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Diamond Dawg Hunter Hines enters 2025 season as the SEC's leader at first base

The Bulldog slugger earned preseason honors ahead of his senior campaign.

ByAndrew Miller|
MIssissippi State's Hunter Hines (44) waits for the throw from the pitcher as Ole Miss' Andrew Fischer (3) is safe at first at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Miss., Wednesday, May 1, 2024.
MIssissippi State's Hunter Hines (44) waits for the throw from the pitcher as Ole Miss' Andrew Fischer (3) is safe at first at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Miss., Wednesday, May 1, 2024. | Barbara Gauntt/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

The return of Mississippi State baseball is right around the corner. The Diamond Dawgs begin the 2025 season on February 14, just a little over a week from now. There will be lots of new faces on this State team, but one important figure in the lineup is returning.

Bulldog baseball got a positive surprise last summer when home run-hitting first baseman Hunter Hines went undrafted in the 2024 MLB Draft. Rather than try and make his way as an undrafted free agent, Hines chose to return to Starkville, immediately making him the biggest returning piece for the program in 2025.

Now, he enters his final season as one of the top players in the SEC.

Mississippi State baseball first baseman Hunter Hines named preseason 1st Team All-SEC

On Wednesday, the SEC announced their 2025 baseball preseason coach's poll and All-SEC teams. Mississippi State's Hunter Hines was named preseason 1st Team All-SEC, the only Bulldog named as an all-conference player entering the season.

Last season Hines batted .257 for the Diamond Dawgs with 16 home runs and 56 RBI, both second on the team. Hines, who is fourth in MSU history with 54 home runs, was previously named 1st Team All-SEC as a DH in 2023 and earned Freshman All-American honors in 2022.

Mississippi State needs Hunter Hines to be a superstar this season

There's some pressure for Hunter Hines to put together a dominant senior season. Mississippi State is losing plenty of pop in the lineup with Dakota Jordan, Connor Hujsak, and David Mershon all gone. The Bulldogs pulled in a good transfer class, featuring talented bats in DH Noah Sullivan, middle infielder Sawyer Reeves, and third baseman Ace Reese.

But it's asking a lot to expect each transfer to come in and provide the same type of production as the guys they're replacing. Hunter Hines is a guy who's shown he can perform at an elite level within the SEC previously in his career. He'll need to show that level of play on a regular basis if Mississippi State is going to maximize its potential for 2025.

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