Source: Kyle Morrison 'Seriously Considering' Return to Southern Miss Baseball After NCAA Eligibility Ruling

The Golden Eagles arguably already have one of the most talented rosters they've had for 2027, and now, they might have an opportunity to bring back one of last year's best sluggers.

Kyle Morrison being greeted by his Southern Miss teammates outside of the dugout at Pete Taylor Park during the 2026 season. | Josh House

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss baseball already appears to have plenty of firepower heading into the 2027 season, thanks to head coach Christian Ostrander and his staff bringing in impressive freshmen and transfer portal classes. Now, the Golden Eagles could potentially add another proven bat to an offense that already seemed primed to make some noise.

A trusted source tells Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI that Kyle Morrison is "seriously considering" a return to Hattiesburg following the recent NCAA eligibility ruling that opened the door for certain players from the high school class of 2022 to receive an additional season. Nothing has been finalized yet, but if Morrison ultimately decides to take advantage of the opportunity, the Golden Eagles would be getting back their home runs leader from last year's Sun Belt Conference championship team.

NOTE: As of right now, the new transfer portal window for college baseball has not been set. We’ll be keeping an eye on when it officially opens.

A Look Back at Morrison's 2026 Season

Kyle Morrison gets mobbed at first base after hitting a walk-off single against Tulane during the 2026 season. | Josh House

For a player who transferred over from South Alabama and only spent one year donning the Black and Gold, Morrison fit in seamlessly from Day 1, both on the field with his talents and in the dugout and community from a culture standpoint. It was only one year, but Morrison quickly endeared himself to the Golden Eagles fan base and made it feel like he had been a part of the program for much longer.

During the 2026 season, Morrison led Southern Miss with 17 home runs and a .603 slugging percentage while starting all 61 games at second base. He registered a .308 batting average and racked up 72 hits, 14 doubles, two triples and 48 RBI. He had several big moments throughout the year, but one of the biggest came on April 21, when he hit a walk-off single to give the Golden Eagles a 5-4 win. Another big moment that comes to mind is the grand slam he hit against Alabama on Feb. 24, which contributed to a 14-4 run-rule win at The Pete.

Morrison's season was good enough to earn him a spot on the Sun Belt first team as a second baseman, and he was also a Dick Howser Trophy semifinalist.

You Can Never Have Enough Talent or Good Character While Omaha Dreaming

Josh House

Some might be looking at Morrison's potential return while thinking: "What would this mean for the other guys coming in?" To that, I would say that you can never have too much talent when you're trying to break through a 17-year barrier and get back to Omaha. There were times last season when the Golden Eagles struggled to find consistent production from the bottom of their batting lineup. If you're Ostrander, you'd much rather have "too much," if there is such a thing, than "not enough."

Morrison not only produces at a high level, but he would also be an asset in a locker room with plenty of new faces, given his experience and the way he carries himself.

There is still a decision to be made, but Morrison's potential return suddenly gives Southern Miss another intriguing offseason storyline to follow. The Golden Eagles already have one of their most talented and deep rosters in recent memory for 2027, and adding a proven power bat like Morrison back into the mix would only raise that ceiling even higher.