Diamond Dawgs in the Show Update: May 14
Another Major League Baseball season has arrived with more Diamond Dawgs making their names on the biggest stage.
Early in the season, MSU had the most MLB players of any team in the SEC as Justin Foscue’s call up made 12 former Diamond Dawgs. Injuries have plagued several former Diamond Dawgs early this year, but they’re on the road to recovery and it should be an exciting year of baseball on the way.
Kendall Graveman enters year 10 in the league as the eldest Dog still playing pro baseball but is expected to miss all of 2024 after having shoulder surgery. The same could be said for Brandon Woodruff who missed several months last year with a shoulder injury and could miss this whole season.
State had two former Bulldogs make debuts in the league last season as J.P. France was the talk of the Houston Astros after his solid season in the rotation. Jordan Westburg also made waves with the Baltimore Orioles and is primed for a big year.
Three former teammates are playing on the same team this year as Chris Stratton, Adam Frazier and Hunter Renfroe are all playing for the Kansas City Royals. It’s the first time the trio has been together on the same team since the Diamond Dawgs won the SEC Tournament in 2012 and finished the year in a Regional at Florida State. Dakota Hudson also has a new team moving to Colorado.
Brent Rooker had his breakthrough season with the Oakland A’s last year and is hopeful for a big season while Nate Lowe earned a Golden Glove for his work with the World Champions Texas Rangers at first base.
More reinforcements could be on the way this year for State as well with others champing at the bit in Triple A.
This past week, Hudson earned his first win on the mound for the Rockies. Frazier had a game-winning home run late in the ball game for the Royals to beat the Angels. Rooker continued his tear with 13 hits in seven games and he had a hit in every game with three doubles and two more home runs. Rooker is up to 10 home runs in 31 games and now has 50 home runs in his career. Additionally, Westburg had four doubles in six games and Lowe had three-straight games with multiple hits.
RHP Kendall Graveman, Houston Astros
Last Week: N/A (Out for season with shoulder injury)
Season: N/A
Career: 10 seasons, 37-43, 3.95 ERA, 279 app., 80 starts, 24 saves, 651.2 IP, 648 H, 312 R, 286 ER, 219 BB, 494 K
RHP Chris Stratton, Kansas City Royals
Last Week: 0-0, 3 app., 2.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Vs. Milwaukee Brewers, May 8 – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Vs. Los Angeles Angels, May 10 – 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Vs. Seattle Mariners, May 13 – 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Season: 2-2, 5.60 ERA, 17 App., 2 SV, 17.2 IP, 13 H, 11 R, 12 BB, 14 K
Career: 9 seasons, 39-26, 4.46 ERA, 319 app., 42 starts, 14 SV, 562.2 IP, 566 H, 303 R, 279 ER, 228 BB, 518 K
RHP Brandon Woodruff, Milwaukee Brewers
Last Week: N/A (Placed on 60-day Injured List on February 21 with injured right shoulder)
Season: N/A
Career: 8 seasons, 46-26, 3.10 ERA, 130 appearances, 115 starts, 1 save, 680.1 IP, 535 H, 243 R, 234 ER, 176 BB, 788 K
RHP Dakota Hudson, Colorado Rockies
Last Week: 1-1, 2 S, 9.1 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 8 BB, 5 K
Vs. San Francisco Giants, May 7 – Loss, 3.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 5 BB, 2 K
San Diego Padres, May 13 – Win, 5.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 3 K
Season: 1-6, 6.13 ERA, 8 S, 39.2 IP, 42 H, 30 R, 27 ER, 25 BB, 23 K
Career: 7 seasons, 39-26, 4.02 ERA, 122 app., 87 starts, 1 save, 510.1 IP, 481 H, 251 R, 228 ER, 240 BB, 338 K
LHP Ethan Small, San Francisco Giants
Last Week: N/A (Placed on 60-day Injured List on February 6 with right oblique strain)
Season: N/A
Career: 3 seasons, 0-0, 8.71 ERA, 4 App., 2 S, 1 SV, 10.1 IP, 17 H, 10 R, 10 BB, 13 K
OF Hunter Renfroe, Kansas City Royals
Last Week: 6 G, .111 BA, 2 H, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K
Vs. MIL, May 7 – 0-4
Vs. MIL, May 8 – 0-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Vs. LAA, May 9 – 0-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Vs. LAA, May 10 – 0-0
Vs. LAA, May 11 – 0-4, 1 K
Vs. LAA, May 12 – 2-4, 2 RBI
Season: 37 G, .153 BA, 17 H, 10 R, 3 2B, 3 HR, 15 RBI, 10 BB, 23 K, .223 OBP, .261 SLG
Career: 9 seasons, 878 G, .236 BA, 719 H, 415 R, 165 2B, 4 3B, 180 HR, 467 RBI, 255 BB, 844 K, 14-18 SB, .297 OBP, .470 SLG
2B Adam Frazier, Royals
Last Week: 3 games, .273 BA, 3 H, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 BB, 2 K
vs. MIL, May 8 – 1-4, 1 RBI
vs. LAA, May 10 – 2-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB
vs. SEA, May 13 – 0-4, 2 K
Season: 32 G, .179 BA, 15 H, 8 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 11 BB, 17 K, .296 OBP, .238 SLG, 1-1 SB
Career: 9 seasons, 994 G, .266 BA, 865 H, 441 R, 172 2B, 27 3B, 57 HR, 325 RBI, 271 BB, 473 K, 53-85 SB, .330 OBP, .389 SLG
1B Nate Lowe, Texas Rangers
Last Week: 7 G, .333, 8 H, 3 R, 2 2B, 6 RBI, 8 BB, 6 K, 1-1 SB
Vs. Oakland A’s, May 7 – 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K
Vs. OAK, May 8 – 2-4, 1 2B, 1 K
Vs. OAK, May 8 – 2-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB
Vs. COL, May 10 – 0-4, 1 K
Vs. COL, May 11 – 1-2, 1 RBI, 2 BB
Vs. COL, May 12 – 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K
Vs. Cleveland Indians, May 13 – 1-3, 1 BB, 1 K
Season: 22 G, .316 BA, 25 H, 12 R, 5 2B, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 17 BB, 17 K, .438 OBP, .418 SLG
Career: 6 seasons, 568 G, .275 BA, 569 H, 284 R, 103 2B, 9 3B, 74 HR, 271 RBI, 260 BB, 569 K, 13-15 SB, .358 OBP, .440 SLG
2B Justin Foscue, Rangers
Last Week: (Placed on the 60-day IL with left oblique strain on April 13)
Season: 2 G, .500, 1 H, 1 RBI
OF Brent Rooker, Oakland Athletics
Last Week: 7 G, .482, 13 H, 8 R, 3 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 5 BB, 6 K, 1-1 SB
Vs. TEX, May 7 – 1-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB
Vs. TEX, May 8 – 3-4, 3 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 K
Vs. TEX, May 8 – 2-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 BB, 2 K
Vs. SEA, May 10 – 1-4, 1 K
Vs. SEA, May 11 – 2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1-1 SB
Vs. SEA, May 12 – 2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 K
Vs. HOU, May 13 – 2-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 BB
Season: 31 G, .303 BA, 33 H, 21 R, 7 2B, 10 HR, 27 RBI, 15 BB, 39 K, .392 OBP, .642 SLG, 2-2 SB
Career: 5 seasons, 249 G, .240, 195 H, 112 R, 40 2B, 1 3B, 50 HR, 119 RBI, 82 BB, 297 K, 6-6 SB, .326 OBP, .477 SLG
2B Jordan Westburg, Baltimore Orioles
Last Week: 6 G, .364, 8 H, 2 R, 4 2B, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K, 1-1 SB
Vs. Washington Nationals, May 7 – 1-3
Vs. WSH, May 8 – 1-5, 2 R, 1 2B, 2 K
Vs. Arizona Diamondbacks, May 10 -1-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K
Vs. AZ, May 11 – 4-5, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1-1 SB
Vs. AZ, May 12 – 1-2, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 BB
Vs. Toronto Blue Jays, May 13 – 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K
Season: 38 G, .298 BA, 42 H, 20 R, 9 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 27 RBI, 10 BB, 30 K, .353 OBP, .518 SLG , 5-7 SB
Career: 2 seasons, 106 G, .275 BA, 96 H, 46 R, 26 2B, 4 3B, 9 HR, 50 RBI, 26 BB, 86 K, .328 OBP, .450 SLG, 9-12 SB
