Diamond Dawgs in the Show Update: July 9
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, Frazier returned after a few weeks with an injury, Lowe and Rooker each had 10 hits with three multi-hit games and a combined five home runs while Westburg had seven hits, three doubles and a home run.
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., 2.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 1 K
Vs. Tampa Bay Rays, July 2 – 1.0 IP. 1 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 K
Vs. TB, July 3 – 0.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 0 K
Vs. Colorado Rockies, July 6 – 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
Season: 2-3, 4.86 ERA, 36 App., 4 SV, 37.0 IP, 25 H, 21 R, 20 ER, 24 BB, 33 K
Career: 9 seasons, 39-27, 4.45 ERA, 338 app., 42 starts, 16 SV, 582.0 IP, 578 H, 313 R, 288 ER, 240 BB, 537 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, 4.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 4 K
Vs. MIL, July 3 – Loss
Season: 2-12, 5.84 ERA, 17 S, 86.1 IP, 96 H, 61 R, 56 ER, 46 BB, 48 K
Career: 7 seasons, 40-32, 4.15 ERA, 131 app., 96 starts, 1 save, 557.0 IP, 535 H, 282 R, 257 ER, 261 BB, 363 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, .278 BA, 5 H, 2 R, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K
Vs. TB, July 2 – 0-3, 1 K
Vs. TB, July 3 – 0-3, 1 BB, 2 K
Vs. TB, July 4 – 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Vs. COL, July 5 – 0-4, 1 K
Vs. COL, July 6 – 3-4, 1 2B
Vs. COL, July 7 – 0-0, 1 R, 1 BB
Season: 71 G, .219 BA, 47 H, 27 R, 13 2B, 8 HR, 29 RBI, 23 BB, 44 K, .297 OBP, .391 SLG, 1-1 SB
Career: 9 seasons, 912 G, .238 BA, 749 H, 432 R, 175 2B, 4 3B, 185 HR, 483 RBI, 268 BB, 865 K, 15-19 SB, .300 OBP, .472 SLG
2B Adam Frazier, Royals
Last Week: 1 G, .000 BA, 1 K
Season: 58 G, .205 BA, 31 H, 16 R, 7 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 15 BB, 32 K, .290 OBP, .291 SLG, 2-2 SB
Career: 9 seasons, 1,020 G, .266 BA, 881 H, 449 R, 177 2B, 27 3B, 58 HR, 327 RBI, 275 BB, 487 K, 54-86 SB, .329 OBP, .388 SLG
1B Nate Lowe, Texas Rangers
Last Week: 7 G, .385, 10 H, 5 R, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 2 BB, 10 K
Vs. San Diego Padres, July 2 – 2-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 4 RBI
Vs. SD, July 3 – 2-4, 2 K
Vs. SD, July 4 – 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K
Vs. TB, July 5 – 1-4, 1 RBI, 2 K
Vs. TB, July 6 – 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 K
Vs. TB, July 7 – 1-4, 2 R, 1 BB, 3 K
Vs. Los Angeles Angels, July 8 – 3-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K
Season: 70 G, .276 BA, 68 H, 32 R, 11 2B, 6 HR, 36 RBI, 31 BB, 62 K, 2-2 SB, .356 OBP, .394 SLG
Career: 6 seasons, 616 G, .273 BA, 612 H, 304 R, 109 2B, 9 3B, 79 HR, 296 RBI, 274 BB, 614 K, 14-16 SB, .355 OBP, .436 SLG
OF Brent Rooker, Oakland Athletics
Last Week: 6 G, .500, 10 H, 6 R, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 3 BB, 3 K, 1-1 SB
Vs. LAA, July 2 – 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1-1 SB
Vs. LAA, July 3 – 3-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Vs. LAA, July 4 – 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1-1 SB
Vs. Baltimore Orioles, July 5 – 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K
Vs. BAL, July 6 – 3-4, 3 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 K
Vs. BAL, July 7 – 1-3, 1 R, 1 K
Season: 77 G, .278 BA, 78 H, 35 R, 15 2B, 2 3B, 18 HR, 54 RBI, 31 BB, 104 K, .353 OBP, .537 SLG, 4-5 SB
Career: 5 seasons, 295 G, .244, 240 H, 126 R, 48 2B, 3 3B, 58 HR, 146 RBI, 98 BB, 362 K, 8-9 SB, .326 OBP, .476 SLG
2B Jordan Westburg, Baltimore Orioles
Last Week: 6 G, .280, 7 H, 5 R, 3 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 4 K
Vs. Seattle Mariners, July 2 – 1-4, 1 R
Vs. SEA, July 3 – 1-4, 1 2B, 2 K
Vs. SEA, July 4 – 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Vs. OAK, July 5 – 1-4, 1 R, 1 2B
Vs. OAK, July 6 – 2-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 K
Vs. OAK, July 7 – 1-4, 1 R
Season: 83 G, .281 BA, 90 H, 45 R, 20 2B, 5 3B, 14 HR, 49 RBI, 17 BB, 75 K, .328 OBP, .506 SLG , 6-9 SB
Career: 2 seasons, 151 G, .273 BA, 144 H, 71 R, 37 2B, 7 3B, 17 HR, 72 RBI, 33 BB, 131 K, .332 OBP, .466 SLG, 10-14 SB
