Diamond Dawgs in the Minor Leagues Update: Year End Edition
Minor League Baseball is winding down for former Mississippi State stars this season.
The Diamond Dawgs started the year with more players in Major League Baseball than any other team in the SEC and there are plenty more that are right behind them in the minor leagues. 35, to be exact, continue to move their way up the ladder and make it to the same stage as 12 former Dawgs currently sit in the MLB and this season will be pivotal for many.
This year, Jake Mangum had his best batting average of his career as he hit .315 with a career-high 19 stolen bases and his second-straight season of 120 or more hits. Gavin Collins had his best year since 2019 and Hunter Stovall had his fourth-consecutive 100-hit season as he surpassed 500 career hits. Houston Harding is finishing out his season with these players in Triple-A after a strong year as a starter.
In Double-A, Andrew Walling finished the year 8-0 with a 2.19 ERA in 44 appearances with seven saves while KC Hunt had a breakthrough season with an 8-3 mark, 2.03 ERA and just 25 walks to 139 strikeouts in 102.0 innings.
Additionally, several former Bulldogs made their professional debut with others waiting until next season.
Let’s look at the stats as the season comes to a close.
Triple A:
LHP Konnor Pilkington – Reno Aces (Arizona Diamondbacks)
Last Week: 0-0, 1 S, 2.2 IP 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
Season: 3-5, 6.20 ERA, 32 App., 20 Starts, 74.0 IP, 87 H, 52 R, 51 ER, 48 BB, 71 K
Career Stats: 20-32, 5.25 ERA, 126 App., 103 S, 449.0 IP, 432 H, 274 R, 262 ER, 231 BB, 475 K
LHP Ethan Small – Sacramento River Cats (San Francisco Giants)
Last Week: N/A
Season: 0-0, 4.85 ERA, 14 App., 3 S, 13.0 IP, 13 H, 7 R, 2 BB, 16 K
Career Stats: 13-14, 3.22 ERA, 104 app., 51 S, 2 SV, 265.1 IP, 201 H, 108 R, 95 ER, 130 BB, 319 K
RHP Eric Cerantola – Omaha Storm Chasers (Kansas City Royals)
Last Week: 0-0, 2 App., 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
Season: 3-4, 3.01 ERA, 36 App., 7 S, 1 SV, 71.2 IP, 48 H, 32 R, 24 ER, 50 BB, 100 K
Career: 7-11, 3.64 ERA, 82 app., 23 S, 3 SV, 183.0 IP, 139 H, 88 R, 74 ER, 117 BB, 244 K
LHP Houston Harding – Salt Lake Bees (Los Angeles Angels)
Last Week: 0-1, 2 S, 5.2 IP, 9 H, 9 R, 6 BB, 9 K
Season: 5-4, 3.14 ERA, 21 App., 14 S, 80.1 IP, 68 H, 38 R, 28 ER, 36 BB, 71 K
Career: 10-4, 4.41 ERA, 75 App., 16 S, 1 SV, 187.2 IP, 176 H, 106 R, 92 ER, 91 BB, 183 K
OF Jake Mangum – Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay Rays)
Last Week: 6 G, .130, 3 H, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 2 K, 2-2 SB
Season: 102 G, .315, 123 H, 55 R, 28 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 56 RBI, 22 BB, 70 K, 19-27 SB
Career Stats: 423 G, .298, 490 H, 252 R, 98 2B, 21 3B, 24 HR, 205 RBI, 105 BB, 314 K, 77-106 SB
C Gavin Collins – Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals)
Last Week: 3 G, .182, 2 H, 1 RBI, 2 K
Season: 59 G, .265, 49 H, 24 R, 11 2B, 8 HR, 33 RBI, 16 BB, 35 K
Career Stats: 445 G, .249, 373 H, 182 R, 89 2B, 5 3B, 41 HR, 241 RBI, 140 BB, 311 K, 4-11
2B Hunter Stovall – Albuquerque Isotopes (Colorado Rockies)
Last Week: 5 G, .100, 2 H, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB
Season: 99 G, .269, 103 H, 62 R, 17 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 39 RBI, 29 BB, 46 K, 12-16 SB
Career Stats: 540 G, .277 BA, 544 H, 301 R, 106 2B, 22 3B, 41 HR, 257 RBI, 184 BB, 334 K, 73-109 SB
Double A:
RHP Colby White – Somerset Patriots (New York Yankees)
Last Week: N/A
Season: 2-2, 6.18 ERA, 37 App., 2 S, 39.1 IP, 33 H, 32 R, 27 R, 31 BB, 49 K
Career Stats: 8-5, 2.96 ERA, 119 G, 8 S, 12 SV, 143.0 IP, 78 H, 58 R, 47 ER, 79 BB, 206 K
RHP Will Bednar – Richmond Flying Squirrels(San Francisco Giants)
Last Week: 0-0, 2 App, 2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Season: 2-4, 6.00 ERA, 32 App., 13 S, 54.0 IP, 39 H, 40 R, 36 ER, 47 BB, 76 K
Career: 4-9, 4.87 ERA, 52 App., 32 S, 114.2 IP, 79 H, 71 R, 62 ER, 77 BB, 148 K
LHP Christian MacLeod –Wichita Wind Surge (Minnesota Twins)
Last Week: N/A
Season Stats: 4-4, 3.41 ERA, 21 App., 20 S, 1 SV, 92.1 IP, 74 H, 42 R, 35 ER, 46 BB, 107 K
Career Stats : 9-6, 3.66 ERA, 39 App, 36 S, 1 SV, 164.2 IP, 143 H, 76 R, 67 ER, 80 BB, 181 K
LHP Andrew Walling – Reading Fightin Phils (Philadelphia Phillies)
Last Week: 0-0, 1 App., 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Season Stats: 8-0, 2.19 ERA, 44 App., 7 SV, 53.1 IP, 40 H, 15 R, 13 ER, 27 BB, 67 K
Career Stats: 16-3, 3.07 ERA, 91 App., 16 SV, 120.1 IP, 87 H, 49 R, 41 ER, 65 BB, 152 K
RHP K.C. Hunt – Biloxi Shuckers (Milwaukee Brewers)
Last Week: 1-0, 1 S, 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K
Season: 8-3, 2.03 ERA, 25 App., 14 S, 1 SV, 102.0 IP, 70 H, 24 R, 23 ER, 25 BB, 139 K
Career: 8-3, 2.12 ERA, 29 App., 14 S, 100.1 IP, 74 H, 26 R, 25 ER, 27 BB, 144 K
OF Rowdey Jordan – Binghamton Rumble Ponies (New York Mets)
Last Week: 4 G, .154, 2 H, 1 R, 1 RBI, 3 BB, 5 K, 1-1 SB
Season: 116 G, .218, 90 H, 53 R, 19 2B, 9 HR, 53 RBI, 42 BB, 123 K, 25-32 SB
Career: 361 G, .230, 299 H, 179 R, 67 2B, 7 3B, 27 HR, 162 RBI, 177 BB, 359 K, 71-92 SB
2B RJ Yeager – Springfield Cardinals (St. Louis Cardinals)
Last Week: 4 G, .333, 5 H, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K, 1-1 SB
Season: 113 G, .254, 107 H, 62 R, 17 2B, 15 HR, 65 RBI, 32 BB, 60 K, 10-12 SB
Career: 267 G, .274, 272 H, 164 R, 51 2B, 5 3B, 32 HR, 148 RBI, 95 BB, 154 K, 29-33 SB
SS David Mershon – Rocket City Trash Pandas (Los Angeles Angels)
Last Week: 2 G, .111, 1 H, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 BB, 2 K
Season: 29 G, .254, 29 H, 13 R, 5 2B, 8 RBI, 12 BB, 31 K, 5-6 SB
High A:
RHP Preston Johnson – Aberdeen IronBirds (Baltimore Orioles)
Last Week: N/A
Season: 3-3, 4.72 ERA, 25 App., 4 S, 1 SV, 55.1 IP, 45 H, 33 R, 29 ER, 39 BB, 76 K
Career Stats: 3-3, 4.66 ERA, 26 App., 4 S, 56.0 IP, 47 H, 33 R, 29 ER, 39 BB, 76 K
RHP Landon Sims – Hillsboro Hops (Arizona Diamondbacks)
Last Week: N/A
Season: 4-0, 3.07 ERA, 41 App., 1 S, 2 SV, 58.2 IP, 53 H, 25 R, 20 ER, 28 BB, 85 K
Career: 4-4, 3.78 ERA, 56 App., 14 S, 2 SV, 83.1 IP, 76 H, 43 R, 35 ER, 40 BB, 113 K
3B Kamren James – Bowling Green Hot Rods (Tampa Bay Rays)
Last Week: N/A
Season: 44 G, .247, 39 H, 21 R, 6 2B, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 12 BB, 48 K, 4-6 SB
Career: 155 G, .236, 128 H, 78 R, 20 2B, 4 3B, 18 HR, 74 RBI, 46 BB, 172 K, 13-21 SB
OF Colton Ledbetter – Bowling Green Hot Rods (Tampa Bay Rays)
Last Week: N/A
Season: 109 G, .273, 108 H, 60 R, 23 2B, 6 3B, 16 HR, 65 RBI, 36 BB, 126 K, 34-40 SB
Career: 128 G, .274, 128 H, 75 R, 29 2B, 6 3B, 18 HR, 77 RBI, 48 BB, 143 K, 37-45 SB
OF Kellum Clark – Brooklyn Cyclones (New York Mets)
Last Week: N/A
Season: 68 G, .198, 41 H, 21 R, 4 2B, 2 3B, 16 RBI, 42 BB, 88 K, 3-4 SB
Career: 90 G, .212, 58 H, 40 R, 6 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR, 24 RBI, 60 BB, 109 K, 6-7 SB
Single-A:
RHP Colby Holcombe – Dunedin Blue Jays (Toronto Blue Jays)
Last Week: N/A
Season: 0-0, 1.80 ERA, 6 App., 5 S, 15.0 IP, 10 H, 3 R, 7 BB, 12 K
RHP Cam Schuelke – Lychburg Hillcats (Cleveland Guardians)
Last Week: N/A
Season: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 8 App., 2 SV, 8.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 6 BB, 11 K
RHP Tyson Hardin – Carolina Mudcats (Milwaukee Brewers)
Last Week: N/A
Season: 1-0, 4.91 ERA, 2 App., 1 S, 3.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K
OF Brad Cumbest – Fresno Grizzlies (Colorado Rockies)
Last Week: N/A
Season: 70 G, .181, 42 H, 27 R, 12 2B, 5 3B, 3 HR, 32 RBI, 18 BB, 97 K
Career: 76 G, .173, 43 H, 30 R, 12 2B, 5 3B, 3 HR, 32 RBI, 21 BB, 105 K
OF Connor Hujsak – Charleston RiverDogs (Tampa Bay Rays)
Last Week: N/A
Season: 21 G, .277, 23 H, 14 R, 6 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 21 RBI, 6 BB, 21 K, 5-5 SB
Rookie:
BHP Jurrangelo Cijntje – ACL Mariners (Seattle Mariners)
Last Week: N/A
Season: N/A
RHP Khal Stephen – FCL Blue Jays (Toronto Blue Jays)
Last Week: N/A
Season: N/A
RHP Nate Dohm – FCL Mets (New York Mets)
Last Week: N/A
Season: N/A
OF Dakota Jordan – ACL Giants (San Francisco Giants)
Last Week: N/A
Season: 2 G, .000, 0 H, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 K, 1-1 SB
Injured:
RHP JP France – Sugar Land Space Cowboys (Houston Astros) – Out for Season
Season: 0-0, 7.36 ERA, 1 App., 3.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 3 K
Career Stats: 20-17, 3.76 ERA, 100 app., 57 S, 5 SV, 366.0 IP, 305 H, 175 R, 153 ER, 176 BB, 450 K
RHP Jackson Fristoe – Hudson Valley Renegades (Yankees) – Placed on 60-Day IL on August 1
Season: 1-3, 3.79 ERA, 12 S, 38.0 IP, 27 H, 18 R, 15 ER, 27 BB, 40 K
Career: 2-7, 4.34 ERA, 25 App., 23 S, 74.2 IP, 52 H, 38 R, 36 ER, 56 BB, 85 K
C Logan Tanner – Dayton Dragons (Cincinnati Reds) – Placed on 60-Day IL on August 8
Season: 69 G, .185, 41 H, 28 R, 12 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 26 RBI, 35 BB, 86 K, 0-1
Career: 151 G, .194, 97 H, 68 R, 30 2B, 2 3B, 10 HR, 60 RBI, 81 BB, 173 K, 1-2 SB
RHP Cade Smith – Hudson Valley Renegades (New York Yankees) – Placed on 60-Day IL on August 26
Season: 6-7, 3.65 ERA, 21 App., 19 S, 93.2 IP, 63 H, 44 R, 38 ER, 43 BB, 118 K
Career: Same
RHP Aaron Nixon – Tampa Tarpons (New York Yankees) – Placed on 60-Day IL on September 7
Season: 4-3, 5.40 ERA, 39 App., 5 SV, 61.2 IP, 46 H, 41 R, 37 ER, 48 BB, 63 K
Career: Same
