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Cowbell Corner

Mississippi State’s Reach Across MLB Is Hard to Miss

Seven former Bulldogs made MLB Opening Day rosters, showcasing Mississippi State’s impact from Starkville to the big leagues.
Taylor Hodges|
Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker (25) advances to third base during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Sutter Health Park.
Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker (25) advances to third base during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Sutter Health Park. | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Opening Day always brings a little extra energy, but it hits different when Mississippi State players are scattered all over Major League Baseball.

Seven former Bulldogs made Opening Day rosters this year, and it is hard not to feel a little proud seeing that many familiar names pop up across the league.

It starts with the headliners.

Adam Frazier, Brent Rooker, Jordan Westburg and Brandon Woodruff have all been All-Stars, and they are still carrying the Mississippi State flag at the highest level.

Rooker is coming off a season where he played all 162 games for the A’s, hit 30 homers, drove in 89 runs and even took another swing at the Home Run Derby. That is a long way from Dudy Noble, but the swing still looks the same.

He will have company in Oakland. J.T. Ginn is expected to open the year in the bullpen, giving the A’s a little Bulldog connection in the dugout and bullpen.

A few others are starting fresh in new uniforms.

Frazier and Nathaniel Lowe both signed minor league deals over the winter and played their way onto Opening Day rosters with the Angels and Reds.

Jake Mangum, who made his MLB debut last season with Tampa Bay, was traded to the Pirates and now gets a chance to carve out a role in Pittsburgh. He hit .296 as a rookie with 18 doubles, three homers and 27 steals. The SEC’s all-time hits leader just keeps finding ways to get on base.

Then there is Woodruff, who feels like one of the best comeback stories in baseball. After missing all of 2024 with shoulder surgery, he returned late last season and looked like himself again. Seven wins, a 3.20 ERA and 83 strikeouts in just over 64 innings. If he is healthy, he is still one of the toughest pitchers in the game.

Westburg will have to wait a little longer to get going this year. He starts the season on the injured list with a partial UCL tear, but the expectation is that he will be back sometime after the first month. Given the way he has hit since reaching the majors, the Orioles will be ready for him when he returns.

And that is just the Opening Day group.

Justin Foscue, J.P. France and Konnor Pilkington are all in Triple A and could easily find themselves back in the big leagues this season. Seven more Bulldogs were drafted last year, and plenty more are working their way up the ladder.

So yeah, Opening Day is always fun. But when you look around the league and see Mississippi State represented everywhere, it feels a little like a family reunion. The names change, the uniforms change, the cities change, but the connection back to Starkville stays the same.

Baseball is back. The Bulldogs are everywhere. Hard not to enjoy that.

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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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