Craig Tatum  •  Catcher  •  Mississippi State

Tatum is a vastly improved young catcher ready to challenge for the starting job behind the dish ... Possesses one of the strongest and more accurate arms among MSU's youthful receiver corps ... Former high school teammate of current MSU sophomore pitcher Jeff Lacher.

2002
Sat out the 2002 campaign as a freshman redshirt.

HIGH SCHOOL
Four-year regular as a catcher and pitcher at Hattiesburg High School for coach Larry Knight ... Tabbed as the Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year after hitting a team-best .435 with 51 hits and 54 RBI ... Helped lead the Tigers to a 30-9 finish in 2001 ... Also notched a 7-3 pitching record with a save and a 3.94 earned run average ... Struck out 80 in 57 innings ... Honored as the team's MVP and best defensive player ... Selected to play in the 2001 Mississippi High School All-Star Game ... All-state selection and member of the Jackson Clarion-Ledger's ³Dandy Dozen² ... Won the team batting title as a junior with a .411 batting average ... Also took the hill and compiled a 6-1 pitching record with two saves and a 2.85 as a junior ... Participated in the 2000 East Coast Professional Baseball Showcase in Wilmington, N.C.

Personal
Born Craig Browning Tatum on March 18, 1983 in Hattiesburg, Miss. ... Son of Robert and Kimberly Tatum of Hattiesburg, Miss. ... Majoring in Banking and Finance.