Since the hailstate social media was touting their finalized BA recruiting ranking here is the write up on newcomers for next season. BA has them #7 overall.
Overview: The results on the field have been disappointing for Mississippi State over the last two years, but the Bulldogs continue to recruit at a high level. This is their third straight top-10 class and the Bulldogs will hope it helps propel them back to regionals and beyond.
Hitters: Cupp was one of the best infielders in the prep class and he started at shortstop for Team USA at the 2022 18U World Cup. The righthanded hitter has a gap-to-gap approach and produces solid bat speed, though many pro scouts questioned how much offensive impact he would produce. His defense, however, has never been in doubt. He’s an impressive all-around defender, combining plus arm strength with soft hands and good instincts that help him make all the plays at shortstop. A Starkville native, Ethan Pulliam (454) is a standout athlete who also starred in football and soccer in high school. He has wiry strength to his swing and produces easy bat speed. He’s a plus runner with a strong arm who could play anywhere on the diamond. Nolan Stevens formally opted out of the draft and instead brings two-way ability to Starkville. The lefthanded hitter has big raw power and a good feel to hit. On the mound, he can run his fastball up to 94 mph. His impact is likely to be felt most at the plate, but his arm strength means he could see time on the mound. Outfielder Michael O’Brien is a speedy, lefthanded hitter with a contact-oriented approach at the plate. He covers ground well in the outfield and profiles in center field. Outfielder Rives Reynolds also brings good speed and on-base skills. The righthanded hitter has a quick, easy swing, produces some sneaky power and can impact the game in a variety of ways at the top of the order. Shortstop Jace Norton, the son of former big leaguer Greg Norton, is a good athlete and a smooth defender. The righthanded hitter has some projectable power and a good approach at the plate.
Pitchers: Righthander Mikhai Grant (207) is an excellent athlete with a projectable look at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds. He has a solid four-pitch arsenal with a fastball that reaches 96 mph, two breaking balls and a good changeup. His slider is better than his curveball, but his changeup is probably ahead of both and has good fading action. He offers plenty of upside as a starter. Lefthander Luke Dotson (247) saw his velocity tick up over the last year with his fastball getting up to 94 mph, and there’s room for even more development as he continues to physically mature. He mixes in a curveball and a changeup and if he is able to add more velocity, he could take a big step forward. He’s also got two-way potential thanks to his lefthanded swing and athleticism. Righthander Cam Schuelke, a junior college transfer, gives hitters a unique look thanks to his ability to throw from multiple arm slots. He’s not overpowering – his fastball sits around 90 mph – but he’s got a long track record of success in college, including helping Central Florida JC to the 2023 national championship and being named the 2022 reliever of the year in the Cape Cod League. He figures to slot right into an important role in the Mississippi State bullpen, where his fastball-slider combination should play well. Righthander Will Passeau, another junior college transfer, also should be able to step up in the bullpen. He attacks hitters with a fastball that gets into the mid 90s and a good breaking ball. While he was a two-way player at Pearl River (Miss.) JC, he will focus on pitching at Mississippi State.
Overview: The results on the field have been disappointing for Mississippi State over the last two years, but the Bulldogs continue to recruit at a high level. This is their third straight top-10 class and the Bulldogs will hope it helps propel them back to regionals and beyond.
Hitters: Cupp was one of the best infielders in the prep class and he started at shortstop for Team USA at the 2022 18U World Cup. The righthanded hitter has a gap-to-gap approach and produces solid bat speed, though many pro scouts questioned how much offensive impact he would produce. His defense, however, has never been in doubt. He’s an impressive all-around defender, combining plus arm strength with soft hands and good instincts that help him make all the plays at shortstop. A Starkville native, Ethan Pulliam (454) is a standout athlete who also starred in football and soccer in high school. He has wiry strength to his swing and produces easy bat speed. He’s a plus runner with a strong arm who could play anywhere on the diamond. Nolan Stevens formally opted out of the draft and instead brings two-way ability to Starkville. The lefthanded hitter has big raw power and a good feel to hit. On the mound, he can run his fastball up to 94 mph. His impact is likely to be felt most at the plate, but his arm strength means he could see time on the mound. Outfielder Michael O’Brien is a speedy, lefthanded hitter with a contact-oriented approach at the plate. He covers ground well in the outfield and profiles in center field. Outfielder Rives Reynolds also brings good speed and on-base skills. The righthanded hitter has a quick, easy swing, produces some sneaky power and can impact the game in a variety of ways at the top of the order. Shortstop Jace Norton, the son of former big leaguer Greg Norton, is a good athlete and a smooth defender. The righthanded hitter has some projectable power and a good approach at the plate.
Pitchers: Righthander Mikhai Grant (207) is an excellent athlete with a projectable look at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds. He has a solid four-pitch arsenal with a fastball that reaches 96 mph, two breaking balls and a good changeup. His slider is better than his curveball, but his changeup is probably ahead of both and has good fading action. He offers plenty of upside as a starter. Lefthander Luke Dotson (247) saw his velocity tick up over the last year with his fastball getting up to 94 mph, and there’s room for even more development as he continues to physically mature. He mixes in a curveball and a changeup and if he is able to add more velocity, he could take a big step forward. He’s also got two-way potential thanks to his lefthanded swing and athleticism. Righthander Cam Schuelke, a junior college transfer, gives hitters a unique look thanks to his ability to throw from multiple arm slots. He’s not overpowering – his fastball sits around 90 mph – but he’s got a long track record of success in college, including helping Central Florida JC to the 2023 national championship and being named the 2022 reliever of the year in the Cape Cod League. He figures to slot right into an important role in the Mississippi State bullpen, where his fastball-slider combination should play well. Righthander Will Passeau, another junior college transfer, also should be able to step up in the bullpen. He attacks hitters with a fastball that gets into the mid 90s and a good breaking ball. While he was a two-way player at Pearl River (Miss.) JC, he will focus on pitching at Mississippi State.
