Ron Polk Ring of Honor 2025: Mitch Moreland, man of many names-- Bulldog, Ranger, Red Sock, Padre, Athletic, Banana, '2 Bags', MLB All-Star, Gold Glove, World Series Champion

Mitch Moreland drove in the winning run against Southern Miss in 2005 (Mississippi State Athletics photo)

College Baseball Central complements its coverage of Southeastern Conference baseball by returning our feature series on Mississippi State's Ron Polk Ring of Honor. Now in its seventh class since 2019, CBC writers Doug Kyle and Bo Carter team up again to provide insight into the 2025 class of honorees, pitcher Mike Proffitt, outfielder Ted Milton, and infielder/outfielder/pitcher Mitch Moreland. Today, we profile a multi-position talent who as a college player won an SEC Tournament Championship in 2005, participated in NCAA Regionals all three years as a Bulldog, 2005-2007, in the 2007 Super Regionals (closing the clinching game against Clemson), and in the 2007 College World Series, Mitch Moreland.

By Bo Carter

DALLAS – Mitch Moreland fondly recalls the days of playing catch in his back yard and on the nicely groomed ball fields as a youngster in Amory, MS. “We used to dream of playing college baseball or maybe going to the World Series,” he said. “Those were fun days.”

Well, dreams became a reality for the humble and personable Moreland, who starred at Mississippi State under College Baseball and ABCA Hall of Fame head coach Ron Polk from 2005-07, with a Southeastern Conference tourney title (fifth at that time for the Bulldogs) in 2005, NCAA Regionals all three years, and a trip to the Super Regionals and NCAA Men's College World Series in 2007, where he happened to cross paths with current Bulldog head coach Chris Lemonis, an assistant coach with Louisville at that time.

Mitch Moreland played for four Major League Teams during his 12-year career. (MLB photos)

And then, college dreams morphed into a Major League Baseball career, starting in 2010 with the Texas Rangers, trips to the 2010 and ’11 World Series, plus a Gold Glove in 2016, then a 2018 World Series crown while playing with the Boston Red Sox. Moreland made the All-Star game that same year, and he later played for the San Diego Padres and the Oakland Athletics before announcing he was retiring in 2023. He also made an appearance at Fenway Park in June 2024 with the Savannah Bananas.

Mitch Moreland was warmly greeted upon his return to Boston in June 2024, playing in an exhibition game with the Savannah Bananas (Savannah Bananas photo)

Now, he has achieved another dream-come-true, with induction into MSU’s 2025 Ron Polk Ring of Honor, the highest baseball-only distinction afforded former Bulldog players.

“I am just super honored to be selected,” Moreland noted, “and it was a big surprise. I’m grateful. When I got the call from MSU, we talked for a while, and they mentioned right at the end of the call that, 'by the way, you are going into the Ron Polk Ring of Honor'. It was a big surprise.”

It is hard to recount all the MSU achievements of the hard-hitting, lefty first baseman/outfielder, who also excelled as a pitcher for both Amory High School (7-1 with an earned run average of 0.53 while batting .456 as a senior in ’04) without also mentioning that he was a standout relief pitcher.

As a sophomore in 2006, while entering games with limited warmup pitches after starting at first base, Moreland was 2-0 in 9 appearances with 16 strikeouts and just 4 walks in 12 innings pitched. During the College World Series season in ’07, the Amory standout had a 3-0 record in 14 appearances, with 2 saves while striking out more than 2 batters per inning pitched – 28 in just 13 2/3 innings – and posting a 3.20 ERA.

Mitch Moreland's three career MLB pitching innings are good for a record-tying 0.00 ERA (MLB photos)

Something few people realize as well is that Moreland is tied with a handful of MLB pitchers with the lowest career earned run average at 0.00, over three frames. He pitched one inning each as an emergency infielder-relief man for the Rangers in 2014, Red Sox in 2017, and Oakland Athletics in 2018, allowing just three hits with no walks and a pair of strikeouts.

Moreland acquired the nickname "2 Bags" during his MLB career, even getting a specially-designed jersey he sometimes wore during games and a marketed print by local artist Lauren Taylor. Below, he was also a frequent favorite among media for postgame interviews. (Photos from Lauren Taylor Illustrations and Fox Sports)

Moreland's career with the Bulldogs besides on the hill was one for the ages as well, especially on the way to Omaha in 2007. That year he led the Bulldogs with 26 doubles and 62 RBI in 60 games, belted a team-high 26 doubles (2-Bags), batted .343, and provided superb defense at first base.

For his three-season stint at State he hit. 332 with 17 homers and 91 RBI in 129 games, regarded as one of the players with the best batting eyes on the team. He had more walks than strikeouts in each of his last two campaigns with the Bulldogs – something that was a particular emphasis with Head Coach Ron Polk.

Mitch Moreland was a thorn in the side of the Clemson Tigers during the 2007 Super Regional, at the plate and on the mound, closing out the second game that sent his Bulldogs to Omaha for the College World Series and below, onto the field to celebrate (Mississippi State Athletics photos)

“I have so many fond memories of playing at MSU,” he related. “Winning the SEC tournament and then going to the NCAA World Series in 2007 were great thrills (State closed 38-20 that year with a NCAA Super Regional triumph over Clemson after downing Florida State in the Tallahassee Regional and then made its first appearance in Omaha since 1998).”

“Getting to play for Coach Polk (who had returned for a second stint at MSU in 2002 after serving as Georgia’s head coach) and coming out of fifth place in the SEC Western Division to make it to the World Series in 2007 were really great memories,” Moreland added. “We had good teams, great teammates, and a good mix of hitting and pitching that got us into postseason all three years. They were good times.”

“It was just a goal and dream to play college baseball first,” he noted, “and Coach Polk had seen me play summer baseball with the Tupelo 49ers. Tommy Raffo (who starred at MSU before becoming an assistant coach from 1994-2008) recruited me, and I had a great visit to campus.”

Mitch Moreland played two summers in the Cape Cod League (Cape Cod League photo)

In the two summers between his three college seasons, Moreland also played in the prestigious Cape Cod League, making its All-Star game and also winning the Home Run Derby in 2006.

Above, Mitch Moreland celebrates a World Series win in the locker room, and below, proudly poses again on the team plane with the trophy (Over The Monster photos)

After enjoying his three World Series rings in the Moreland home trophy case and some stellar MLB seasons (career-high 23 homers with the Rangers in both 2013 and ’15 and career-best 85 RBI with the 2015 Rangers), the MSU all-star ended his 12-year career with 186 home runs, 618 RBI and a .251 batting average, despite fighting through some injuries in his final four seasons.

Mitch Moreland and his family, a few years ago at the MLB All-Star Red Carpet Show (Getty Images photo)

Now he spends ample time “chasing his kids” to various functions around their home in Helena, AL (outside Birmingham) and farm in Mississippi, with his wife Susannah and sons Crue (12) and Ledger (7), and daughter Swayze, as they compete in travel baseball and many other endeavors.

“It is a lot of fun,” he concluded, “and they can’t wait to get to Starkville for the ceremony. As I mentioned, I am extremely grateful for this honor.”

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