Small picked by Brewers in first round of MLB Draft

 

By JOEL COLEMAN

sports@starkvilledailynews.com

Ethan Small’s patience has paid off.

Small, Mississippi State’s ace left-handed pitcher, was chosen in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft on Monday night by the Milwaukee Brewers. Small was the 28th overall pick and he became the 15th-ever MSU player to be chosen in the draft’s opening round. 

Small’s Monday night selection comes just one year after Small was taken in the 26th round of last year’s draft by Arizona. Instead of inking with the Diamondbacks, Small elected to return to Starkville. It has proven to be a fruitful decision as he used an outstanding 2019 season to jump up 25 rounds in the draft into a spot that has a slot value of just under $2.5 million.

So exactly how did Small make so big of a leap? The Lexington, Tennessee, native put together one of the greatest seasons in Mississippi State history. 

Small was chosen last month as this year’s Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year. The southpaw has hurled 96 innings so far this season and has compiled a 9-2 record in 16 starts. Small has been absolutely dominant along the way. He’s limited opponents to just 27 walks and 53 hits and teams have batted a minuscule .160 against Small. He’s also struck out a whopping 160 batters – a mark that sits only 14 shy of tying the all-time MSU single-season record currently held by Eric DuBose. Small is only two strikeouts behind this season’s national leader and he leads the SEC in punch outs.

For his MSU career, Small has recorded 302 strikeouts. Only DuBose and Jeff Brantley have more.

Small is the first Bulldog to be picked in the opening round of the MLB Draft since Brent Rooker in 2017. Small is the fifth MSU player over a seven-year span to be picked in the first round, joining Chris Stratton (2012), Hunter Renfroe (2013), Dakota Hudson (2016) and Rooker.

While Small will almost assuredly soon join all of those players in the professional ranks, he still has work left to do at MSU. Small should be on the mound for the Bulldogs this weekend when MSU opens up the Starkville Super Regional. Dates and times for this weekend’s games are set to be released at 7 a.m. on Tuesday morning.