Published: July 01, 2009 07:22 pm      

Ex-River player debuts in pros

From staff reports

POPLARVILLE — Former Pearl River Community College and Mississippi State baseball standout Grant Hogue enjoyed a successful start to his professional baseball career Tuesday night, going 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs driven in leading the Greeneville (Tenn.) Astros to a 6-2 win over the Bristol (Tenn.) Sox in their Appalachian League season-opener.

Hogue, in his familiar lead-off role, drew a walk in his first plate appearance to open the game and singled in the game's first run in the second inning.

The Hattiesburg, Miss., native was a 35th-round draft pick of the Astros earlier this month after closing out his two-year MSU career with 54 stolen bases, tying for fourth among State's all-time career stolen base leaders.

Hogue, who prepped at Oak Grove High School, was the starting centerfielder for the Bulldogs the past two seasons after redshirting in 2007.

He earned All-Region 23 and All-MACJC honors while starting for the Wildcats the 2005 and 2006 seasons.

“Grant is one of the best players to ever suit up in a Pearl River uniform,” said Wildcat head coach Jamie McMahon who coached Hogue during his two years at The River. “He’s very deserving of being selected and I wish him all the luck in the world.”

Hogue was a two-year starter for the Bulldogs, batting an impressive .315 this past season, including 10 extra-base hits and 22 RBIs. His team-high 29 stolen bases this past year ranked third in the Southeastern Conference and is the second-highest total in MSU history.

All told, Hogue sole 54 bases over his two-year stint in Starkville, which is tied for the fourth-highest total in Bulldogs annals.

He played his junior season under former head coach Ron Polk and his senior season under first-year head coach John Cohen. Mississippi State posted a 25-29 record this past spring.

His MSU teammate Ricky Bowen, a pitcher, was drafted in the 43rd round by the Cincinnati Reds — the same team that drafted Hogue in the 46th round in 2008, while first baseman Conner Powers was selected in the 11 th round by the Los Angeles Dodgers.