STARKVILLE — While the start of college baseball season remains far away, plenty of current and former Mississippi State players continue to hone their craft in the minor, major and summer leagues.
Mitch Moreland made his triumphant return to Fenway Park Thursday with a 2-for-3, two RBI night as he helped the Red Sox to a 19-3 series-opening win against the New York Yankees.
This week marked the first extended action Moreland has seen since being placed on the injured list June 7. He made his return from the IL Tuesday at Tampa Bay.
While it was a triumphant return for Morleand, Milwaukee Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff was placed on the 10-day IL July 21 with a strained left oblique. He is expected to miss at least six weeks.
Elsewhere in MLB, Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Chris Stratton tossed four innings of no-hit ball this week. Most notably, Stratton struck out four in three innings of work in a 4-3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals Tuesday.
He has now allowed just nine hits and four runs in his past 15 1/3 innings pitched.
At Triple-A, Jacob Robson enjoyed a productive week for the Toledo Mud Hens. Robson was 8-for-24 in series against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs and Syracuse Mets. He is now hitting .316 with four RBIs and four stolen bases over his past 10 games.
2017 SEC triple-crown winner Brent Rooker continues his battle back from injury. Rooker has not seen action since being retroactively placed on the 7-day disabled list July 14 by the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings. He’s hitting .281 with 14 home runs and 47 RBIs in 65 games this season.
At advanced Single-A, Lynchburg Hillcats catcher Gavin Collins recorded four multi-hit games in five contests this week. Collins also added five RBIs and is now hitting .382 over his past 10 games. He has five home runs and 47 RBIs on the season.
JP France turned in his second-straight seven inning start with the Fayetteville Woodpeckers Friday. France allowed just two hits and struck out nine in a 3-0 win over the Carolina Mudcats. He now has 17 strikeouts between his past two starts.
After getting shelled last Sunday, Cole Gordon returned to form for the Columbus Fireflies Thursday. Gordon threw one inning of one-hit ball — marking the sixth time in eight appearances he has not allowed a run. He currently boasts a 2.77 ERA in 13 innings pitched between short-season Single-A and Single-A.
Jacob Lindgren earned himself a call-up to the advanced Single-A Winston-Salem Dash of the Carolina League Monday. He joins fellow former Bulldog Konnor Pilkington in Winston-Salem.
In two outings for the Dash, Lindgren allowed six hits in three innings pitched. The promotion is just the latest addend to his injury-plagued career. Lindgren missed nearly two full seasons due to two separate Tommy John surgeries in his five years of professional baseball.
2019 MSU ace Ethan Small made his first two minor league starts over the past 10 days with the AZL Brewers Gold. Small struck out five batters in three innings of work over the two outings and has yet to allow a hit.
As for those Bulldogs still in college, sophomore Luke Hancock notched a 4-for-5, six RBI, two run game for the High Point-Thomasville HiToms of the Coastal Plain League. Hancock is now hitting .290 with one home run and 13 RBIs in 19 games played.
Redshirt freshman Bryce Brock added to his impressive summer with a six-inning, six-hit, five strikeout affair Monday. Brock has won his past three decisions for the Amsterdam Mohawks of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League.
On the international level, sophomore pitcher Eric Cerantola traveled to Lima, Peru this week to take part in the 2019 Pan-American Games as a member of Team Canada. The Canadians begin their run at a gold medal Monday against Argentina.
Ben Portnoy reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @bportnoy15.
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