When Amani Larry didn’t hear his name called during last week’s MLB Draft, signs pointed to Mississippi State baseball’s second baseman returning to Starkville next spring. Larry made that official Monday morning, announcing he would play one more season for the Bulldogs.
“Run it back, have more work to do,” Larry wrote over his Twitter page.
After not getting drafted, like Colton Ledbetter (Tampa Bay Rays), Cade Smith (New York Yankees) and Kellum Clark (New York Mets), Larry could have seeked out an undrafted free agent contract with an MLB organization, like relief pitcher KC Hunt did, signing with the Milwaukee Brewers last week.
He also could have returned to college with one more year of eligibility. It was unlikely that Larry, a New Orleans transfer, would have played anywhere other than Starkville, as he would have had to seek out an NCAA waiver as a two-time transfer.
Last season, Larry made an immediate impact in MSU’s middle infield. In his first season in Starkville, Larry batted .297 over 53 games, tallying 51 hits, 30 RBIs, 19 stolen bases and seven home runs, none more memorable than his walk-off over Texas A&M in MSU’s season-final home series.
Larry also finished the year with a .965 fielding percentage, only committing six errors.
Larry’s return shores up MSU’s second base position, and will likely keep rising sophomore David Mershon at shortstop.
Justin Frommer is the Mississippi State sports reporter for The Dispatch.
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