Tupelo pitcher Ray hopes to bring success to MSU
Tupelo High School has been one of the most competitive teams in Class 6A over the years on the baseball diamond and pitchers are starting to roll through Golden Wave program.
After Hunter Elliott did his work with Tupelo last year and has now helped get Ole Miss to Omaha and the College World Series, his younger teammate is hoping to do the same for Mississippi State next year. Right hander Mcclain Ray and his Tupelo team didn't have the season that it was hoping to have, but Ray had his secondstraight strong year on the mound.
“We thought that we were going to have a really good season and then we were playing on a game on the coast and our best hitter got hurt and was lost for the year,” Ray said. “That was pretty big for us and after that we started struggling. I learned a lot last year from Hunter Elliott and I tried to take the role of what he did last year when he was 11-1. We didn't have the season that we wanted, but I thought I did well just needed to be better.”
After throwing 36.2 innings a season ago behind Elliott and notching a 1.91 ERA, Ray was 1-1 with a 2.62 ERA and 34.2 innings. He walked 22 batters and struck out 48 for the year.
Ray can throw a fastball at 95 miles per hour but dealt with a hip injury last summer that affected it a bit this year and has him around 93 but working back up. The movement on is pitches is what he's most proud of. His go-to pitch is his changeup and he started throwing a cutter this season that could make him even more effective.
“I have a lot of good feedback on my changeup from my catcher and people that hit against me,” Ray said. “I don't have a problem throwing the curveball, but the changeup I feel the most comfortable throwing to lefties and righties. The cutter I figured out it was a good pitch and it comes out to 8485 miles per hour and I can take some off and really make it cut.”
The 6-foot-4, 215 pounder has the stuff to help MSU this year and the Bulldogs will certainly need all the help they can get.
After winning a national title a season ago, MSU'S disappointing season ended with a losing record and out of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015. Ray noted that seasons like that aren't supposed to happen in Starkville and he understands the frustrations from the fans and the team alike.
“I think that there's such high expectations at Mississippi State right now,” Ray said. “Going from Omaha three-straight years to not making the tournament this year is a big deal. Since we've been so good year in and year out, not making it stunned people. I think people know how good Mississippi State baseball is and how it ranks against the other teams. I don't think people should be worried about the future. I know all the guys in my class and under me haven't changed their mind.”
The reason that Ray believes things will be changing for the better for the Bulldogs is the talented class coming in. Ray has been friends with Olive Branch signees Brock Tapper and Bradley Loftin since the three were 8 or 9-years-old and he knows what they can do. He also knows the abilities of several more players coming in.
The opportunity available for the players makes for an exciting offseason for Ray. He's definitely coming in with a mindset to compete.
“I've talked to all of the coaches a good bit and I think they expect for every freshman to come ready this year,” Ray said. “We've had 10 transfers so he's putting really high expectations on the freshmen and we'll obviously get some transfers coming in. We have a lot of good pitchers and hitters. (Chris) Lemonis is a great coach, a great guy and has been talking to all of us making sure we're ready to come down there. I don't know what my role is yet, but whatever they tell me to do when I get there, I'm ready to do it.”
Since the season ended, Ray has taken some time off from throwing until recently. He's done some light work on the mound and won't be playing summer ball as he prepares to get to campus next month for the second summer session.