HATTIESBURG – Southern Miss pitcher Hunter Riggins inked a free agent contract with the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday afternoon.

The ABCA/Rawlings All-South Region Second Team honoree made 16 starts for the Golden Eagles in his lone season as a grad transfer compiling an 8-4 record with a 2.59 ERA and 85 strikeouts.

The Hernando native collected a 9-inning complete-game shutout at Louisiana (3/5), which was the first time a Golden Eagle accomplished that since Walker Powell did so against Old Dominion on March 22, 2019.

Riggins was named to the Conference USA All-Tournament team, after shutting FAU down over 7.1 IP without allowing a run, while striking out seven batters in the contest.

In his final appearance, he tossed nine innings against Kennesaw State, before the Golden Eagles won in the bottom of the 10, tying his longest outing of the year in his first NCAA appearance.

Riggins becomes the sixth Golden Eagle pitcher to get their shot with an MLB organization after Dalton Rogers, Tyler Stuart, Landon Harper, Ben Etheridge and Garrett Ramsey were all selected in the 2022 MLB draft earlier this week.