Ole Miss has depth, on paper, and intends to use it through non-conference to find the right lineup

The 2024 college baseball season begins this Friday and the opportunity to finally put last season behind Ole Miss is here, starting with the 4-game road trip to Hawaii.

Two years removed from a national championship and a season removed from missing the postseason entirely eats at the 17 returning Rebels. The motivation is not lacking and the time to put the proverbial chip on their shoulder to use is here with the 56-game slate.

Over the course of last summer Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco, along with his assistant coaches Carl Lafferty and Mike Clement, worked to restructure the roster with experience and older players. That looks to have happened on the field and at the plate, at least.

On the mound that remains to be seen as some freshmen and newcomers will be tested throughout the first month of the regular season.

When Bianco was working through his opening day lineup during his media state opening statement he emphasized a lot of ‘ORs’ as if he was Lane Kiffin going over the Ole Miss football depth chart.

Utility is the word to describe the Ole Miss baseball roster with players able to handle several positions if need be.

“We’ve got a lot of depth at every single position,” said Ole Miss senior infielder Reagan Burford. “It’s a long season, 56 games, and there’s going to be injuries, slumps, people batting with the hot hand, pitchers struggling or pitchers throwing really well.

“Coach (Lafferty) and coach (Clement) did a great job going out there and getting pieces that we need to be successful. We’re ready for any challenge that faces us. We got people that can play different positions and we’re ready for it all.”

Burford is only one of three returning players in Ole Miss’ opening day lineup, starting at second base.

He joins Ethan Groff (center field) and either Judd Utermark, Ethan Lege or John Kramer (left field). Lege could also see time at second over the course of opening weekend with Bianco having four games to work with.

The starting nine on Friday is not and will not be the permanent nine all weekend or even into next week’s start of the Rebels 13-game opening home stand.

Ole Miss newcomers getting starting nods and in the mix include transfers Andrew Fischer (third base), Jackson Ross (first base), Luke Hill (short stop) and Treyson Hughes (right field). Freshman and Oxford High School’s Campbell Smithwick is scheduled to be the starting catcher on Friday, barring a setback with his foot injury.

“Unlike some years we’re going to have to play some games to figure out the starting line up and where guys are going to end up, defensively,” Bianco said. “Not just one through nine. But does a guy play at second? Does he play at third? Does he play left field? Does he DH? Got some guys that, I think, are going to be huge parts in what we’re doing doing and they may, throughout the year, move from position to position.”

The one position that Bianco did not name a starter is the designated hitter’s spot. Look for Will Furniss to get a look there at some point, if not Friday.

Depth is going to be tested throughout February. After the four-game series at Hawaii there will be an important non-conference series against Iowa in two weeks. These seven games will provide a good idea of how Ole Miss will be come mid-March and the start of conference play.

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