Scott Berry expects MLB Draft interest in Southern Miss baseball's arms. Who could leave?

HATTIESBURG — Seven Southern Miss Golden Eagles have been selected in the MLB Draft since 2018, with five of those players departing without exhausting their collegiate eligibility.

After Southern Miss' season ended with a super regional loss to Ole Miss on Sunday, coach Scott Berry said he assumes there will be interest from major league organizations in some of his pitching talent. 

"It'll be interesting to see what happens there," Berry said. "We feel good about it right now." 

So, which Southern Miss pitchers could hear their names called when the MLB Draft begins July 17? 

Ones to watch

Dalton Rogers – In his role as a relief pitcher, Rogers didn't compile enough innings to qualify for the national strikeouts per nine innings leaderboard. If he had, his mark of 13.86 would be fourth in the country. That's the type of thing that attracts attention. Rogers struggled with his control at times, walking 23 batters in 37 innings, but it didn't much matter. He finished the year with a 1.95 ERA. An effective left-handed arm with great stuff, the third-year sophomore is an important name to watch. 

Tyler Stuart – At 6-foot-9, 250 pounds, Stuart has the kind of projectable frame that is going to make him an interesting prospect come July. The right-handed reliever is also one of the hardest throwers on the Southern Miss roster, with the ability to pump a fastball in the mid-90s consistently. He struck out 38 batters in 40 innings in 2022 and allowed only one home run. 

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On the radar 

Landon Harper – Harper was the subject of some small-scale draft buzz during his junior college career at Pearl River Community College, and his first season at USM has only helped his stock. He struck out 50 batters in 43.2 innings, completing the season with 12 saves and a 3.30 ERA. 

Garrett Ramsey – Ramsey improved greatly in his second season at Southern Miss, finishing with a 2.61 ERA in 21 relief outings. He allowed only one home run and struck out 45 batters to pair with just 11 walks in 31 innings. 

Longshots 

Isaiah Rhodes – Another bullpen arm, Rhodes was similarly effective at generating strikeouts, whiffing 38 batters in 30⅓ innings. His command was shaky at times, though, with 16 walks to his name. He finished the year with a 4.15 ERA. 

Ben Ethridge – Ethridge began the season as a starter after starting 14 contests in 2021 but eventually found himself in a relief role. He allowed 16 earned runs in 34⅔ innings, striking out 39 and walking seven. His career ERA remains impressive at 3.35. 

Unlikely 

Matthew Adams – Splitting his time between starting and pitching out of the bullpen, Adams finished the year with a 6.56 ERA. He posted 32 strikeouts in 23⅓ innings pitched but allowed a .261 batting average against and five homers. 

Chandler Best – A left-handed bullpen piece for Southern Miss, Best also had excellent strikeout numbers – notching 26 of them in 18⅓ innings. His .257 batting average against and 4.91 ERA both marked considerable improvements from his sophomore numbers. 

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Ineligible

Hurston Waldrep – A fireballing right-handed starter, Waldrep is set to return to Pete Taylor Park in 2022. He stuck out a remarkable 140 batters in 90 innings pitched, accumulating 23 strikeouts across two starts in NCAA Tournament play. Waldrep's 14.00 strikeouts per nine innings mark ranks third in the nation. He finished the season with a 3.20 ERA.

Tanner Hall – The All-American, like Waldrep, is not eligible for the MLB Draft until next summer, meaning the Golden Eagles should have their ace back for 2023. Hall concluded the season with a 9-3 record and 2.81 ERA, striking out 146 batters and walking only 14. 

Kros Sivley – Sivley did not appear in any games and will be a redshirt freshman. 

Niko Mazza – Another freshman, Mazza pitched 5⅓ innings and allowed three runs. 

Justin Storm – Storm burst onto the scene with his five scoreless innings in an elimination game against LSU. In total, the sophomore pitched to a 4.30 ERA in 13 outings. 

Riley Dawkins – Dawkins did not pitch in 2022 and will retain his redshirt. 

Will Tynes – Tynes, a redshirt freshman, did not make any appearances this season. 

Already moved on

Drew Boyd – He has a season of eligibility remaining but will move on, according to Berry. A starter in 2021, Boyd moved to the bullpen in 2022, where he pitched to a 3.38 ERA and struck out 14 batters in 10⅔ innings. 

Aubrey Gillentine – Gillentine is one of two Golden Eagles who had announced their entry into the NCAA Transfer Portal as of Wednesday. He pitched effectively in six appearances, notching a 1.93 ERA in 9⅓ innings. 

Hunter Riggins – It would not be a surprise to see Riggins find a professional home, should he choose to take that route. Riggins, a Delta State transfer, showcased a ruthless efficiency during his season in a USM jersey, using his sinker to pitch to a 2.59 ERA as the Golden Eagles' Saturday starter. 

Reach Southern Miss writer David Eckert at deckert@gannett.com or on Twitter @davideckert98.