Photo by: San Diego Padres
#STATEtoTheShow Update: All-Star Break Edition
July 09, 2019 | Baseball
Seven Diamond Dawgs on MLB rosters, 28 among MiLB ranks
STARKVILLE – The Midsummer Classic will take over Cleveland on Tuesday (July 9) evening and former Mississippi State student-athlete Brandon Woodruff becomes the 10th Diamond Dawg to earn a selection to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
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Woodruff enters the break tied for the National League lead with 10 victories and ranks No. 7 in strikeouts with 126. He is 10-3 with a 3.67 ERA in 18 starts during the first half, including 8-2 with a 2.98 ERA in his last 13 starts. His 3.1 WAR (wins above replacement) ranks No. 5 in all of Major League Baseball, while he became the first Brewers starter to hit 100 mph on the radar gun since Statcast began tracking in 2015.
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Joining Woodruff in National League Central Division - the most competitive division in baseball – are three former MSU teammates: Adam Frazier (Pittsburgh), Dakota Hudson (St. Louis) and Chris Stratton (Pittsburgh).
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Frazier is one of just three qualifying hitters in the Pittsburgh order (3.1 plate appearances per team game) and enters the break with a .287 average in 82 games played. Over his last 15 games, Frazier is hitting .426 with 23 hits, 13 runs scored and 10 RBIs. On July 1, Frazier tied the MLB record with four doubles in a game, going 5-for-6 with three runs scored and two RBIs versus Chicago.
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Moving from the West Coast to the East Coast in May, Stratton has made the most of his new scenery in Pittsburgh, owning a 1-0 record in nine relief appearances. In 17 1/3 innings of work, Stratton has allowed six runs on 18 hits and walked just a pair to go along with 15 strikeouts.
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Hudson leads all Cardinal starting pitchers with seven victories and owns a 3.51 ERA in 17 starts at the break. His 36 earned runs allowed are the fewest among the Cardinals' starting rotation.
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The fifth National League Dawg is casually hitting a home run every 9.9 at bats, as Hunter Renfroe ranks No. 2 in the MLB in that category and owns a career-high 27 home runs at the All-Star break. His home run total ranks No. 5 in the majors, while he is also playing at a high level in the field, with MLB.com's AJ Cassavell having Renfroe in the running for a Gold Glove Award at the midway point of the season.
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The American League features a pair of Diamond Dawg sluggers, as well, with Boston's Mitch Moreland and Tampa Bay's Nathaniel Lowe.
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Moreland has fought a pair of injuries during the 2019 season and has not appeared in a game since June 7. In 47 games this season, Moreland owns 34 his, 25 runs scored and 34 RBIs. His 13 home runs on the season are still good for the sixth most on the Red Sox roster.
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On April 29, 2019, Lowe became the 60th Diamond Dawg to earn a call up to the big leagues when the Tampa Bay Rays brought up the left-handed hitter for a nine-day stint with the club. He has since made two more appearances with the MLB organization and has played in 14 games. He owns 12 hits and four RBIs, ending the first half of the season with a pair of go-ahead home runs – his first two major league home runs – against division rival New York.
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Updating the school-record-tying 11 Diamond Dawgs drafted in the 2019 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft, 10 inked professional contracts and, of those, seven have earned their first professional assignment. Among those, Marshall Gilbert, Jake Mangum and Dustin Skelton have each collected their first professional hits, while Cole Gordon earned his first professional win last week.
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MLB Pipeline Prospect Rankings (listed alphabetically)
Zac Houston – No. 24 in Detroit Tigers organization
Reid Humphreys – No. 17 in Colorado Rockies organization
Jack Kruger – No. 21 in Los Angles Angels organization
Nate Lowe – No. 4 at 1B; No. 9 Tampa Bay Rays organization
Konnor Pilkington No. 19 Chicago White Sox organization
Jacob Robson – No. 16 Detroit Tigers organization
Brent Rooker – No. 5 at 1B; No. 7 Minnesota Twins organizationÂ
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Diamond Dawgs Playing in Major League Baseball (MLB)
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Road to the Show
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Minor League Levels Key: R – Rookie, R+ - Rookie Advanced, AZL – Arizona League, A – Single A, A+ - Single A Advanced, A-SS – Short Season Single A, AA – Double A, AAA – Triple A
Diamond Dawgs Coaching in Professional Baseball
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Diamond Dawgs Working in Professional Baseball
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Woodruff enters the break tied for the National League lead with 10 victories and ranks No. 7 in strikeouts with 126. He is 10-3 with a 3.67 ERA in 18 starts during the first half, including 8-2 with a 2.98 ERA in his last 13 starts. His 3.1 WAR (wins above replacement) ranks No. 5 in all of Major League Baseball, while he became the first Brewers starter to hit 100 mph on the radar gun since Statcast began tracking in 2015.
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Joining Woodruff in National League Central Division - the most competitive division in baseball – are three former MSU teammates: Adam Frazier (Pittsburgh), Dakota Hudson (St. Louis) and Chris Stratton (Pittsburgh).
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Frazier is one of just three qualifying hitters in the Pittsburgh order (3.1 plate appearances per team game) and enters the break with a .287 average in 82 games played. Over his last 15 games, Frazier is hitting .426 with 23 hits, 13 runs scored and 10 RBIs. On July 1, Frazier tied the MLB record with four doubles in a game, going 5-for-6 with three runs scored and two RBIs versus Chicago.
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Moving from the West Coast to the East Coast in May, Stratton has made the most of his new scenery in Pittsburgh, owning a 1-0 record in nine relief appearances. In 17 1/3 innings of work, Stratton has allowed six runs on 18 hits and walked just a pair to go along with 15 strikeouts.
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Hudson leads all Cardinal starting pitchers with seven victories and owns a 3.51 ERA in 17 starts at the break. His 36 earned runs allowed are the fewest among the Cardinals' starting rotation.
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The fifth National League Dawg is casually hitting a home run every 9.9 at bats, as Hunter Renfroe ranks No. 2 in the MLB in that category and owns a career-high 27 home runs at the All-Star break. His home run total ranks No. 5 in the majors, while he is also playing at a high level in the field, with MLB.com's AJ Cassavell having Renfroe in the running for a Gold Glove Award at the midway point of the season.
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The American League features a pair of Diamond Dawg sluggers, as well, with Boston's Mitch Moreland and Tampa Bay's Nathaniel Lowe.
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Moreland has fought a pair of injuries during the 2019 season and has not appeared in a game since June 7. In 47 games this season, Moreland owns 34 his, 25 runs scored and 34 RBIs. His 13 home runs on the season are still good for the sixth most on the Red Sox roster.
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On April 29, 2019, Lowe became the 60th Diamond Dawg to earn a call up to the big leagues when the Tampa Bay Rays brought up the left-handed hitter for a nine-day stint with the club. He has since made two more appearances with the MLB organization and has played in 14 games. He owns 12 hits and four RBIs, ending the first half of the season with a pair of go-ahead home runs – his first two major league home runs – against division rival New York.
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Updating the school-record-tying 11 Diamond Dawgs drafted in the 2019 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft, 10 inked professional contracts and, of those, seven have earned their first professional assignment. Among those, Marshall Gilbert, Jake Mangum and Dustin Skelton have each collected their first professional hits, while Cole Gordon earned his first professional win last week.
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MLB Pipeline Prospect Rankings (listed alphabetically)
Zac Houston – No. 24 in Detroit Tigers organization
Reid Humphreys – No. 17 in Colorado Rockies organization
Jack Kruger – No. 21 in Los Angles Angels organization
Nate Lowe – No. 4 at 1B; No. 9 Tampa Bay Rays organization
Konnor Pilkington No. 19 Chicago White Sox organization
Jacob Robson – No. 16 Detroit Tigers organization
Brent Rooker – No. 5 at 1B; No. 7 Minnesota Twins organizationÂ
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Diamond Dawgs Playing in Major League Baseball (MLB)
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| NAME (Yrs. at MSU) | POS. | ORGANIZATION |
| Adam Frazier (2011-13) | IF | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| Dakota Hudson (2014-16) | RHP | St. Louis Cardinals |
| Nathaniel Lowe (2016) | IF | Tampa Bay Rays |
| Mitch Moreland (2005-07) | IF | Boston Red Sox |
| Chris Stratton (2010-12) | RHP | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| Hunter Renfroe (2011-13) | RF | San Diego Padres |
| Brandon Woodruff (2012-14) | L/RP | Milwaukee Brewers |
Road to the Show
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Minor League Levels Key: R – Rookie, R+ - Rookie Advanced, AZL – Arizona League, A – Single A, A+ - Single A Advanced, A-SS – Short Season Single A, AA – Double A, AAA – Triple A
Diamond Dawgs Coaching in Professional Baseball
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| NAME (Yrs. at MSU) | ORGANIZATION | TEAM (Level) |
| Travis Chapman (1997-2000) | New York Yankees | Scranton Wilkes-Bare (AAA) |
| Chris Maloney (1982-83) | Atlanta Braves | Mississippi (AA) |
| Chris Young (2000-02) | Philadelphia Phillies | Philadelphia (MLB) |
Diamond Dawgs Working in Professional Baseball
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| NAME (Yrs. at MSU) | ORGANIZATION | Role |
| Jeff Brantley (1982-85) | Cincinnati Reds | Broadcaster |
| Will Clark (1983-85) | San Francisco Giants | Special Assistant |
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