There are only nine days until the start of the 2022 Mississippi State University baseball season, and new and returning players will have the opportunity to shine yet again in front of the entire nation.
After last year’s national championship victory, some of the Bulldogs’ top players were selected in the 2021 MLB Draft and chose to take their talents to the next level. Reigning SEC Player of the Year Tanner Allen, leadoff hitter Rowdey Jordan and star pitcher Will Bednar each play professionally now and their roles on the team must be filled.
So, who will the starters be for next Friday’s matchup against Long Beach State? Plenty of players are talented enough to take the field, but this group of nine players stands out.
MSU head coach Chris Lemonis has already revealed that pitcher Landon Sims will be the team’s starter for the first game of the season. This will be a new role for Sims, as he spent all of last season as a closer. He has proven his ability to throw huge strikeouts on the mound time and time again and was feared by opposing teams. Sixty feet away from him should be Logan Tanner. As the team’s returning catcher, Tanner brings incredible awareness behind the plate, and he also has a strong swing offensively. Both Sims and Tanner are projected to be drafted in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft and have been named to various preseason all-American teams.
The pitcher and catcher both seem set in stone, but what will the rest of the infield look like? MSU will likely have three returning infielders: Luke Hancock, Kamren James and Lane Forsythe. Although Hancock is officially listed as a catcher, he spent much of last season filling in on first base and eventually earned the starting spot. Since he knows that position quite well and has excelled at it, there’s no reason to replace him or take his bat out of the lineup.
James was an offensive machine who struggled some defensively last season. Third base is a difficult position to play, but he’s had time to work on his craft and should be ready to go this season. On the other hand, shortstop Forsythe struggled at the plate for much of last season. However, he was one of MSU’s best defensive players despite being so young. This leaves one infield position to be filled: second base. RJ Yeager seems like a great option to fill in that position. The graduate transfer out of Mercer has infield experience and could potentially be one of the Bulldogs’ best new batters.
Every good team needs a group of good outfielders. Jordan and Allen held it down in center and right field last season. Now that they are gone, some new players will have to step up. Brayland Skinner would be the best choice to take over in right field. He is lightning fast, has a great eye for the ball and saw experience in the outfield at times last season. On the far left will likely be Brad Cumbest, a massive athlete with a solid swing. Cumbest isn’t as quick and had a few errors last season, but he did fairly well defensively when playing in left field. Last but not least, a new face on the team might be taking over in center field. Jess Davis, a graduate transfer from UAB, had a perfect fielding percentage while playing center fielder for the Blazers last season.
Nobody knows exactly who will be starting for the Bulldogs in their first game of the season, but the team has some valuable weapons that would all be great options. There are still a few roles left to figure out— including who will be Sims’ designated hitter and which other pitchers will be brought into the game— but hopefully, each of the players who are allowed to play will do well and put the team on the path to another national championship.
