Tyler Moore Becomes 48th Big-League Bulldog

STARKVILLE, Miss. - For the fourth time in four years a former Mississippi State player has made his debut in Major League Baseball.

Former Bulldog first baseman Tyler Moore (2008), called up by the Washington Nationals late Saturday night, became the 48th baseball player with Mississippi State ties to play or coach at professional baseball's highest levels when he drew a start in the Washington Nationals' Sunday night game at Los Angeles.

The Brandon, Miss., native and former Meridian (Miss.) Community College standout started in left field and went 1-for-3 with a single in his second at-bat in his Major League debut Sunday. Moore, who hit .299 in 2008 and paced MSU with 14 home runs and 46 RBI, had hit 84 home runs in four seasons of minor league baseball at the time of his call-up.

Catcher Craig Tatum (Cincinnati, 2009), first baseman Mitch Moreland (Texas, 2010) and pitcher Alan Johnson (Colorado, 2011) are the other former Mississippi State players who have made their MLB debuts in the last four years.

Moore joins five other former Bulldogs active on the Major League level --- pitcher Paul Maholm (Chicago Cubs), first base coach Chris Maloney (St. Louis Cardinals), first baseman Mitch Moreland (Texas Rangers), pitcher Jonathan Papelbon (Philadelphia Phillies), and manager Nat Showalter (Baltimore Orioles).