Four first-year Diamond Dogs to watch in 2021

MSU could get significant contributions from several newcomers

You know Tanner Allen and Rowdey Jordan and Josh Hatcher and the rest of the veterans on Mississippi State's roster. And there is no doubt those familiar faces will all play humongous roles for the Diamond Dogs in 2021.

However if MSU is going to make another run towards Omaha and the College World Series this year, the Bulldogs will need contributions from the old guard and newcomers alike. So who are some of the fresh names you should familiarize yourself with before State opens up a new campaign this weekend? Here are four first-year Bulldogs that could contribute the most over the next few months, broken down by the possible top new outfielder, infielder, bat and arm.

First-year outfielder to watch: Brayland Skinner

Brayland Skinner (Photo courtesy of Mississippi State athletics)

Mississippi State head coach Chris Lemonis has called Skinner a "pretty electric baseball player". It feels like a certainty that the Northwest Mississippi Community College transfer is going to have the opportunity to contribute in multiple ways for this season's Bulldogs. It bears noting that Skinner will start 2021 a bit banged up, but should be back in the mix soon.

"Brayland is out with an injury for the next couple of weeks, but he'll be back with us and give us some flexibility," Lemonis told the Starkville Rotary Club on Tuesday. "Brayland is a really good centerfielder, left-handed hitter and gives us the chance to play with some real speed. He probably (runs a) 6.3 or 6.4 (second 60-yard dash) which is really fast and has the chance to be a great defender also."

Skinner could do a lot for the Bulldogs. He gives MSU a speedy pinch-running option. He can also cover a lot of ground with the glove so it's possible his presence – either in centerfield or left – could give State its best outfield defensively. That might enable Skinner to work his way into the starting lineup at some point, or at the very least, allow him to become a late-inning defensive replacement when MSU has a lead.

None of this is to shortchange Skinner offensively. After all, he led Northwest with a .480 on-base percentage back in 2019, then reached base in 11 of his 12 games last year before the season got shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. If that offense translates to Southeastern Conference baseball, Lemonis will have little choice but to find a spot for Skinner somewhere on a consistent basis.

First-year infielder to watch: Scotty Dubrule

Scotty Dubrule (Photo courtesy of Mississippi State athletics)

Of the four first-year players listed here, Dubrule is the only one that begins the season with the expectation he'll be an everyday starter for MSU in 2021. The new State second baseman is an incredibly strong defensive player with a track record of consistent offense. Dubrule doesn't have really anywhere near the pop of his MSU second-base predecessor, Justin Foscue. But he's an on-base machine that Lemonis says he'd feel comfortable using pretty much anywhere in the lineup.

"He’s a real hitter," Lemonis said of Dubrule. "He is playing really fast on the field and he can really move. He’s going to steal some bases. He covers that four hole really well in our scrimmages. You know...he’s one of my pieces I don’t know where he’s falling in our lineup right now. I mean he literally can hit leadoff all the way down to six. He’s hit cleanup at times in college. I’m going to play him at second, but where he’s going to hit in the lineup is something I’m still trying to figure out. That may change all year long, depending on who we’re playing, who’s hot, who’s not. He gives us a lot of versatility."

Dubrule is a left-handed bat, so that will be one of the factors Lemonis considers when slotting him into the lineup. Odds are, wherever Dubrule bats, he's going to hit. Over the last four years at Jacksonville University, Dubrule became the school's all-time leader for career hits with 249. He started all four years, mostly at second base. However he can also slide over a spot in the middle infield if needed as Dubrule spent the 2018 season as Jacksonville's starting shortstop.

First-year bat to watch: Kellum Clark

Kellum Clark (Photo courtesy of Mississippi State athletics)

Before the year is up, it's possible Clark might be an everyday player himself somewhere. The freshman has that much talent offensively. It's finding him a spot defensively that could be an issue for now. 

Clark's primary position is first base. Of course Hatcher hunkers things down on that side of the diamond for the Dogs. Clark can play third, but is probably not MSU's best defensive option there. So there are decisions to be made, but Clark's big bat is going to earn him an opportunity somewhere.

"Kellum is kind of playing everywhere," Lemonis told the Starkville Rotary Club on Tuesday. "I've got to find a way to get Kellum and his bat in the lineup. He had a home run in our last scrimmage. Kellum is a big, physical, left-handed hitter and has a lot of potential in him as a hitter and offensive player. I think he's got a really bright future."

Of course Clark could fill the designated hitter role on some days. That's one answer for Lemonis. He could draw some starts at third as well. Another option is to start Clark at first and allow Hatcher to play some in the outfield.

The only certainty seems to be Clark's bat is such that it's not going to be able to be ignored.

First-year arm to watch: Jackson Fristoe

Jackson Fristoe (Photo courtesy of Mississippi State athletics)

Mississippi State has so many talented first-year arms that it's tough to narrow things down to one guy to watch. However when MSU pitching coach Scott Foxhall was asked to predict which newcomer would play the biggest role for this year's Bulldogs, he ultimately settled on Fristoe, the big 6-foot-4 right-hander out of the state of Kentucky.

"Of the new group, Jackson Fristoe is the guy I would say comes to mind first," Foxhall said. "All four of those freshmen...Cade Smith probably threw the best of any of the freshmen in the fall. Mikey Tepper is ultra-talented. Dylan Carmouche is a 6-foot-5 lefty that is going to remind our fans of Ethan Small. (Carmouche) probably has a better breaking ball than Ethan Small at this point in his career. But Jackson Fristoe would be the one that I would say, at this point, could be what Landon Sims was last year. (Fristoe) had an electric first outing (in scrimmage action). I think he has made a lot of progress from the fall to the spring. I would say he would be pitching in some high-leverage situations for us early in the year."

Maybe Fristoe is a mid-week starter, or maybe he's inserted in big spots out of the bullpen on weekends. Or perhaps he does all of the above. But it sure seems like Bulldog fans are going to get the opportunity to meet Fristoe early and often in 2021.

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