What will Ole Miss baseball's starting lineup look like for season-opening trip to Arlington?

The 2025 college baseball season starts in three days and Ole Miss is trying to get back on track less than three years removed from the program’s first national championship.

In doing so Mike Bianco is in his 25th season and shook things up by hiring a pitching coach, relinquishing those duties for the first time in his career in Oxford.

Another attempt was taking another swing in the transfer portal and having to replace some players not expected to no longer be wearing the Ole Miss uniform (I.E. Andrew Fischer) while also trying to add and find production among experienced veteran players.

Bianco and his staff did that and during Tuesday’s media day those moves will be reflected this weekend in Arlington, Texas as Ole Miss opens the season against No. 12 Arizona, No. 19 Texas and No. 15 Clemson in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown at Globe Life Park.

While listing off who to expect in the starting nine he issued a warning of caution to not take Friday’s lineup as absolute moving forward. This weekend will be see a lineup fluctuating as see what pieces fit best where.

“There’ll be three different lineups throughout the weekend Friday, Saturday, Sunday,” Bianco said. “Baseball’s different. It’s not like the football quarterback who starts and barring injury is going to start 12 games for you. The rotation can go up and down. Guys can move from bullpen to starter and same with the position players. I think some of our guys are fortunate that are athletic enough and can play multiple positions. That’s going to give us an opportunity to find that best nine. Not necessarily the best nine guys but the best nine, collectively.”

Ole Miss will go with the starting rotation of Hunter Elliott on Friday, Riley Maddox on Saturday and Mason Nichols on Sunday.

Here is who Bianco laid out as the potential starters for Friday’s opener against the Wildcats.

Ole Miss Outfield

The three guys patrolling the outfield will all be newcomers and transfers to Ole Miss this offseason. Ryan Moerman, Mitchell Sanford and Isaac Humphrey are more than likely the first three guys Bianco will send out.

Moerman is coming in from Illinois, Humphrey is a Louisville transfer and Sanford is coming from University of New Orleans But spent time in LSU before going to UT-Arlington and then UNO the last two seasons.

Look for Moerman to get two starts at center field with someone else starting the third game. Sanford and Humphrey will rotate between left and right field this weekend, according to Bianco.

Infield

The four guys backing Elliott and other Rebels on the mound will have more familiar flavor but also mix in some new faces.

Third Base — Luke Hill and Judd Utermark will split duties there over the weekend and have taken most of the reps over Fall ball and preseason practice. Each could also see time elsewhere with Hill getting “at least” a start at second base and Utermark likely to start in the outfield and possibly at first base.

Shortstop — Highly touted freshman Owen Paino is going to be making his Ole Miss debut at position that carries a lot of tradition. The Poughkeepsie, New York native has impressed since stepping onto campus and earned the starting spot to man half of the middle infield.

Second Base — Brayden Randle enters his second season at Ole Miss and the sophomore gets the initial nod. But do not be surprised if other freshman standout Hayden Federico gets time there sooner rather than later and possibly this weekend.

First Base — Will Furniss changed his number to that of the one his father wore while becoming a LSU legend and will also be overseeing things at first base for his junior season.

Catcher — Sophomore Campbell Smithwick is getting another shot behind home plate after a rough freshman season. But Kentucky transfer Austin Fawley is going to get a start this weekend, too. BYU transfer Collin Reuter will possibly get a start as the designated hitter or possibly at catcher or first base behind Furniss.