Mississippi State's latest prep commitment is also a MLB Draft prospect

Bauer is a top 20 high school recruit, which is big addition to the Bulldogs’ offseason recruitment class. A left-handed pitcher that can reach 100 mph or higher? There isn’t a baseball coach in the country that would say no to that.

That includes the coaches and executives in the professional ranks.

Bauer, an 18-year old 6-foot-3 prospect, is ranked No. 37 in MLB.com’s Top 200 Draft Prospects. That puts him in the territory of being a high draft pick and never actually playing at Dudy Noble Field.

He’ll also be a participant in next week’s MLB Draft Combine in Phoenix, which could help shed more light on his draft prospects and whether or not he’ll end up in Starkville next season.

“I've always looked at the process that a young man goes through at 18 years old and considering the Major League Baseball draft. That is a great opportunity for those young men, right? And they have to, with their families, make their own individual decision about what direction that they want to go with their life at the age of 18,” Mississippi State coach Brian O’Connor said during his introductory press conference. “What I talk to them about is between the age of 18 and 21, how do they want to live their life, and what do they look like their development path is? The two paths are different, okay? This path, you choose a coaching staff that every day is going to be a part of their development, and it's going to be the consistency every day and every year in their development until they're eligible for the draft again, all right? And what's happened is you start to prove a track record of development, right? And those kids, those young men see that this is a great path and avenue for them. I believe in these two words. It's about being prepared and equipped for whatever it is you do in life, right? Whether it's to be a college baseball player, whether it's to be a college coach. And I believe that college baseball, especially at this level, prepares those young men to be prepared and equipped for their professional careers. So, that's really it. That's what's behind it, all right? It's not a sales pitch. It's real. It's genuine, and it helps them choose what the best path for them is.”

Bauer is the second prep recruit to commit to the Bulldogs after O’Connor was named the program’s new head coach. Pennsylvania high school catcher Hunter Strohm officially changed his commitment earlier this week to Mississippi State after being committed to Virginia since 2023.

The MLB Draft isn’t until late July, so it’ll be a while before anyone really knows if Bauer will come to Starkville or going to the pros. But there’s more ambiguity than other SEC programs face with hard-throwing lefties (like Vanderbilt and Seth Hernandez).

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