Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Dawgs Ink Top 10 Signing Class for 2021
November 16, 2020 | Baseball
Diamond Dawgs add 16 newcomers from seven different states
STARKVILLE – A 16-person signing class for the Mississippi State baseball program and head coach Chris Lemonis garnered national attention from a pair of publications. The Diamond Dawgs 2021 class ranked as high as No. 6 nationally per Baseball America, after nabbing commitments from five of the publications top 75 high school MLB Draft prospects.
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Along with Baseball America ranking the Bulldogs' class No. 6 nationally, Perfect Game tabbed the class No. 13 in its recruiting rankings for 2021. The class includes five left-handed pitchers, four right-handed pitchers, three outfielders and two utility, one infielder and one catcher.
The quartet of James Wood (No. 5), Maddux Bruns (No. 10), William Kohn (No. 55), Aaron Downs (No. 69) and Jordan McCants (No. 72) are each among the top-75 high school MLB Draft prospects according to Baseball America.
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Of the 14 high school signees, 11 of them sit among the top-20 prospects in their respective state per Perfect Game, with the No. 1 players in Alabama and Maryland joining the program next season. Each of the five in-state signees rank among the top-20 prospects, including Downs at No. 3, which is the highest-ranked recruit to stay in-state for college.
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Rounding out the 16-person class are a pair of junior college prospects, including one that is already familiar with pitching at Dudy Noble Field. Matt Corder will join the program after two seasons Hinds Community College, while Andrew Walling will spend his sophomore season at Eastern Oklahoma State College after pitching two seasons at Oregon State, including an appearance against the Bulldogs in 2020.
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The complete class is listed below.
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Maddux Bruns – LHP – Saraland, Ala. – UMS-Wright Prep
Cole Cheatham – LHP – Ardmore, Ala. – Ardmore
Jackson Conn – RHP – Jackson, Miss. – Jackson Prep
Matt Corder – UTL – Madison, Miss. – Germantown (Hinds C.C.)
Aaron Downs – OF – Columbus, Miss. – Heritage Academy
Tyler Haines – RHP – Phenix City, Ala. – Phenix City Central
Trey Higgins – OF – Oxford, Ala. – Oxford
Hunter Hines – C/1B – Madison, Miss. – Madison Central
Jeffrey Ince – IF – Brandon, Miss. – Jackson Prep
William Kohn – LHP – Verbena, Ala. – Chilton County
Jordan McCants – UTL – Cantonment, Fla. – Pensacola Catholic
Tayler Montiel – LHP – Brentwood, Tenn. – Brentwood Academy
Jack Walker – RHP – Lake Charles, La. – Alfred M. Barbe
Andrew Walling – LHP – Castle Rock, Wash. – R.A. Long (Eastern Oklahoma State College)
Bradley Wilson – RHP/C – Irwinton, Ga. – West Laurens
James Wood – OF – Olney, Md. – IMG Academy (Fla.)
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Along with Baseball America ranking the Bulldogs' class No. 6 nationally, Perfect Game tabbed the class No. 13 in its recruiting rankings for 2021. The class includes five left-handed pitchers, four right-handed pitchers, three outfielders and two utility, one infielder and one catcher.
The quartet of James Wood (No. 5), Maddux Bruns (No. 10), William Kohn (No. 55), Aaron Downs (No. 69) and Jordan McCants (No. 72) are each among the top-75 high school MLB Draft prospects according to Baseball America.
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Of the 14 high school signees, 11 of them sit among the top-20 prospects in their respective state per Perfect Game, with the No. 1 players in Alabama and Maryland joining the program next season. Each of the five in-state signees rank among the top-20 prospects, including Downs at No. 3, which is the highest-ranked recruit to stay in-state for college.
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Rounding out the 16-person class are a pair of junior college prospects, including one that is already familiar with pitching at Dudy Noble Field. Matt Corder will join the program after two seasons Hinds Community College, while Andrew Walling will spend his sophomore season at Eastern Oklahoma State College after pitching two seasons at Oregon State, including an appearance against the Bulldogs in 2020.
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The complete class is listed below.
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Maddux Bruns – LHP – Saraland, Ala. – UMS-Wright Prep
- No. 10-rated high school MLB Draft prospect per Baseball America.
- No. 60-ranked national prospect and No. 1 prospect in Alabama per Perfect Game.
- Participated in the 2020 Perfect Game All-American Classic and 2019 Underclass All-American Game.
- Tabbed third-team Underclass All-America by Perfect Game in 2020.
- Earned high honorable mention Underclass All-America from Perfect Game in 2019.
- Earned all-state honors from AL.com in 2020.
Cole Cheatham – LHP – Ardmore, Ala. – Ardmore
- No. 13-ranked prospect in Alabama per Perfect Game.
- Tabbed high honorable mention Underclass All-America by Perfect Game in 2020.
Jackson Conn – RHP – Jackson, Miss. – Jackson Prep
- No. 15-ranked prospect in Mississippi per Perfect Game.
- Tabbed high honorable mention Underclass All-America by Perfect Game in 2019 and 2020.
Matt Corder – UTL – Madison, Miss. – Germantown (Hinds C.C.)
- Appeared both in the field and on the mound his freshman season at Hinds C.C.
- Hit .267 with one double and one RBI in seven games at the plate.
- Owned a 2.84 ERA with seven strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings of work in four appearances on the mound.
- Tabbed honorable mention Underclass All-Region by Perfect Game in 2019.
- Earned honorable mention Underclass All-America from Perfect Game in 2018.
Aaron Downs – OF – Columbus, Miss. – Heritage Academy
- No. 69-rated high school MLB Draft prospect per Baseball America.
- No. 87-ranked national prospect and No. 3 prospect in Mississippi per Perfect Game.
- Tabbed first-team Underclass All-America by Perfect Game in 2020.
- Earned high honorable mention Underclass All-America from Perfect Game in 2019.
Tyler Haines – RHP – Phenix City, Ala. – Phenix City Central
- No. 26-ranked prospect in Alabama per Perfect Game.
- Tabbed high honorable mention Underclass All-America by Perfect Game in 2020.
Trey Higgins – OF – Oxford, Ala. – Oxford
- No. 14-ranked prospect in Alabama and No. 1 outfielder in the state per Perfect Game.
- Earned third-team Underclass All-America from Perfect Game in 2020.
- Tabbed first-team All-Region by Perfect Game in 2020.
Hunter Hines – C/1B – Madison, Miss. – Madison Central
- No. 17-ranked prospect in Mississippi per Perfect Game.
- Tabbed honorable mention All-Region by Perfect Game in 2020.
- Earned honorable mention Underclass All-America from Perfect Game in 2019.
Jeffrey Ince – IF – Brandon, Miss. – Jackson Prep
- No. 16-ranked prospect in Mississippi per Perfect Game.
- Earned third-team Underclass All-America from Perfect Game in 2020.
- Tabbed high honorable mention Underclass All-America by Perfect Game in 2019.
William Kohn – LHP – Verbena, Ala. – Chilton County
- No. 55-rated high school MLB Draft prospect per Baseball America.
- No. 121-ranked national prospect and No. 2 prospect in Alabama per Perfect Game.
- Tabbed first-team Underclass All-America by Perfect Game in 2020.
- Earned high honorable mention Underclass All-America from Perfect Game in 2019.
- Selected Gatorade Alabama Player of the Year in 2020.
Jordan McCants – UTL – Cantonment, Fla. – Pensacola Catholic
- No. 72-rated high school MLB Draft prospect per Baseball America.
- No. 129-ranked national prospect and No. 17 prospect in Florida per Perfect Game.
- Tabbed second-team Underclass All-America by Perfect Game in 2020.
- Earned high honorable mention Underclass All-America from Perfect Game in 2019.
- Selected to participate in the 2020 MLB Prospect Development Pipeline as one of the top 80 high school prospects in the country.
Tayler Montiel – LHP – Brentwood, Tenn. – Brentwood Academy
- No. 28 prospect in Tennessee per Perfect Game.
- Earned high honorable mention Underclass All-America from Perfect Game in 2019 and 2020.
Jack Walker – RHP – Lake Charles, La. – Alfred M. Barbe
- No. 15 prospect in Louisiana per Perfect Game.
- Tabbed third-team Underclass All-America by Perfect Game in 2020.
- Earned high honorable mention Underclass All-America from Perfect Game in 2019.
Andrew Walling – LHP – Castle Rock, Wash. – R.A. Long (Eastern Oklahoma State College)
- Spent first two collegiate seasons at Oregon State, before transferring to Eastern Oklahoma State College for the 2021 season.
- Appeared in 10 games over two seasons at OSU with a 1.74 ERA in 10 1/3 innings of work in relief.
- No. 6 national left-handed pitching prospect and No. 3 overall prospect in Washington per Perfect Game.
- Area Code participant in 2017 and 2018.
- Earned high honorable mention All-America from Perfect Game in 2018.
- Named first-team Underclass All-America by Perfect Game in 2017.
Bradley Wilson – RHP/C – Irwinton, Ga. – West Laurens
- No. 70-ranked prospect in Georgia per Perfect Game.
- Earned high honorable mention Underclass All-America from Perfect Game in 2019 and 2020.
James Wood – OF – Olney, Md. – IMG Academy (Fla.)
- No. 5-rated high school MLB Draft prospect per Baseball America.
- No. 8-ranked national prospect and No. 1 prospect in Maryland per Perfect Game.
- Participated in the 2020 Perfect Game All-American Classic and 2019 Underclass All-American Game.
- Tabbed second-team Underclass All-America by Perfect Game in 2020.
- Earned high honorable mention Underclass All-America from Perfect Game in 2019.
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