Mississippi State made a second addition through the transfer portal on Monday with the commitment of former Pittsburgh catcher Johnny Long III.

Long, a graduate transfer from Naples, FL, spent two seasons with the Panthers and started 34 games behind the plate. The 5’9”, 190-pound backstop had only 24 at-bats and hit .125 in 2022 but appeared in 31 games with 28 starts this spring.

This season, the redshirt junior catcher posted a .250/.343./.315 slash line with two home runs, 12 RBI, eight walks, and 22 strikeouts in 106 plate appearances. While in the squat for the Panthers, Long had an .985 fielding percentage and caught seven base stealers in 27 attempts.

Long began his college career less than 30 miles from home at Florida Gulf Coast. He appeared in seven games and hit .250 as a freshman during the shortened 2020 season, and emerged as the starting catcher in 2021.

Long made 39 starts in 42 games as a redshirt freshman, and hit for a .289/.399./.359 slash line in 155 plate appearances with six doubles, one home run, 18 RBI, 18 walks, and 16 strikeouts. He fielded .986 behind the dish and caught five of 32 base stealers.

Mississippi State brings back only one catcher from last season in Ross Highfill, who hit .231 with an .832 OPS and nine home runs as a freshman. Senior captain Luke Hancock exhausted all of his eligibility while freshmen Bryce Hubbard and Ryan Williams entered the transfer portal.

Long joins Young Harris College LHP Nate Lamb in Mississippi State’s transfer portal class, and should bring solid depth to the catcher position alongside Northeast Mississippi C.C. transfer Jackson Owen.