Hall, Storm, Dickerson, Etzel part of record MLB Draft Day for Southern Miss
Today Southern Miss baseball set a new program record with four players taken in the first ten rounds of the MLB first year player draft.
USM also extending its streak of players selected in the first four rounds dating back to 2017. This year, it’s Tanner Hall.
In the 4th round, the unanimous All-American going 114th overall to the Minnesota Twins and that’s been a pretty good landing spot for the Golden Eagles in the past with USM home run king Matt Wallner having already reached the majors and Brian Dozier, making the 2015 AL All-Star team.
Last month, Hall became USM’s first-ever Gold Glove winner also winning Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year.
Hall was dominant in 2023, posting a record of 12-4 to go along with a 2.48 ERA across 112-and-a-third innings pitched and a .207 opponent batting average, all career highs.
The junior right hander also punching 124 tickets, giving him 302 for his Southern Miss career.
Last month, Hall attended the MLB Draft combine.
Southern Miss Pitcher Justin Storm was drafted in the seventh round, 203rd overall pick, by the Miami Marlins, who have an incredible track record of identifying and developing arm talent.
Storm is coming off an All-American campaign in 2023, receiving third team honors courtesy of the American Baseball Coaches Association and Rawlings.
This season, the junior lefty was a shutdown closer for USM, recording eight saves to go along with 2.36 ERA and 72 strikeouts across 45-and-two-thirds innings.
He got even better in the post-season with a 1.04 ERA and 23 K’s in 17-plus innings.
Storm is the first Southern Miss player to be picked by the Marlins since Taylor Braley in 2017.
In the eighth round, USM Shortstop Dustin Dickerson getting the call from the Kansas City Royals at 229 overall.
The junior has always been slick up the middle, but Dickerson finally unlocking that power swing, hitting 11 of his 13 career home runs this season, turning himself into a true five-tool prospect.
Dickerson hitting at least .320 each of the last two years to go along with 45 doubles and 20 stolen bases during that stretch.
In 2023, his .328 batting average, 11 homers, and 52 RBI were all career highs.
Getting hot at the right time with eight of those long balls coming across USM’s final 14 games.
Southern Miss Outfielder Matthew Etzel getting picked in the tenth round by the Baltimore Orioles with the 301st overall pick.
Like Hall, Etzel also taking part in last month’s MLB Draft combine, following his lone season in Hattiesburg in which he played all 66 games with a .317 batting average.
The top of the order bat also causing havoc on the bases with 23 steals, the most at USM since 1998.
His team leading 90 hits are the most since Dylan Burdeaux led the nation in that category in 2017.
Etzel adding 17 doubles, three triples, tried for the team lead, seven home runs, and 51 RBI.
Now Southern Miss and Ole Miss tied for the 10th most players selected through the first two days of the draft.
For the Rebels it’s Jacob Gonzalez and Calvin Harris, both going to the White Sox, in the first and fourth rounds respectively. Kemp Alderman going to the Marlins in the second round and Jack Dougherty to the Twins in the ninth.
Moving on to Mississippi State, two selections so far, Colton Ledbetter to the Rays in the second round and Cade Smith to the Yankees in the sixth.
Some other local ties, starting with Southern Miss transfer Hurston Waldrep, who played in the national championship with Florida, going 24th overall to the Braves and Pearl River Community College alum Bryson Ware going to the Phillies in the ninth round out of Auburn.
