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From Tough Lessons to First Start: Maddox Miller’s Next Test Arrives Tuesday

Mississippi State turns to freshman lefty Maddox Miller for his first start as the Bulldogs continue rotating options in the midweek role.
Taylor Hodges|
Mississippi State Pitcher Maddox Miller (#20) during the game between the Arizona State Sun Devils and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX.
Mississippi State Pitcher Maddox Miller (#20) during the game between the Arizona State Sun Devils and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX. | Mississippi State Athletics

Last time Maddox Miller stepped on a mound, the first batter he faced sent a solo shot to center. Not exactly the memory you want to sit with for a few days.

Mississippi State is hoping Tuesday feels a little different, because the search for a steady midweek starter is still very much ongoing.

This time, the job goes to Miller. The freshman lefty gets the ball when Jackson State comes to Dudy Noble for a 4 p.m. first pitch, bumped up two hours because of the cold weather.

It’ll be his first career start and his seventh appearance in what has already been a crash course in SEC pitching life.

Miller’s numbers are a mixed bag right now. He’s 1-2 with an 8.10 ERA in 6.2 innings, and the home runs allowed jump off the page (three). But he’s also walked just one batter and struck out 14, which tells you there’s real stuff there. The challenge has been navigating tough moments against teams that don’t forgive mistakes.

Southern Miss was the first example.

Mississippi State clawed back from a 5-0 hole to take a 6-5 lead, then Miller struck out two straight hitters only to watch wild pitches bring in the tying and go-ahead runs.

Then came Arkansas last Friday. Tie game, fresh momentum after Ryder Woodson’s homer, and Miller’s pitch to a 3-2 hitter ends up over the wall. That’s the kind of welcome-to-the-league stretch every freshman arm goes through.

The bigger picture is that Miller has risen fast. He came to Starkville as one of the top lefties in Mississippi, an All-State guy with strikeout numbers that made him an easy projection for early innings.

At 6-foot-4 and 185 pounds, he looks the part, and the staff clearly believes he’ll grow into it.

And that brings us back to the midweek puzzle.

With Miller joining Duke Stone, Charlie Foster, Tyler Pitzer, Brendan Sweeney and William Kirk, Mississippi State will now have used six different midweek starters.

Pitching coach Justin Parker is still trying to find the right fit, the guy who can settle things down and give the bullpen a predictable roadmap.

Maybe Miller becomes that guy. Maybe Tuesday is the first step.

At the very least, it’s another chance to see if one of the youngest arms on the roster can turn a tough moment into something better.

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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