The Biggest Question Facing Ole Miss Baseball After the College World Series

How will the Rebels move forward after a magical run to the College World Series

Ole Miss baseball coach Mike Bianco talks to players before the game against the Texas Longhorns at the Shriners Children's College Showdown in Arlington, Texas. | Ole Miss Athletic

For the first time since winning the national championship in 2022, Ole Miss baseball was back in the College World Series.

After running through the Lincoln Regional and the Auburn Super Regional, the Rebels fell to North Carolina, 2-6, and to Troy, 8-12, in the double-elimination round. While the Rebels were not favored to make it, they were able to put together a good underdog postseason run to help themselves and fans alike believe in Ole Miss baseball again.

But one question still remains: how will Head Coach Mike Bianco and company move forward to replicate this level of success?

Judd Utermark, Will Furniss, Tristan Bissetta and Collin Reuter are all out of collegiate eligibility. Pitchers Hunter Elliott, Cade Townsend, and Taylor Rabe all have question marks due to likely heading to the MLB draft.

So who is up next for Bianco?

Who will play for the Rebels in 2027?

Mississippi Rebels head coach Mike Bianco walks off the field against the North Carolina Tar Heels | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

Star outfielder Hayden Federico announced his return to Ole Miss for the 2027 season earlier this morning.

Bianco has already done some work in the transfer portal, bringing in solid replacements that could be more than just "solid".

Trey Hawsey, a 6'2" lefty who's played the past two seasons with LA Tech, gives the Rebels experience and even better talent. Hawsey finished his 2026 campaign batting .329 with 15 home runs and 47 RBI's. This move will reunite former high school teammates Federico and Hawsey. Fans should be very happy with this move and expect Hawsey to make some noise in his first SEC season.

Mavrick Rizy, a 6'9" righty, has appeared in 44 games over his two seasons with LSU. While Rizy has 57 strikeouts over 46 innings pitched, he has a 4.50 ERA with 38 walks and has yet to start in his college career. This move will allow the Rebels to be a little more flexible with their bullpen. You can never have too much depth.

Charlie Willcox, a 6'3" righty who appeared in 11 games with a start under his belt over his true freshman season. He had a tough freshman year, pitching 14 innings and allowing 17 runs (15 were earned) and sporting a 9.64 ERA. While the numbers don't scream an exciting addition, Assistant Coach Joel Mangrum is known for helping pitchers by adding more pitches to their arsenal. This move gives the Rebels a talented young pitcher, and allows him to develop in the SEC for multiple seasons.

It's very apparent that after having a taste of sucess in the postseason, the Rebels are hungry for more and are ready to get to work.

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