Mississippi State Baseball: Luke Hancock Returning to the Diamond Dawgs in 2023
A plethora of former Mississippi State baseball stars have recently moved on to the MLB, but graduate Luke Hancock announced on Wednesday that he would return for one last season in the Maroon and White.
During MSU baseball's national championship season in 2021, Hancock started in all 68 games for the Bulldogs. No matter where the slugger was placed on the field, he made sure that his presence was felt. Hancock posted a .262 batting average with 61 hits, four doubles, 10 home runs and 63 RBI for the Diamond Dawgs while also recording a .996 fielding percentage. He played a huge role in leading his university to its first-ever title.
Hancock started in 56 games for MSU in 2022. He recorded seven home runs and 32 RBI while posting a .278. batting average and a .988 fielding percentage. Although he primarily served as State's first baseman, he also saw some playing time as a catcher in midweek games.
Although MSU lost many talented players to the recent 2022 MLB Draft, a veteran like Hancock choosing to return is a huge morale boost for the Diamond Dawgs heading into 2023. He won't be the only strong returner in the batting order: Kellum Clark, Hunter Hines, Slate Alford and Lane Forsythe will be back on the field as well.
Mississippi State's roster has grown and become even more impressive in the offseason, but what will 2023 hold for the Diamond Dawgs? With veterans like Hancock returning, the team is in contention to return to the top of the SEC in 2023.