Diamond Dawgs in the Show Update: August 6

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, Stratton earned a win for the Kansas City Royals while Renfroe put together nine hits on the week.  Additionally, Rooker capped a phenomenal July with a .391 average, 34 hits and 11 home runs.

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:      1-0, 3 app., 4.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K

                        Vs. Detroit Tigers, August 2 – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

                        Vs. DET, Aug. 4 – Win, 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

                        Vs. Boston Red Sox, Aug. 5 – 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K

Season: 4-3, 4.40 ERA, 45 App., 4 SV, 47.0 IP, 34 H, 25 R, 23 ER, 28 BB, 41 K

Career: 9 seasons, 41-27, 4.42 ERA, 347 app., 42 starts, 16 SV, 592.0 IP, 587 H, 317 R, 291 ER, 244 BB, 545 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

OF Hunter Renfroe, Kansas City Royals     

Last Week:      7 G, .321 BA, 9 H, 3 R, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K

                        Vs. Chicago White Sox, July 30 – 1-2, 1 2B, 2 BB

                        Vs. CWS, July 31 – 1-4, 1 RBI

                        Vs. DET, Aug. 1 – 1-4, 1 K

                        Vs. DET, Aug 2 – 2-5, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K

                        Vs. DET, Aug. 3 – 2-5, 1 RBI

                        Vs. DET, Aug. 4 – 2-4, 1 R, 1 K

                        Vs. BOS, Aug. 5 – 0-4

Season: 93 G, .242 BA, 71 H, 36 R, 17 2B, 11 HR, 44 RBI, 31 BB, 54 K, .318 OBP, .413 SLG, 1-2 SB

Career: 9 seasons, 934 G, .239 BA, 773 H, 441 R, 179 2B, 4 3B, 188 HR, 498 RBI, 276 BB, 875 K, 15-20 SB, .301 OBP, .472 SLG

2B Adam Frazier, Royals

Last Week:      4 G, .143, 1 H, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI

                        Vs. CWS, July 30 – 0-4

                        Vs. CWS, July 31 – 0-0, 1 R

                        Vs. DET, Aug. 4 – 0-1

                        Vs. BOS, Aug. 5 – 1-2, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI

Season:  73 G, .195 BA, 38 H, 25 R, 8 2B, 3 HR, 16 RBI, 17 BB, 40 K, .276 OBP, .282 SLG, 2-2 SB

 Career: 9 seasons, 1,035 G, .264 BA, 888 H, 458 R, 178 2B, 27 3B, 59 HR, 333 RBI, 277 BB, 496 K, 54-86 SB, .328 OBP, .386 SLG

1B Nate Lowe, Texas Rangers

Last Week:      6 G, .095, 2 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 6 K

                        Vs. STL, July 30 – 1-3, 1 BB, 1 K

                        Vs. STL, July 31 – 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K

                        Vs. BOS, Aug. 2 – 1-4

                        Vs. BOS, Aug. 3 – 0-4

                        Vs. BOS, Aug. 4 – 0-4, 2 K

                        Vs. HOU, Aug. 5 – 0-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K

 Season: 92 G, .260 BA, 83 H, 40 R, 12 2B, 9 HR, 45 RBI, 48 BB, 81 K, 2-2 SB, .356 OBP, .382 SLG

 Career: 6 seasons, 638 G, .271 BA, 627 H, 312 R, 110 2B, 9 3B, 82 HR, 305 RBI, 291 BB, 633 K, 14-16 SB, .355 OBP, .433 SLG

OF Brent Rooker, Oakland Athletics

Last Week:      6 G, .250, 5 H, 3 R, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 4 BB, 5 K

                        Vs. San Francisco Giants, July 30 – 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB

                        Vs. SF, July 31 – 0-4, 1 K

                        Vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, Aug. 2 – 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI

                        Vs. LAD, Aug 3 – 0-3, 1 BB, 2 K

                        Vs. LAD, Aug. 4 – 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 K

                        Vs. CWS, Aug. 5 – 0-2, 2 BB

Season:  93 G, .296 BA, 101 H, 52 R, 20 2B, 2 3B, 25 HR, 75 RBI, 39 BB, 118 K, .370 OBP, .587 SLG, 7-8 SB

 Career: 5 seasons, 311 G, .252, 263 H, 143 R, 53 2B, 3 3B, 65 HR, 167 RBI, 106 BB, 376 K, 11-12 SB, .333 OBP, .495 SLG

2B Jordan Westburg, Baltimore Orioles

Last Week:      1 G, .000, 0 H, 1 R (Placed on 10-day Injured List with a fractured right hand on August 1 )

                        Vs. TOR, July 31

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