Cowbell Corner

Mississippi State Baseball 2025-26 Offseason Roster Tracker

Follow along with who is leaving and who is coming as new coach Brian O'Connor works to build a championship contending roster.
Taylor Hodges|
Mississippi State Infielder/Catcher Steven Spalitta (#43) during the game between the Northeastern Huskies and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium in Tallahassee, FL.
Mississippi State Infielder/Catcher Steven Spalitta (#43) during the game between the Northeastern Huskies and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium in Tallahassee, FL. | Mississippi State Athletics

Mississippi State likely already feels like it was “won” the offseason with the hiring of former Virginia coach Brian O’Connor. But if he wants to win on the field next spring, there’s work to do immediately.

The NCAA baseball transfer portal opened on Monday and just like every other time a coaching change is made, there will be some significant roster turnover.

Several Mississippi State players have already entered the portal and more will likely follow. It’s likely more players have left Virginia than any other school and some of those former Cavaliers are expected to follow O’Connor to Starkville. Which ones are still a mystery, though. A good indicator, though, would be reports of players being listed in the portal with a "do not contact" tag.

Below you’ll find out offseason roster tracker for Mississippi State, as well as complete lists of who is coming and going at the bottom:

Mississippi State Baseball Roster Tracker

Outgoing Transfers

RHP Will Passeau (Auburn University at Montgomery)
RHP Eli Walker
RHP Gavin Black
INF Dylan Cupp (Dallas Baptist)
INF Lukas Buckner (Coastal Carolina)
LHP Wes Pritchard
RHP Mikhai Grant
OF Landis Davila
OF Michael O'Brien (Arkansas-Little Rock)
OF Nolan Stevens (Oklahoma)
C Jackson Owen (Return to Mississippi State)
C Steven Spalitta (Louisiana Lafayette)
C Ross Highfill (Purdue)
RHP Kevin Mannell (Nebraska)
RHP Cade O'Leary (Florida State)
LHP Robert Fortenberry (Kansas State)
LHP Luke Dotson (Texas)
LHP Bradley Loftin
RHP Duke Stone (Return to Mississippi State)
RHP Jacob Pruitt (Missouri)

Incoming Transfers

LHP Tomas Valincius (Virginia)
OF James Nunnallee (Virginia)
C/INF Chone James (Virginia)
INF Vytas Valincius (Illinois)
OF Aidan Teel (Virginia)
INF Ryder Woodson (NC State)
RHP Maddox Webb (The Citadel)
RHP Jackson Logar (James Madison)
UTL Blake Bevis (Ball State)
RHP Tyler Pitzer (South Carolina)
C Kevin Milewski (Seton Hall)
LHP William Kirk (Virginia)
RHP Brendan Sweeney (South Carolina)
RHP Davion Hickson (Rice)
SS Drew Wyers (Bryant)
C Andrew Raymond (George Mason)

Players With No Eligibility Remaining

RHP Stone Simmons
RHP Chase Hungate
INF Hunter Hines
INF Sawyer Reeves

July 10, 2025

June 26, 2025

Mississippi State landed a second commitment from a former Southern Carolina RHP in Brendan Sweeney. He was the Gamecocks' leader in saves last season.

June 25, 2025

Former Mississippi State catcher Ross Highfill committed to Purdue today. Highfill batted .218/.345/.339 in 124 at-bats last season and hit four doubles and three home runs. He's headed to Purdue, who went 31-23 last season and did not make the NCAA Tournament.

June 24, 2025

Mississippi State freshman Duke Stone is reportedly entering the transfer portal. The right-hander appeared in just five games last season with 4.2 total innings pitched with a 5.79 ERA, seven strikeouts and three walks.

June 21, 2025

After spending most of Friday afternoon waiting for an announcement (you know who you are), the latest commitment to Mississippi State came Saturday morning.

Former South Carolina RHP Tyler Pitzer committed to the Bulldogs and he may not be the last commitment today.

June 19, 2025

Former Ball State first baseman/utility player Blake Bevis has committed to Mississippi State. Bevis posted a .301/.369/.615 slash line in 226 at-bats with 18 home runs, 13 doubles, two triples and 52 RBIs as a junior.

June 18, 2025

Catcher Jackson Owen announced this week he'd be coming back to Starkville after entering the transfer portal when the window opened two weeks ago. With Owen back, there's at least one catcher on the roster for Mississippi State.

Mississippi State RHP Cade O'Leary is reportedly entering the transfer portal.

June 14, 2025

Mississippi State adds its eighth transfer portal player in the middle of Murray State-UCLA's College World Series game, adding Jackson Logar, a sophomore RHP from James Madison. Full story here.

Former Mississippi State infielder Lukas Buckner has a new home:

June 7, 2025

SEC Newcomer of the Year Ace Reese announced he will be returning to Mississippi State next season. Huge news for the Bulldogs.

Former Virginia OF Aidan Teel has committed to Mississippi State, following his former coach to Starkville.

June 6, 2025

We have our first transfer commitments under new coach Brian O'Connor. LHP Tomas Valincius, outfielder James Nunnallee and C/INF Chone James committed to Mississippi State on Friday. All three players are former Virginia Cavaliers. Tomas Valincius's older brother, Vytas, also committed to Mississippi State after playing at Illinois.

June 4, 2025

Evening Update:

Add another name to the list of Mississippi State players headed to the transfer portal. LHP Luke Dotson has reportedly (see source below) entered the NCAA transfer portal.

On a separate note, Virginia has had 21 players enter the transfer portal. That's more than half of the Cavaliers' roster from this past season. Not all of them will end up in Starkville, but you can bet a few will.

Morning Update:

Two more current Bulldogs have entered the transfer portal. Outfielders Nolan Stevens and Michael O'Brien will be leaving Starkville, decisions that were likely made after new coach Brian O'Connor started meeting with players Tuesday.

Stevens was the more significant contributor. He played in 66 games in two seasons and batted .310 with 39 hits, seven doubles, five home runs and 23 RBIs. He also pitched 26.2 innings for Mississippi State, going 2-3 with a 4.72 ERA, 28 strikeouts and eight walks.

June 3, 2025

Sophomore shortstop Dylan Cupp has entered the transfer portal after one season at Mississippi State.

Cupp batted .282 with a .451 on-base percentage and 15 RBIs in 85 at-bats. Cupp spent most of the season in and out of the lineup at shortstop as he struggled at the plate and Sawyer Reeves began to get more starts.

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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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