From staff reports

The Vicksburg Post

 

Dakota Hudson is trading in his maroon and white for a different shade of red.

Mississippi State’s star right-hander became a first-round draft pick Thursday night, when the St. Louis Cardinals selected him 34th overall in the 2016 Major League Baseball Draft.

Hudson was the final pick of the first round. The Cardinals also picked shortstop Delvin Perez with the 23rd pick in the first round, and outfielder Dylan Carlson at No. 33.

Hudson had been projected as high as a mid-first-rounder, but wasn’t disappointed when he slipped to the end of the round.

“As we were going, we knew there was nothing to expect that wouldn’t be positive,” Hudson said. “Just the feelings and the emotions once it finally did happen kind of hit me all at once, to be honest.”

Hudson was ranked 15th on MLB.com’s Top 200 prospect list. He was originally selected by the Texas Rangers in the 36th round in 2013, but opted to play college baseball instead.

After a standout summer in the Cape Cod League in 2015, Hudson blossomed as one of the Southeastern Conference’s top pitchers.

Hudson is 9-4 with a 2.62 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 106 2/3 innings for the Bulldogs heading into their super regional series this weekend against Arizona. He had scoreless-innings streaks of 34 2/3 and 27 innings at various points of the season.

“We all believe he has starter potential,” Cardinals scouting director Randy Flores said. “You’re tested a lot under the pressure that he’s pitched. What we see is that he has a couple different ways to get big league hitters out.”

Hudson was one of two players from Mississippi picked on the draft’s first day.

Ole Miss outfielder J.B. Woodman went to the Toronto Blue Jays in the second round, with the 57th overall section.

Woodman was second on the Rebels this season with a .323 batting average. He led the team with 14 home runs — which was also best in the SEC — and 55 RBIs and 53 runs scored. The center fielder also had nine outfield assists, which ranks third nationally.

Woodman was expected to go in the first five rounds of the 2013 Draft, but he slipped because of signability concerns. He was later taken by the Mets in the 40th round but decided to attend Ole Miss instead of turning pro.

Woodman is Ole Miss’ highest draft pick since Drew Pomeranz was taken in the first round in 2010.

“Thank you to the @BlueJays for making my dream come true! Thank you to everyone who has helped me along the way!” Woodman tweeted late Thursday night.

ARIZONA AT MISSISSIPPI STATE

Friday: 5 p.m.

TV: ESPN2; Radio: 105.5 FM

Saturday: 5 p.m.

TV: ESPNU; Radio: 105.5 FM

Sunday: 5 p.m. (if necessary)

TV: ESPN2 or ESPNU; Radio: 105.5 FM

Tickets: About 4,500 general admission tickets remain for the best-of-three NCAA super regional series. All-session booklets cost $20 and are available online at hailstate.com/tickets