Many players associated with Mississippi State's baseball program were selected to play professionally in the 2022 MLB Draft.
Seven current Diamond Dawgs were chosen in the 20-round draft, and one more was signed as an undrafted free agent after the event concluded. Two members of the team's 2022 signing class and one commitment out of the transfer portal were also picked.
Although most of the highly-touted players will be leaving college to play professionally, there is a chance that a few could return to campus. Here are each of the 11 student-athletes with connections to Mississippi State who have been given the opportunity to join MLB organizations.
Williams was the highest-ranked player in State's 2022 signing class and attracted plenty of attention from MLB scouts, so it's no surprise that he will not reach campus. He was selected by the New York Mets with the 14th overall pick.
Despite spending the majority of last season injured, Sims made a name for himself across the world of college baseball in 2021. He became the fifth Bulldog in the last four years to be selected in the first round of the MLB Draft and went to the Arizona Diamondbacks with pick No. 34.
Tanner dominated defensively for the Bulldogs, and he will now get the chance to prove himself on a much bigger stage. The catcher was selected with the 55th pick in the draft by the Cincinnati Reds, joining teammate Sims as a first-day draftee.
Johnson was selected by the Baltimore Orioles at 197th overall to start the seventh round of the MLB Draft. The athlete called "Beef" rose quickly through the Bulldogs' pitching ranks and made a big jump in what would become his final collegiate season.
Like Johnson, Cumbest improved greatly heading into his senior year. The former dual-sport athlete chose to focus on baseball, and it paid off as he was selected with the 266th pick in the draft's ninth round by the Colorado Rockies.
Knight has not taken the field for Mississippi State just yet, but it looks like he might never have that opportunity. The committed transfer out of Mercer was selected by the Seattle Mariners with the 306th overall pick.
After battling through an injury early in the season, Hunt put up solid numbers for the Bulldogs to close out the year. His hard work did not go unnoticed: the Pittsburgh Pirates scooped him up at pick No. 350.
Fristoe had some tough moments on the mound last season, but his abilities on the mound helped him attract attention from MLB Scouts. He was selected just 20 picks after teammate Hunt by the New York Yankees.
James was selected with the 494th pick in the MLB Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays. He was a key piece of MSU's offense in both 2021 and 2022 while playing as an infielder and occasional outfielder.
Ambidextrous pitcher Cijntje announced his intentions to officially join the Diamond Dawgs after not hearing his name called early in the draft. He was ultimately selected in the 18th round by the Milwaukee Brewers, but that did not waver his decision.
Yeager was an All-SEC athlete at the end of the 2022 season, but he wasn't selected during the MLB Draft — likely due to his age and lack of more collegiate eligibility. The St. Louis Cardinals signed him as a free agent quickly after the conclusion of the event.
