On3 Things to Know: Critical off-season awaits Ole Miss baseball, but first a final series at Alabama

The end of a miserable 2023 road has mercifully arrived for the once-defending national champion Ole Miss baseball team.

Once-defending because the Rebels aren’t making the postseason.

Long ago gone are the days when they were the last team named to the NCAA Tournament and memorably won 10 of 11 postseason games en route to the program’s first-ever title. Seemingly anything that could go wrong has gone wrong a year later.

Ole Miss is 25-26 overall and 6-21 in SEC games. The Rebels wrap with a three-game series at No. 19 Alabama (35-17, 13-14) before embarking on a now-critically important off-season. Ole Miss is headed towards a massive roster overhaul because of both draft losses and a renewed energy and focus on procuring talent through the NCAA Transfer Portal.

Ole Miss brought in a pair of high-profile transfers (Ethan Groff/Tulane and Anthony Calarco/Northwestern) last summer. The Rebels are expected to potentially triple that number this time around.

They’ll aim for arms first, especially with the future cloudy on ace left-hander Hunter Elliott following Tommy John surgery. Elliott, however, had the hybrid version of the procedure, meaning his rehab and return could come in around the low-end of the typical timetable for recovery (8-12 months).

Ole Miss ace Hunter Elliott underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery this month

Ole Miss and 2023 RHP Patrick Spencer this week mutually agreed to part ways.

The Rebels were in attendance for two of his recent starts for the Washington (Miss.) School. Spencer — who, as Perfect Game’s No. 9 prospect in the state, has next-level fastball velocity (he’s been clocked at 94) — has dealt with control issues and Ole Miss needed the roster spot.

Ole Miss has grown increasingly optimistic lately it will be able to get highly-rated signee Campbell Smithwick to campus. Smithwick, a catcher, is one of the Rebels’ biggest MLB Draft risks from a 2023 class ranked Top 15 in the country.

Another is Cooper Pratt. Pratt, like Smithwick, is an Oxford product, though Pratt is an infielder. Both players, per sources, have sky-high signing numbers. Pratt is viewed as more likely to get what he’s asking for. Additionally, sources indicate Ole Miss is in the top quarter of the SEC in NIL funds available for transfer portal additions or other similar pursuits.

“Never been (a part of) a losing record this late,” at Ole Miss, head coach Mike Bianco said following last weekend’s humiliating sweep at the hands of SEC West rival Auburn.

“A lot of firsts, for all of us. Obviously, it’s been tough.”

Let’s take a closer look at the final matchup, with notes provided by Ole Miss Athletics. First pitch of game one was moved up from 6 p.m. CT to 4 p.m. due to inclement weather.

LEADING OFF

Alabama swept three games at Ole Miss last season. The Crimson Tide scored seven or more runs in each game. … The Rebels prior to last season had won four straight series against the Crimson Tide. They swept them in series in 2021 and 2017. … Ole Miss has dropped each of its last two SEC series. … Veteran slugger Kemp Alderman is currently riding a 46-game on-base streak dating back to February 25. … Ole Miss is ranked fifth in the SEC in doubles (96). The Rebels are just two behind league leader LSU and are averaging nearly two per game. … Ole Miss junior third baseman Ethan Lege is the hardest hitter to strike out in the SEC. He’s only struck out 15 times in 170 at-bats.

CREAM OF THE CROP

The College Baseball Foundation released its list of the 2023 Brooks Wallace Award semifinalists on Tuesday.

Star junior Ole Miss shortstop Jacob Gonzalez was named one of Top 25 at his position in college baseball. He was also named a semifinalist last season. Gonzalez is one of four players to make the list in both 2022 and 2023.

He’s aiming to become the first Rebel to win the award since former Ole Miss shortstop Grae Kessinger (2019).

Gonzalez leads Ole Miss in on-base percentage (.440), doubles (18), walks (35) and sacrifice flies (7). He’s hitting .418 (23 for 55) and has totaled 19 RBI when hitting with two outs this season. Gonzalez is ranked No. 5 in the SEC in doubles (18). He’s made only five errors all season for a .968 fielding percentage.

CALVIN HARRIS: HOUSEHOLD NAME

Ole Miss junior catcher Calvin Harris is but two weeks removed from producing one of the greatest single week performances in school history.

Harris in the series finale at Missouri made history in hitting four home runs and driving in 10 runs. He also scored four times and finished with 16 total bases in a 20-14 Ole Miss win. Harris became the first SEC player to ever hit four home runs in a single conference game. He’s the third in the league to do it in any game.

Harris became the fourth player in SEC history with 16-plus total bases in any one game.

His totals for home runs and total bases set new single-game Ole Miss records. His RBI tied another single-game Ole Miss record that had stood since 1947. Each mark was a new career-high for Harris. He also had a career-high four runs scored.

In all, Harris hit .471 (8 for 17) with five home runs, a triple, 13 RBI and nine runs scored over four games. He was named SEC Co-Player of the Week and picked up Golden Spikes weekly honors. Harris was named National Hitter of the Week by the NCBWA Dick Houser Trophy.

Freshman pitcher Grayson Saunier. (photo courtesy of Ole Miss athletics)

YOUNG GUNS

Nearly 50 percent (199) of Ole Miss’ innings pitched this season have come from freshmen.

Seven freshmen have pitched at least seven innings. Five have pitched 25 or more. JT Quinn has worked the most of all newcomers (50.2 innings). Grayson Saunier isn’t all that far behind, however. He’s thrown 42.

Quinn, Saunier and Jordan Vera have combined to start 26 of the Rebels’ 48 games. In all, 273 innings (66.4 percent) have been pitched by Rebels who were not on the roster in 2022.

CLUTCH UP

Gonzalez, Alderman and Harris have been the best Ole MIss hitters with two outs in an inning.

Gonzalez is hitting .449 (22 for 49) in such situations. Alderman is hitting .348, while Harris is hitting .310.

Alderman leads the Rebels in two-out RBI (23). The trio has combined for 55 total two-out RBI.

SECOND TO ONE

Bianco in April passed the legendary Skip Bertman for the second-most wins by an SEC head coach. Bianco played for Bertman at LSU from 1988-89. He coached on his staff from 1993-97.

Ron Polk is the all-time leader (1,218 wins).

The post On3 Things to Know: Critical off-season awaits Ole Miss baseball, but first a final series at Alabama appeared first on On3.