Diamond Dawgs in the Show Update: July 2
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, Renfroe had a huge week with seven hits and five-straight games with a base knock and Lowe had eight hits with two home runs. Brent Rooker had two home runs of his own and now has 15 doubles and 15 homers on the season. Westburg had seven hits himself and added two more doubles on the season as he pushes for the All-Star Game selection.
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, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Vs. Cleveland Indians, June 28
Season: 2-3, 4.41 ERA, 33 App., 4 SV, 34.2 IP, 20 H, 18 R, 17 ER, 20 BB, 32 K
Career: 9 seasons, 39-27, 4.42 ERA, 335 app., 42 starts, 16 SV, 579.2 IP, 573 H, 310 R, 285 ER, 236 BB, 536 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: 0-1, 1 S, 5.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 BB, 3 K
Vs. Chicago White Sox, June 28 – Loss
Season: 2-11, 5.84 ERA, 16 S, 81.2 IP, 89 H, 58 R, 53 ER, 43 BB, 44 K
Career: 7 seasons, 40-30, 4.14 ERA, 130 app., 95 starts, 1 save, 552.1 IP, 528 H, 279 R, 254 ER, 258 BB, 359 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: 6 G, .350 BA, 7 H, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K
Vs. Miami Marlins, June 25 – 0-3, 1 K
Vs. MIA, June 26 – 2-3, 1 BB
Vs. CLE, June 27 – 1-3, 1 K
Vs. CLE, June 28 – 2-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Vs. CLE, June 29 – 1-3, 1 K
Vs. CLE, June 30 – 1-4, 1 2B
Season: 65 G, .213 BA, 42 H, 25 R, 11 2B, 8 HR, 28 RBI, 21 BB, 40 K, .292 OBP, .391 SLG, 1-1 SB
Career: 9 seasons, 906 G, .237 BA, 744 H, 430 R, 173 2B, 4 3B, 185 HR, 482 RBI, 266 BB, 861 K, 15-19 SB, .299 OBP, .472 SLG
2B Adam Frazier, Royals
Last Week: N/A (Placed on 10-Day injured list on June 23 with right thumb sprain)
Season: 57 G, .211 BA, 31 H, 16 R, 7 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 15 BB, 30 K, .297 OBP, .299 SLG, 2-2 SB
Career: 9 seasons, 1,019 G, .266 BA, 881 H, 449 R, 177 2B, 27 3B, 58 HR, 327 RBI, 275 BB, 486 K, 54-86 SB, .330 OBP, .389 SLG
1B Nate Lowe, Texas Rangers
Last Week: 6 G, .333, 8 H, 4 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 3 BB, 8 RBI, 5 K
Vs. MIL, June 25 – 0-3
Vs. MIL, June 26 – 2-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 K
Vs. Baltimore Orioles, June 27 – 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 K
Vs. BAL, June 28 – 0-3, 1 K
Vs. BAL, June 29 – 3-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Vs. BAL, June 30 – 2-5, 2 RBI, 1 K
Season: 63 G, .265 BA, 58 H, 27 R, 11 2B, 4 HR, 29 RBI, 29 BB, 52 K, 2-2 SB, .349 OBP, .370 SLG
Career: 6 seasons, 609 G, .272 BA, 602 H, 299 R, 109 2B, 9 3B, 77 HR, 289 RBI, 272 BB, 604 K, 14-16 SB, .354 OBP, .434 SLG
OF Brent Rooker, Oakland Athletics
Last Week: 5 G, .300, 6 H, 2 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 4 K
Vs. Los Angeles Angels, June 25 – 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Vs. LAA, June 26 – 2-4, 1 2B
Vs. Arizona Diamondbacks, June 28 – 2-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 K
Vs. AZ, June 29 – 1-3, 1 K
Vs. AZ, June 30 – 0-4, 1 K
Season: 71 G, .261 BA, 68 H, 29 R, 15 2B, 2 3B, 15 HR, 47 RBI, 28 BB, 101 K, .336 OBP, .506 SLG, 2-3 SB
Career: 5 seasons, 289 G, .239, 230 H, 120 R, 48 2B, 3 3B, 55 HR, 139 RBI, 95 BB, 359 K, 6-7 SB, .321 OBP, .466 SLG
2B Jordan Westburg, Baltimore Orioles
Last Week: 5 G, .350, 7 H, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 6 K
Vs. CLE, June 25 – 4-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Vs. CLE, June 26 – 1-4, 2 K
Vs. TEX, June 27 – 1-4, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 K
Vs. TEX, June 29 – 1-4, 1 K
Vs. TEX, June 30 – 0-4, 2 K
Season: 77 G, .281 BA, 83 H, 40 R, 17 2B, 5 3B, 13 HR, 48 RBI, 17 BB, 71 K, .332 OBP, .505 SLG , 6-9 SB
Career: 2 seasons, 145 G, .272 BA, 137 H, 66 R, 34 2B, 7 3B, 16 HR, 71 RBI, 33 BB, 127 K, .324 OBP, .463 SLG, 10-14 SB
