Ole Miss begins its season at 10:35 p.m. CT today in Hawaii. The Rebels are back after that 25-29 (6-24) record a year ago. I detailed some team-wide questions last week, and I'll look at individuals with short thoughts this morning. Some information on Hawaii coming this morning on the site, as well. As a team, starting this weekend, look at the walks offensively and walks allowed on the mound. That was the quiet killer last year. Ole Miss was impatient offensively, swung at stuff outside the zone and walked far too many on the mound. In today's college baseball, with these umps and this strike zone, it's the key. Ole Miss used the Trackman zone all fall and preseason. We'll see what happens. Walks were the thing that signaled issues last year even as they were winning in the non-SEC weekends.
Treyson Hughes - He's Ole Miss' only preseason All-American, and the Rebels can't afford a transition similar to Ethan Groff last year from a lower league. There's pressure here to perform now. The profile is good as he gets on base and hits with power. But does it translate to the SEC now? We'll see.
Riley Maddox - For better or worse, I like that he's getting a chance to start. The sinker is his best pitch, and he's fully healthy. Back half of the rotation is his best profile, and you need someone to emerge. This makes a lot of sense to me. It's made me really interested in Sunday's game.
Reagan Burford - He has a career .307 on-base percentage in 150 at-bats. That simply has to be better to play significant innings. He's a captain and very well liked by teammates. The defense looks very improved. He'll get early opportunities to show the fall and preseason translate to games, but Brayden Randle is one to watch in this spot.
Andrew Fischer - He wasn't very good in the fall, but I refuse to care about fall numbers -- good or bad. They just don't consistently translate. Fischer is one of the few players who has a nice stat line from last season that can just keep on keeping on. The ACC is a good league, and he did a lot of really nice things as a freshman. This was a huge get.
Luke Hill - Ole Miss was in deep trouble after JD Urso went back to Tampa and Cooper Pratt went pro. Hill was a god send, and he will stabilize the Rebels at shortstop. He's very good defensively and can hit. Leadoff potential here. Defensively it's a lot of instincts, but it works.
Ethan Lege - I thought he was ok the back half of the season and adjusted to the speed of the game. He's good defensively at a number of positions. His improvement feels key. He has to be more patient at the plate. With his profile, he needs to walk more and still get hit by pitches at a similar clip. He gave away too many at-bats with early swings at bad pitches. He's an asterisk to the season for me.
Ethan Groff - I'm good buying this stock. Much better defender than we talked about because the season was going as it did. Can be elite out there. Year two should be much smoother offensively. He did hit .402 in the American. I think he's going to have a good year.
Kyler Carmack - Elite changeup and can fill multiple roles. There's so much on Bianco to piece the pitching together with the right niches. Carmack is a great example of that.
Brayden Randle - Elite defender sooner than later and really competitive. He's going to play this season, even if it's not right now every day. Maybe there's a transition like for most freshman, but he looks like guys who really impacted things in the past.
John Kramer - A bit of a sleeper here though he's been around. He has plus power. He also has one of the best approaches on the team. Likely he sticks in the lineup.
Liam Doyle - Much better spring than fall. SEC transition but left-handed with real stuff and multiple pitches. Whether it's midweek starter or key reliever, Doyle has to help. It's hard to see the Rebels taking a huge jump without his contribution. They brought him here to impact things. A starter option if things go sideways with one of the other four.
Jackson Ross - Can play all over the field. He has a great approach and power. He should walk a lot. His game looks like it transitions to the SEC well. Just a huge get. He should be impactful.
JT Quinn - The raw talent is there. The fastball is good enough but needs to be more consistent - velocity and movement. I really like his secondary pitches and think that's what might allow him to take a real jump. He looks more mature and is carrying himself really well. Throw strikes and don't walk so many people. Just trust the stuff. He didn't last year. That's the key starting tonight.
Connor Spencer - He was banged up at SELA and that affected his numbers. Good fastball and another player Mike needs to find the right fit with. He can be good in the correct role.
Josh Mallitz - If he's 100 percent, it's just a huge addition back. Ole Miss was at least four games worse in the SEC because of no reliable ninth-inning arm. The slider was very elite at the end of 2022 when he throws it hard. Huge analytical difference in a couple MPHs.
Trenton Lyons - Probably haven't talked about him enough. I'm not sure where he fits, but he can catch and play other positions, and there's a world where his bat makes playing a must. At minimum, put a pin in it for later on. He's a good player though overshadowed right now.
Grayson Saunier - Maybe the key to the season? Super talented and has the pitches. He has to calm down and just pitch. The moments got big for him last season. He reminded me a lot of Nathan Baker in that way. This is a mental thing with Saunier, and it was hard to pitch for a variety of reasons. There's an odd bit of pressure on him, but he needs to not feel any of it. He has all the potential.
Judd Utermark - Maybe most power on the team. Best defender at the corner positions. 6.3 runner. Great athlete. It's all there. Will he put it together and will he be healthy? He's had two shoulder surgeries. I'm cool if you want to buy a lot of the stock.
Ryne Rodriguez - JUCO arm lefty. You'll see him out there, and they need some innings from him. May be a name that really pops more as the season goes on.
Gunnar Dennis - Saturday starter and huge opportunity for him. Lefty JUCO transfer who won't blow you away on the gun, but he's thrown strikes and located. The profile really fits today's game if he can do it with the lights on. Bianco likely does't go this direction a year ago, but it makes complete sense.
Eli Berch - Ole Miss doesn't have catcher depth, and Berch is the closest to a veteran. He needs to be a solid presence and play consistent baseball.
Will Furniss - I'm just not sure where he fits. He will get some at-bats. Plate discipline feels key here. Seven extra base hits and 33 strikeouts in 131 at-bats last year.
Patrick Galle - He's been throwing really hard. I haven't heard his name a lot, but it's impossible to ignore the fastball. So, we'll see what happens.
Wes Mendes - I don't see how he doesn't pitch meaningful innings. He's been excellent since getting to campus and for a freshman he's advanced. It's a four-pitch mix with real feel. It's hard to pitch in the league as a freshman, as I keep saying. I'm very interested in how he handles it.
Drew Markle - Great runner and big arm. I think he's a late-game substitution with the chance to play real innings. I didn't want to not mention him here.
Mason Nichols - Nichols was vital in 2022 and had an up-and-down 2023 with a role that doesn't best fit him. Having Mallitz back is the best thing for Nichols. I like Mason in mid-relief with a set number of hitters to face. He isn't best suited for the end-of-game stuff, and that was pushed on him last season. There's value for sure if he's slotted in the correct innings.
Brayden Jones - He gained experience last year and can help in the right spots. He had too much walks with 29 in 20 innings, but he averaged nearly a strikeout per inning and had a 4.36 ERA which really isn't that bad at all. He produced better than the credit he got for it.
Sam Tookoian -- Chance to have the right mentality for late-game, high-leverage situations. Love his makeup. He was injured most of the fall, but the heavy fastball can play. I'm a broken record, but it's about throwing the ball in the strike zone. It's the story of thee pitching staff. It'll throw strikes and have a chance or walk people and not have a chance at all.
Campbell Smithwick - He needs to stay healthy through a lot of games and a lot of innings. He's competitive as hell and should be a big benefit with the bat once he settles in. The catch-and-throw game is good enough and will get better with experience. He's an elite sign and a really good player. There's not much depth, and it's hard for a freshman. Really key position here to go with a pitching staff trying to find itself.
Austin Simmons - Complete lottery ticket. He's focused on football, but he has talent. I truly have no idea what Bianco is thinking as far as how to use him.
This isn't a complete list of every player, and I wasn't leaving anyone off on purpose as far as sending a messge. Don't assume someone left off has no chance to play. It's just what happened with my stream of thought. With all the new players, it seemed like a good exercise for me to think about everybody and for you to get a refresher.
Treyson Hughes - He's Ole Miss' only preseason All-American, and the Rebels can't afford a transition similar to Ethan Groff last year from a lower league. There's pressure here to perform now. The profile is good as he gets on base and hits with power. But does it translate to the SEC now? We'll see.
Riley Maddox - For better or worse, I like that he's getting a chance to start. The sinker is his best pitch, and he's fully healthy. Back half of the rotation is his best profile, and you need someone to emerge. This makes a lot of sense to me. It's made me really interested in Sunday's game.
Reagan Burford - He has a career .307 on-base percentage in 150 at-bats. That simply has to be better to play significant innings. He's a captain and very well liked by teammates. The defense looks very improved. He'll get early opportunities to show the fall and preseason translate to games, but Brayden Randle is one to watch in this spot.
Andrew Fischer - He wasn't very good in the fall, but I refuse to care about fall numbers -- good or bad. They just don't consistently translate. Fischer is one of the few players who has a nice stat line from last season that can just keep on keeping on. The ACC is a good league, and he did a lot of really nice things as a freshman. This was a huge get.
Luke Hill - Ole Miss was in deep trouble after JD Urso went back to Tampa and Cooper Pratt went pro. Hill was a god send, and he will stabilize the Rebels at shortstop. He's very good defensively and can hit. Leadoff potential here. Defensively it's a lot of instincts, but it works.
Ethan Lege - I thought he was ok the back half of the season and adjusted to the speed of the game. He's good defensively at a number of positions. His improvement feels key. He has to be more patient at the plate. With his profile, he needs to walk more and still get hit by pitches at a similar clip. He gave away too many at-bats with early swings at bad pitches. He's an asterisk to the season for me.
Ethan Groff - I'm good buying this stock. Much better defender than we talked about because the season was going as it did. Can be elite out there. Year two should be much smoother offensively. He did hit .402 in the American. I think he's going to have a good year.
Kyler Carmack - Elite changeup and can fill multiple roles. There's so much on Bianco to piece the pitching together with the right niches. Carmack is a great example of that.
Brayden Randle - Elite defender sooner than later and really competitive. He's going to play this season, even if it's not right now every day. Maybe there's a transition like for most freshman, but he looks like guys who really impacted things in the past.
John Kramer - A bit of a sleeper here though he's been around. He has plus power. He also has one of the best approaches on the team. Likely he sticks in the lineup.
Liam Doyle - Much better spring than fall. SEC transition but left-handed with real stuff and multiple pitches. Whether it's midweek starter or key reliever, Doyle has to help. It's hard to see the Rebels taking a huge jump without his contribution. They brought him here to impact things. A starter option if things go sideways with one of the other four.
Jackson Ross - Can play all over the field. He has a great approach and power. He should walk a lot. His game looks like it transitions to the SEC well. Just a huge get. He should be impactful.
JT Quinn - The raw talent is there. The fastball is good enough but needs to be more consistent - velocity and movement. I really like his secondary pitches and think that's what might allow him to take a real jump. He looks more mature and is carrying himself really well. Throw strikes and don't walk so many people. Just trust the stuff. He didn't last year. That's the key starting tonight.
Connor Spencer - He was banged up at SELA and that affected his numbers. Good fastball and another player Mike needs to find the right fit with. He can be good in the correct role.
Josh Mallitz - If he's 100 percent, it's just a huge addition back. Ole Miss was at least four games worse in the SEC because of no reliable ninth-inning arm. The slider was very elite at the end of 2022 when he throws it hard. Huge analytical difference in a couple MPHs.
Trenton Lyons - Probably haven't talked about him enough. I'm not sure where he fits, but he can catch and play other positions, and there's a world where his bat makes playing a must. At minimum, put a pin in it for later on. He's a good player though overshadowed right now.
Grayson Saunier - Maybe the key to the season? Super talented and has the pitches. He has to calm down and just pitch. The moments got big for him last season. He reminded me a lot of Nathan Baker in that way. This is a mental thing with Saunier, and it was hard to pitch for a variety of reasons. There's an odd bit of pressure on him, but he needs to not feel any of it. He has all the potential.
Judd Utermark - Maybe most power on the team. Best defender at the corner positions. 6.3 runner. Great athlete. It's all there. Will he put it together and will he be healthy? He's had two shoulder surgeries. I'm cool if you want to buy a lot of the stock.
Ryne Rodriguez - JUCO arm lefty. You'll see him out there, and they need some innings from him. May be a name that really pops more as the season goes on.
Gunnar Dennis - Saturday starter and huge opportunity for him. Lefty JUCO transfer who won't blow you away on the gun, but he's thrown strikes and located. The profile really fits today's game if he can do it with the lights on. Bianco likely does't go this direction a year ago, but it makes complete sense.
Eli Berch - Ole Miss doesn't have catcher depth, and Berch is the closest to a veteran. He needs to be a solid presence and play consistent baseball.
Will Furniss - I'm just not sure where he fits. He will get some at-bats. Plate discipline feels key here. Seven extra base hits and 33 strikeouts in 131 at-bats last year.
Patrick Galle - He's been throwing really hard. I haven't heard his name a lot, but it's impossible to ignore the fastball. So, we'll see what happens.
Wes Mendes - I don't see how he doesn't pitch meaningful innings. He's been excellent since getting to campus and for a freshman he's advanced. It's a four-pitch mix with real feel. It's hard to pitch in the league as a freshman, as I keep saying. I'm very interested in how he handles it.
Drew Markle - Great runner and big arm. I think he's a late-game substitution with the chance to play real innings. I didn't want to not mention him here.
Mason Nichols - Nichols was vital in 2022 and had an up-and-down 2023 with a role that doesn't best fit him. Having Mallitz back is the best thing for Nichols. I like Mason in mid-relief with a set number of hitters to face. He isn't best suited for the end-of-game stuff, and that was pushed on him last season. There's value for sure if he's slotted in the correct innings.
Brayden Jones - He gained experience last year and can help in the right spots. He had too much walks with 29 in 20 innings, but he averaged nearly a strikeout per inning and had a 4.36 ERA which really isn't that bad at all. He produced better than the credit he got for it.
Sam Tookoian -- Chance to have the right mentality for late-game, high-leverage situations. Love his makeup. He was injured most of the fall, but the heavy fastball can play. I'm a broken record, but it's about throwing the ball in the strike zone. It's the story of thee pitching staff. It'll throw strikes and have a chance or walk people and not have a chance at all.
Campbell Smithwick - He needs to stay healthy through a lot of games and a lot of innings. He's competitive as hell and should be a big benefit with the bat once he settles in. The catch-and-throw game is good enough and will get better with experience. He's an elite sign and a really good player. There's not much depth, and it's hard for a freshman. Really key position here to go with a pitching staff trying to find itself.
Austin Simmons - Complete lottery ticket. He's focused on football, but he has talent. I truly have no idea what Bianco is thinking as far as how to use him.
This isn't a complete list of every player, and I wasn't leaving anyone off on purpose as far as sending a messge. Don't assume someone left off has no chance to play. It's just what happened with my stream of thought. With all the new players, it seemed like a good exercise for me to think about everybody and for you to get a refresher.
