Another Major League Baseball season has arrived with more Diamond Dawgs making their names on the biggest stage.
Early in the season, MSU had the most MLB players of any team in the SEC as Justin Foscue’s call up made 12 former Diamond Dawgs. Injuries have plagued several former Diamond Dawgs early this year, but they’re on the road to recovery and it should be an exciting year of baseball on the way.
Kendall Graveman enters year 10 in the league as the eldest Dog still playing pro baseball but is expected to miss all of 2024 after having shoulder surgery. The same could be said for Brandon Woodruff who missed several months last year with a shoulder injury and could miss this whole season.
State had two former Bulldogs make debuts in the league last season as J.P. France was the talk of the Houston Astros after his solid season in the rotation. Jordan Westburg also made waves with the Baltimore Orioles and is primed for a big year.
Three former teammates are playing on the same team this year as Chris Stratton, Adam Frazier and Hunter Renfroe are all playing for the Kansas City Royals. It’s the first time the trio has been together on the same team since the Diamond Dawgs won the SEC Tournament in 2012 and finished the year in a Regional at Florida State. Dakota Hudson also has a new team moving to Colorado.
Brent Rooker had his breakthrough season with the Oakland A’s last year and is hopeful for a big season while Nate Lowe earned a Golden Glove for his work with the World Champions Texas Rangers at first base.
More reinforcements could be on the way this year for State as well with others champing at the bit in Triple A.
This week, Lowe had four games with multiple hits and notched his 300th RBI of his career. Rooker had hits in all six games he played and hit a milestone of 100 hits on the season while also hitting his 25th home run of the year. Westburg also hit the 100-hit mark on the year and now has 25 doubles on the season after notching three in one game.
RHP Kendall Graveman, Houston Astros
Last Week: N/A (Out for season with shoulder injury)
Season: N/A
Career:10 seasons, 37-43, 3.95 ERA, 279 app., 80 starts, 24 saves, 651.2 IP, 648 H, 312 R, 286 ER, 219 BB, 494 K
RHP Chris Stratton, Kansas City Royals
Last Week: 1-0, 3 app., 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Vs. Chicago Cubs, July 26 – 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Vs. CHC, July 27 – 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Vs. Chicago White Sox, July 29 – Win, 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Season: 3-3, 4.60 ERA, 42 App., 4 SV, 43.0 IP, 31 H, 24 R, 22 ER, 27 BB, 38 K
Career:9 seasons, 40-27, 4.44 ERA, 344 app., 42 starts, 16 SV, 588.0 IP, 584 H, 316 R, 290 ER, 243 BB, 542 K
RHP Brandon Woodruff, Milwaukee Brewers
Last Week: N/A (Placed on 60-day Injured List on February 21 with injured right shoulder)
Season: N/A
Career:8 seasons, 46-26, 3.10 ERA, 130 appearances, 115 starts, 1 save, 680.1 IP, 535 H, 243 R, 234 ER, 176 BB, 788K
LHP Ethan Small, San Francisco Giants
Last Week: N/A (Placed on 60-day Injured List on February 6 with right oblique strain)
Season: N/A
Career: 3 seasons, 0-0, 8.71 ERA, 4 App., 2 S, 1 SV, 10.1 IP, 17 H, 10 R, 10 BB, 13 K
OF Hunter Renfroe, Kansas City Royals
Last Week: 6 G, .333 BA, 6 H, 2 R, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB, 5 K, 0-1 SB
Vs. Arizona Diamondbacks, July 23 – 0-2, 2 BB, 0-1 SB
Vs. AZ, July 24 – 0-0
Vs. CHC, July 26 – 1-4, 2 K
Vs. CHC, July 27 – 3-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI
Vs. CHC, July 28 – 1-4, 2 RBI, 2 K
Vs. CWS, July 29 – 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
Season: 86 G, .234 BA, 62 H, 33 R, 15 2B, 11 HR, 41 RBI, 29 BB, 51 K, .314 OBP, .415 SLG, 1-2 SB
Career:9 seasons, 927 G, .239 BA, 764 H, 438 R, 177 2B, 4 3B, 188 HR, 495 RBI, 274 BB, 872 K, 15-20 SB, .301 OBP, .472 SLG
2B Adam Frazier, Royals
Last Week: 3 G, .125, 1 H, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 K
Vs. AZ, July 24 – 0-4
Vs. CHC, July 26 – 1-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 K
Vs. CWS, July 29 – 0-0, 1 R
Season: 69 G, .197 BA, 37 H, 23 R, 7 2B, 3 HR, 15 RBI, 17 BB, 40 K, .281 OBP, .282 SLG, 2-2 SB
Career:9 seasons, 1,031 G, .265 BA, 887 H, 456 R, 177 2B, 27 3B, 59 HR, 332 RBI, 277 BB, 496 K, 54-86 SB, .328 OBP, .386 SLG
1B Nate Lowe, Texas Rangers
Last Week: 7 G, .348, 8 H, 4 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 7 BB, 6 K
Vs. CWS, July 23 – 0-3, 1 BB, 2 K
Vs. CWS, July 24 – 2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 BB
Vs. CWS, July 25 – 2-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 BB
Vs. Toronto Blue Jays, July 26 – 0-2, 2 BB, 1 K
Vs. TOR, July 27 – 0-3, 1 BB, 2 K
Vs. TOR, July 28 – 2-4, 1 RBI
Vs. St. Louis Cardinals, July 29 – 2-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
Season: 86 G, .272 BA, 81 H, 39 R, 12 2B, 9 HR, 45 RBI, 45 BB, 75 K, 2-2 SB, .366 OBP, .403 SLG
Career:6 seasons, 632 G, .273 BA, 625 H, 311 R, 110 2B, 9 3B, 82 HR, 305 RBI, 288 BB, 627 K, 14-16 SB, .356 OBP, .436 SLG
OF Brent Rooker, Oakland Athletics
Last Week: 6 G, .375, 9 H, 5 R, 1 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K, 2-2 SB
Vs. HOU, July 23 – 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1-1 SB
Vs. HOU, July 24 – 1-4
Vs. Los Angeles Angels, July 25 – 1-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Vs. LAA, July 26 – 1-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Vs. LAA, July 27 – 3-4, 1 R, 1 K, 1-1 SB
Vs. LAA, July 28 – 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 2 K
Season: 93 G, .296 BA, 101 H, 52 R, 20 2B, 2 3B, 25 HR, 75 RBI, 39 BB, 118 K, .370 OBP, .587 SLG, 7-8 SB
Career:5 seasons, 311 G, .252, 263 H, 143 R, 53 2B, 3 3B, 65 HR, 167 RBI, 106 BB, 376 K, 11-12 SB, .333 OBP, .495 SLG
2B Jordan Westburg, Baltimore Orioles
Last Week: 8 G, .276, 8 H, 6 R, 3 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K
Vs. Miami Marlins, July 23 – 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 K
Vs. MIA, July 24 – 0-4, 1 K
Vs. MIA, July 25 – 0-5, 1 R
Vs. San Diego Padres, July 26 – 1-3, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
Vs. SD, July 28 – 1-5, 1 K
Vs. TOR, July 29 – 3-5, 1 R, 3 2B, 2 RBI, 1 K
Vs. TOR, July 29 – 2-3, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB
Vs. TOR, July 30 – 0-0
Season: 100 G, .273 BA, 105 H, 54 R, 25 2B, 5 3B, 18 HR, 58 RBI, 21 BB, 89 K, .320 OBP, .505 SLG , 6-9 SB
Career: 2 seasons, 168 G, .269 BA, 159 H, 80 R, 42 2B, 7 3B, 21 HR, 81 RBI, 37 BB, 145 K, .317 OBP, .470 SLG, 10-14 SB
