Mississippi State University has a rich history of producing professional baseball talent. In 2026, 40 former Bulldogs are active in professional leagues, including eight in Major League Baseball, according to updates from the teams and MSU.
Among those in the majors are All-Stars Adam Frazier, Brent Rooker, Jordan Westburg and Brandon Woodruff, as well as World Series champion Nathaniel Lowe, all of whom lettered at MSU. The university has produced 71 Major League players and 20 first-round draft picks, including Rooker, Westburg, Justin Foscue, Will Bednar, Landon Sims and Jurrangelo Cijntje, the school’s baseball website reported.
Recent performances include J.P. France of the Houston Astros, who was recalled from the minors after a brief stint. France has appeared in two games this season with a 7.71 ERA. Frazier of the Los Angeles Angels hit a home run on April 15 and is batting .308 over his last seven games. J.T. Ginn of the Oakland Athletics has limited opponents to a .164 batting average this season.
Nathaniel Lowe of the Cincinnati Reds delivered a three-run double on April 11. Jake Mangum of the Pittsburgh Pirates is batting .375 with an OPS of .641 over his last seven games. Rooker, now with the Oakland Athletics, was placed on the injured list with an oblique strain on April 10. Westburg remains on the 60-day injured list with a UCL sprain.
Other notable alumni include Brandon Woodruff of the Milwaukee Brewers, who struck out six batters in a six-inning start, and Landon Sims of the Amarillo Sod Poodles, who earned a win after two shutout innings on April 16. Several prospects continue to develop in the minors, such as Justin Foscue, Konnor Pilkington, and Kasey Ligon, with varying levels of success and injury updates.
MSU’s baseball program continues to be a pipeline for professional talent, with weekly updates available on HailState.com tracking these players’ performances throughout the season.
