A lot of high school players play a regular position and pitch to fill a team need. IMG Academy standout, Kyler Meccage, is a legitimate two-way star. He is both a talented outfielder and a reliable arm on the mound. With college baseball rosters shrinking, players of his caliber are a hot commodity.
Meccage learned that first hand back on August 1st when college coaches from around the country reached out to announce their interest in signing him. Considered one of the top prospects in the 2027 class, the talented left hander took his time with everything. He spent some time talking with coaches and visiting campuses. In the end, Mississippi State rose to the top.
“I visited there and I just felt an instant connection with Coach (Brian) O’Connor and his staff,” Meccage shared. “Their vision with me and for me lined up perfectly with the vision that I wanted to get out of college. It’s something that I wanted to do. They are very welcoming. The players were very welcoming. I don’t think you can go wrong with a developing spot like Mississippi State that has all of the resources that you need.”
During his regional tour, Meccage took official visits to Auburn, Florida State, Mississippi State and Tennessee. The more the talented southpaw travelled, the more he appreciated his opportunities in Starkville. The chance to wear the M over S simply proved to good to pass on.
“The main thing was the connection with the coaching staff,” Meccage shared. “On the other side of things, everyone at State is a family. I think that’s really cool and it would be a good thing to be a part of. That’s kind of what took it over the top.”
Mississippi State has a winning tradition. That was a factor in things as were the facilities and the expanses of Dudy Noble Field. In the end, the people of Bulldog baseball made the greatest impression on Meccage and his family.
“The impression that I got was that they were professionals,” Meccage said. “They want you to become a man, not only on the field, but off the field. I think that’s really important when making a decision. They are about you on and off the field and that is huge for me.”
The Diamond Dawgs simply checked all of the boxes for Meccage. Of course, having the chance to take the behind the scenes tour only put an exclamation point on things. The player amenities were a huge selling point.
“I was like ‘Wow!’,” Meccage said. “There is no other place like it. You have all of the resources there to get better. If you go there, then you need to develop. I think that is the perfect spot to develop. Those facilities that you use everyday, I just don’t think it gets any better than that. I know I loved it when I saw it. My eyes just widened. It was awesome.”
The feeling Meccage felt in Starkville never truly left him. As he took other tours and attended other meetings, the lure of State just kept calling him back. At times, the process may have felt a bit like a chore, but that first feeling proved to be the best feeling.
“I wanted to go there,” Meccage said of Mississippi State. “I took my last visit to Auburn and I still wanted to go to State. I just think that the feeling I felt there was just crazy. It was the coaches, the family aspect of things and the culture that’s built around the baseball team. Those were all huge things that played a big part into it.”
Now that his college destination is set for Starkville, Mississippi, Mecagge is ready to get back into his regular routine. It is fun being recruited, but there is a sense of relief when it is all over.
“It’s time to get back to work,” Meccage shared. “I haven’t arrived yet. My main goal is to become a big leaguer and stay consistent in the big leagues. This is just another stepping stone towards what I want.”
There is still plenty of time to figure out which team needs Meccage will need to fill once he gets to Mississippi State. He hopes to continue to be able to help the club as a two-way guy, but is open to all possibilities.
“I am going to continue being a two-way until the game tells me to stop,” Meccage said. “I enjoy it. I love it. It’s something that I am passionate about. It’s definitely a separator nowadays with the way the rosters are shaking out. I believe that not only are they getting a great player, but they are getting two players in one. That’s important too.”