'It’s As Good As It Gets To Be A Part Of This'
April 05, 2025 | Baseball, Joel Coleman
Moreland, Milton and Proffitt take rightful places in Ron Polk Ring of Honor.
STARKVILLE – There is no grander prize in all of baseball than the Commissioner's Trophy. Mitch Moreland held it when he became a World Series champion with the Boston Red Sox back in 2018.
It was a moment that could never be topped for any ballplayer, Moreland included. But as the former Mississippi State slugger and pitcher stood in the Adkerson Plaza at Dudy Noble Field on Saturday morning, he discovered that for himself, there was something that felt close to as awesome as winning a Fall Classic: being inducted into MSU's Ron Polk Ring of Honor.
"I'd put this right under the World Series," Moreland said with a big smile. "It's that high up. It's as good as it gets to be a part of this, and I'm honored and humbled for sure."
Moreland, who wore the Maroon and White from 2005 through 2007, was one of three State greats immortalized on Saturday. He was joined by Ted Milton as well as the late Mike Proffitt, who were teammates at MSU from 1969 through 1972.
All three men are without question three of the best to ever come through Starkville – Milton with his big bat, Proffitt with his talented arm and Moreland with both. And while Milton and Proffitt played at State more than three decades before Moreland, it's not too difficult to tie a thread to all three greats' careers.
State's rich baseball history often allows for many connections between past and present, and this case is no different. Stars like Moreland often shine so brightly because of the sturdy shoulders of the giants they're standing on.
Given the recency of it all, many remember Moreland's greatness.
The World Series title. The All-Star appearance. The Gold Glove.
Long before all that though, he was simply a boy from Amory, Mississippi, with a dream.
"[Coming to State] was the only thing I thought about when it came to college baseball," Moreland said. "Hearing names like Will Clark and Rafael Palmeiro and Tommy Raffo…those were guys you [pretended to be] in the backyard thinking, 'That's what I'm gonna do – wear the M-over-S on my hat and jersey.' Coming up as a kid, it was all I wanted to do."
It was Polk who gave Moreland the chance to make his dream reality when the legendary head coach brought Moreland to Starkville. Moreland made the most of it, too, hitting .332 and posting a 3.15 earned run average for his career. He also led State to the College World Series in 2007 behind a monster junior season. It was a campaign that allowed Moreland to take his next desired step when he went from State to The Show.
"When I first sat down with Coach Polk in the recruiting process, he asked me what my goal was and I told him I wanted to be a Major League Baseball player," Moreland said. "He said, 'There'll be nowhere in the country that'll prepare you to be a Major League Baseball player like Mississippi State.' He had me right then, and you know, he didn't lie to me."
The Texas Rangers picked Moreland in the 17th round of the 2007 MLB Draft. It ultimately led to a dozen years of greatness on baseball's biggest stage.
What a ride it all was for Moreland but consider this. State was in Moreland's heart as a kid, leading to all the wonderful things that'd ultimately occur. The reason so many youngsters over the years have longed to wear Maroon is because of the many players that have made Mississippi State a premier destination.
Milton and Proffitt are absolutely two that fit that mold. Their contributions to the baseball program were certainly building blocks to the Bulldogs becoming what they are nationally recognized as today.
They were trailblazers, specifically the trail they blazed from Starkville to Omaha, Nebraska, that has allowed Diamond Dawgs everywhere to dream of following those footsteps every season for the last 50-plus years.
Under the leadership of head coach Paul Gregory, Milton and Proffitt were pieces of State's very first College World Series team in 1971. Sure, they each put up fantastic career numbers and their names can still be found throughout the MSU record book.
Milton is second in career triples with 14 and will forever stand as the team's 1969 and 1970 offensive Most Valuable Player.
Proffitt is in the top 10 in eight different MSU career and single-season records.
But nothing they did quite resonates as much today as the groundwork they put down for national greatness and setting Omaha in State's sights season after season after season.
"We had a great year [in '71] and I hope people remember we laid a foundation," Milton said.
There is no doubt people either remember, or at the very least, enjoy the fruits of Milton's and Proffitt's labor long ago. Moreland was one of them as evidenced by his strong desire to play on the stage Starkville provided.
Now and forever, all three men are united in the Ron Polk Ring of Honor.
