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Judd U Ride-Along: Ole Miss pitcher Connor ‘Double Deuce’ Spencer

Ben Garrettby:Ben Garrett•01/02/25•

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Ole Miss closer Connor Spencer (Photo credit: Connor Spencer/Instagram)

Rebel baseball’s Judd Utermark welcomes you inside another edition of ‘Judd U,’ an Ole Miss podcast powered by the Ole Miss Spirit and RiverLand Roofing. 

Utermark loads up his Rebel teammate, Connor Spencer, for a ride-along to discuss Spencer’s unique career, including putting off MLB for one final run with Ole Miss in 2025. 

Plus, Spencer has thoughts on first-year pitching coach Joel Mangrum and much, much more.

“Everyone has their own thing,” Spencer said. “It’s 100 percent personalized. I do things that are similar to other people, but physically, I’m bigger. There’s a little tweak that’ll help me more than somebody else. 

“(Mangrum’s) super detail-oriented about it. He holds everyone accountable and makes us, the older guys, hold everyone accountable. He challenges us to be a better leader.”

Judd U: Owen Paino put off MLB to be Ole Miss’ present and future at shortstop

Spencer was one of four pitchers the Rebels successfully retained over the summer and despite their draft status. 

Ole Miss had significant, and unexpected, NIL dollars freed up following the departures of Andrew Fischer and Liam Doyle. The pair transferred to Tennessee. 

Those dollars were earmarked, in part, for aggressive bids to retain Spencer, Hunter Elliott, Mason Nichols and Riley Maddox. Elliot, Maddox and Spencer were all drafted by decided to return. Nichols went undrafted and is back, too.

Spencer was taken in the 16th round by the Athletics. He served as the staff’s closer last season, his first as a Rebel. Spencer led Ole Miss in saves and games finished. He made the third-most appearances and held opponents to a .194 average.

“The air in the locker room,” Spencer told Utermark of the difference between this year’s team and last. “You walk in and it feels different. I feel like I have an impact on the people around me. Last year, I was fending for myself.

“I don’t think we were the best team, teammate-wise, last year. We had a lot of cliques. If people weren’t in your clique, you didn’t really talk to them. This year, everyone’s friends with everyone.”

Text or call RiverLand for all your roofing needs: 662-644-4297. Few, if any, are doing more for Ole Miss athletics in the NIL (name, image and likeness) space. Visit them online at RiverLandRoofing.com.

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