Mississippi State baseball 2023 MLB Draft tracker: Which Bulldogs have been selected
STARKVILLE — The 2023 MLB Draft completed Tuesday, and it went about as expected for Mississippi State baseball and coach Chris Lemonis.
The Bulldogs lost a trio of players from the roster along with a pair of signees. Shortstop Colin Houck started the festivities for MSU with the New York Mets drafting him in the first competitive balance round. Houck, the top signee in Mississippi State's 2023 class, was followed by MSU outfielder Colton Ledbetter who was taken by the Tampa Bay Rays in the second round.
The next signee to go was outfielder Aidan Smith who was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the fourth round. Mississippi State pitcher Cade Smith was taken in the sixth round to wrap up the second day of the MLB Draft for the Bulldogs.
The final day was quiet for Mississippi State until outfielder Kellum Clark was taken in the 20th round by the Mets.
Here's a look at which Mississippi State players and signees were taken.
Mississippi State baseball players taken in 2023 MLB Draft
OF Colton Ledbetter − Tampa Bay Rays
Drafted: Round 2 (55th overall)
Slot value: $1,509,800
What to know: Ledbetter spent one season at Mississippi State after transferring from Samford. He hit .320 with 12 home runs as MSU’s starting centerfielder. Between his final season at Samford and lone season at Mississippi State, Ledbetter started all 110 of his teams’ games.
RHP Cade Smith − New York Yankees
Drafted: Round 6 (192nd)
Slot value: $285,400
What to know: When healthy, Smith was Mississippi State’s most reliable option on the mound last season. He moved from the bullpen to a Sunday starting role in 2021 before opening 2022 as MSU’s top starter. Injuries sidelined him early in the season before he returned and provided consistency in the second half. He played a key role in MSU’s series win against LSU in May – pitching six innings and allowing two runs in a Game 2 win.
OF Kellum Clark − New York Mets
Drafted: Round 20 (No. 606 overall)
Slot value: N/A
What to know: Clark hit one of the most memorable home runs in Mississippi State history – a three-run shot to stretch the Bulldogs’ lead in a decisive College World Series win against Vanderbilt. Clark played a key role in Mississippi State winning a national title in 2021. He hit .299 with 11 home runs this year. In SEC play, he hit .333.
Mississippi State baseball commitments taken in 2023 MLB Draft
SS Colin Houck − New York Mets
Drafted: Competitive Balance Round A (No. 32 overall)
Slot value: $2,607,500
What to know: Houck is part of a deep class of high school shortstops in this year’s draft class. With his selection, Mississippi State has now had prep shortstops taken in the first round of back-to-back drafts (Jett Williams). Houck was the top player out of Georgia in the 2023 signing class, according to Perfect Game.
OF Aidan Smith − Seattle Mariners
Drafted: Round 4 (124th overall)
Slot value: $531,300
What to know: Smith is the second MSU signee off the board, and it’s another big loss if he signs with the Mariners. He is an outfielder from Lucas, Texas who was the No. 111 player in the 2023 class and No. 21 outfielder nationally, according to Perfect Game.
Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat writer for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at skrajisnik@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @skrajisnik3.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi State baseball 2023 MLB Draft tracker
