STARKVILLE — A guest speaker Mississippi State baseball coach Chris Lemonis brought in Thursday asked the Bulldogs’ assembled players how many relievers were part of the group.
Only three players raised their hands.
“So I have three relievers and 17 starters,” Lemonis said Friday.
With less than three weeks until the Bulldogs’ Feb. 17 season opener, that poses a problem Lemonis still needs to solve.
The Bulldogs coach said Mississippi State’s weekend rotation is “to be determined” and that he “couldn’t tell you one guy right now” who would be part of it.
That’s not to say there aren’t plenty of contenders for the three spots.
“Every kid wants to start,” Lemonis said. “I just told them whoever we run out there is going to earn it.”
Although Lemonis said no one has cemented a spot in the Bulldogs’ rotation, junior right-hander Cade Smith figures to have an inside track on one position.
Smith was Mississippi State’s most effective starter last year, pitching to a 3.86 ERA in 72 1/3 innings. He was MSU’s Sunday starter for the majority of the season and was largely effective despite some struggles in a few Southeastern Conference starts. Smith left with an injury after one inning in his final start of the season against Tennessee but he should be ready to go for 2023.
Injuries were a theme for the Bulldogs last year, as they lost ace Landon Sims as well as relievers Stone Simmons and Brooks Auger to UCL tears. Sims started the season as Mississippi State’s Friday night starter before going down with an injury in early March, pushing senior Brandon Smith into the rotation.
Smith and Preston Johnson — the SEC’s 2022 strikeout leader — each threw 64 or more innings, but each wound up with ERAs over 5 when the season was said and done.
The Bulldogs will need a lot more from their 2023 starters, and they have a pair of returning pitchers from a shaky bullpen who could fill those roles.
Right-hander Parker Stinnett said he found his greatest success last season when he could spot his fastball and breaking ball for strikes anywhere in the zone, but then that command went away, and then “I wasn’t throwing any strikes.”
A nagging injury suffered in March against Texas Tech forced Stinnett out of action in April after he aggravated it against Auburn, and he finished the season with a 6.12 ERA — along with 49 strikeouts and 26 walks — in 32 1/3 innings.
Saying he feels “perfect” now, Stinnett said he worked at starter, middle reliever and closer in the fall and is comfortable in any role.
“Whatever they tell me to do, I’m willing to do it,” he said.
Senior righty KC Hunt espoused a similar mindset, saying he’ll be “ready to roll” as a starter or out of the back of the bullpen if necessary.
Hunt spurned the Major Leagues after being drafted in the 12th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates this summer but refusing to sign.
“That was pretty cool,” Hunt said. “It was surreal. But I’m ready to get back here to try to bring us back to success.”
Behind Smith, Stinnett and Hunt, returning left-handers Pico Kohn and Cole Cheatham impressed during their freshman seasons, mostly out of the bullpen.
Mississippi State also has several newcomers vying for rotation spots, including 6-foot-6 right-hander Colby Holcombe from Northeast Mississippi Community College.
Memphis transfer Landon Gartman, Ball State import Nate Dohm and freshman left-hander Bradley Loftin will all be in the mix as well.
So will ambidextrous pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje, who showed off his unique talent during Monday’s scrimmage at Dudy Noble Field.
Lemonis dispelled some rumors of the use of Cijntje, who displays better velocity from the right side but has quite the arsenal throwing with both hands.
“Some people think we can just throw him left-handed one day and then run him back out there right-handed,” Lemonis said. “It doesn’t really work that way. But it’s special. It’s not a circus act. He’s really good with both. For a young kid, he’s going to be a big part of what we do on the mound.”
Whoever winds up in the weekend rotation — which is almost sure to change throughout the season based on health and performance — will need to hold their own.
Mississippi State’s 6.07 team ERA in 2022 was dead last in the SEC by a good margin, and the Bulldogs can’t afford a similar performance this year to get where they need to go.
“We need guys to give us good starts,” Lemonis said. “We need some guys who’ll take the ball and give us a chance to win the game. I think that’s a big piece, and we’re trying to figure it out right now.”
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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