Renfroe Heading To The Majors

STARKVILLE, Miss. (Miss. St. Athletics) – Just over three years ago, Hunter Renfroe helped lead Mississippi State to the biggest stage in college baseball, was drafted 13th overall in the 2013 MLB Draft and began his climb through the minor league ranks. He now gets his shot at the biggest stage in all of baseball.

The San Diego Padres called up Renfroe from the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas late Tuesday, making him the 57th Diamond Dawg in school history to reach the Majors.

A native of Crystal Springs, Miss., Renfroe shined in the minor league system, hitting .281 with 77 home runs and 283 RBI across five levels. Most recently, he helped lead El Paso to the Pacific Coast League Championship while being named PCL Most Valuable Player after hitting at a .306 clip with 30 homers and 105 RBI.

The call-up marks the fifth Diamond Dawg to be called up this season, joining Adam Frazier, who was called up by Pittsburgh on June 24, Chad Girodo, who was called up by Toronto on April 22, Chris Stratton, who joined San Francisco on May 28 and Jonathan Holder, who joined the New York Yankees on Sept. 2. Renfroe becomes the first Bulldog since Jon Knott to play for the Padres and just the second in program history. Knott played for San Diego in 2004 and 2006.

Renfroe is now the sixth member of the 2013 College World Series Diamond Dawg squad to reach the big leagues, joining Frazier, Girodo, Holder, Kendall Graveman and Jacob Lindgren. He is also the seventh Bulldog drafted since head coach John Cohen took over in 2009 to play in the Majors.

A total of seven Diamond Dawgs from the 2012 team have now reached the big leagues, which is just one shy of the Southeastern Conference record for MLB players from one team (2001 LSU and 2010 Florida). MSU sits alone in third place with seven big leaguers from one roster.

In his three seasons at MSU, Renfroe showcased his ability to hit for power, particularly as a junior in 2013, where he belted 16 homers, the most memorable one coming against No. 3 Oregon State to propel the Bulldogs into the CWS championship series. In the field, he displayed one of the stronger outfield arms in all of college baseball.