Seven Bulldogs Selected In MLB Draft
July 14, 2025 | Baseball
STARKVILLE – The 2025 MLB Draft is in the books and proved to be another banner year for Mississippi State.
The Diamond Dawgs saw seven players selected on the second day of the draft. Pico Kohn, Evan Siary, Karson Ligon, Hunter Hines, Luke Dotson, Nate Williams and Jacob Pruitt were all taken during this year's draft to bring MSU's all-time total to 248 draft picks.
Six of the Bulldogs picked this year were pitchers on Justin Parker's staff, which included the entire weekend starting rotation.
Kohn, a junior, was the highest State player drafted going in the fourth round (134th overall) to the New York Yankees. Kohn started 15 games as a junior this past spring posting a 5-4 record with a 4.72 earned run average, 114 strikeouts and 29 walks in 80 innings of work.
The 6-foot-4, 205-pound southpaw from Verbena, Alabama's strikeout total ranked seventh in the Southeastern Conference. It is the 13th time the Yankees have drafted a player from Mississippi State and the first since selecting Cade Smith in 2023.
Siary was the second Bulldog to come off the board when the Texas Rangers took him in the eighth round (235th overall). The junior right-hander served in a variety of roles for State this past spring but settled in as the Saturday starter during SEC play. The Starkville Academy product posted a 3-1 record through 15 appearances and 10 starts in 2025 while recording 72 strikeouts and just 15 walks across 54 frames.
Siary was also the 13th Diamond Dawg to be drafted by the Rangers, who last chose Jusitn Foscue in the first round in 2020.
The third member of MSU's weekend rotation, Ligon, was the next to go in the ninth round (262nd overall) to the Toronto Blue Jays. Ligon logged 73 strikeouts in 56 2/3 innings across 15 starts as a senior this past spring and finished with a 6-5 record.
The righty from Sarasota, Florida pitched in 30 games and earned seven victories during his two years at State and registered 94 strikeouts after transferring in from Miami. He is the third Bulldog hurler the Blue Jays have selected in the last two years after drafting both Khal Stephen and Colby Holcombe in 2024. Toronto has taken eight Mississippi State players overall.
The program's all-time home run leader, Hines, had his name called in the 10th round (291st overall) by the Washington Nationals. Hines hit an astounding 70 homers and drove in 221 runs (third all-time) during his four seasons in Starkville to go along with 246 hits, 49 doubles, one triple and a .282 career batting average.
This past season, the first baseman from Madison hit .280 with 15 doubles, 16 long balls and 52 RBIs. He hit 16 or more homers in all four seasons at MSU. Hines is the ninth player to be drafted by the Nationals/Montreal Expos organization and the first since another first baseman, Tyler Moore, went in 2008.
Dotson went in the 11th round (333rd overall) after the Arizona Diamondbacks took him as a draft-eligible sophomore. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound lefty made 18 appearances in relief this past spring going 1-2 with a 3.09 ERA and a pair of saves. He struck out 34 in just 23 1/3 innings and limited opposing hitters to a .214 batting average against him.
The Marietta, Georgia native is the sixth Diamond Dawg to be drafted by the Diamondbacks and first since first-rounder Landon Sims in 2022.
Williams, another reliever, was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 13th round (391st overall). The 6-foot-4, 250-pound right-hander from Ackworth, Georgia fanned 51 and walked 11 in 27 2/3 innings this past year. He finished his junior year 1-3 with a save and a 4.23 ERA.
Williams is the 10th player the Cubs have picked from State and the first since Jeffrey Rea in 2007.
Pruitt was the final Bulldog to be taken in 2025 when the Philadelphia Phillies picked him up in the 15th round (461st overall). Pruitt appeared in nine games and made two starts during his lone season at MSU after transferring in from Indiana State. The junior righty from Yorktown, Indiana went 1-0 and recorded 23 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings of work.
Pruitt is just the fourth Bulldog to be drafted by the Phillies and first in 25 years following Kevin Donovan in 2000.
The deadline for players to sign with their respective clubs is July 28 at 4 p.m. CT.
Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the baseball program. Fans can also follow the program on social media by searching 'HailStateBB' on X, Facebook and Instagram.
