MSU's Christian MacLeod gets All-America nod

MacLeod expected to anchor strong Bulldog rotation in 2021

The following is courtesy of Mississippi State media relations:

After the publication named him the Co-National Freshman Player of the Year following the shortened 2020 season, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper tabbed Mississippi State baseball’s lefty ace Christian MacLeod a preseason second-team All-American on Tuesday (Dec. 22).

MacLeod impressed in his 2020 debut season, earning a perfect 4-0 record on an 0.86 ERA with 35 strikeouts over 21 innings pitched. On February 15 he burst on the scene, striking out the most batters by a Bulldog in a collegiate debut since at least 1985 with 11 versus Wright State on his way to earning SEC Co-Freshman of the Week laurels.

The Huntsville, Alabama, native also garnered third-team All-America and freshman All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper following his redshirt freshman campaign in 2020.

Going into his third season on campus, MacLeod ranks as the No. 40 2021 MLB Draft prospect by MLB Pipeline, sitting just in front of Bulldog teammates and fellow pitchers Will Bednar (No. 41) and Eric Cerantola (No. 50).

Cerantola's honor also comes only one day after Collegiate Baseball Newspaper placed Mississippi State in its preseason Top 25 poll. The Diamond Dogs were ranked No. 9 by the outlet with the 2021 season nearing. It's the first time since at least 1998 that the Mississippi State baseball program will begin back-to-back seasons ranked among the top 10 nationally in Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s preseason rankings.

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