Quartet Named Preseason All-America by Perfect Game

STARKVILLE – Accolades continue to roll in for the Mississippi State baseball program, as Perfect Game announced on Tuesday (Jan. 7) that a quartet of Diamond Dawgs are among the publications preseason All-Americans.

Junior Tanner Allen (third team), junior Justin Foscue (second team), sophomore JT Ginn (second team) and junior Jordan Westburg (third team) were each tabbed as preseason All-Americans by Perfect Game, after each of them were tabbed for the preseason honors by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper in December.

State's four honorees on the Perfect Game teams are tied for the most among the publications three-team list with Vanderbilt.

Allen enters his third season on campus after putting up career numbers as a sophomore in 2019. The left-handed hitter boasted a .349 batting average behind 96 hits – 31 for extra bases – to go along with a team-best 66 RBIs. He scored 56 runs and reached base via walk or hit-by-pitch on 40 occasions to just 37 strikeouts. His 96 hits ranked No. 4 nationally and his 23 doubles sat No. 11 in the NCAA.

The Theodore, Alabama, native earned third-team All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper in 2019 and was a first-team All-SEC selection at first base, before spending the summer with the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. His sophomore season also included being drafted in the 34th round of the Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft, his second time being drafted overall.

The Perfect Game National Freshman of the Year and Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Co-National Freshman Pitcher of the Year, Ginn compiled an 8-4 record and 3.13 ERA on the mound in 17 starts. His eight victories are tied for the most by a Bulldog rookie with Paul Maholm (2001) and his 105 strikeouts rank No. 2 all-time on the MSU freshman charts behind Eric DuBose (109; 1995).

Ginn was selected as the SEC Freshman of the Year after fanning 105 batters in 86 1/3 innings of work, while issuing just 19 walks and allowing only 12 extra base hits on the season. The right-hander limited the opposition to a .220 batting average against on his way to unanimous Freshman All-America status. He earned first-team honors from Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, D1Baseball, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Perfect Game.

One of State's four first-team All-SEC selections in 2019, Foscue was also a first-team All-America selection according to the College Baseball Foundation. Along with his selection to five other All-America squads, the Huntsville, Alabama, native was a starter on the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team over the summer.

Foscue doubled his production in nearly every offensive category from his freshman to sophomore seasons, including a team-best 14 home runs. He also ranked third on the squad in hits (91), RBIs (60), runs scored (66), doubles (22) and batting average (.331). His 91 hits sat No. 12 nationally, while his 155 total bases were No. 15 among NCAA Division I baseball student-athletes.

Playing the premier position on the diamond, Westburg had a breakout year at the plate and in the field for MSU in. 2019. Though the accolades didn't arrive during the postseason, Westburg was a main cog in one of the nation's toughest offensive lineups, reaching base in 63 of 66 games played, which included four double-digit reached base streaks.

Westburg more than doubled most of his numbers from 2018 to 2019. And started 66 of 67 games at shortstop. He led the team in runs scored (68), walks (39) and hit-by-pitch (12), ranked second in RBIs (61) and was fourth in hits (78) and doubles (21). He boasted a .294 batting average and .402. on-base percentage, while compiling 121 total bases during the season.

The Bulldogs open the 2020 season with a three-game series at Dudy Noble Field against Horizon League champion Wright State from Feb. 14-16. The season opener is slated for 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14. The series continues with a 2 p.m. start on Saturday, Feb. 15 and 1 p.m. first pitch on Sunday, Feb. 16.

Ticket Information
While reserved seating season tickets are sold out for the 34th straight season, general admission/standing room only season tickets are available for a cost of $199.

New for the 2020 season, the Mobile Access Pass will provide access to unused chairback seats at Dudy Noble Field. The Mobile Access Pass provides a GA/SRO ticket for all games on the 2020 home schedule, while also offering upgraded access on a game-by-game basis to the unused chairback seats for all home weekend series – excluding Super Bulldog Weekend. The cost for the Mobile Access Pass is $225.

The Mobile Access Pass and GA/SRO season tickets can be purchased at the Mississippi State Ticket Office, located in the Bryan Building off of Lakeview Drive. Tickets can also be purchased by calling 1-888-GO-DAWGS or online at hailstate.com/tickets.

Mississippi State University Athletics

Quartet Named Preseason All-America by Perfect Game

Related News

Players Mentioned

Tanner Allen

Justin Foscue

JT Ginn

Jordan Westburg

Related Videos