As baseball season nears, the Magnolia State’s lone Frontier League club is continuing to take shape ahead of its debut campaign.
After announcing a general manager and field manager, the Mississippi Mud Monsters have begun to construct a roster to take the diamond this spring, with three players being signed. In fulfilling the team’s promise to make homegrown, fan favorites at the collegiate level part of operations, it comes as no surprise that a Mississippi-based slugger is the Mud Monsters’ first signee.
Former Mississippi State Bulldog Brayland Skinner, an outfielder on Chris Lemonis’ 2021 national championship group, will head to Pearl after his most recent title-winning venture with the Pioneer League’s Yolo High Wheelers, last year. In 90 games, the Lake Cormorant native had a .298 batting average with eight home runs and 41 stolen bases.
Another early signee of the Mud Monsters is DeSoto Central standout Kyle Booker, who spent his college years at Tennessee and Oral Roberts as an outfielder. Booker was part of the Volunteers’ 2023 team that reached the College World Series. After spending one year with the Golden Eagles, the Southaven native earned a spot on the Billings Mustangs’ roster. He hit .317 in college and had seven home runs, paired with seven steals in 27 games with the Mustangs.
Rounding out the trio of additions to the new club is Ryan Cash, a Frontier League veteran who most recently had a .350 batting average with the Tri-City ValleyCats last year. Hailing from Plano, Texas, Cash began his time in college at Oklahoma State before transferring to Oral Roberts as an infielder.
“These guys bring speed, skill, and excitement. Mississippi will be proud of this team,” Mud Monsters field manager Jay Pecci said.
As central Mississippi said goodbye to the Double-A Braves last year, a new beginning is on the horizon as the Mud Monsters are set to make their Trustmark Park debut on May 8. The club’s full schedule can be found here.
