Mississippi
Mississippi’s Baseball Talent Bubbles Up in MLB Draft – Mississippi Scoreboard
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By Mike Christensen
The names started to pop up on the draft tracker pretty early on Day 1 and continued popping by way of the ultimate spherical on Day 3. All informed, 23 gamers from Mississippi colleges had been chosen over the 20 rounds of this week’s Main League Baseball draft.
“It’s a testomony to baseball within the state what number of children had been drafted,” mentioned a giant league scout who has coated Mississippi for a few years. “It simply reveals you the depth of expertise right here. And there have been a couple of extra who may’ve been picked however weren’t due to the restricted variety of rounds.”
By comparability, Louisiana and Alabama, extra populous states, had 15 and 14 gamers drafted, respectively. Georgia, one of many nation’s baseball hotbeds, had 28 gamers picked.
There have been no first-round picks from Mississippi this 12 months — there have been two in 2021 — however the closing complete was virtually twice the quantity picked a 12 months in the past, when the draft was additionally simply 20 rounds. It had been 40 rounds for a number of years earlier than dropping to 5 rounds in 2020 due to the pandemic.
The 2022 picks ranged from Mississippi State pitcher Landon Sims at No. 34 general to Arizona to Meridian Neighborhood School outfielder Ke’Shun Collier at No. 593 in Spherical 20 to the Chicago Cubs.
![](https://i1.wp.com/mississippiscoreboard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Dalton_Rogers.jpg?resize=383%2C255&ssl=1)
There have been some surprises, per traditional. The third participant chosen from the state wasn’t ranked among the many high 200 draft prospects by both Baseball America or MLB Pipeline. That was Southern Miss left-hander Dalton Rogers, who went 99th general within the third spherical to Boston. The primary participant picked from nationwide champion Ole Miss was right-hander Derek Diamond, who had a troublesome junior 12 months (4-4, 6.89 ERA). He was chosen within the sixth spherical, a hundred and seventieth general by Pittsburgh, 11 picks larger than School World Sequence hero and employees ace Dylan DeLucia.
Ole Miss noticed seven of its gamers drafted. Seven MSU gamers additionally had been picked, together with the primary place participant from the state to go, catcher Logan Tanner at general choose No. 55 in Spherical 2 to Cincinnati. 5 USM gamers had been drafted, all pitchers. William Carey’s Chris Williams Jr. was picked from the NAIA college within the 18th spherical by Detroit. South Panola outfielder Emaarion Boyd went within the eleventh spherical to Philadelphia and Tishomingo County shortstop Spence Coffman within the nineteenth spherical to San Diego as the one highschool gamers chosen.
“It’s an enormous badge of honor to be drafted,” the scout mentioned. “It’s a lot tougher to be drafted now than it was.”
Twelve gamers from the state had been drafted on Day 3, which included Rounds 11-20. Late spherical picks do make it to the large leagues. Brian Dozier was an eighth-rounder out of USM, Corey Dickerson an eighth-rounder out of Meridian CC and Mitch Moreland a Seventeenth-rounder out of State. All three turned All-Stars. Jarrod Dyson was a Fiftieth-round pick of Southwest Mississippi CC, performed 12 seasons within the majors and gained a World Sequence ring. 9 gamers within the 2022 MLB All-Star sport had been drafted after the tenth spherical.
MSU’s Sims, who has electrical stuff, seemingly would have been a first-rounder had it not been for an elbow harm that required Tommy John surgical procedure in March, ending his junior season and suspending the beginning of his professional profession at the least till 2023.
“Monitor document counts,” the scout mentioned. “Expertise-wise, (Sims) was high 40, simple. Whether or not he was high 10, 15, that’s debatable. Is he going to start out or relieve? However he was rewarded for his expertise. Gamers that good can overcome an harm; we’ve seen that with different guys just lately.”
Sims posted a 1.44 ERA as a freshman and sophomore reliever at State and was a key determine within the nationwide title run in 2021. He was moved to starter this previous season. “It’s a giant fastball that may miss bats and a plus slider,” Diamondbacks scouting director Ian Rebhan informed mlb.com. “We predict he has an opportunity to be a starter.”
![](https://i0.wp.com/mississippiscoreboard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/20220521_BB_vs_Tennessee_Tanner19_MM_1917.jpg?resize=417%2C278&ssl=1)
Tanner was the fourth catcher drafted in what was thought to be a superb 12 months for school backstops. Ole Miss catcher Hayden Dunhurst went within the sixth spherical to Kansas Metropolis because the twelfth catcher drafted. Dunhurst was rated the perfect defensive catcher within the nation by Baseball America, and Tanner was No. 3. The query about each is the bat.
“Each of these guys have loads of expertise,” the scout mentioned. “Each had higher numbers as sophomores, and there may be loads of elements in that, so that you take a look at their full physique of labor.”
Tanner hit .285 with seven homers this season; he hit 15 bombs in 2021. Dunhurst batted simply .231 with six homers however had some huge knocks within the postseason.
USM, which gained its NCAA regional earlier than falling to Ole Miss in a Tremendous Regional, was among the many nationwide leaders in employees ERA below pitching guru Christian Ostrander. The Golden Eagles’ ace, All-America first-teamer and Ferriss Trophy winner Tanner Corridor, isn’t eligible for the draft till subsequent 12 months. Rogers, who had a 1.95 ERA and 6 saves in 23 video games, was adopted by Tyler Stuart (sixth spherical/New York Mets), Landon Harper (14th spherical/Atlanta), Ben Ethridge (fifteenth spherical/Minnesota) and Garrett Ramsey (sixteenth spherical/Boston).
“Pitching was the power of their crew and that actually confirmed within the draft,” the scout mentioned. “The pitching coach (Ostrander) there does an outstanding job of creating pitchers.”
Stuart (4-0, 3.38 ERA, in 22 video games for USM) was a part of a Mets draft haul that was rated No. 1 by mlb.com.
Ole Miss right-hander DeLucia (8-2, 3.68) actually captured the eye of scouts together with his postseason work, and he was drafted within the sixth spherical by Cleveland. Rebels nearer Brandon Johnson (4.32 ERA, 12 saves) was picked within the ninth spherical by Kansas Metropolis.
![](https://i2.wp.com/mississippiscoreboard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/hayden-dunhurst.jpeg?resize=367%2C245&ssl=1)
4 Ole Miss place gamers had been chosen: Dunhurst, first baseman Tim Elko (tenth spherical/Chicago White Sox), outfielder Kevin Graham (14th spherical/Arizona) and infielder Justin Bench (Seventeenth spherical/San Francisco). Elko, who belted a school-record 24 homers, and State’s Brad Cumbest (15 homers), who went to Colorado within the ninth spherical, had been among the many high energy hitters within the state.
Additionally drafted out of MSU had been pitcher Preston Johnson (seventh spherical/Baltimore), pitcher Okay.C. Hunt (twelfth spherical/Pittsburgh), pitcher Jackson Fristoe (twelfth spherical/New York Yankees) and infielder Kamren James (sixteenth spherical/Tampa Bay).
Carey’s Williams was drafted as an outfielder however was all-conference as each a hitter and pitcher. The left-hander is the primary Crusaders participant drafted since 2018.
Velocity is the important thing software for each of the highschool draftees, who’ve a troublesome name to make deciding between professional ball or school. The 6-foot-1, 177-pound Boyd, a Northwest Mississippi Neighborhood School commit, was rated No. 245 by mlb.com on its draft prospect chart. Coffman, 6-1, 174, a three-sport standout at Tishomingo, signed with Southeastern Louisiana.
A number of prep prospects who appeared in pre-draft rankings presumably selected to honor their school commitments. Some however not the entire school gamers have eligibility remaining and may choose to return to highschool if the signing bonus provide doesn’t meet their expectations.
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Mississippi
‘If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all’: Broadway in Jackson speaks out about possible show cancellations
![‘If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all’: Broadway in Jackson speaks out about possible show cancellations ‘If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all’: Broadway in Jackson speaks out about possible show cancellations](https://gray-wlbt-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3KMJQZPKGBHNRCT7NENQ3O72YY.png?auth=8e7e3183f489f41a63616389bdae4dd45efc187856d208138265c67183c736b4&width=1200&height=600&smart=true)
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – It’s been one month since Thalia Mara Hall closed its doors due to a mold outbreak.
Innovation Arts and Entertainment is the company responsible for bringing Broadway productions to Jackson.
Representatives from the company visited Jackson after hearing the building had been closed.
CEO Adam Epstein says the City of Jackson did not inform them of the news.
“We did not find out from anybody within the city. We found out by reading news clippings forwarded to us by other people in Jackson,” Epstein said.
Certified Industrial Hygienic Testing reported visible dirt, debris, and suspected mold growth on many surfaces.
Epstein fears this could change the possibility of bigger shows coming to the capital city.
“They’re going to skip over us because of this mess. We need to show as a community that Jackson cares about this valuable asset and that we demand our elected leaders to support and treat this really, incredibly valuable asset with the TLC it deserves,” he said.
Thalia Mara Hall is the only venue in the state that can host a Broadway production due to the technical needs and accommodations required.
“Touring theatrical shows. If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all,” he said.
Broadway in Jackson is not only a great source of entertainment in the city, but it’s also beneficial economically.
“Those other businesses don’t benefit. The city doesn’t earn tax revenue from events that we present. They don’t earn rental income from the events we present. They don’t earn facility fees from the events we present. This is a real tragedy. It’s unacceptable.”
The well-being of the potential audience is the company’s main priority.
“I will not risk our ticket buyers’ health and safety and comfort. Our shows can and will cancel before we’d ever put somebody in jeopardy. We’ve issued a 100% guarantee of a full refund if the venue is not given a clean bill of health,” Epstein said.
All shows will be canceled on a case-to-case basis.
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Mississippi
Tire failure suspected in deadly Mississippi bus crash, NTSB says
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Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board are conducting a probe into Saturday’s crash that killed seven and injured 36 people.
The deadly bus crash in Mississippi that killed seven people and injured dozens of others early Saturday occurred after the vehicle experienced a tire failure, causing it to run off the road and overturn, officials and authorities said.
Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board, in coordination with the Mississippi Highway Patrol, are conducting a probe into Saturday’s crash that left seven people dead and another 36 people injured. The collision occurred at about 12:40 a.m. on Interstate 20 near Vicksburg, Mississippi, when the bus left the roadway and overturned.
The bus, which authorities described as a 2018 Volvo commercial passenger bus, traveled westbound when its left front tire failed, NTSB member Todd Inman said at a news conference Sunday. The bus then moved onto an embankment and rolled over on its left side.
Inman added that investigators will be at the scene for at least another week and are looking into several factors of the crash, including the vehicle’s mechanical condition, motor carrier safety, the condition and experience of the driver, and environmental factors.
According to U.S. Department of Transportation records, the bus was operated by Autobuses Regiomontanos. Records show that in the 24 months before Saturday, the transit company’s vehicles were involved in one fatal crash, two injury collisions, and a crash requiring a tow truck.
The transit company has over 20 years of experience and provides trips between more than 100 destinations throughout Mexico and the United States, according to Autobuses Regiomontanos’ website.
“Everyone at the NTSB sends their expressions of sorrow for everything that the survivors and victims of this crash went through,” Inman said.
7 killed, 36 injured in bus crash
The bus carried a total of 41 passengers and two drivers, according to authorities. It was traveling from Atlanta to Dallas when the incident occurred.
No other vehicles were involved in the crash, according to Master Sergeant Kervin K. Stewart with the Mississippi Highway Patrol. Six people were pronounced dead at the scene and another person died later at a hospital, Stewart said.
Another 36 people were transported to area hospitals.
Warren County Coroner Doug Huskey said two victims killed in the crash were identified by their mother as a 16-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy, according to The New York Times. Authorities were working to identify the other victims.
Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY
Mississippi
This drive showed where Mississippi State football offense can improve for Arizona State
![This drive showed where Mississippi State football offense can improve for Arizona State This drive showed where Mississippi State football offense can improve for Arizona State](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2024/09/01/PNAS/75036945007-usatsi-24127468.jpg?auto=webp&crop=2927,1648,x0,y152&format=pjpg&width=1200)
STARKVILLE — Mississippi State football’s offense had a high-flying Saturday in coach Jeff Lebby’s first game.
It scored touchdowns on six of its first nine drives — one of which was a one-play kneel down to end the first half — leaving Eastern Kentucky buried early and deep at Davis Wade Stadium. It was a 56-7 win for the Bulldogs, with them leading 35-0 at one point in the first half.
Baylor transfer Blake Shapen was superb at quarterback and numerous wide receivers such as Jordan Mosley, Kevin Coleman, Mario Craver Jr. and Creed Whittemore made big plays against EKU (0-1).
Even still, Lebby wasn’t completely satisfied with the performance.
“I think there was a whole lot of good,” Lebby said postgame. “Proud of our guys for their energy and their competitive spirit and toughness they played with, but there’s so many things to clean up. I think that’s the biggest takeaway is that you got a chance to go win the way we won, but we’re going to need to play better, play cleaner and that’s where we’re going to look forward to as we get back into it.”
Take Mississippi State’s third offensive drive as an example of where it can improve.
It was the Bulldogs first drive where they didn’t score points, even though it began at the MSU 46-yard line.
MSU (1-0) was penalized for an illegal formation on the first play of the drive, negating a 47-yard catch-and-run from Craver. Three plays later, after Shapen scrambled 12 yards for a first down, MSU was whistled for another illegal formation. Mississippi State then failed to convert on 4th-and-3 from the EKU 33-yard line.
Those were the only penalties committed by Mississippi State’s offense all night, but it’s not the first time we’ve heard of those types of MSU infractions. In the preseason, following Mississippi State’s first scrimmage that was closed to the public, Lebby noted that “non-playing penalties” were a work in progress.
Players have said that Lebby’s up-tempo pace has been an adjustment. Perhaps it’s one that’s still ongoing.
“Looking back at the game, we did a lot of good things, but there were a couple drives that we killed the drive,” Shapen said. “So, we can keep getting better. I think an emphasis for me is just to let everybody know that we haven’t arrived or anything. We got a lot more to prove, especially going in to play a good Arizona State team next week.”
MORE: Jeff Lebby says Mississippi State football didn’t put on a good enough show. Here’s how he’s wrong
Arizona State might be better than anticipated
MSU’s Week 2 game at Arizona State (9:30 p.m., ESPN) was always going to be its most challenging in the nonconference schedule, but it looks even more so now.
Arizona State routed Wyoming 48-7 on Saturday night. The Sun Devils were about a seven-point favorite entering the game in Tempe, and Wyoming, historically, is no cakewalk in the Group of 5. It was an impressive statement from second-year coach Kenny Dillingham after a 4-9 season in 2023.
The Sun Devils (1-0) scored two defensive touchdowns, forced three turnovers and held Wyoming (0-1) to 118 total yards of offense. Sixty-two of those yards came in the fourth quarter with the game already well decided.
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
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