Powell Revives Career In Maroon And White
February 28, 2024 | Baseball
Veteran catcher has had a strong start at State.
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State catcher Joe Powell is off to a strong start to the 2024 season behind the plate for the Bulldogs, but just last year the senior was out of baseball completely.
The Cincinnati transfer had a productive three-year career for the Bearcats, capped off by a standout junior season in 2022 with a team-leading .326 batting average and .996 on-base-plus-slugging percentage to go along with five home runs. That season would be his last in Queen City however, trading in his spikes for a fire hose after dealing with some injuries.
With his baseball career seemingly over, Powell began training to become a firefighter and it was during his time away from the game that he found himself as a man and grew closer to Jesus Christ.
"I started out at Cincy, dealt with a few injuries," Powell said. "I just got to a point where I felt like I needed to be done. I stepped away from the field for a little bit. Found myself personally a little bit. Found Jesus Christ. I got baptized and he is the only reason I'm here. I took 18 months off. Went to EMT school and was going to become a firefighter."
A new opportunity awaited Powell in the Southeastern Conference after receiving a call from the Mississippi State coaching staff. The Mason, Ohio native was not expecting to get back out on the diamond, but a friend of Bulldog pitching coach Justin Parker helped them get Powell on campus and he's felt at home ever since arriving this semester.
"I got a phone call saying, 'You want to come play ball?'" Powell said. "I thought about it, prayed about it. It seemed like the right decision, and I fell in love with campus the day I stepped on here. It's been unbelievable ever since."
Since taking the field with the Diamond Dawgs for the first time last week, Powell has picked up right where he left off at Cincinnati two seasons ago.
The time away from the game was tough knowing that he still had the ability to compete at a high level, and he's proved it during his four starts with the Diamond Dawgs by catching a pair of base runners that have tried to steal on him while posting a .357 batting average at the plate.
"I knew I was an elite player when I left the game; that was the hardest part is that I had finally gone out there and showed it," Powell said. "Some areas of our life we got to keep growing and learning and I grew physically, spiritually, mentally off the field for 18 months. That's why I feel more prepared now than ever to come here and do what I'm doing."
Powell came through big time in Mississippi State's 19-6 win over Jackson State on Wednesday, igniting the Bulldog offense after trailing 5-0 in the bottom of the third inning. He sparked the Bulldogs' 13-run inning with a leadoff base knock, and he cleared the bases with a double down the third base line to give Mississippi State its first lead during his second at-bat of the frame.
Powell's production on the field has helped him find a home in the Bulldog lineup, but he's also found a family in the Mississippi State locker room despite being a late addition to the roster. His teammates have welcomed him in with open arms, and it's that chemistry that Powell believes will help them throughout the season.
"That's what burns my fire every single day, it just keeps me going every day," Powell said. "It's about us, and we keep going every day. These guys didn't have to be as welcoming and as loving as they are. I was talking to one of my guys in there the other day and he said, 'Man it doesn't even feel like you weren't here for the fall. Like you're here and you're a good dude.' And they're all good dudes in there. We love each other. We're doing it for each other, and that's why were' going to be a special ball club at the end of the year."
The hardest part for a catcher coming in is building a rapport with your pitching staff, but that's what Powell loves about baseball the most. He's been able to connect with his new batterymates on a personal level, which in turn has helped them work together on the field.
"That's what I love about baseball," Powell said. "And for me that goes back to getting to know them personally. See what works best for them. When they want to do certain things, then the baseball part gets easy at that point. You just start catching their stuff. Seeing when they want to do certain things with certain pitches and then we go out there and execute on the field."
