just 25 hits away from supplanting LSU's Eddy Furniss (352; 1995-98) as the SEC's hit king.
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So far in 2019, Westburg is having a career year. The sophomore already owns career highs for hits (44), runs (35), RBIs (33), doubles (13), triples (2), home runs (5) and walks (15). He has also been hit-by-pitch seven times and is a perfect 4-for-4 in stolen base attempts, after not stealing a base as a freshman. He has 15 multi-hit games and eight multi-RBI contests on the season.
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With 44 hits, the New Braunfels, Texas, native, ranks No. 13 nationally and No. 2 in the SEC – behind Mangum – and his .383 batting average is No. 4 in the conference. He leads the SEC and ranks No. 10 in the NCAA with 35 runs scored and his 33 RBIs are No. 5 in the SEC and No. 28 nationally. He has a pair of double-digit reached base streaks, as he was on base in each of the first 14 games of the season and currently carries a 13-game streak.
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Skelton is among the initial candidates for the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award, formerly the Johnny Bench Award, which honors the nation's top Division I catcher as voted on by head coaches and sports information directors. Former MSU catcher Edward Easley won the prestigious award following a stellar 2007 campaign, which also saw him drafted in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft.
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The Olive Branch, Mississippi, native, is having his best season to date for the Maroon and White, hitting .337 with career highs in hits (29), runs scored (18), RBIs (20) and home runs (5). His 48 total bases are the most in his career, as well. Behind the plate, Skelton has thrown out eight potential base stealers, which ranks No. 4 in the SEC.
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