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JT Ginn becomes 70th Diamond Dawg player to make it to MLB

3rupauk8_400x400by:Robbie Faulk•08/20/24•

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JT Ginn
Mississippi State RHP JT Ginn

Mississippi State has its 70th player to earn the call in Major League Baseball.

The Oakland Athletics announced on Tuesday afternoon that RHP JT Ginn has been called up to the team’s main roster as Ginn earned the promotion from Triple-A Las Vegas. The former State hurler joins another Bulldog great in OF Brent Rooker on the A’s roster.

The former second round pick of the New York Mets, Ginn was traded to the A’s in the spring of 2022. He’s played four seasons of minor league baseball with this season being among his most productive.

During his four seasons working his way up the ladder, Ginn is 15-16 in 58 starts with a 4.68 ERA. He’s pitched 263.2 innings and struck out 241 batters to just 92 walks. He has 97 strikeouts in 102.2 innings this year with a career-best 8-4 record.

The Brandon native initially made headlines back in 2018 when he turned down being drafted in the first round by the Los Angeles Dodgers to come play for the Diamond Dawgs. Ginn was considered one of the top athletes in high school baseball and he was an immediate contributor for State.

Ginn had one of the best freshman seasons of a pitcher in school history when he went 8-4 as a weekend starter and had a 3.13 ERA as he helped State get to the College World Series. He started in 17 games and struck out 105 batters to just 19 walks in 86.1 innings while allowing just one home run all year.

After tying the freshman record for wins and becoming the second pitcher in school history with 100 strikeouts as a freshman, Ginn was slated for an even bigger 2020. Unfortunately, Ginn had an elbow injury that allowed him to pitch in just one game before being shut down for the year. The season would be cancelled a few weeks later due to Covid-19.

Ginn is State’s second former player that has gotten a call up during this season. Earlier this year, former first round pick Justin Foscue was brought up to the main roster with the Texas Rangers. Foscue was injured early during his tenure but is currently working his way back up and is playing in Triple-A again.

State currently has seven players actively playing ball in the MLB this year with three more injured and on rosters in Kendall Graveman, Jordan Westburg and Brandon Woodruff.

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