Ole Miss Baseball Receives Major Update on Starting Pitcher Amid Recent Injury Scare

Mike Bianco and Co. continue rolling early to start the 2026 season, receive a positive update on Saturday starter.

University of Mississippi baseball player Cade Townsend (10) throws a pitch during the first inning of the annual Governor's Cup game played against Mississippi State University. April 22, 2025, in Pearl, Miss. | Sarah Warnock/Special to Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ole Miss Rebels pitcher Cade Townsend continues progressing following a recent injury scare during the program's SEC series against the Texas Longhorns last weekend/

In what appeared to be a brutal situation last Saturday in Austin (Tex.) against the Longhorns, Townsend departed his Game 2 start early due to injury.

Once Ole Miss got back to Oxford late on Monday due to flight delays following Sunday's Game 3 against Texas, Townsend underwent further testing on "shoulder soreness" that forced him out on Saturday.

The additional scans came back negative and “clean,” per a statement from Bianco this Tuesday morning. 

“Cade got an MRI (on Monday) and met with Dr. Luber our team orthopedic. The MRI came back clean and showed mild inflammation in his shoulder. Cade will begin rehab and throwing today and will progress day-by-day,” Bianco’s full statement read.

Now, Bianco has provided an update on Townsend once again following the program's SEC series win over the Kentucky Wildcats.

Ole Miss Rebels' Cade Townsend (10) pitches as Ole Miss Rebels take on LSU Tigers during the SEC baseball tournament at Hoover Met in Birmingham, Ala., on Saturday, May 24, 2025. | Jake Crandall/ Montgomery Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"That's where you get the proverbial coach speak day-to-day," Bianco said. "But that's what it really means is we have to evaluate… I don't know what the next weekend looks like, but I think he's in a good spot.

"The first day it was probably 60 to 90 feet, then it was a long toss day where he really let it go," Bianco added. "And I think he spun a few (breaking balls) yesterday. He wasn't really supposed to do that, but he threw so well out there."

It's once again as good of news as Ole Miss could have received on their dominant right-hander as he navigates a strong 2026 season in Oxford.

Townsend has pieced together one of the best earned run averages in the Southeastern Conference this season at 0.92 - despite the early exit on Saturday.

In 19.2 innings on the bump in 2026, Townsend has given up only 12 hits with three runs — with two earned.

Both of the earned runs came last Saturday’s first inning prior to Townsend’s departure with shoulder soreness.

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