Hudson Calhoun Becomes 3rd Ole Miss Player Selected in MLB Draft

The MLB draft is underway as the first four rounds concluded on Saturday. There was an expectation that several Ole Miss players would be selected on day one, and that came to fruition.

Cade Townsend was the first player to hear his name called. He was selected 23rd overall by the Chicago Cubs. Then, starting pitcher Taylor Rabe was drafted 30th overall by the Kansas City Royals.

It's the first time in program history that two Rebels were selected in the first round of the same draft. Ole Miss has quietly become a pitching factory for the MLB. And now, another Ole Miss pitcher is leaving Oxford for the pros.

Hudson Calhoun Selected by the Texas Rangers

Ole Miss' Hudson Calhoun pitches. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Texas Rangers selected reliever Hudson Calhoun with the 117th pick (4th round) in the MLB draft. Calhoun was an integral part of the Rebels' bullpen.

He made the third-most appearances (22) on the team. The righty posted a 4.05 ERA with a career-high 67 strikeouts and a .215 opposing batting average. He also recorded three saves.

Calhoun was also effective in his relief outings during the postseason. He threw 3.2 scoreless innings with three strikeouts against Arizona State. Then, he recorded a save against Nebraska the next day. He only allowed three earned runs over four appearances during the Rebels' run to the College World Series.

What the Rangers Are Getting in Calhoun

Calhoun's best pitch is his fastball. It sits in the mid-90s and can reach up to 98 mph. He also features a cutter and a slider. Rebels fans know about Calhoun's electric stuff, but he also struggled with command, issuing 26 walks last season.

Calhoun is a versatile pitcher. Mike Bianco gave him multiple roles, whether it was a spot start during a weekend series, high-leverage situations, or eating innings out of the bullpen. Calhoun answered the call, and it'll be a good trait to carry over to the minor leagues.

It's certainly a tough loss for the Rebels. The pitching staff has been depleted this offseason, but Bianco has done a fantastic job of bringing in insurance through the transfer portal. Ole Miss has added eight arms in the portal, including several relievers, to help offset the Calhoun loss.

While Calhoun is still a few years away from a big league debut, the Rangers could use pitching help. They've developed Jack Leiter, Kumar Rocker, Jacob Latz, and several others for the major leagues. Calhoun is hoping he'll be the next.

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