Early look at Ole Miss baseball: Returning lineup makes for a potentially powerful offense
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.
We have already taken a quick glance at the Rebels pitching staff, which had plenty of questions heading into next month, so now it is time to look at the offense.
The 2021 lineup that was one of the most potent in the SEC, if not the country, hit a cumulative .288 at the plate and 85 home runs. That same lineup is returning completely intact for the 2022 season and appears primed to pick up where it left off.
Jacob Gonzalez, Kevin Graham, Tim Elko, Justin Bench, Hayden Dunhurst, Hayden Leatherwood, Peyton Chatagnier and TJ McCants are all back for another season on Swayze Field.
Coming off a monster freshman season, expectations are high for Gonzalez to have a better encore season than he did in his debut a year ago.
“(Gonzalez) got off a little bit of a slow start the first couple weeks (of fall practice), but he’s so good, especially offensively,” said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco to the Ole Miss Spirit last month. “He’s got such a good approach and I think so much confidence in what he can do.”
Gonzalez made some adjustments to his swing the first couple weeks of fall practice, according to Bianco, that caused the slow start but adapted and finished the fall strong.
Another freshman impressed in his debut campaign as McCants hit .300 for 35 runs batted in and five home runs.
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Behind Gonzalez’ leading .355 batting average was Graham who hit .342 at the late.
And surprisingly, yet unsurprisingly at the same time, Elko finished third on the team in batting average with .325 after missing a month due to an ACL injury.
Elko’s story in itself is its own book, but the senior captain returned and somehow hit better at the plate, knocking seven home runs.
A healthy Elko, and a healthy Chatagnier — who also missed time due to a hamstring injury early in the season — will benefit an already powerful lineup.
While it seems its a spoil of riches when it comes to the offense with the entire lineup returning, does not mean everything is figured out when it comes to a lineup.
“There are question marks just because I don’t know some of the guys like a Bench or McCants or (Reagan) Burford, they can do multiple things,” Bianco said. “Offense is one of those where it’s a little more inconsistent. Even if you’re good. The best offenses are more consistent than the bad offenses, but they’re still inconsistent.
“Pitching and defense are a little more consistent in where you can say, ‘Hey, this guy pitched well so he’s going to pitch well next year, next week.’ Offense can be a little more (inconsistent) just because of the nature of it. In saying that, I mean yeah I think we feel very comfortable where we are.”
Newcomes such as Buford, who transferred in from Northwest Florida State, and outfielder Banks Tolley who came in from Meridian Community College could see time early.
Ole Miss opens the season on Feb. 18 against Charleston Southern.
