Mississippi State University’s 2024 baseball season was marked by significant highs and lows. Entering the season, fans had tempered expectations, and for good reason.
The program’s woes date back to the 2022 season when the Bulldogs, just a year removed from their first national title, experienced a near-collapse. Losses to teams like Northern Kentucky (7-6) and in-state opponent Southern Miss (7-1) highlighted the program’s struggles, leaving them far from the championship condition they had previously shown. Mississippi State closed the season with a disappointing 26-30 overall record and a dismal 9-21 record in the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Despite these setbacks, there was cautious optimism heading into the 2023 season. Head coach Chris Lemonis brought in a promising portal class, featuring standout players like Nate Dohm from Ball State and Amani Larry from the University of New Orleans. However, this optimism did not translate into improved performance on the field.
The Bulldogs managed only a slight improvement, finishing with a 27-26 overall record while maintaining the same 9-21 SEC record. Pitching was a glaring issue, leading Lemonis to replace pitching coach Scott Foxhall with highly regarded pitching coach Justin Parker from the University of South Carolina.
The change in coaching led to noticeable improvements in 2024, with the Bulldogs finishing 40-23 overall and 17-13 in the SEC, placing 5th in the league standings. This success was largely due to better pitching, as the team posted a 4.17 ERA, ranking 12th in the nation. However, familiar issues persisted, particularly on offense, which faltered towards the end of the season and into the postseason.
One of the most significant controversies of the season involved the decision to host games at Dudy Noble Field. While Mississippi State had a legitimate case to host, lingering issues from previous seasons haunted them, resulting in losses to teams like Air Force, Austin Peay (twice), and Central Arkansas. Ultimately, they were eliminated by Virginia in the regional round — a disappointing outcome considering the team’s talent.
The Bulldogs boasted two All-SEC first-team members, David Mershon and Khal Stephen, and two projected first-round MLB draft picks in Dakota Jordan and Jurrangelo Cijntje. Given this level of talent, their performance fell far short of expectations. A program that once dominated college baseball, with five consecutive Super Regional appearances, three straight College World Series trips and back-to-back national seeds by 2021, found itself struggling to reclaim its former glory.
The path back to prominence is clear: the Bulldogs must simply do better and aim for a return to Omaha. Whether Mississippi State can rise to the challenge in 2025 remains to be seen.
