PINE BELT, Miss. (WDAM) – As the 2025 Major League Baseball draft looms in less than a month, four local prospects will be attending a combine at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.
The four players with Pine Belt ties headed to the 2025 MLB Draft Combine include:
Outfielder Jake Cook: University of Southern MississippiRight-handed pitcher JB Middleton: University of Southern MississippiJacob Parker: Purvis High SchoolJojo Parker: Purvis High School.
Middleton, 2025 Conerly Award winner as Mississippi’s top collegiate baseball player, has attracted national attention all year. He currently ranks as MLB.com’s 33rd overall prospect.
Middleton ranked in the top 10 nationally among National Collegiate Athletic Association pitchers in wins (10), strikeouts (122) and earned run average (2.31). He walked just 25 batters, held a WHIP Of less than one (0.85) while opponents hit .174 against him.
Red-shirt Sophomore Jake Cook offers an intriguing story for scouts.
Though he has only one full season under his belt, his 6 foot, 4-inch frame, speed, and strong arm in the outfield scream potential.
Cook, who led off games at the top of the Golden Eagles’ batting order, started 58 of USM’s 60 games.
He led the team with a .350 batting average and tied for first with 83 hits. He also ranked second with 13 doubles and 57 runs scored, while slotting third with 31 walks and fourth with 111 total bases.
Cook led the team with three triples and recorded the fewest strikeouts among USM’s regulars with 19.
Arguably, the most attractive Pine Belt prospects come from Purvis High School.
Jojo Parker is a projected Top 10 selection in the draft by MLB,com, while twin brother, Jacob Parker, ranks 107th on MLB.com’s draft board.
The combine is a five-day event where prospects display their skills during workouts and drills while interviewing with MLB scouts and general managers.
Since the combine’s inception in 2021, 55 of its participants have made their big-league debuts.
The 2025 MLB Draft Combine begins on Tuesday and can be seen on MLB Network and MLB.com.
Want more WDAM 7 news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
Copyright 2025 WDAM. All rights reserved.