Diamond Dawgs in the Show Update: July 23
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 and it should be an exciting year of baseball on the way.
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.
More reinforcements could be on the way this year for State as well with others champing at the bit in Triple A.
This week, Rooker continued his tear as he’s had 18 hits, four doubles and five home runs in his last 12 games and Foscue made his return to the main roster for the first time since April and had hit his first career MLB double.
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, 3 app., 3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
Vs. Boston Red Sox, July 12 – 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
Vs. Chicago White Sox, July 19 – 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Vs. Arizona Diamondbacks, July 22 – 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
Season: 2-3, 4.73 ERA, 39 App., 4 SV, 40.0 IP, 28 H, 23 R, 21 ER, 27 BB, 37 K
Career: 9 seasons, 39-27, 4.45 ERA, 341 app., 42 starts, 16 SV, 585.0 IP, 581 H, 315 R, 289 ER, 243 BB, 541 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
LHP Ethan Small, San Francisco Giants
Last Week: N/A (Placed on 60-day Injured List on February 6 with right oblique strain)
Season: N/A
Career: 3 seasons, 0-0, 8.71 ERA, 4 App., 2 S, 1 SV, 10.1 IP, 17 H, 10 R, 10 BB, 13 K
OF Hunter Renfroe, Kansas City Royals
Last Week: 9 G, .281 BA, 9 H, 4 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB, 2 K
Vs. St. Louis Cardinals, July 10 – 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B
Vs. STL, July 10 – 1-4, 1 RBI
Vs. BOS, July 12 – 0-4
Vs. BOS, July 13 – 1-4
Vs. BOS, July 14 – 2-4, 1 K
Vs. CWS, July 19 – 0-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Vs. CWS, July 20 – 1-3, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
Vs. CWS, July 21 – 1-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Vs. AZ, July 22 – 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Season: 80 G, .227 BA, 56 H, 31 R, 15 2B, 9 HR, 35 RBI, 26 BB, 46 K, .305 OBP, .397 SLG, 1-1 SB
Career: 9 seasons, 921 G, .238 BA, 758 H, 436 R, 177 2B, 4 3B, 186 HR, 489 RBI, 271 BB, 867 K, 15-19 SB, .300 OBP, .474 SLG
2B Adam Frazier, Royals
Last Week: 8 G, .172, 5 H, 5 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 8 K
Vs. STL, July 10 – 1-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K
Vs. BOS, July 12 – 2-5, 2 R, 1 RBI
Vs. BOS, July 13 – 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K
Vs. BOS, July 14 – 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Vs. CWS, July 19 – 0-4, 2 K
Vs. CWS, July 20 – 0-3, 2 K
Vs. CWS, July 21 – 0-2, 1 BB, 1 K
Vs. AZ, July 22 – 1-5, 1 R, 1 K
Season: 66 G, .200 BA, 36 H, 21 R, 7 2B, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 17 BB, 39 K, .284 OBP, .289 SLG, 2-2 SB
Career: 9 seasons, 1,028 G, .265 BA, 886 H, 454 R, 177 2B, 27 3B, 59 HR, 330 RBI, 277 BB, 495 K, 54-86 SB, .329 OBP, .387 SLG
1B Nate Lowe, Texas Rangers
Last Week: 9 G, .172, 5 H, 3 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 7 BB, 7 K
Vs. Los Angeles Angels, July 9 – 0-3, 1 BB
Vs. LAA, July 10 – 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K
Vs. HOU, July 12 – 0-4, 2 K
Vs. HOU, July 13 – 1-5, 1 RBI, 1 K
Vs. HOU, July 14 – 0-2, 2 BB, 1 K
Vs. Baltimore Orioles, July 19 – 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Vs. BAL, July 20 – 1-4, 1 R, 2 K
Vs. BAL, July 21 – 1-2, 1 R, 1 BB
Vs. CWS, July 22 – 1-2, 2 BB
Season: 79 G, .265 BA, 73 H, 35 R, 11 2B, 7 HR, 38 RBI, 38 BB, 69 K, 2-2 SB, .353 OBP, .382 SLG
Career: 6 seasons, 625 G, .272 BA, 617 H, 307 R, 109 2B, 9 3B, 80 HR, 298 RBI, 281 BB, 621 K, 14-16 SB, .354 OBP, .434 SLG
OF Brent Rooker, Oakland Athletics
Last Week: 10 G, .389, 14 H, 12 R, 4 2B, 4 HR, 13 RBI, 7 BB, 11 K, 1-1 SB
Vs. BOS, July 9 – 2-3, 3 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K
Vs. BOS, July 10 – 1-3, 2 R< 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K
Vs. BOS, July 11 – 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K, 1-1 SB
Vs. Philadelphia Phillies, July 12 – 2-5, 1 RBI, 3 K
Vs. PHI, July 13 – 3-5, 2 R< 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 K
Vs. PHI, July 14 – 2-2, 2 R, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 1 BB
Vs. LAA, July 19 – 1-4, 1 R, 1 K
Vs. LAA, July 20 – 2-3, 2 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB
Vs. LAA, July 21 – 1-4, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
Vs. HOU, July 22 – 0-4, 1 K
Season: 87 G, .290 BA, 92 H, 47 R, 19 2B, 2 3B, 22 HR, 67 RBI, 38 BB, 115 K, .368 OBP, .571 SLG, 5-6 SB
Career: 5 seasons, 305 G, .249, 254 H, 138 R, 52 2B, 3 3B, 62 HR, 159 RBI, 105 BB, 373 K, 9-10 SB, .332 OBP, .488 SLG
2B Jordan Westburg, Baltimore Orioles
Last Week: 9 G, .200, 7 H, 3 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 9 K
Vs. Chicago Cubs, July 9 – 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Vs. CHC, July 10 – 1-4, 1 2B, 1 K
Vs. CHC, July 11 – 1-4, 1 2B
Vs. New York Yankees, July 12 – 0-4, 2 K
Vs. NYY, July 13 – 0-4, 2 K
Vs. NYY, July 14 – 0-3, 1 BB, 2 K
Vs. TEX, July 19 – 0-4, 1 K
Vs. TEX, July 20 – 3-5, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Vs. TEX, July 21 – 1-3, 1 BB, 1 K
Season: 92 G, .273 BA, 97 H, 48 R, 22 2B, 5 3B, 16 HR, 52 RBI, 19 BB, 84 K, .320 OBP, .499 SLG , 6-9 SB
Career: 2 seasons, 160 G, .268 BA, 151 H, 74 R, 39 2B, 7 3B, 19 HR, 75 RBI, 35 BB, 140 K, .317 OBP, .464 SLG, 10-14 SB
2B Justin Foscue, Rangers
Last Week: 3 G, .091, 1 R, 1 2B, 5 K
Season: 5 G, .154, 2 H, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 5 K, .154 OBP, .231 SLG