STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State’s Tomas Valincius has been named to Baseball America’s midseason watch list for Pitcher of the Year, the publication announced Monday. The sophomore left-hander has been dominant through seven starts this season, according to the release.
Valincius is 6-0 with a 0.91 earned run average, 56 strikeouts and 11 walks in 39 2/3 innings. Opponents are batting just .173 against him, the release states. During Southeastern Conference play, the 6-foot-2, 225-pound pitcher from Lockport, Illinois, has been even more effective, posting a 3-0 record with a flawless ERA, 30 strikeouts and five walks over 19 innings. SEC hitters are batting only .109 against him, the release adds.
The midseason list includes 16 pitchers, with four finalists to be announced May 27. Selection criteria included production, prospect status, feedback from professional evaluators and level of competition, according to Baseball America.
Mississippi State (4th in the rankings) is scheduled to host No. 5 Georgia in a three-game series beginning Thursday at 6 p.m., the school said. Valincius and the Bulldogs are seeking to continue their strong season amid the busy SEC schedule.
