The 2023-24 offseason for Major League Baseball is well underway. Just about two weeks removed from the Winter Meetings in Nashville, we’ve seen record signings, blockbuster trades and plenty of movement from players across the league.
That includes a number of former Mississippi State players, who have already found new homes via trade or free agent signings.
Here’s a quick look at which Bulldogs will be playing in new places next season.
Hunter Renfroe: OF, Kansas City Royals
Renfroe had quite the active 2023 season, moving between three different teams while playing for two in the Los Angeles Angels and Cincinnati Reds.
Finishing up his eighth MLB season, Renfroe entered free agency, and on Friday, it was reported that he and the Kansas City Royals reached an agreement on a 2-year, $13 million contract.
Renfroe will make $5.5 million in 2024 with a $7.5 million player option for 2025 and a $1 million buyout. Despite a down year in 2023, the righty hit .233/.297/.416 with 20 home runs and 60 RBI and is not even a year removed from a 29-homer campaign with the Milwaukee Brewers.
He sits just 23 homers away from 200 in his career.
Chris Stratton: RHP, Kansas City Royals
The Mississippi State connection seems to be growing in Kansas City as on Dec. 12, the Royals agreed to a two-year, $8 million contract with right-handed reliever Chris Stratton.
It’s been quite the eventful 2023 for the 33-year old as well, playing with both the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers after being part of the Jordan Montgomery trade before the trade deadline.
That move paid off for the Tupelo native, who was part of Texas’s first World Series title in franchise history.
He struck out 22 in 29 innings pitched with the Rangers, recording a 3.41 ERA and 132 ERA+, just about a third of what would be his most active season since 2021. Stratton finished the season with 64 appearances, throwing 82.2 innings and 81 strikeouts to the tune of a 3.92 ERA and 113 ERA+.
Jake Mangum: OF, Tampa Bay Rays
Mangum looked to be a potential call-up for the Miami Marlins toward the end of the 2023 season, but he ended up being part of new President of Baseball Operations Peter Bendix’s first trade with Miami.
The 27-year old was named the player to be named later from a Nov. 17 trade between the Tampa Bay Rays and Marlins on Dec. 8.
Last season with Triple-A Jacksonville, Mangum hit .298/.346/.425 in 119 games played with five home runs, 58 RBIs, eight triples and 29 doubles.
According to his Minor League Baseball page, he has since been assigned to the Durham Bulls, but has a chance of earning a non-roster invite to Spring Training with the ability to make the big league club.
Zac Houston: RHP, Tampa Bay Rays
Another under-the-radar pickup during MLB’s offseason was right-hander Zac Houston, previously with the Houston Astros and most recently, the New York Yankees.
The reliever split time between Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, striking out 73 batters over 42.4 innings and 37 appearances, posting a 4.43 ERA on the season.
His 2.61 strikeout-to-walk ratio was his best in a full season since 2018, and caught the eye of the Tampa Bay Rays, who signed the reliever on Dec. 13 to a minor league contract with a non-roster invite to 2024 spring training.
Houston has been in MiLB since 2016, pitching across seven different minor league seasons and five different minor league levels.
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