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Adam Frazier makes it to the big leagues

By Josh Barnhill

Jun 24, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Adam Frazier (26) advances to second base on a wild pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the sixth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 24, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Adam Frazier (26) advances to second base on a wild pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the sixth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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This weekend Adam Frazier became the sixth former Diamond Dawg currently in the big leagues.

Three years after playing a key role on the Bulldogs’ 2013 College World Series team and setting the program record for base hits in a season (107), he’s been called up to play in the major leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Here’s a video of his first hit.

Frazier earned the call up to the big leagues because he was hitting .333 in AAA. This after hitting .321 in the Arizona Fall league in 2015 and .324 in AAA last year. That’s about par for the course from what we recall of his time in Starkville. At 24 years old, his future looks bright.

Adam makes six big leaguers who are former Diamond Dawgs:

  1. Chris Stratton (Giants)
  2. Kendall Graveman (A’s)
  3. Mitch Moreland (Rangers)
  4. Johnathan Papelbon (Nationals)
  5. Chad Girodo (Blue Jays)
  6. Adam Frazier (Pirates)

He is the fourth member of the 2013 College World Series runner-up team to make it to MLB. Graveman was first, followed by Jacob Lindgren pitching in seven games for the New York Yankees last year. Then Girodo made it earlier this year and now Frazier.

Related Story: Chad Girodo's remarkable rise to the big leagues

Lindgren has battled injury since last summer when he had to have arm surgery. He wasn’t able to make the Yankees big league club out of spring training and has only thrown seven innings for their Advanced A farm team in 2016.

Chris Stratton made his big league debut this spring for the Giants, and has pitched in five games as a reliever, giving up two runs in six innings.

The biggest head-scratcher for a former Bulldog trying to break into the big leagues is Hunter Renfroe. He is tearing it up in AAA with 17 home runs, 63 RBI and hitting .318 in the Padres organization. Stuck in last place, it would seem San Diego could use a big bat in their lineup.

Also from the 2013 team with a shot at making the show is Jonathan Holder. He made his way up to AAA last year in the Yankees organization, and is in AA right now where he’s posting a 2.48 ERA in 32.2 IP and five saves.

The curious case of Ed Easley continues as well. After being drafted in 2007 by the Diamondbacks organization in the 1st round, he has been stuck in minor league baseball now into his 30s. He did get a glimpse of the big leagues with seven plate appearances for the Cardinals in 2015, but he’s now in AAA with the Pirates organization. He struggled for a while hitting, but put up solid numbers with a .334 and .296 average in 2013 and 2014 respectively. He’s struggling this year, however, at only .176.

Good luck to all former Diamond Dawgs including the nine players off the 2016 SEC championship team who have signed professional contracts this summer.

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