Ethan Lege, an infielder-turned-outfielder from Ole Miss and a former transfer from Delgado Community College in Louisiana, recently signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates selected him in the fifth round, 444th overall, in the 2024 MLB Draft.
Lege stood out as one of the few bright spots in an otherwise disappointing season for Ole Miss baseball in 2024. In 43 games, he posted a .323 batting average with 40 runs, 53 hits, 13 home runs, and 38 RBIs before a fractured hand sustained against Mississippi State sidelined him for nearly the entire month of May. Despite this setback, he was a finalist for the 2024 Ferriss Trophy, awarded annually to Mississippi’s top collegiate baseball player.
The @Pirates have signed 3B Ethan Lege, their 15th-round pick in the 2024 First-Year Player Draft.
Welcome to the family, Ethan! 👏 pic.twitter.com/DsGURErq2s
— Young Bucs (@YoungBucsPIT) July 26, 2024
Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco praised Lege in May, noting his remarkable leadership even while injured. “It’s unfortunate, but injuries happen,” Bianco said. “He’s been a tremendous leader, vocal and supportive even when he wasn’t able to play. His presence has been incredibly valuable to the team.”
Lege joined Ole Miss in 2023 as a junior college transfer from Delgado Community College. That season, he played 49 games at third base, striking out only 16 times in 181 at-bats. Despite a challenging start, he finished strong, ending the season with a .243 average, 44 hits, three home runs, 11 extra-base hits, and 20 RBIs. He maintained a .925 fielding percentage.
In his final season at Delgado Community College, Lege had an impressive .399 batting average, scoring 50 runs with 71 hits, four home runs, and 36 RBIs. He also had 16 extra-base hits (15 doubles and one triple) and stole 13 bases out of 16 attempts. Defensively, he recorded 49 putouts and a .921 fielding percentage. Delgado’s team ended the 2022 season with a 37-16 record, finishing as the NJCAA South Central District Championship runner-up. Lege began his collegiate career at Nicholls State.
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