#StateToTheShow: Opening Day 2025
March 27, 2025 | Baseball
According to the calendar, spring started a week ago.
But for many, spring doesn't official arrive until MLB Opening Day. This year, 10 former Mississippi State standouts begin the season in the Big Leagues with several more Diamond Dawgs waiting in the wings.
Last season saw Jordan Westburg voted to his first All-Star Game as he helped the Baltimore Orioles earn a playoff bid. Westburg was one of eight MSU alums that were part of teams that reached the 2024 postseason including Adam Frazier, Hunter Renfroe and Chris Stratton.
Renfroe and Stratton remain on the Kansas City Royals while Frazier has returned to the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he was an All-Star in 2021. Kendall Graveman and Nathaniel Lowe are also in new threads this season as members of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Washington Nationals, respectively.
Graveman and two-time All-Star Brandon Woodruff (Milwaukee Brewers) missed all of last season but are expected to return to the mound this year. J.P. France (Houston Astros) was also out a majority of the 2024 campaign. France, Graveman and Woodruff will all begin the year on injured reserve.
Brent Rooker remains a member of the Athletics, who will be playing all of their home games in Sacramento this year. Rooker, another former All-Star, is coming off a banner year where he hit .293 with 39 home runs and 112 RBIs.
Travis Champman, a former Big Leaguer himself, continues his role as the first base coach for the New York Yankees.
Last year, Justin Foscue (Rangers) and J.T. Ginn (Athletics) made their MLB debuts to bring the #StateToTheShow total to 70 all-time. Foscue and Ginn will begin this season in Triple-A alongside Eric Cerantola (Royals), Gavin Collins (Cardinals), Houston Harding (Angels), Dakota Hudson (Angels), Jake Mangum (Rays), Konnor Pilkington (Nationals) and Ethan Small (Giants).
There are likely to be several more callups for the Diamond Dawgs in the near future as 11 players were picked as part of the 2024 MLB Draft, which was the highest of any program in the country. Switch pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje became State's 20th first-round draft pick when he was selected 15th overall by the Seattle Mariners.
Bulldogs in MLB
1B Coach Travis Chapman (1997-2000), New York Yankees
P J.P. France (2018), Houston Astros
2B Adam Frazier (2011-13), Pittsburgh Pirates
P Kendall Graveman (2010-13), Arizona Diamondbacks
1B Nathaniel Lowe (2016), Washington Nationals
OF Hunter Renfroe (2011-13), Kansas City Royals
OF Brent Rooker (2014-17), Athletics
P Chris Stratton (2010-12), Kansas City Royals
IF Jordan Westburg (2018-20), Baltimore Orioles
P Brandon Woodruff (2012-14), Milwaukee Brewers
Bulldogs in MiLB
P Brooks Auger (2022-24), Dodgers
P Will Bednar (2020-21), Giants
P Eric Cerantola (2019-21), Royals
P Jurrangelo Cijntje (2023-24), Mariners
C Gavin Collins (2014-16), Cardinals
P Tyler Davis (2023-24), Royals
P Nate Dohm (2023-24), Mets
IF Justin Foscue (2018-20), Rangers
P Jackson Fristoe (2021-22), Yankees
P J.T. Ginn (2019-20), Athletics
P Tyson Hardin (2023-24), Brewers
P Houston Harding (2020-21), Angels
P Colby Holcombe (2023-24), Blue Jays
P Dakota Hudson (2014-16), Angels
OF Connor Hujsak (2023-24), Rays
P K.C. Hunt (2021-23), Brewers
3B Kamren James (2020-22), Rays
P Preston Johnson (2021-22), Orioles
OF Rowdey Jordan (2018-21), Mets
Pitching coach Carlisle Koestler (2020-21), Rangers
OF Colton Ledbetter (2023), Rays
P Christian MacLeod (2020-21), Twins
OF Jake Mangum (2016-19), Rays
SS David Mershon (2023-24), Angels
P Aaron Nixon (2023), Yankees
P Konnor Pilkington (2016-18), Nationals
P Cam Schuelke (2024), Guardians
P Landon Sims (2020-22), Diamondbacks
P Ethan Small (2016-19), San Francisco Giants
P Cade Smith (2021-23), Yankees
P Khal Stephen (2024), Blue Jays
IF Hunter Stovall (2016-18), Rays
C Logan Tanner (2020-22), Reds
P Andrew Walling (2022), Phillies
P Colby White (2019), Yankees
IF RJ Yeager (2022), Cardinals
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 X, Facebook and Instagram.
