Diamond Dawgs grab one of Louisiana's best in 2026 class with RHP Hayes Holton
Chris Lemonis and his staff have been on a recruiting heater over the last couple of months.
As Mississippi State has worked to build the 2025 and 2026 signing classes, some of the best players in the country have been jumping on board. The latest is one of Louisiana’s best on the diamond for the class of 2026.
The Diamond Dawgs recently welcomed RHP Hayes Holton in for a visit and left him convinced that he wanted to join the maroon and white. On Tuesday, Holton announced his commitment.
“I really loved the place,” Holton said. “I’m from a small town and it kind of reminded me of home. Coach (Justin) Parker did an outstanding job last year and the relationship we built over my recruitment time was very, very strong.
“I enjoyed my visit to campus and the layout of it all with how convenient it was. Baseball, food, housing and study spots were all right there together.”
Diamond Dawgs beat out some of the best for Holton
The Loranger standout was being courted by some of the best programs in the country and already had visits to home state LSU, Texas, Texas A&M and Southern Miss. It didn’t take long for his trip to Starkville to make that decision for him, however.
Parker was a big reason for him picking State as well. The second-year pitching coach helped turn State into one of the top programs in the country on the mound just a year after having a historically bad year. He has plans for Holton too.
“We really just connect in the baseball world and use some of the same concepts for those queues within the game,” Holton said. “We also share some hobbies/interests outside of the baseball world so there is always something to talk about. Because of all these things, I see him molding me into a Big Leaguer one day.”
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Holton has already flashed with two more seasons left to play high school ball. His fastball has gotten up to 96 mph and that mix with offspeed has been really difficult for players on that level to pick up.
With even more development set to take place, the sky is the limit.
“I’d say my fastball and changeup are my best pitches because of their shapes,” Holton said. “My fastball has a lot of ride to it and the changeup has quick sink action. I also have a slider and curveball that are used for get-me-over and strikeout pitches.”
With Holton’s decision, State has now landed seven players for the 2026 class as Lemonis is rebuilding it into one of the nation’s best. The Diamond Dawgs lost some pieces in the class but have returned with a vengeance getting some of the top players in Connecticut, Indiana, Texas, Florida, Georgia and now Louisiana.
Holton is aware what is already on board and he can’t wait to be a part of it.
“Our signing class is really exciting,” Holton said. “We have top level arms and top level bats. Time to bring another championship home to Starkvegas.”
