Michigan State University Athletics
Former Spartan Brandon Hughes Gets MLB Call Up
5/17/2022 5:08:00 PM | Baseball
MSU alum to be in uniform for Chicago Cubs Tuesday night.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Former Michigan State baseball player Brandon Hughes has received his Major League Baseball call up on Tuesday and will be in uniform for the Chicago Cubs Tuesday night when the Cubs host the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field.
Originally drafted as an outfielder in 2017, Hughes was selected in the 16th round (pick number 495 overall) by the Cubs. Hughes pitched one season in 2015 as a freshman, before injuring his elbow and was unable to pitch the remainder of his Spartan career.
Hughes converted from outfield to pitcher in spring training in 2019. He posted a 1-0 record with a 0.00 ERA and one save in 10 appearances with the AAA Iowa Cubs, ringing up 22 strikeouts against yielding just five hits and three walks, posting a 0.48 WHIP, prompting Tuesday's call up to the big leagues.
Hughes is the second Spartan alum currently active in the Major Leagues, joining another pitcher, Anthony Misiewicz, who is in his third season with the Seattle Mariners, making his MLB debut on July 24, 2020.
Overall, Hughes becomes the 41st former Spartan baseball player in MLB. He is also the fourth former Spartan to play for the Cubs, joining Hobie Landrith (1956), Dick Radatz (1967), Robin Roberts (1966) and Joe Stephenson (1944).
A native of Sterling Heights, Michigan, Hughes earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2017. He was voted co-recipient of the MSU John Kobs Most Valuable Player team award, along with being voted as the Kirk Gibson Offensive Player of the Year and the Danny Litwhiler Defensive Player of the Year for the Spartans. Hughes led the B1G and ranked seventh in the NCAA with 30 stolen bases, setting a new MSU single-season record at the time. He also led the B1G and ranked third in the NCAA with 0.63 stolen bases per game.
Hughes hit three home runs at Illinois on March 26, including two left-handed and one right-handed, becoming just one of three players in the NCAA to hit a home run from each side of the plate during the 2017 season. He was named Collegiate Baseball's National Players Of The Week, as well as a USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Gold Standard Performance of the Week on March 26 for his performance at Illinois. He also led the B1G for most RBI in a single-game with seven vs. Illinois on March 26 as part of his three home run performance. With five HR in conference games, Hughes was tied for eighth in the B1G only stats.
Hughes finished the 2017 season with a .330 batting average, which was second on MSU and tied for 12th in the B1G, and was also tied for ninth in the league with 67 hits. He had an MSU season-best 15-game hit streak from April 26 - May 19, snapped in the season finale, but he did draw a walk in that game to finish the season with a 16-game on base streak. He also tallied 12 doubles, one triple and five home runs, totaling 35 RBI. Hughes also posted a .473 slugging percentage and a .382 on base percentage. Defensively, the Spartan center fielder registered four assists in making 111 putouts.
For his three-year MSU career, Hughes hit .304 with 93 RBI, 13 HR, three triples and 30 doubles, swiping 50 total stolen bases, which still ranks No. 5 on the Spartans' career stolen base list.
Originally drafted as an outfielder in 2017, Hughes was selected in the 16th round (pick number 495 overall) by the Cubs. Hughes pitched one season in 2015 as a freshman, before injuring his elbow and was unable to pitch the remainder of his Spartan career.
Hughes converted from outfield to pitcher in spring training in 2019. He posted a 1-0 record with a 0.00 ERA and one save in 10 appearances with the AAA Iowa Cubs, ringing up 22 strikeouts against yielding just five hits and three walks, posting a 0.48 WHIP, prompting Tuesday's call up to the big leagues.
Hughes is the second Spartan alum currently active in the Major Leagues, joining another pitcher, Anthony Misiewicz, who is in his third season with the Seattle Mariners, making his MLB debut on July 24, 2020.
Overall, Hughes becomes the 41st former Spartan baseball player in MLB. He is also the fourth former Spartan to play for the Cubs, joining Hobie Landrith (1956), Dick Radatz (1967), Robin Roberts (1966) and Joe Stephenson (1944).
A native of Sterling Heights, Michigan, Hughes earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2017. He was voted co-recipient of the MSU John Kobs Most Valuable Player team award, along with being voted as the Kirk Gibson Offensive Player of the Year and the Danny Litwhiler Defensive Player of the Year for the Spartans. Hughes led the B1G and ranked seventh in the NCAA with 30 stolen bases, setting a new MSU single-season record at the time. He also led the B1G and ranked third in the NCAA with 0.63 stolen bases per game.
Hughes hit three home runs at Illinois on March 26, including two left-handed and one right-handed, becoming just one of three players in the NCAA to hit a home run from each side of the plate during the 2017 season. He was named Collegiate Baseball's National Players Of The Week, as well as a USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Gold Standard Performance of the Week on March 26 for his performance at Illinois. He also led the B1G for most RBI in a single-game with seven vs. Illinois on March 26 as part of his three home run performance. With five HR in conference games, Hughes was tied for eighth in the B1G only stats.
Hughes finished the 2017 season with a .330 batting average, which was second on MSU and tied for 12th in the B1G, and was also tied for ninth in the league with 67 hits. He had an MSU season-best 15-game hit streak from April 26 - May 19, snapped in the season finale, but he did draw a walk in that game to finish the season with a 16-game on base streak. He also tallied 12 doubles, one triple and five home runs, totaling 35 RBI. Hughes also posted a .473 slugging percentage and a .382 on base percentage. Defensively, the Spartan center fielder registered four assists in making 111 putouts.
For his three-year MSU career, Hughes hit .304 with 93 RBI, 13 HR, three triples and 30 doubles, swiping 50 total stolen bases, which still ranks No. 5 on the Spartans' career stolen base list.
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