New Mississippi State baseball coach Brian O'Connor is in the process of filling out his first coaching staff in Starkville. For a few of the prominent roles on his staff, O'Connor is bringing assistants with him from Virginia, as associate head coach Kevin McMullan and recruiting coordinator Matt Kirby will fill the same roles at MSU.
But for the role of pitching coach, O'Connor is going with someone Bulldog fans are already familiar with.
Justin Parker retained as Mississippi State Bulldogs' pitching coach
On Thursday, Mississippi State announced that pitching coach Justin Parker will remain on staff in Starkville in the same role under Brian O'Connor. Parker, who just wrapped up his second season at MSU, served as the Bulldogs' interim coach following the dismissal of Chris Lemonis. MSU went 11-4 with Parker calling the shots, highlighted by a series win over No. 24 Ole Miss and a trip to the Tallahassee Regional final.
In 2024, Justin Parker took over a Mississippi State pitching staff that had been far and away the worst in the SEC. The Diamond Dawgs finished last in the league in team ERA in both 2022 and 2023, with ERAs of 6.07 and 7.01, respectively. The 2023 team issued a horrid 321 walks in just 53 games played.
Parker's impact was felt immediately. Mississippi State jumped all the way up to fourth in the SEC with a team ERA of 4.17, and the free passes dropped by more than 100. Friday night ace Khal Stephen was named 1st Team All-SEC. After Parker's first season in Starkville, eight Bulldog pitchers were selected in the 2024 MLB Draft, including Jurrangelo Cijntje at No. 15 overall.
Justin Parker's impressive work with MSU's arms continued in 2025. The Bulldogs posted a team ERA of 4.44 while allowing an opponent batting average of just .227 and being one of the top strikeout teams in the SEC. Needless to say, Parker has done an outstanding job in Starkville.
There was reporting that Wake Forest pitching coach and 2023 D1 Baseball Assistant of the Year Corey Muscara was in the running to join Brian O'Connor in Starkville as the Bulldogs' pitching coach, but in recent days, momentum picked up for Justin Parker to be retained. Parker has done more than enough to warrant remaining on staff, and his familiarity with the program and, even more importantly, the roster makes him invaluable. He's proven he can maximize the players he coaches and will know how to work with State's returning arms in 2026.