STARKVILLE — Following reported changes to the 2020 MLB First-Year Player Draft, Commissioner Rob Manfred’s decisions figure to have a major impact on Mississippi State this summer.
As the MLB tinkered with potential formats over the past few weeks, ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel reported that the draft will be shortened to as few as five rounds and could be bumped back as far as July 20.
And while the final details continue to be ironed out, it’s worth looking at how the decision affects the Bulldogs.
Winners
The junior class
While MSU hoped its third-year players would lead them to a return trip to Omaha in 2020, it appears they may have to wait a season.
First baseman Josh Hatcher, middle infielders Jordan Westburg and Justin Foscue and outfielders Rowdey Jordan and Tanner Allen could all theoretically return to Starkville next season.
The most likely candidates to leave are Westburg and Foscue — the No. 43 and No. 58 players in MLB.com’s top 100 draft prospect rankings — as both should be selected in the first two or three rounds.
That said, if either slides or doesn’t get the slot value they’d hope for, they still maintain two years of eligibility and another year of bargaining power should they return to MSU.
Sophomore pitcher JT Ginn
It’s about time fans received some positive news on the front of sophomore ace JT Ginn. A former first-round pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers out of high school, Ginn was slated to go as high as the top 10 picks before an arm injury ended his season after a single start against Wright State.
The potential for Ginn to return is slightly higher now given he will maintain his eligibility as a sophomore, giving him three years’ worth of bargaining power.
Ginn left a slot value of $2,275,800 on the table out of high school, and given his issues with arm soreness, it’d be hard to fault the Brandon native for taking the money this go-around. But should he return, he’d likely be among the top five pitchers in college baseball next year, if he’s healthy — and that’s a big ‘if.’
MSU’s weekend rotation
While Ginn was sidelined after opening weekend, the rest of MSU’s starting rotation shined in his absence.
Redshirt freshman Christian MacLeod — who missed all of the 2019 season due to an undisclosed illness — boasted a dazzling 0.86 ERA in 21 innings pitched over four starts. Long billed as a first-round talent by head coach Chris Lemonis and the rest of the MSU coaching staff, MacLeod looked the part, albeit in a shortened season.
Eric Cerantola was similarly impressive as he bounced back from an up-and-down freshman campaign. A 6-foot-5-inch righty, the hard-throwing Canadian struggled with control a season ago. And while he wasn’t perfect this year, he found ways to get out of jams that otherwise cost him in 2019.
With MacLeod and Cerantola keeping their class standing next season, the MSU rotation stands to be as talented as ever over the next two seasons should both stay in school that long.
Losers
The old guys
When David Dunlavey (Furman) and Carlisle Koestler (Southeastern Louisiana) arrived in Starkville as graduate transfers, they hoped to parlay their seasons into opportunities at the next level.
Instead, the outbreak of COVID-19 ended their years and leaves the eldest players on MSU’s rosters with major decisions to make.
It’s unlikely either Dunlavey or Koestler is selected in the first five rounds of the MLB draft should it be shortened to that length. And while signing as an undrafted free agent has its benefits — though there aren’t many — it’s unclear whether either would want to return for what would be their sixth and seventh years in college baseball, respectively.
MSU’s incoming recruits
Before the extra year of eligibility was officially extended to spring sport athletes by the NCAA on Monday, The Dispatch spoke with a number of MSU baseball recruits about the potential for overcrowded rosters.
And while there was some trepidation, most weren’t concerned — citing that they’re competitive players and that you’re always going to have to outwork others.
Despite their inclinations, the new legislation does mean, at minimum, that there will be little playing time available for freshmen and junior college imports in 2021 and beyond.
It also remains to be seen how MSU will handle its scholarship allotment. Though there is flexibility under the new rules, it’s still a tricky puzzle for Lemonis and his staff to solve.
Ben Portnoy reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @bportnoy15.
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 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.