Over the next couple of days, Dante Nori\u2019s life could be changing.<\/p>\n
One of the highest rated outfielders in the country heading into the MLB Draft on Sunday, Nori was invited to the Draft Combine last month. He had a chance to go to meetings and talk to teams about the opportunities ahead.<\/p>\n
It was also a chance for Nori to see some great players and interact with them. It\u2019s an experience he won\u2019t forget anytime soon.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was cool going to all of the meetings and stuff and that\u2019s about all I participated in,\u201d Nori said. \u201cI saw Dakota (Jordan), Conrad (Cason), Jurrangelo (Cijntje) and guys like that. As it gets closer, this is setting in where you think back to being five years old and dreaming of this. It\u2019s a win-win here. You get drafted and start a professional career early, or you go to Mississippi State and play for a great program.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Mississippi State signee, Nori has been committed to the Diamond Dawgs almost as long as anyone. The left handed bat pledged to State all the way back in 2021 and has remained committed to Chris Lemonis since.<\/p>\n
Despite being one of the top outfielders in high school heading into Sunday\u2019s MLB Draft, Nori has kept the possibility open to playing college ball at Dudy Noble Field.<\/p>\n
\u201cCoach Lem not going anywhere made me want to stay,\u201d Nori said. \u201cThe fanbase there is unbelievable, and I want to be a part of that organization. We knew coach Lem prior at Indiana and had a relationship with him, so we\u2019ve known him for most of my baseball career. Seeing the way he coaches and how guys are around him, he wants to win.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s easy to see why Nori could be starting his professional career soon.<\/p>\n
The 5\u201910, 190-pound OF is one of the fastest players in the entire draft. He runs a 6.15 60-yard dash and burns up the 30-yarder at 3.48. His outfield velocity has topped out at 97 and he\u2019s been a strong hitter with the potential as a top-of-the-order bat.<\/p>\n
The maturity level has also been impressive and it\u2019s thanks in large part to his influences. Nori\u2019s grandfather, Fred, was a longtime baseball coach with a couple of stops at Indiana. Dante\u2019s father, has coached in the NBA for the last 15 years and is on the Minnesota Timberwolves staff now.<\/p>\n
With athletics deep in his blood, his will to win has made him the player that he is.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think what really makes up my game is my hate for losing,\u201d Nori said. \u201cIf I got a second place medal when I was little I got pissed off. My passion for winning really drives me. That will and drive to win I think sets me apart.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n
The maturity level is a great asset, but his age could be a factor that plays in the Bulldogs\u2019 favor. The downside of recruiting an older player like Nori is that you likely will only have him for two seasons. The plus is that his age as a high schooler could cause MLB teams to shy away at this point.<\/p>\n
As Nori approaches his 20th birthday in just three months, there is talk that some teams won\u2019t be interested in taking a player of his age in the early round. Nori is projected in the first two rounds of the draft and the Bulldog coaching staff will sweat it out until the draft finishes.<\/p>\n
If he does somehow make it to Starkville, however, State has a special player on its hands ready to play immediately. If that\u2019s how it plays out for the talented outfielder, he\u2019s perfectly fine with it and he believes in the direction of the program.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can see myself at the top of the lineup and starting as a freshman. I think I can make a big difference for the team right away,\u201d Nori said. \u201cI see a lot of perseverance with this program. I\u2019ve seen a lot of blame on coach Lem, but there were a lot of injuries the last couple of years and things are getting back to normal. I never gave up on them and I hated how people were wanting Lem gone. To be where they are now, it\u2019s a great spot to be.\u201d<\/p>\n
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