Andrew Raymond betting on himself with Mississippi State transfer

Freshman year of college ball was good to Andrew Raymond.

At George Mason, the talented catcher had a chance to start in 50 games and spent time behind the backstop and as a designated hitter. He was enjoying his time at the school and  building bonds with his team and coaches.

But Raymond wanted a new challenge. He decided to bet on himself and enter the transfer portal in hopes of competing at a higher level and getting the best out of his game.  

“Entering was kind of tricky. I didn’t think my coaches at Mason were expecting it and it was tough leaving a spot where you had a guaranteed starting spot and you did damage. I wanted to go somewhere where I was being chased, and I was going to be challenged. The SEC is the best conference and has been for the last decade,” Raymond said.

“I’ve always had a chip on my shoulder and competing for something bigger than myself. That program wants to win a national championship and that’s what I want to do as well. I saw myself getting complacent at Mason and that’s when I took a step back and wanted to go somewhere where I would be pushed.”

Raymond finds fit with Mississippi State

Just hours after Raymond entered the portal, he was in a batting cage with a teammate. His phone began to light up with teams around the country showing interest in his services.

Among those that was the first to inquire was Mississippi State Recruiting Coordinator Matt Kirby. With a friend that played for Brian O’Connor and the Bulldog staff at Virginia, Raymond got all of his questions answered.

A visit to Starkville was set up and he’d soon be locked in as a Bulldog commitment.

“I knew about Mississippi State’s program and the environment and community. I had a lot of schools reach out from the SEC and around where I’m from, but Mississippi State felt like home,” Raymond said. “They had probably the nicest facility in the country and the campus was beautiful. We went to downtown Starkville for breakfast, and it felt like home with me being from a smaller town.

“Coach O’Connor and coach Kirby seem like they are player-first guys that are big on development. They had a slideshow about how they develop players and it really showed they were invested in their players as people. I really like the way they run their program and I wanted to be part of that.”

A return to George Mason would almost guarantee that Raymond would be starting behind the plate in 2025 and a solid true freshman year confirmed that.

The Maryland native started in 50 games last season, and he had a .287 batting average with 50 hits, 10 doubles, five home runs and 33 RBI. He also walked 30 times to 26 strikeouts  and defensively he threw out eight base runners.

“The transition from high school to Division I was a big leap but I had a couple of upperclassmen that took me under their wing,” Raymond said. “I hit with one of my teammates every morning at 6:30 a.m. and that played a huge part into the year that I had. We had a Golden Spikes semifinalist that helped me a lot.”

Life now gets much tougher for Raymond and it’s a challenge he’s ready to hit head on in 2026.

Raymond is entering a battle at catcher that is suddenly fierce as the Bulldogs added Seton Hall All-Conference catcher Kevin Milewski and return veteran Jackson Owen. Raymond reports that he’s excited about doing whatever is needed of him to help the team win. Any ego is put aside for a chance to compete for championships.

“I’m excited to get to work with those guys. It will be good to pick their brains on ways they like to catch and hit and that will be the group I’m around most of the time. Winning the national championship is the goal and that’s what I want to chase,” Raymonds said.

“I feel like I bring energy wherever I’m at. I like to compete every day and I will be a great teammate in the dugout. I’ll do whatever it takes to win.”