Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Diamond Dawgs Sent Two to MLB Draft Combine
June 20, 2023 | Baseball
Colton Ledbetter and Cade Smith will be participating in the third annual MLB Draft Combine
STARKVILLE – The Mississippi State University baseball team will be represented at the third annual MLB Draft Combine as outfielder Colton Ledbetter and pitcher Cade Smith will be participating. The event will be held from June 20-25 at Chase Field in Phoenix, the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.Â
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The top 300 Draft prospects, as determined by MLB Teams, are invited to the Combine. Nearly 250 players participated in the 2022 Combine in San Diego, including 32 of the first 50 picks in last year's draft. For more information on the Combine, click here.Â
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The main event will be pro-style workouts on June 20-21 that will be broadcast live on MLB Network. Coverage will include batting practice for position players, bullpen sessions for pitchers, and athletic testing and interviews with participants and club officials.
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Beyond the on-field workouts, prospects will have the opportunity to meet with general managers, scouting directors, and other team executives. In the first two years of the Combine, clubs, and prospects universally have praised the interview process for allowing both sides to get to know each other in person.
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Ledbetter was named an ABCA/Rawlings Second Team All-South Region honoree. He shined in his lone season in the Maroon and White as he led the team at the plate. The junior outfielder from Hoover, Ala., had a team-high .320 batting average. He finished the 2023 season with 47 walks, a team-high. He collected 63 hits, with 25 of those going for extra bases. He had 12 home runs on the season, the second most on the Diamond Dawgs. His 52 RBIs were also the second most on the team.
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Ledbetter led the team with 17 multi-hit games, including 13 two-hit games. Besides having multi-hit games, he had 14 multi-RBI games, the second most on the team. On Feb. 18 against VMI, Ledbetter drove in a season-high six runs, a team-high during the 2023 season.
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Smith, the Friday night starter for the Diamond Dawgs, pitched 43 innings during his junior season. He tallied 46 strikeouts on the season and held opponents to a .230 batting average. He made ten appearances, with nine starts, and had an ERA of 5.23.
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During his sophomore season, Smith pitched 72.1 innings and tallied four wins. He had a 3.86 ERA and 66 punchouts, all a career-high. A 2021 National Championship team member, the Southaven, Miss., native made three appearances in the College World Series, combining to pitch 3.2 innings of relief. He earned the win when the Dawgs beat Virginia.
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The Combine comes less than a month before the 2023 MLB Draft, scheduled for July 9-11 in Seattle.
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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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The top 300 Draft prospects, as determined by MLB Teams, are invited to the Combine. Nearly 250 players participated in the 2022 Combine in San Diego, including 32 of the first 50 picks in last year's draft. For more information on the Combine, click here.Â
Â
The main event will be pro-style workouts on June 20-21 that will be broadcast live on MLB Network. Coverage will include batting practice for position players, bullpen sessions for pitchers, and athletic testing and interviews with participants and club officials.
Â
Beyond the on-field workouts, prospects will have the opportunity to meet with general managers, scouting directors, and other team executives. In the first two years of the Combine, clubs, and prospects universally have praised the interview process for allowing both sides to get to know each other in person.
Â
Ledbetter was named an ABCA/Rawlings Second Team All-South Region honoree. He shined in his lone season in the Maroon and White as he led the team at the plate. The junior outfielder from Hoover, Ala., had a team-high .320 batting average. He finished the 2023 season with 47 walks, a team-high. He collected 63 hits, with 25 of those going for extra bases. He had 12 home runs on the season, the second most on the Diamond Dawgs. His 52 RBIs were also the second most on the team.
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Ledbetter led the team with 17 multi-hit games, including 13 two-hit games. Besides having multi-hit games, he had 14 multi-RBI games, the second most on the team. On Feb. 18 against VMI, Ledbetter drove in a season-high six runs, a team-high during the 2023 season.
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Smith, the Friday night starter for the Diamond Dawgs, pitched 43 innings during his junior season. He tallied 46 strikeouts on the season and held opponents to a .230 batting average. He made ten appearances, with nine starts, and had an ERA of 5.23.
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During his sophomore season, Smith pitched 72.1 innings and tallied four wins. He had a 3.86 ERA and 66 punchouts, all a career-high. A 2021 National Championship team member, the Southaven, Miss., native made three appearances in the College World Series, combining to pitch 3.2 innings of relief. He earned the win when the Dawgs beat Virginia.
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The Combine comes less than a month before the 2023 MLB Draft, scheduled for July 9-11 in Seattle.
Â
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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