Where Mississippi State's pitching staff stands in preseason
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State starts its quest for another trip Omaha in just over two weeks.
New head coach Chris Lemonis has had half a year to work with the roster and figure out what the lineup will look like when Youngstown State comes to Starkville for a three-game series at Dudy Noble Field starting Friday, Feb. 15.
To get to the College World Series, it all starts on the mound. Here is an early look at the Diamond Dawg pitching staff as the season rapidly approaches.
What does the weekend rotation look like?
Ask Lemonis the same question, and he'll tell you this: "Ethan Small, TBA, TBA." It's still January, and pitching rotations at the collegiate level are often volatile and take weeks or even months to solidify. But right now, even the Bulldogs' head coach doesn't know who is trotting out to the mound on Feb. 16 and 17.
"Hopefully we're a little closer to finding that out," Lemonis said. "I've got a good idea, but we've still got to figure out some things on the field. The positive is we have some really good candidates."
One of those candidates is freshman J.T. Ginn, who hasn't thrown a pitch in college but has already been named a Second-Team Preseason All-American by Baseball America.
It wouldn't shock Ginn's teammates if he were to get the ball on opening weekend. Sophomore outfielder Rowdey Jordan went as far as to declare that Ginn will surely be one of Mississippi State's weekend starters.
Still, Lemonis said he likes what Ginn provides at the plate. Having to juggle being one of State's starters while also playing in the infield isn't exactly easy for a college freshman, but Ginn isn't an ordinary first-year player. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first round of last year's MLB draft but chose to play at State instead. Lemonis labeled him an "ultra-competitor." Ginn should be effective anywhere he plays, including the mound.
If Small and Ginn end up being locked in as weekend starters, then who gets the ball on the other day? Konnor Pilkington and Jacob Billingsley aren't around anymore. They started a combined 36 games last season. Their departures leave players who have only started a combined eight games on the pitching staff.
Junior right-hander Denver McQuary started six games last year, but Lemonis said he's a "back-end" bullpen guy right now. Senior righty Peyton Plumlee is an intriguing option for Lemonis. He was suspended in 2018 for failing a drug test but is back for his final year. As a sophomore in 2017, Plumlee started eight games. Mississippi State won six of them.
Jack Eagan is another pitcher to keep an eye on. He comes to Mississippi State after a stellar career at Madison College, where he went 5-1 as a starter in 11 games last season. He owns the Madison College record for career strikeouts (179).
Whoever Lemonis decides to put on the mound, he knows one thing for certain: he's confident in his No. 1 starter.
"Right now, Ethan Small has done it, he's been there and he's been one of our best all year," Lemonis said. "He's the leader of our pitching staff, so I feel confident with him there. After that, we have to figure it out."
What does the bullpen look like?
Every coach in America would love his starter to go deep into an outing and only have to use a couple relievers to finish a game off. Every coach in America also knows that isn't always the case.
Lemonis said he has the back end of the bullpen pretty well figured out. Cole Gordon appeared in a team-high 30 games last season, and he figures to play just as pivotal of a role out of the pen in his final season wearing the M-over-S. He averaged more than one strikeout per inning last season.
Right-hander Spencer Price missed the 2018 season due to injury, but Lemonis said he will be an important late-game pitcher as well. The third right-hander in the late-inning mix is Riley Self, a player who Lemonis has more confidence in than anybody else out of the pen.
"Riley is one of the few guys we feel like we could run out there in a dirty inning," Lemonis said. "First and third, one out. I feel pretty comfortable giving the ball to Riley Self and he's going to make somebody hit the ball and put the ball in the zone."
Lemonis said all three of those righties are candidates to be closers when those situations arise. The one thing he's worried about is adding a left-hander with the same capabilities to the mix. He has a slew of southpaws on his roster, but he's not sure who is capable of doing what he needs.
Bryce Brock is a freshman who Lemonis said can contribute right away, so it shouldn't shock anyone to see Lemonis throw him on the mound this season. Cale Breaux is another left-hander who appeared in relief four times in 2018 but could see an expanded role in 2019.
"We're trying to figure out who that lefthander is that can come in and just pound the zone with strikes," Lemonis said. "If they hit it, they hit it. We're going to make some quality pitches and make them put the ball in play."
Email Tyler Horka thorka@jackson.gannett.com and follow @tbhorka on Twitter