All eyes on the entire Ole Miss pitching staff as it begins the 2022 season
Plenty of talk, and writing, has taken place about the returning offense for the Ole Miss baseball team but come Friday afternoon all eyes of the Rebel fan base will be on the pitching staff.
Questions abound about the Rebel arms — returning and new — and if they can do just enough to allow the bats to do what they are expected to do at the plate and rack up another 40-plus win season.
None that will be known until the first pitch is thrown and the 2022 campaign gets underway, but there is pressure for the pitchers to deliver and doing so without to key pieces from a year ago.
Derek Diamond is the ace of the staff, at least at the onset of the season, and taking the mound in Friday’s opener against Charleston Southern. There might be no other pitcher that has the pressure on their shoulders as Diamond has.
Replacing Doug Nikhazy is a task that is impossible for anyone to achieve, but Diamond is charged with doing as best as he can.
Then there is Texas A&M – Corpus Christi transfer John Gaddis who is getting his first start as a Rebel on Saturday. Gaddis is the only new face in the weekend rotation with Drew McDaniel getting the ball on Sunday.
For Gaddis, knowing a returning offense that led the SEC in 2021 is in the dugout waiting for him to get them back to the plate is a confidence boost heading into his first season as a Rebel.
“It makes you not as tight,” Gaddis said. “You don’t have to be as perfect because you know we’re capable of putting up 10 runs in an inning at any given moment. So, it definitely helps you out as a pitcher.”
Oregon State transfer Jack Washburn, who was a candidate for a weekend starter, will make his first start on Tuesday against Arkansas State.
Top 10
- 1Breaking
DJ Lagway
Florida QB to return vs. LSU
- 2
Dylan Raiola injury
Nebraska QB will play vs. USC
- 3
Elko pokes at Kiffin
A&M coach jokes over kick times
- 4New
SEC changes course
Alcohol sales at SEC Championship Game
- 5
Bryce Underwood
Michigan prepared to offer No. 1 recruit $10.5M over 4 years
Despite the confident attitude, the Rebel pitching staff might have to be perfect on those days where the offense is not clicking or they come up against a tough opposing arm in conference play one weekend.
Perfection is also going to be asked of a bullpen that has a mix of new faces and returners with SEC and postseason experience.
Jack Dougherty and Wes Burton will be asked to take on larger roles this season and true freshman Hunter Elliott has already been informed he will be a bullpen arm that could see action quickly into his first season.
Both Dougherty and Burton showed flashes of success in 2021 but consistency is key and both have impressed during the fall and spring.
“Looking at our bullpen going into the first weekend it was really difficult to pick who we’re going to be the starters,” said head coach Mike Bianco. “I’m excited for those guys but the thing that nobody talks about is the bullpen. When you look at guys like Dougherty, Burton, Dylan DeLucia, (Brandon) Johnson and other guys, it may be the strength.”
Heading into the season there is not a publicly announced closer on the Rebel staff, but look for Johnson to take on that role in the early portion to see if he can make it his for the entire year.
