#StateToTheShow: Opening Day 2026
March 26, 2026 | Baseball
Mississippi State Baseball has produced 71 big leaguers during its storied history.
Seven of those former Diamond Dawgs begin the 2026 season on Opening Day rosters including former All-Stars Adam Frazier, Brent Rooker, Jordan Westburg and Brandon Woodruff.
Last season saw Rooker selected to his second All-Star Game and also participated in the Home Run Derby. Rooker appeared in all 162 games for the Athletics in 2025, slugging 30 home runs and 89 RBIs.
Rooker's teammate with the A's, J.T. Ginn, is expected to begin the year in the bullpen.
Frazier, Nathaniel Lowe and Jake Mangum find themselves in new uniforms to start the year. Frazier and Lowe signed minor league deals with the Los Angeles Angels and Cincinnati Reds, respectively, and each earned a spot on the MLB Opening Day roster.
Mangum, the latest Bulldog to make his MLB debut last season with the Tampa Bay Rays, was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates during the offseason. The SEC's all-time hits leader batted .296 with 18 doubles, one triple, three homers, 40 RBIs and 27 stolen bases as a rookie for the Rays.
After missing the 2024 campaign due to shoulder surgery, Woodruff returned to start a dozen games at the end of last season. The former two-time All-Star went 7-2 with a 3.20 ERA, 83 strikeouts and 14 walks across 64 2/3 innings.
Westburg will open this season on the injured list with a partial UCL tear in his right elbow and is expected to miss at least the first month.
Several other State players with Major League experience will start the year in Triple-A including Justin Foscue, J.P. France and Konnor Pilkington. Many more Mississippi State players will be waiting in the wings for years to come with seven more players drafted last season.
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.
