Mississippi State’s Ace Reese, Ben Davis Drafted by Mariners and Rockies
STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State saw two of its players drafted Saturday during the first day of the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft. Third baseman Ace Reese was selected 24th overall by the Seattle Mariners, and reliever Ben Davis was picked in the fourth round (104th overall) by the Colorado Rockies, according to school officials.
Reese, a junior from Canton, Texas, is the 21st Bulldog to be chosen in the first round. He is also the highest-drafted third baseman in school history. The All-American started 118 games over two seasons in Starkville, hitting .341 with 40 doubles, one triple, 45 home runs and 138 RBIs, with a 1.144 OPS, the school said.
He transferred from Houston and batted .336 this spring, with 24 home runs and 74 RBIs. Reese led the Southeastern Conference with 23 doubles and became one of only three Bulldogs to hit 20 or more homers in back-to-back seasons, joining Will Clark and Rafael Palmeiro. His 45 homers over two years are tied for ninth in school history, according to MSU.
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound player earned multiple honors, including two All-SEC first-team selections and the 2025 SEC Newcomer of the Year award. He received 10 All-America honors during his college career, the school said.
Davis, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound right-hander, transferred to Mississippi State from Itawamba Community College. He appeared in 49 games as a reliever, going 4-4 with a 3.71 ERA and six saves over 104 1/3 innings. Davis struck out 118 and walked 38, according to MSU. The Booneville native was named second-team All-SEC this season.
He made 26 relief appearances, posting a 0-2 record with five saves and a 3.64 ERA. He also struck out 57 batters and walked 14 over 47 innings. Davis is the 15th pitcher from Mississippi State drafted in the past three years. He is also the first Bulldog to be selected by the Rockies since Brad Cumbest in 2022.
The MLB Draft continues with rounds 5-20 scheduled for Sunday at 10:30 a.m., streaming on MLB.com. Fans can follow Mississippi State baseball on social media using the handle ‘HailStateBB’ on X, Facebook, and Instagram.
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