Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Diamond Dawg Trio Selected On Final Day of MLB Draft
July 19, 2022 | Baseball
KC Hunt, Jackson Fristoe and Kamren James were all selected on the final day of the MLB Draft
STARKVILLE – A trio of Diamond Dawgs were selected on the third and final day of the 2022 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft, which featured rounds 11-20 on Tuesday (July 19), for a total of seven Mississippi State players drafted over the course of three days.
KC Hunt, a right-handed pitcher for State, was the first State player off the board on day three after being drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates as the No. 350 overall pick in the 12th round.
Later in the same round, his MSU teammate and fellow pitcher Jackson Fristoe was drafted as the No. 370 overall pick in the 12th round to the New York Yankees.
MSU infielder Kamren James became the seventh State player taken in the 2022 MLB Draft when the Tampa Bay Rays selected him in the 16th round as the No. 494 overall pick.
During his time at State, KC Hunt made 30 appearances on the mound mostly in relief with the exception of two starts. The right-hander struck out 47 batters in 42 innings of work.
As for Fristoe, he made 40 total appearances for the Diamond Dawgs in two seasons, which includes 16 starts on the bump. He was responsible for six wins and a save in 86.1 innings, while striking out 116 and holding opposing hitters to a .256 average.
Kamren James finished his third season with State this past spring and has seen action in 138 career games with 137 starts since 2020. This season, James hit .303 with nine doubles, nine home runs and 33 RBIs, while he also showcased his speed on the basepaths with 35 career stolen bases in 40 attempts.
On Sunday, pitcher Landon Sims was selected as the No. 34 overall pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first round (Competitive Balance A), while catcher Logan Tanner followed closely behind as the No. 55 overall pick by the Cincinnati Reds in the second round.
Preston Johnson became the first State player taken on day two of the draft after being drafted by the Baltimore Orioles as the No. 197 overall pick in the seventh round. Two rounds later, MSU outfielder Brad Cumbest was selected as the No. 266 overall pick in the ninth round by the Colorado Rockies.
Sims became the ninth State player in the last 11 years to be selected in the first round of the MLB Draft, which is more than the previous 25 years combined for the program. Overall, Mississippi State has heard 186 student-athletes' names called at the event for a total of 227 draft picks overall.
Under head coach Chris Lemonis, Mississippi State has seen 26 student-athletes drafted in the MLB Draft, including five going in the first round. Lemonis also now has 11 draft picks in the first five rounds of the draft during his MSU tenure.
Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the baseball program. Fans can also follow the program on social media by searching 'HailStateBB' on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
KC Hunt, a right-handed pitcher for State, was the first State player off the board on day three after being drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates as the No. 350 overall pick in the 12th round.
Later in the same round, his MSU teammate and fellow pitcher Jackson Fristoe was drafted as the No. 370 overall pick in the 12th round to the New York Yankees.
MSU infielder Kamren James became the seventh State player taken in the 2022 MLB Draft when the Tampa Bay Rays selected him in the 16th round as the No. 494 overall pick.
During his time at State, KC Hunt made 30 appearances on the mound mostly in relief with the exception of two starts. The right-hander struck out 47 batters in 42 innings of work.
As for Fristoe, he made 40 total appearances for the Diamond Dawgs in two seasons, which includes 16 starts on the bump. He was responsible for six wins and a save in 86.1 innings, while striking out 116 and holding opposing hitters to a .256 average.
Kamren James finished his third season with State this past spring and has seen action in 138 career games with 137 starts since 2020. This season, James hit .303 with nine doubles, nine home runs and 33 RBIs, while he also showcased his speed on the basepaths with 35 career stolen bases in 40 attempts.
On Sunday, pitcher Landon Sims was selected as the No. 34 overall pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first round (Competitive Balance A), while catcher Logan Tanner followed closely behind as the No. 55 overall pick by the Cincinnati Reds in the second round.
Preston Johnson became the first State player taken on day two of the draft after being drafted by the Baltimore Orioles as the No. 197 overall pick in the seventh round. Two rounds later, MSU outfielder Brad Cumbest was selected as the No. 266 overall pick in the ninth round by the Colorado Rockies.
Sims became the ninth State player in the last 11 years to be selected in the first round of the MLB Draft, which is more than the previous 25 years combined for the program. Overall, Mississippi State has heard 186 student-athletes' names called at the event for a total of 227 draft picks overall.
Under head coach Chris Lemonis, Mississippi State has seen 26 student-athletes drafted in the MLB Draft, including five going in the first round. Lemonis also now has 11 draft picks in the first five rounds of the draft during his MSU tenure.
Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the baseball program. Fans can also follow the program on social media by searching 'HailStateBB' on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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