Mitch Moreland

STARKVILLE, Miss. ‑ Mitch Moreland, one of the stars of the Mississippi State baseball team that advanced to 2007 NCAA College World Series team, is headed for “the show”.

The Amory, Miss., native, a first baseman/outfielder this season with the Texas Rangers’ Oklahoma City Redhawks of the Class Triple A International League, was notified of his promotion Wednesday night following Oklahoma City’s 4‑2 win over Round Rock in Oklahoma City, Okla. In 95 games this season, Moreland has compiled a .289 batting average with 102 hits, 12 home runs and a team‑leading 65 RBI.  The Rangers’ 2009 Minor League Player of the Year set the table for his move to the Majors with a .320 batting average in July.

He is expected to be in uniform in Arlington for Thursday night’s Texas‑Oakland game.

Moreland was a 17th‑round draft pick of the Texas Rangers in 2007 and signed with the Rangers following his junior season at MSU.

The former Amory High School standout compiled a .343 career batting average with 17 home runs and 91 RBI in 129 career games plate at Mississippi State. He also posted a 5‑0 pitching record with a 3.31 earned run average and two saves. In his final appearance at Dudy Noble Field, Moreland retired the two batters he faced in MSU’s Super Regional‑clinching 8‑5 win over Clemson.

Moreland becomes the 46th baseball player all‑time with Mississippi State ties to advance to the highest level of professional baseball and joins pitchers Paul Maholm (Pittsburgh), Brandon Medders (San Francisco) and  Jonathan Papelbon (Boston) and catcher Craig Tatum (Baltimore) as the fifth former Diamond Dog to play at the Major League level this season.