STARKVILLE — When Mississippi State baseball head coach Chris Lemonis hires his new pitching coach, that candidate will have an experienced, but flawed pitching staff to work with.
The Bulldogs finished in the top half of the SEC in strikeouts with 538 but allowed the most walks in the conference (321), most runs (353) and had the highest team ERA (7.01).
It will be the new pitching coach’s job to get the best out of MSU’s returning contributors, which could be a sizable amount of its pitching staff.
Here is a prediction of which MSU pitchers could be staying or leaving the program this offseason.
KC Hunt
Hunt was an integral part of MSU’s bullpen this season, pitching 39 innings in 23 appearances, both of which were career highs. Hunt finished this year with an 8.54 ERA, allowing 37 earned runs and striking out 55 batters.
Prediction: Hunt could come back for his final year of eligibility, but all signs have pointed to this past season being his last in Starkville.
Aaron Nixon
Nixon spent one year at MSU after transferring from Texas and collected two saves in 16 appearances. He finished the year with a 2.66 ERA, allowing six earned runs and striking out 24.
Prediction: Nixon could come back to school for one more year of eligibility but will opt to start his professional career instead.
Logan Forsythe
In his true freshman year, Forsythe made seven appearances for MSU, pitching 6 1/3 innings. In that span he allowed eight earned runs and struck out 10 batters.
Prediction: Forsythe saw his workload decrease, making no appearances after the Alabama series in early April, but with three years of eligibility left, he should be back in Starkville next season.
Evan Siary
In his true freshman season, Siary made 14 appearances for the Bulldogs, pitching 28 innings and three starts. In that span he allowed 22 earned runs, struck out 28 batters and finished with a 7.07 ERA.
Prediction: Though it was a rocky year, Siary showed enough promise to be a used arm next season for the Bulldogs.
Will Gibbs
Gibbs, a true freshman, made six appearances for MSU last season, pitching five innings and allowing three earned runs during that span. His last appearance during the season against Grambling on April 4.
Prediction: Gibbs will be back with three years of eligibility.
Cade Smith
In his third college season, Smith blossomed into MSU’s ace, pitching 43 innings in 10 appearances while battling injuries. In that span, Smith allowed 25 earned runs, struck out 46 batters and finished with a career-high 5.23 ERA.
Prediction: Though he has another year of eligibility, Smith has been invited to this year’s MLB Draft Combine, signaling his time in Starkville is likely over.
Stone Simmons
Simmons did not pitch this season after recovering from an arm injury suffered in 2022.
Prediction: With multiple years of eligibility, Lemonis has signaled that Simmons will be a trusted arm out of the bullpen next season when he returns to full health.
Colby Holcombe
Holcombe showed erratic promise in his first season at MSU, both as a reliever and starter, pitching 36 innings in 18 appearances. During that span, Holcombe allowed 33 earned runs, struck out 49 batters and finished with an 8.25 ERA.
Prediction: At times, the life on his pitches looked strong and at others he couldn’t find the strike zone, so consistency next season with the Bulldogs will be important.
Nate Dohm
Dohm, out of Ball State, ended up being one of MSU’s best transfer portal pickups last season pitching 41 innings in 17 appearances. During that span he allowed 19 earned runs, while striking out 49 batters and finishing with a 4.07 ERA.
Prediction: Dohm is an early candidate to be MSU’s closer next season.
Tyson Hardin
Hardin could never find consistency in his first season with the Bulldogs, pitching 19 2/3 innings in 15 appearances, and allowing 28 earned runs for a 12.81 ERA.
Prediction: With two years of eligibility left, Hardin can come back to Starkville next season, depending on if Lemonis trusts his ability to get SEC batters out on a consistent basis.
Nate Williams
Williams did not pitch in his first season with MSU after transferring from Florence-Darlington Tech.
Prediction: With two years of eligibility left, Williams will be back with the Bulldogs next season.
Parker Stinnett
In his third season in Starkville, Stinnett saw his workload dramatically decrease, throwing a career-low 9 2/3 innings in only seven appearances. During that span, Stinnett allowed 10 earned runs, struck out 13 batters and finished with a 9.31 ERA.
Prediction: Stinnett is out of college eligibility and will not be back next season.
Landon Gartman
When healthy, Gartman showed he could be a strong option in MSU’s weekend rotation. In 11 appearances, Gartman pitched 49 2/3 innings, allowing 40 earned runs, striking out 47 batters and finishing with a 7.25 ERA.
Prediction: Though he is MLB Draft eligible, another year in Starkville, where he is fully healthy, would do Gartman some good when it comes to his draft stock.
Brooks Auger
Auger did not pitch in 2023 recovering from an arm injury. Last time MSU fans saw Auger, he pitched 20 2/3 innings two years ago, allowing only seven earned runs and finishing with a 3.05 ERA.
Prediction: Lemonis has previously mentioned Auger as an arm that MSU expects back next season to provide a boost to its bullpen.
Pico Kohn
Kohn did not pitch in 2023 recovering from an off-season arm injury. The last time MSU fans saw Kohn, he made 21 appearances in 2022, throwing 36 2/3 innings, allowing 20 earned runs and finishing with a 4.91 ERA as a true freshman.
Prediction: Lemonis has previously mentioned Kohn as an arm that MSU expects back next season, potentially as a starter.
Cole Cheatham
In his second season, Cheatham had a similar workload as the 2022 season, pitching 11 1/3 innings in nine appearances, reducing his earned runs from 13 to nine and his ERA from 9.24 to 7.15.
Prediction: This is a big year for Cheatham as with more usage, and another improved year, could get him on MLB Draft boards after next season. The question is if MSU can be the program to give him that.
Max Miller
Miller did not pitch in his true freshman season for the Bulldogs.
Prediction: If Miller sees an avenue for playing time, he has tons of eligibility to stay in Starkville going forward.
Bradley Loftin
Loftin showed tons of promise in his true freshman season before an arm injury cut his year short. In seven appearances, Loftin made five starts, pitching 26 1/3 innings, allowing nine earned runs and striking out 43 batters to the tune of 3.08 ERA. His last appearance came during the Alabama series in early April.
Prediction: Depending how the staff shakes out, Loftin could likely be used as a mid-week starter or a trusted bullpen arm next season.
Graham Yntema
In his first season in Starkville, Yntema struggled, pitching 21 1/3 innings in 13 appearances, allowing 25 earned runs and finishing with a 10.55 ERA.
Prediction: Yntema made one appearance for MSU in May and with two years of eligibility left, that may be a sign that he would be better off at a different program.
Tyler Davis
In his first year at MSU, Davis, a VCU transfer, pitched 22 2/3 innings, allowing 23 earned runs and finishing with a 9.13 ERA over 14 appearances out of the bullpen.
Prediction: Davis, who is draft eligible, may want to stay for one more year of college ball to improve his draft stack, however, he showed enough in his two years at VCU (4.86 ERA as a freshman and 3.60 ERA as a sophomore) that if he gets drafted, he may move on with his career.
Brock Tapper
By the end of his true freshman year, Tapper became one of Lemonis’ trusted arms out of State’s bullpen. He finished with a 4.76 ERA, pitching 22 2/3 innings in 15 appearances, allowing 12 earned runs and striking out 23.
Prediction: Tapper has deservingly carved himself a role in next year’s bullpen. He will be back.
Jurrangelo Cijntje
Cijntje had an up-and-down true freshman season in MSU’s weekend rotation, finishing with an 8.10 ERA in 14 appearances, pitching 50 innings, allowing 45 earned runs and striking out 63 batters.
It was obvious that the innings were catching up to him as none of his last four starts lasted four innings and he allowed eight homers over his last six appearances.
Prediction: MSU will be looking for a major step in Cijntje’s development next season.
Justin Frommer is the Mississippi State sports reporter for The Dispatch.
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