Early look at Ole Miss baseball: Derek Diamond leads a pitching staff that has questions
The football season has just concluded and basketball season in gearing up for conference play, which means the baseball season is not too far behind.
With a little over a month before opening day at Oxford-University Stadium, it’s time to take an early look at the Ole Miss baseball team.
The biggest question mark looms over the Rebels pitching. Gone is one of the best to take the mound for the Rebels in Doug Nikhazy along with Gunnar Hoglund. Both are now working up the ranks in the minor leagues.
Junior right-hander Derek Diamond leads a staff that is tasked with trying to replace the production Nikhazy and Hoglund provided a season ago.
Fellow right-hander Drew McDaniel is another veteran that is going to be relied upon.
Both saw time in the weekend rotation with Diamond getting a start in the opening weekend in Arlington, Texas last February. Diamond struggled as the season progressed, finding himself out of the rotation — replaced by McDaniel — and relegated to the bullpen.
During fall practices and intrasquad scrimmages, a lineup that returns one of the nation’s most productive offenses from a season ago had continued success over the pitchers.
“The pitchers kind of got beat up a little bit,” said head coach Mike Bianco when talking to the Ole Miss Spirit last month. “So there were times where we’re hopeful that the pitching, the obvious question mark, there were times where it was tough on those guys.
“But, I think it made them better. I really do. It made them tougher. It made them have to really bear down and earn their outs. I think we pitched it much better towards the end of the fall.”
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Along with Diamond and McDaniel, other returners on the staff include Wes Burton, Jackson Kimbrell, Jack Dougherty, Josh Mallitz and Max Cioffi.
Cioffi is coming off a UCL injury that sidelined him after two relief appearances last season.
Fall practice does not reveal everything in terms of how great a player’s spring will go, but Bianco is high on one freshman arm after what he saw in October and November.
Former Tupelo High School standout Hunter Elliott saw action in several scrimmages and had a “terrific” fall, according to Bianco.
“I think of the newcomers, especially freshman, (Elliott) pitched as well as anybody,” Bianco said. “Surely a highly touted kid coming in and one of those high-profiled kid, but didn’t disappoint. One of the great things about Hunter is not just the ability but there’s a confidence, there’s a belief, there’s a toughness to him and I think he’s the guy that’s going to help us as a true freshman.”
Another newcomer that could make a positive impact early is senior left-hander John Gaddis. Gaddis transferred in from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Ole Miss begins the 2022 season on Feb. 18 when they host Charleston Southern for an opening weekend series.
