Rebel (Baseball) Royalty: Grae Kessinger realizes dream, further cements family legacy with MLB debut
All-time Ole Miss baseball great Grae Kessinger realized a lifelong dream Wednesday night.
Kessinger — who was an All-American and All-SEC shortstop for the Rebels from 2017-2019 — made his MLB debut with the defending World Series champion Houston Astros. Kessinger drew the start at third base and hit ninth in the batting order. He was 0 for 3 in a 3-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.
Kessinger was a second-round draft selection of the Astros back in 2019. His call-up made him a third generation Major Leaguer.
Grae’s grandfather, Don, and uncle, Keith, both reached The Show, too. Don was a six-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove Award winner for the Cubs. He was an All-American shortstop (1964) and head coach (1991-96) at Ole Miss. Keith, also a former all-league Rebel, played in 11 games with the Cincinnati Reds in 1993.
“I told my wife I think I’m as thrilled right now as I was when I got my call,” Don said, in an interview with Fox 26’s Mark Berman. “We were thrilled to death. It’s just been a lifelong dream for Grae.”
RELATED: Ole Miss in the MLB: Tim Elko and Doug Nikhazy have big weekends
Kessinger slashed .284/.400/.443 in 221 plate appearances at Triple-A Sugar Land.
He was one of 24 qualified Pacific Coast League hitters with a .400 on-base percentage. Kessinger totaled 34 walks to just 43 strikeouts.
Top 10
- 1Hot
Updated SEC title game scenarios
The path to the championship game is clear
- 2Breaking
Kevin Wilson
Tulsa expected to fire head coach
- 3
SEC refs under fire
'Incorrect call' wipes Bama TD away
- 4
'Fire Kelly' chants at LSU
Death Valley disapproval of Brian Kelly
- 5
Chipper Jones
Braves legend fiercely defends SEC
“From a young age, baseball’s a part of my life,” Grae said, in an extensive profile on his baseball journey with The Athletic. “We talked about it in the car rides, everywhere we went. Just being around those family members helped me be the player I am today.
“We’re a baseball family.”
Ole Miss hitting coach Mike Clement was among Kessinger’s first calls.
Kessinger had a simple question for Clement: Did he have the MLB streaming package? Clement confirmed he did. Good thing, too. Kessinger told Clement he needed to be tuned in for the Astros’ series in Toronto.
His time had come.
“Really, really cool. As a person that got to coach him for a couple of years, man, it’s fulfilling. It’s really, really neat,” Clement said. “An awesome family and three generations of big-leaguers. That is remarkable. Absolutely remarkable. I think it’s either six or seven families have had three generations of major-leaguers in the history of the game.”
Here’s what Kessinger’s debut looked like.
