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Mississippi State

Toronto Blue Jays take Mississippi State starter Karson Ligon in ninth round

3rupauk8_400x400by: Robbie Faulk07/14/25RobbieFaulkOn3
karson ligon3
Karson Ligon (Photo by Mike Mattina, Mississippi State Athletics)

Karson Ligon completed the trifecta of Mississippi State starting pitchers drafted in the top 10 rounds.

The senior right hander was picked in Monday’s round nine of the MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays. He follows up former starter Khal Stephen who was taken by the organization last season in the top 10 rounds and high school signee JoJo Parker was selected eighth overall by the Blue Jays on Sunday night in round one.

Ligon became a full time starter for State under Justin Parker this senior season and he had some good moments for the Diamond Dawgs. He was 6-5 with a 5.40 ERA and started in all 15 weekends on the year. He pitched 56.2 innings with 55 hits, 34 earned runs, 29 walks and 73 strikeouts.

It was a big step up in a role for Ligon after throwing in 23.2 innings last season and relieving 13 of his 15 appearances. He had a 4.56 ERA and walks were an issue as he gave away 21 of those while striking out 21 batters.

Prior to his time in Starkville, Ligon spent two seasons pitching for Miami. The Sarasota, Fla., native was 6-6 with a 4.90 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 75.1 innings as a freshman. He started 10 games as a sophomore and dealt with a shoulder injury as he was 3-2 with a 4.80 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 50.2 innings.

Ligon’s velocity uptick has him as an intriguing prospect with a fastball that has climbed to the upper 90’s. He’s also developing his slider and changeup better as he looks to make a run in the professional leagues.

He follows LHP Pico Kohn and RHP Evan Siary as weekend starter for the Bulldogs that have been drafted on Monday. Kohn was taken in the fourth round by the New York Yankees while Siary came out in the eighth round and to the Texas Rangers. Transfer portal pitcher Davion Hickson was drafted in the fifth round to the Los Angeles Dodgers while high school signees Parker and RHP Landon Harmon were taken on Sunday in the first and third round respectively.

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