Which Ole Miss Baseball Players Could Leave for the MLB Draft

After a stunning 12-8 loss to Troy that ended its season, Ole Miss enters the offseason with plenty of questions surrounding both the transfer portal and the 2026 MLB Draft.

To be eligible for the MLB Draft, players at four year colleges like Ole Miss must either have completed their junior season or be at least 21 years old.

Last season, Ole Miss had nine players selected in the MLB Draft, its most since 2014. Luke Hill was the highest Rebel selected, going in the fourth round to the Cleveland Guardians.

Taylor Rabe

Taylor Rabe's postseason performance will almost certainly boost his draft stock, as he delivered several outstanding outings, including 5.2 innings while allowing just one run and striking out seven batters in Ole Miss' loss to North Carolina.

Rabe has been highly regarded as a first-round pick across several baseball media outlets, including Baseball America.

The cutter has been one of the main reasons for the rise of Rabe, as that is his secondary pitch, one that he throws very heavily and very efficiently as well.

Rabe has been the Rebels’ best pitcher all season long. Despite rarely serving as the Friday starter, there is no doubt Ole Miss will do whatever it can to retain him as the Rebels look to make another push for Omaha next season.

With an apparent boost in NIL support coming Mike Bianco’s way, do not be surprised if Ole Miss does whatever it takes to keep Rabe in a Rebel uniform.

Cade Townsend

Cade Townsend had sme ups and downs during his stint with the Rebels thorought the season.

The struggles came in unfortunately during the end of the season, as Townsend really struggled with his command against some of the better teams in the SEC down the stretch.

Regardless, Townsend is one of the most highly touted pitchers eligible for the 2026 Draft. The 6-foot-1, 185 pound right hander has all the physical tools needed to develop into a major league starter.

Townsend’s fastball can reach up to 98 miles per hour, typically sitting in the 93–95 mph range. Townsend also possesses a five pitch arsenal consisting of his fastball, slider, curveball, cutter, and changeup, with his off speed pitches standing out as his best weapons and showcasing strong MLB level tools.

On Instagram, Townsend hinted at a return, saying “not done” following the Rebels’ loss to Troy, which ended their season, suggesting he may be planning to run it back in Oxford next year.

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