STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State baseball team now has verbal commitments from two of the state’s best high school juniors.
Tri-County Academy right-handed pitcher Derek Martin confirmed to The Dispatch on Sunday afternoon he called MSU coach John Cohen to give a verbal commitment to MSU.
Martin, who also plays shortstop, was 10-0 in 13 starts as a sophomore last season. He struck out 85 and walked 18 in 54 innings. He said the decision was easy for him and his family to make once he received an offer from the MSU coaching staff.
“Ever since my fifth-grade year I’ve wanted to go to Mississippi State, so there really wasn’t another school or wanted to consider,” Martin said. “It’s was basically like, ‘Why wait?’, so I called coach Cohen and told him I wanted to be at MSU.”
The Bulldogs return 16 lettermen and 14 pitchers from the 2011
baseball edition that posted a 38-25 record and came within eight outs of earning the school’s ninth trip to the NCAA College World Series.
Martin acknowledged his name could land in the 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player draft, but he said Sunday he’ll remain committed to his decision to attend college.
“I want to go to college (and) I will go to Mississippi State because I need to get my education,” Martin said. “I need to work on getting better with my pitching and getting hitters out with more efficiently. I have a lot to improve on, and I want to work hard to improve before I get to college so I’m ready for SEC baseball where everyone will be good.”
Martin joins right-handed pitcher/infielder Reid Humphreys, who just finished his sophomore season at Northwest Rankin High School, in pledging his services to MSU. Humphrey’s gave his verbal commitment in June after hit .371 with five home runs and 24 RBIs with eight doubles and 28 runs scored this past season. He was 8-3 with one save and a 1.96 ERA. He struck out 55 in 60 innings. The right-hander’s fastball was clocked at 92 mph earlier this year.
“(Mississippi State) is a hard-nosed program, (and) I think can win a national championship before I leave there,” Humphreys said in June. “They’ve been talking to me since my ninth-grade season, and I believe they are where I want to be.”
Humphreys is the half-brother of former MSU first baseman Tyler Moore, who is playing for the Double-A farm team of the Washington Nationals.
Under NCAA rules, MSU coaches aren’t allowed to comment on recruits until they sign a National Letter of Intent. The prospects won’t sign with the Bulldogs until after their junior seasons.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.