Diamond Dawgs in the Show Update: August 27
Another Major League Baseball season has arrived with more Diamond Dawgs making their names on the biggest stage.
Early in the season, MSU had the most MLB players of any team in the SEC as Justin Foscue’s call up made 12 former Diamond Dawgs. Injuries have plagued several former Diamond Dawgs early this year, but they’re on the road to recovery.
Kendall Graveman enters year 10 in the league as the eldest Dog still playing pro baseball but is expected to miss all of 2024 after having shoulder surgery. The same could be said for Brandon Woodruff who missed several months last year with a shoulder injury and could miss this whole season.
State had two former Bulldogs make debuts in the league last season as J.P. France was the talk of the Houston Astros after his solid season in the rotation. Jordan Westburg also made waves with the Baltimore Orioles and is primed for a big year.
Three former teammates are playing on the same team this year as Chris Stratton, Adam Frazier and Hunter Renfroe are all playing for the Kansas City Royals. It’s the first time the trio has been together on the same team since the Diamond Dawgs won the SEC Tournament in 2012 and finished the year in a Regional at Florida State. Dakota Hudson also has a new team moving to Colorado.
Brent Rooker had his breakthrough season with the Oakland A’s last year and is hopeful for a big season while Nate Lowe earned a Golden Glove for his work with the World Champions Texas Rangers at first base.
RHP J.T. Ginn became the second State player to earn the MLB call this season as he became the Bulldogs’ 70th member to make it to the main roster. More reinforcements could be on the way this year for State as well with others champing at the bit in Triple A.
This week, Ginn got his first career appearance and threw 2.0 scoreless innings while Rooker has notched career highs in hits and doubles and got to 30 home runs for the second-straight year.
RHP Kendall Graveman, Houston Astros
Last Week: N/A (Out for season with shoulder injury)
Season: N/A
Career: 10 seasons, 37-43, 3.95 ERA, 279 app., 80 starts, 24 saves, 651.2 IP, 648 H, 312 R, 286 ER, 219 BB, 494 K
RHP Chris Stratton, Kansas City Royals
Last Week: 0-0, 1 app., 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Vs. Philadelphia Phillies, August 24
Season: 4-3, 5.23 ERA, 50 App., 4 SV, 51.2 IP, 44 H, 32 R, 30 ER, 30 BB, 42 K
Career: 9 seasons, 41-27, 4.49 ERA, 352 app., 42 starts, 16 SV, 596.2 IP, 597 H, 324 R, 298 ER, 246 BB, 546 K
RHP Brandon Woodruff, Milwaukee Brewers
Last Week: N/A (Placed on 60-day Injured List on February 21 with injured right shoulder)
Season: N/A
Career: 8 seasons, 46-26, 3.10 ERA, 130 appearances, 115 starts, 1 save, 680.1 IP, 535 H, 243 R, 234 ER, 176 BB, 788 K
RHP Dakota Hudson, Colorado Rockies
Last Week: N/A (Placed on 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation)
Season: 2-12, 6.17 ERA, 18 S, 89.0 IP, 99 H, 66 R, 61 ER, 50 BB, 49 K
Career: 7 seasons, 40-32, 4.21 ERA, 132 app., 97 starts, 1 save, 559.2 IP, 538 H, 287 R, 262 ER, 265 BB, 364 K
RHP J.T. Ginn, Oakland Athletics
Last Week: 0-0, 2 App., 3.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 4K
Vs. Tampa Bay Rays, August 21 – 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
Vs. MIL, Aug. 24 – 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K
Season: Same
OF Hunter Renfroe, Kansas City Royals
Last Week: 3 G, .375 BA, 3 H, 4 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K
Vs. Los Angeles Angels, Aug. 21 – 2-4, 1 R, 2 K
Vs. PHI, Aug. 23 – 1-2, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB,
Vs. PHI, Aug. 24 – 0-2, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Season: 104 G, .237 BA, 79 H, 41 R, 18 2B, 12 HR, 47 RBI, 35 BB, 68 K, .312 OBP, .398 SLG, 1-2 SB
Career: 9 seasons, 945 G, .239 BA, 781 H, 446 R, 180 2B, 4 3B, 189 HR, 501 RBI, 280 BB, 889 K, 15-20 SB, .301 OBP, .469 SLG
2B Adam Frazier, Royals
Last Week: 5 G, .182, 2 H, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 K
Vs. LAA, Aug. 21 – 2-3, 1 R, 1 2B
Vs. PHI, Aug. 23 – 0-3
Vs. PHI, Aug. 24 – 0-1
Vs. PHI, Aug. 25 – 0-2
Vs. Cleveland Guardians, Aug. 26 – 0-2, 2 K
Season: 88 G, .211 BA, 48 H, 29 R, 10 2B, 3 HR, 18 RBI, 19 BB, 48 K, .286 OBP, .294 SLG, 2-2 SB
Career: 9 seasons, 1,050 G, .265 BA, 898 H, 462 R, 180 2B, 27 3B, 59 HR, 335 RBI, 279 BB, 504 K, 54-86 SB, .328 OBP, .386 SLG
1B Nate Lowe, Texas Rangers
Last Week: 4 G, .143, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K
Vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, Aug. 21 – 0-4
Vs. CLE, Aug. 23 – 3-4, 1 R
Vs. CLE, Aug. 24 – 0-3, 1 BB
Vs. CLE, Aug. 25 – 0-4, 3 K
Season: 109 G, .249 BA, 95 H, 47 R, 12 2B, 1 3B, 10 HR, 48 RBI, 55 BB, 97 K, 2-2 SB, .345 OBP, .365 SLG
Career: 6 seasons, 655 G, .269 BA, 639 H, 319 R, 110 2B, 10 3B, 83 HR, 308 RBI, 298 BB, 649 K, 14-16 SB, .353 OBP, .429 SLG
OF Brent Rooker, Oakland Athletics
Last Week: 5 G, .333, 6 H, 2 R,1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 6 K
Vs. TB, Aug. 21 – 1-4, 1 RBI, 2 K
Vs. TB, Aug. 22 – 1-3, 1 BB, 1 K
Vs. MIL, Aug. 23 – 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K
Vs. MIL, Aug. 24 – 3-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB
Vs. MIL, Aug. 25 – 1-4, 1 R
Season: 114 G, .289 BA, 121 H, 63 R, 22 2B, 2 3B, 30 HR, 87 RBI, 48 BB, 140 K, .365 OBP, .566 SLG, 7-8 SB
Career: 5 seasons, 332 G, .252, 283 H, 154 R, 55 2B, 3 3B, 70 HR, 179 RBI, 115 BB, 398 K, 11-12 SB, .334 OBP, .494 SLG
2B Jordan Westburg, Baltimore Orioles
Last Week: (Placed on 10-day Injured List with a fractured right hand on August 1 )
Season: 101 G, .269 BA, 105 H, 55 R, 25 2B, 5 3B, 18 HR, 58 RBI, 21 BB, 89 K, .320 OBP, .505 SLG , 6-9 SB
Career: 2 seasons, 169 G, .266 BA, 159 H, 81 R, 42 2B, 7 3B, 21 HR, 81 RBI, 37 BB, 145 K, .317 OBP, .470 SLG, 10-14 SB
