Top 10 Highest-Drafted Players in Southern Miss Baseball History

For more than half a century, Southern Miss baseball has sent players from Hattiesburg into professional baseball.

Some became Major League regulars. Others never reached the highest level. A few were drafted so early that their selections still stand among the most significant moments in program history.

Southern Miss lists more than 100 players selected in the Major League Baseball Draft, stretching from Frank Baker in the draft’s early years to a recent run of Golden Eagles chosen in the opening rounds. The order below is based on overall selection rather than simply the round, an important distinction because the number of teams, supplemental rounds and draft phases have changed considerably over time.

Here are the 10 highest-drafted players in Southern Miss baseball history.

1. Frank Baker (SS) — No. 29 overall

New York Yankees, 1967

Years at Southern Miss: 1965-1967
Years in Big Leagues: 1970-1974

Almost six decades later, Frank Baker remains the highest MLB Draft pick in Southern Miss history.

The Yankees selected the Meridian native with the 29th overall pick in the second round of the June secondary phase of the 1967 draft. It was Baker’s second time being drafted after the San Francisco Giants had taken him in the 22nd round one year earlier.

Baker eventually reached the majors with New York on Aug. 9, 1970. The left-handed-hitting shortstop appeared for the Yankees in 1970 and 1971 before returning to the majors with Baltimore in 1973 and 1974. He played 146 Major League games, giving Southern Miss one of its earliest success stories in the modern draft era.

No Golden Eagle has been selected higher since.

2. Matt Wallner (OF) — No. 39 overall

Minnesota Twins, 2019

Years at Southern Miss: 2017-2019
Years in the Big Leagues: 2022-present
2026 Teams: Minnesota Twins (MLB), St. Paul Saints (AAA) (Twins Organization)

Matt Wallner arrived at Southern Miss with uncommon two-way ability and left as one of the most dangerous power hitters in school history.

The Minnesota native hit .336 with 19 home runs as a freshman in 2017, earning national freshman-of-the-year recognition while also making appearances on the mound. By the end of his three seasons in Hattiesburg, Wallner had established a school career home-run record and become one of college baseball’s most feared left-handed bats.

Minnesota selected him with the 39th overall pick in the Competitive Balance Round A of the 2019 draft. That made Wallner the highest-drafted Golden Eagle of the standard June draft era and placed him only behind Baker on the program’s all-time list.

Wallner reached the majors with the Twins in September 2022. His combination of raw power, arm strength and exit velocity translated to professional baseball, making him one of the most successful recent products of Pete Taylor Park.

3. JB Middleton (RHP) — No. 45 overall

Colorado Rockies, 2025

Years at Southern Miss: 2023-2025
2026 Team: Fresno Grizzlies (A) (Rockies Organization)

JB Middleton’s rise from lightly used freshman to one of the best pitchers in college baseball became one of the great development stories in Southern Miss history.

After working primarily out of the bullpen in 2024, Middleton took over the Friday-night role in 2025 and delivered a dominant season. The Yazoo City native went 10-1 with a 2.31 ERA, striking out 122 batters while walking only 25 over 105⅓ innings. He finished second nationally with a 0.85 WHIP and ranked among the national leaders in ERA, strikeouts, wins and hits allowed per nine innings.

Middleton won the Ferriss Trophy and collected All-America honors from five organizations before Colorado selected him at No. 45 in the second round. He became the highest-drafted pitcher in Southern Miss history and the third-highest selection overall.

The Rockies signed him for a reported $2.072 million, beginning his professional career as one of the more highly regarded pitching prospects Southern Miss has produced.

4. Tommy Davis (1B) — No. 54 overall

Baltimore Orioles, 1994

Years at Southern Miss: 1992-1994
Years in the Big Leagues: 1999

Tommy Davis was the centerpiece of the Southern Miss lineup during the early 1990s and became the program’s first conventional second-round selection to reach the majors.

The Mobile native earned Metro Conference Newcomer of the Year honors in 1992 and was named the Mississippi Sports Writers Association Player of the Year in 1994. Baltimore then selected the first baseman with the 54th overall pick in the second round.

Davis worked his way through the Orioles’ organization and made his Major League debut on May 14, 1999. His stay in the majors was brief—six official at-bats—but reaching Baltimore completed a five-year climb through professional baseball.

For 25 years, Davis remained one of only a handful of Golden Eagles ever selected in the first two rounds.

5. Ray Guy (RHP) — No. 54 overall

Houston Astros, 1971

Years at Southern Miss: 1970-1973 (Baseball) 1969-1972 (Football)

Most sports fans know Ray Guy as the greatest punter in football history. Long before his Hall of Fame career with the Raiders, however, Guy was also an elite baseball prospect at Southern Miss.

Possessing an overpowering arm, Guy struck out 266 batters during his Golden Eagle career—a total that remains among the highest in program history. Houston selected him with the 54th overall pick in the third round of the June secondary phase in 1971.

Guy did not sign. He returned to Southern Miss and was selected again by the Atlanta Braves in the 17th round in 1972. The following year, the Oakland Raiders made him the first pure punter ever chosen in the 1st Round of the NFL Draft.

Although he never played professional baseball, Guy’s 54th-overall selection remains tied with Davis for the fourth-highest pick attached to a Southern Miss player.

6. Brandon Parker (RHP) — No. 55 overall

Seattle Mariners, 1997

Brandon Parker developed into one of Southern Miss’ most dependable arms during the mid-1990s.

Parker pitched for the Golden Eagles from 1995 through 1997 and recorded 10 career saves. His performance and professional projection convinced Seattle to use the 55th overall pick in the second round of the 1997 MLB Draft. At the time, Parker joined Frank Baker, Tommy Davis and Ray Guy among the highest-drafted players in school history.

Parker spent five seasons in the Mariners organization from 1997 through 2001, pitching at every level through High-A but never advancing beyond that classification. After leaving affiliated baseball, he continued his career in the independent ranks, where he pitched until retiring following the 2005 season.

Although he never reached the Major Leagues, Parker’s No. 55 overall selection remained one of the highest in Southern Miss history for more than two decades before the recent wave of Golden Eagle draft picks. His selection helped establish Southern Miss as a program capable of producing legitimate early-round professional talent.

7. Reed Trimble (OF) — No. 65 overall

Baltimore Orioles, 2021

Years at Southern Miss: 2020-2021
2026 Teams: Norfolk Tides (AAA), Frederick Keys (A+), Delmarva Shorebirds (A) (Orioles Organization)

Reed Trimble needed only one full college season to transform himself into an early-round draft pick.

During the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Trimble appeared in 17 games. A year later, he became the driving force in the Southern Miss lineup. The switch-hitting outfielder batted .345 with 17 home runs, 72 RBIs and 12 stolen bases in 2021. His RBI total tied for the national lead, and he earned both All-America and Freshman All-America honors.

Trimble was especially dangerous during the Oxford Regional, batting .560 with three home runs and 14 RBIs over five games.

Baltimore selected him with the 65th overall pick in Competitive Balance Round B. The Orioles viewed him as an intriguing power-and-speed prospect capable of playing across the outfield, and he signed for a reported $800,000.

In November 2025, Baltimore added Trimble to its 40-man roster, another significant step in a professional career repeatedly interrupted by injuries.

8. Nick Sandlin (RHP) — No. 67 overall

Cleveland Indians, 2018

Years at Southern Miss: 2016-2018
Years in the Big Leagues: 2021-2026
2026 Teams: Los Angeles Angels (MLB), Salt Lake Bees (AAA) (Angels Organization) Toledo Mud Hens (AAA) (Tigers Organization)

Few Southern Miss pitchers have ever authored a season like Nick Sandlin did in 2018.

After spending his first two college seasons as a dominant reliever, Sandlin moved into the weekend rotation as a junior. The transition produced one of the finest pitching seasons in program history.

Sandlin finished 10-0 with a nation-leading 1.06 ERA. He struck out 144 batters and issued only 18 walks over 102⅓ innings, leading Southern Miss to the Conference USA regular-season and tournament championships. He earned Conference USA Pitcher of the Year honors, won the Ferriss Trophy and became a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes and Dick Howser awards.

Cleveland selected Sandlin with the 67th overall pick in the second round. He reached the majors in 2021 and quickly established himself as a useful bullpen arm with his low release point, deception and sweeping breaking ball.

While several players were chosen slightly higher, Sandlin’s combination of college dominance and Major League production makes his selection one of the most important in Southern Miss history.

9. Jake Cook (OF) — No. 81 overall

Toronto Blue Jays, 2025

Years at Southern Miss: 2023-2025
2026 Teams: Dunedin Blue Jays (A) (Blue Jays Organization)

Jake Cook’s athleticism gave Southern Miss multiple options.

Initially used as both an outfielder and pitcher, Cook eventually concentrated on playing center field and emerged as one of the best pure hitters on the 2025 team. He batted a team-leading .350 with 83 hits, 13 doubles, three triples, three home runs and 32 RBIs. Cook also struck out only once every 12.5 at-bats, ranking 26th nationally among the toughest players to strike out.

His speed was especially valuable. Cook produced 31 infield hits and regularly changed games with his range in center field, including a home-run robbery against Arkansas State that reached ESPN’s daily highlight countdown.

Toronto selected Cook with the 81st overall pick in the third round. Combined with Middleton going 45th, it marked the first time Southern Miss had two players selected within the first three rounds of the same draft.

Cook’s selection continued a modern run in which Southern Miss developed early-round prospects with very different skill sets.

10. Clint King — No. 82 overall

Chicago White Sox, 2003

Clint King was one half of the “Bash Brothers” combination that powered Southern Miss to one of the most important seasons in program history.

King and Jeff Cook each blasted 23 home runs in 2003, tying the school’s single-season record at the time. King hit .394 with 100 hits, 23 doubles, 23 home runs and 77 RBIs, producing an extraordinary 1.221 OPS.

His offensive production helped the Golden Eagles win 47 games, capture the Conference USA championship and host an NCAA Regional for the first time. King memorably hit for the cycle during an 18-0 regional victory over Murray State.

The Chicago White Sox selected him with the 82nd overall pick in the third round. King signed after the draft and spent three seasons in the minor leagues.

Although his professional career was relatively brief, his place in Southern Miss history was already secure. King helped change expectations around the program and was a central figure in the season that laid the groundwork for the Golden Eagles’ rise into a consistent national contender.

He played three years in the White Sox organization never rising above Class A ball, before injuries derailed his career. He last played in 2005 for the Kannapolis Intimidators.

Honorable Mention. Hursten Waldrep (RHP) — No. 24 overall

Atlanta Braves, 2023

Years at Southern Miss: 2021-2022; 2023 (Florida)
Years in Big Leagues: 2024-present
2026 Teams: Atlanta Braves (MLB), Gwinnett Stripers (AAA), Columbus Clingstones (AA) (Braves Organization)

Although he finished his college career at Florida, Hurston Waldrep spent two seasons at Southern Miss from 2021-22, helping the Golden Eagles reach the 2022 Super Regional. He struck out 140 batters in 90 innings during his sophomore season before transferring to Florida, where he became a first-round pick.

The Atlanta Braves selected Waldrep 24th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, making him the highest-drafted player to spend part of his collegiate career at Southern Miss. After making his Major League debut in 2024, Waldrep has spent the 2026 season working his way back from elbow surgery while splitting time between Atlanta and Triple-A Gwinnett as he continues to establish himself in the Braves organization.

Just Outside the Top 10

Dalton Rogers narrowly misses the list after Boston selected the left-handed reliever with the 99th overall pick in 2022. Rogers posted a 1.95 ERA, six saves and 57 strikeouts during his only season at Southern Miss.

B.A. Vollmuth went 105th overall to Oakland in 2011 after becoming one of the program’s most productive power hitters, while Tanner Hall was taken 114th overall by Minnesota in 2023 following his decorated career as the ace of multiple NCAA Tournament teams.

Nick Monistere joined that group in 2025 when Houston selected him 126th overall in the fourth round after a 21-home-run, 72-RBI season.

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