Ole Miss' most recent and potentially last portal pickup was a needed bat that also gives it some defensive versatility. Florida Atlantic's Jackson Ross played third base for the Owls this past season, but he was a JUCO shortstop and can play any defensive position except short, catcher or center at this level. Since I expect Andrew Fischer to play third base, the Rebels will fit Ross in wherever best suits the nine on the field.
It's worth noting FAU played in Conference USA, so there will be a step up in competition, but he had excellent numbers and also a lot of improvement in year two which is a good bonus as far as development and progression. Ross hit .345 with a .437 OBP and .605 slug (1.042 OPS) in 2023. He had 20 doubles and 14 home runs to go with 40 walks, three hit by pitches and 28 strikeouts in 287 plate appearances. From 2022, Ross upped his batting average by 63 points, OPS by 210, slugging by 137, home runs by seven, on-base by 73 and walks by 15. He decreased his strikeouts by 21 in 36 more plate appearances.
All that led to some really nice advanced stat gains. His K percentage dropped from 19.5 to 9.8 and his walk percentage increased from 10 to 13.9. His runs-created number (an attempt to quantify a player's value) jumped from 42 to 65, and his weighted runs above average went from two in 2022 to 20 in 2023. By comparison, Ole Miss' only three positive numbers in that weighted runs above average category were Kemp Alderman (23), Jacob Gonzalez (14) and Calvin Harris (11). Alderman led Ole Miss with 62 in the runs-created metric. Ethan Lege is the only Rebel with a better K percentage than Ross. He was at 7.8. Gonzalez was next at 11.1. Lege only walked 12 times.
What I like the most about Ross' improvement is that he simply played better. There's no advanced stat anomaly that showed it's a fluke or a variance because of luck.
His 2022 batted ball stats:
BABIP: .333
ground ball percentage: 40.1
Line drive %: 16.9
Fly ball %: 43
Pop-up %: 8.7
2023
BABIP: 338
Ground ball %: 36.8
Line drive %: 17
Fly ball %: 46.2
Pop-up %: 11.3
There's no true change in approach or luck. He walked more, put the ball in play more and drove the ball more when he hit it, getting 20 more total hits in 2023. We see it with JUCO transfers all the time, as they are more comfortable in year two. And it should help with his SEC transition since he's been in D1 baseball for two years. His stats have the look of someone who can pick it up in the SEC. His total ball-flight stats look the most like Gonzalez, and especially when you combine it with his improved plate discipline.
It's worth noting FAU played in Conference USA, so there will be a step up in competition, but he had excellent numbers and also a lot of improvement in year two which is a good bonus as far as development and progression. Ross hit .345 with a .437 OBP and .605 slug (1.042 OPS) in 2023. He had 20 doubles and 14 home runs to go with 40 walks, three hit by pitches and 28 strikeouts in 287 plate appearances. From 2022, Ross upped his batting average by 63 points, OPS by 210, slugging by 137, home runs by seven, on-base by 73 and walks by 15. He decreased his strikeouts by 21 in 36 more plate appearances.
All that led to some really nice advanced stat gains. His K percentage dropped from 19.5 to 9.8 and his walk percentage increased from 10 to 13.9. His runs-created number (an attempt to quantify a player's value) jumped from 42 to 65, and his weighted runs above average went from two in 2022 to 20 in 2023. By comparison, Ole Miss' only three positive numbers in that weighted runs above average category were Kemp Alderman (23), Jacob Gonzalez (14) and Calvin Harris (11). Alderman led Ole Miss with 62 in the runs-created metric. Ethan Lege is the only Rebel with a better K percentage than Ross. He was at 7.8. Gonzalez was next at 11.1. Lege only walked 12 times.
What I like the most about Ross' improvement is that he simply played better. There's no advanced stat anomaly that showed it's a fluke or a variance because of luck.
His 2022 batted ball stats:
BABIP: .333
ground ball percentage: 40.1
Line drive %: 16.9
Fly ball %: 43
Pop-up %: 8.7
2023
BABIP: 338
Ground ball %: 36.8
Line drive %: 17
Fly ball %: 46.2
Pop-up %: 11.3
There's no true change in approach or luck. He walked more, put the ball in play more and drove the ball more when he hit it, getting 20 more total hits in 2023. We see it with JUCO transfers all the time, as they are more comfortable in year two. And it should help with his SEC transition since he's been in D1 baseball for two years. His stats have the look of someone who can pick it up in the SEC. His total ball-flight stats look the most like Gonzalez, and especially when you combine it with his improved plate discipline.
