Portal season is about to heat up for Mississippi State in college baseball.
The transfer portal officially opens on Tuesday, but graduate transfers are already finding their way to new programs. Mississippi State got in on the action with the commitment of Division II Young Harris College left-handed pitcher Nate Lamb.
Lamb was named to the All-Peach Belt First Team this season and posted an 8-1 record in 14 starts. In 89.1 innings, the 6'5" southpaw pitched for a 3.53 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 90 strikeouts, and 28 walks while holding opponents to a .252 batting average. During Lamb's first year with the program in 2022, he went 6-5 in 15 starts and tallied a 5.11 ERA in 79.1 innings. That season, he racked up 89 strikeouts with 45 walks, a 1.60 WHIP, and a .260 batting average against.
Lamb entered the transfer portal with Power Five aspirations following the conclusion of the season, and his coach helped him get in touch with Mississippi State head coach Chris Lemonis.
"I just wanted to go Power Five. Somewhere I can make an impact," Lamb said. "I went into the portal probably a week ago. The first couple of days was just like an ambush. My coach at Young Harris helped me get in touch with Coach Lemonis."
As a high school recruit out of Chesnee, SC, Perfect Game ranked Lamb as the #170 player in the 2018 class and the #2 player in South Carolina. He signed with Clemson over offers from North Carolina, South Carolina, Coastal Carolina, and College of Charleston but ended up transferring to Spartanburg Methodist to play Juco ball after the fall of his freshman year.
"When I first got to college I wasn't really an outgoing person. I felt like I had some growing up to do so I just moved back home to SMC where I knew a lot of guys that I've played with before," Lamb said. "With Covid and everything we got shut down for a season. I didn't really have a lot of opportunities coming out and I had a couple of teammates going to Young Harris, and they were interested in me so I was like 'I'll just give this a chance,' and I really liked it there."
While in junior college, Lamb had an impressive freshman season with a 1.84 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 68.1 innings. During the shortened 2020 season he made four starts and had a 6.75 ERA in 17.1 innings, and he followed with a 4.60 ERA in 29.1 innings in 2021.
Pitching is a priority for Mississippi State in the transfer portal this offseason. The Bulldogs finished 2023 with a 7.01 ERA which ranked last in the SEC and the worst in school history. While a role is yet to be determined, the addition of Lamb gives the Bulldogs a lefty with a three pitch mix featuring a mid-to-upper 90s fastball, a slider, and a changeup.
"I think he [Lemonis] saw what I can be, my ceiling as a player. I got up to 96-97 this year as a lefty which was really good. My slider is a really good pitch. I'm still working on a changeup which can probably be my best pitch if I throw it consistently," Lamb said. "He said that I have the potential to be in the rotation or in the back end like in a closer type role. We'll see when I get to campus where I end up."
Mississippi State remains without a pitching coach after firing Scott Foxhall earlier this month, but Lamb is confident that Lemonis will find the right man for the job.
“He told me he’ll find the best pitching coach money can buy so I’m confident in his judgement,” Lamb said. “I’ve got my trust in him. I’m ready to see what this new coach can bring to the program and how I can benefit from him and what I can do for the program.”
Lamb is the first player to commit to Mississippi State from the transfer portal this offseason. The Bulldogs have not lost any players to the transfer portal thus far, but are expected to when it opens for undergraduates on Tuesday.
