Nine Potential Defensive Starters for Mississippi State's Opening Game Against Long Beach State
After months of preparation, the Mississippi State baseball team will take the field again in only a few more days as they take on Long Beach State in Starkville.
The team has plenty of returning talents, but a few key members of the 2021 championship team are missing. Starting pitcher Will Bednar and outfielders Tanner Allen and Rowdey Jordan were both selected in the 2021 MLB Draft, while other key defenders such as Scotty Dubrule moved on to bigger things. Despite this, the Bulldogs are loaded and certainly can fill in these empty positions well.
An official list of starters has not been announced, but here are some predictions for who will be starting at each defensive position on Friday night.
Pitcher: Head coach Chris Lemonis has already named Landon Sims as Friday night's starter. This will be a big transition for Sims, as he served only as a closer last season-- and a very good one at that. He is one of the most feared pitchers in all of college baseball, so the Bulldogs will have a big advantage to start the game with him on the mound.
Catcher: Without a doubt, Logan Tanner will be the starting catcher on Friday night. He is projected to be a first-round draft pick and brings a lot to the team both offensively and defensively. Tanner sees everything from his position behind the plate, making him one of the top defenders in the nation.
First Base: Luke Hancock was thrown into the first base position midway through the 2021 season. Although he came into college as a catcher, he adjusted well and excelled at his new position. With Tanner taking over as the Bulldogs' main catcher, there's no reason to keep Hancock-- or his bat-- out of the lineup.
Second Base: During his time at Mercer, RJ Yeager proved just how good he could be. The graduate transfer was a talented infielder who brought a heavy bat to the Bears' lineup, and he has the potential to do that again this season. Although he will have to make a huge adjustment in the SEC, Yeager is certainly up for the challenge.
Third Base: Kamren James struggled some defensively last season, but he made up for it offensively. In the end, it's a risk that the team should be willing to take. James has had plenty of time during the offseason to work through defensive mistakes and can be a very well-rounded player for the Bulldogs this season.
Shortstop: In a complete reversal of James, Lane Forsythe was a defensive machine who struggled at the plate last season. As a true freshman, he made plenty of unbelievable plays but had one of the worst offensive performances on the team in 2021. Forsythe did find some momentum in the last few games of the season, so hopefully, he can carry that into this year.
Center Field: As the second graduate transfer who could be starting for the Bulldogs, Jess Davis brings a lot to the table. Last season at UAB, he had a perfect fielding percentage at center field-- something that is extremely hard to do. The Bulldogs would benefit greatly from using him in that position, especially since there are some big holes in the outfield that will be hard to fill.
Left Field: Last season, Brad Cumbest saw himself rise as a heavy hitter and left field starter. Although he had a few mistakes, left field was a great place for Cumbest defensively. He has one of the strongest swings on the team and can expect to be a big part of the team this season.
Right Field: This position is going to be one of the hardest to fill, but Brayland Skinner certainly can excel here. He is quick and one of the best returning players on defense, making him the perfect player for the job. He struggled at times offensively last season, but he is too valuable to remove from the defensive lineup.