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All Eyes on Bissetta: Ole Miss banking on big bat and clean bill of health

Ben Garrettby:Ben Garrett•06/21/25•

SpiritBen

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© Ken Ruinard - staff / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ole Miss baseball in 2026 is replacing all three of its starting outfielders. 

The Rebels have already signed two replacements for the corners in Tristan Bissetta (Clemson) and Daniel Pacella (Illinois State). Both are MLB Draft risks. 

Bissetta had wrist surgery prior to last season and has been recovering from Tommy John.

“It’s huge power. He’s been banged up, especially this last year at Clemson, but if you go back to 2024, played in the Super Regional against Florida and hit a couple home runs,” Ole Miss hitting coach Mike Clement said in a sit-down with the Ole Miss Spirit this week. 

“It’s big power. His average exit velocity is right there with Judd (Utermark) as far as how the ball comes off of his bat.”

Utermark last season led Ole Miss in home runs (22). The Rebels are optimistic about — and working towards — bringing Utermark back, as well as Will Furniss, Austin Fawley and others. Hunter Elliott has eligibility remaining, too. The draft, however, is the wild card. Atlanta is hosting the festivities this year, which run from July 13-14. 

Ole Miss plans to ramp Bissetta up in August. He hit .227 with a .358 on-base percentage in 31 games last season. Bissetta totaled 13 runs with 17 hits, 16 RBI and 15 walks in 75 at-bats. He struck out 28 times.

Bissetta spent three years with Clemson.

Most of his production came back in 2024. Bissetta, a left-handed slugger, hit .298 with seven homers and 34 RBI. He’s a career .286 hitter with a .487 slugging percentage.

“He’s recovering from a little injury, but certainly excited to get him,” Clement said. “Comes from a really good family. We had our eye on him early in the process and probably a guy that some people overlooked only because of the injury and the lack of at-bats this year. But when you dive into it, he fits what we do. I think he can hit and hit for power and I don’t think he’s tapped into all of that yet. So, certainly excited to get him.”

Ole Miss is coming off a 43-win season. The Rebels hosted a Regional or the first time since 2021 and fell just one run short of their first Oxford Super since 2009. 

Their entire starting outfield was made up of one-year transfers: Ryan Moreman (LF, Illinois), Isaac Humphrey (CF, Louisville) and Mitchell Sanford (RF, UNO). 

The Rebels have second-year spark plug Hayden Federico penciled in for center field. Federico is in the Cape Cod summer league mostly to work on his defense.

“Fed did have a lot of at-bats (this season) but was asked to go play in the Cape and he’s up there,” Clement said. “It’s really more about a focus on the defensive side of things for him than the at-bats.”

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