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State adds JUCO catcher Harlin Hovater to 2026 signing class

3rupauk8_400x400by: Robbie Faulk10/07/25RobbieFaulkOn3

For the second time in two days, Mississippi State baseball earned a commitment from a catcher.

A day after the 2027 class grabbed California top 100 catcher Carson Kinnick, the 2026 class got a backstop in the form of Meridian Community College’s Harlin Hovater. The Mississippi native announced his decision on Instagram Tuesday afternoon.

Hovater is coming off of a strong freshman year in the NJCAA playing baseball for head coach Dillon Sudduth and former Bulldog player and Eagle assistant coach Jarrod Parks. As a first-year player, Hovater batting .353 in 49 games with 53 hits, 13 doubles, four home runs, two triples and 35 RBI. He scored 28 runs and had more walks than strikeouts (30-23).

Prior to his time at Meridian, Hovater played his baseball for prestigious Magnolia Heights in Senatobia. He also played with current State pitcher and former Meridian player Peyton Fowler who is entering his first season with the Diamond Dawgs.

Hovater joins the ’26 class with 11 other members and is the second catcher commitment. The last six of those commitments have come under the leadership of Brian O’Connor as the new coach has landed five former Virginia commitments in C Hunter Strohm, SS Noah Danza, RHP Daniel Nienaber, OF Michael Hanna and SS Zach Geertsma jumping to Starkville.

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