State of the Program: Ole Miss Baseball
The spring semester is now underway at the University of Mississippi, and with a new year comes new challenges and expectations in the sports world.
The same can be said for the major sports at Ole Miss. Over the next few days, The Grove Report will analyze the current state of these teams in Oxford in a series of columns titled "State of the Program."
Much like the president's State of the Union address, these pieces are designed to lay out the general feeling surrounding a program here in late January. So far, we have analyzed men's basketball and football, and today, we dive into the baseball program.
One could argue that, despite its subpar regular season in 2022, the Ole Miss Rebels baseball program is the healthiest on campus. It's hard to find a team stronger than the reigning national champions, and they appear poised for another deep postseason run in 2023.
Despite losing key talent to the pros at the conclusion of last season, the Rebels have multiple pieces returning who expect to make a strong impact on the diamond this spring, headlined by LHP Hunter Elliott and SS Jacob Gonzalez.
Elliott burst onto the scene last season as a true freshman, and by the year's end, he was an integral part of the Rebels' rotation, including almost singlehandedly winning a regional game over the Miami Hurricanes. The sophomore out of Tupelo High School (Miss.) will now likely be tasked with being the main piece of the Ole Miss rotation following the departure of Dylan DeLucia.
Then, of course, there's Jacob Gonzalez. No current Rebel has garnered as much praise for his pro potential than the middle infielder, and his defensive prowess and ability at the plate need to be on display this season for Ole Miss to have a shot at more success.
Add in names like Peyton Chatagnier, Calvin Harris, TJ McCants, Kemp Alderman and Jack Dougherty, and plenty of names on the roster have ample postseason experience. There are also a host of newcomers to watch, one of which is RHP Grayson Saunier. If all goes according to plan for Mike Bianco this season, you will likely know his name come June if you don't already.
In short, Ole Miss is one of the few places nationally that actually makes money with its baseball program. It is almost undoubtedly the "second sport" on campus behind football, and after winning a national championship in 2022, it's hard to think that fan support will dwindle this coming season.
This program, without a doubt, is in a good spot.
You can follow John Macon on Twitter at @JMakeGillespie.
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