Ole Miss baseball: Pitching questions, and everything you need to know for opening weekend

Welcome back to Starting 9, the Clarion Ledger's weekly Ole Miss baseball recap and analysis column. Every week throughout college baseball season, we'll take a look at the nine biggest storylines facing the Rebels on their quest toward Omaha. To catch up on last week's Starting 9, click here. If you ever have questions or ideas you'd like to see represented in Starting 9, feel free to email them to nsuss@gannett.com or tweet them to @nicksuss. Enjoy!

1. It's game week!
After a long offseason, baseball is finally here. Ole Miss opens up its schedule this weekend with a daunting three-game series against Louisville. The Cardinals are ranked No. 1 in the country in the D1 Baseball and Perfect Game preseason rankings and No. 2 in the USA TODAY Sports preseason coaches' poll. They also made it to the semifinal round of the College World Series a season ago.

Before we get into news, notes and what to expect from the weekend, here's a schedule of games to keep you informed on when and how to keep up with the Rebels:

Friday: 4 p.m.
Saturday: 1:30 p.m.
Sunday: Noon
All three games will be streamed online through the SEC Network Plus. Be sure to keep up with The Clarion Ledger online for updates about the games and to follow @nicksuss on Twitter for up-to-the-minute analysis.

2. The big pitching question
Ole Miss sophomore left-hander Doug Nikhazy was arrested last week on a DUI charge. Nikhazy issued an apology on Thursday, saying he sincerely regrets his actions and wants to do everything in his power to "represent the university in the best way possible."

Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco told the media on Thursday that Nikhazy's punishment will be handled internally. Bianco described Nikhazy's punishment as "severe consequences" but indicated that those consequences will not include suspension.

Bianco said Nikhazy will still pitch opening weekend. He did not clarify whether that meant in Friday night's opener as had been planned or later on in the weekend.

3. The other big pitching question
Senior right-handed pitcher Tyler Myers had Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow last week, ending his season before it began. The 6-foot-1 Houston native threw 38 innings last season, going 2-0 with 34 strikeouts and a 4.97 ERA. Myers was expected to be a key piece in Ole Miss' bullpen as a long relief option who could occasionally fill in as a spot starter.

"We talked about what he looked like this fall, and he was a big part last year," Bianco said. "A lot of times, those junior college kids are like freshman and in their second year they perform better. We were hopeful that that was going to happen. It was a significant blow."

The Clarion Ledger asked Bianco who the top candidates were to replace Myers, and Bianco said it'll have to be a group effort. Especially in the early season before specific roles have been developed, Bianco said Ole Miss' new and returning relief arms will have to combine to improve collectively in Myers' absence.

4. Could it be Greer Holston?
Though Bianco didn't single out names for potential Myers replacements, he did sing the praises of senior right-hander Greer Holston. Holston only pitched one inning in 2019 as he struggled with command, velocity and consistency, but he was a big part of Ole Miss' bullpens in 2017 and 2018.

Holston has gotten his velocity back up to 92-94 mph this offseason and put together strong fall and winter workouts. This has given Bianco the confidence to call on Holston in multiple roles this season.

"He's another guy that has emerged," Bianco said. "Certainly going to be a guy, not just in the pen. Possibly as a starter. We're trying to up his pitch count in the first week or two. We play five games in the first six days. We can maybe use him in a couple different ways."


Mike Bianco (Photo: Michael Wade/Southeastern Conference)

5. Clearing up the outfield
Bianco admitted there are question marks in his outfield heading into the season. The Rebels need to replace all three of last season's outfielders, with Anthony Servideo moving in from right field to shortstop, Thomas Dillard going pro and Ryan Olenek graduating.

Bianco offered a long list of possible replacements, but none have solidified a guaranteed spot for Opening Day. He described football players Jerrion Ealy and John Rhys Plumlee as guys who "could be pieces" but don't have the same number of reps as their teammates. Fellow freshman Cade Sammons is an "elite defender" who is starting to swing it well. Junior college transfer Hayden Leatherwood has had a better spring than fall too.

As for returning players, junior Tim Elko has primarily played first base this spring but can play in the outfield too, especially if junior college transfer Cael Baker can produce at first base. There's also sophomore Kevin Graham, who will be a designated hitter in addition to his role as a corner outfielder who primarily faces right-handed pitching.

In this long list of outfielders, Bianco only singled out Ealy as a player he guarantees will see time in the outfield against Louisville. Everything else is undecided.

6. Any two-way players?
Some of the most exciting players in college baseball are two-way players who both hit and pitch. In the early parts of this season, Ole Miss won't be using those types of players.

Bianco said Thursday that he doesn't anticipate using two-way players in the first month or so of the year. Freshmen such as Trey LaFleur and Zack Smith have been told to focus on hitting, while freshman right-hander Wes Burton will focus on pitching. 

Starting pitchers Nikhazy, Gunnar Hoglund and Derek Diamond all also have the ability to hit. Nikhazy had a strong fall with the bat and Hoglund "looks good in BP," according to Bianco. But they don't profile as middle-of-the-order bats right now, so Bianco said he's not comfortable taking the risk of letting them swing without an up in production.

"It's tough for those three guys when if it's a weekend starter, they have to produce more offensively than just your 14th hitter," Bianco said. "Risk-reward isn't the same. Those guys are capable. They're capable college hitters. But they've got to move up the pecking order to really get significant at-bats."

7. Quarterback appreciation post
When you run for 12 touchdowns in the fall, you tend to get a little more attention than the average rotational outfielder. So let's give Plumlee some of the attention he won't be able to avoid.

In an intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday, Plumlee slugged a leadoff triple off the outfield wall before scoring on a pitch in the dirt later in the same inning, flashing some of the speed he showcased against SEC defenses last football season.


Ole Miss Baseball✔
@OleMissBSB
After a leadoff triple off the wall, @PlumleeJohn reads a ball in the dirt to put the boys in blue ahead 1-0!#ElectricFactory ⚡️⚡️

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8. More hype for Dunhurst
Freshman catcher Hayden Dunhurst might've been the Rebels' most formidable hitter in intrasquad scrimmages this spring. Dunhurst launched three home runs this spring, including one on Sunday to cap off his impressive preseason. He's also shown off his arm behind the plate, throwing out as many as five would-be base stealers in the same game.

A former catcher himself, Bianco has some high praise for Dunhurst heading into his freshman season.

"We're tough on catchers," Bianco said. "When I say that, I mean demanding. He's been able to take the coaching and understand his role. He's able to get the signals. He's done great."

9. Home run of the week
For the final preseason home run of the week, let's end on Dunhurst's latest bomb. On Sunday, Dunhurst blasted a two-run shot into right field, raking the ball an estimated 400 feet off the bat at 106 mph. The long ball was the second-hardest hit home run of the spring for the Rebels, second only to another Dunhurst home run that left the bat at 107 mph the previous weekend.


Ole Miss Baseball✔
@OleMissBSB
The young man can swing it, too. 😤@Hayden_Dunhurst belts a two-run HR into right field, and the freshman continues his 🔥 streak this offseason!

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SOURCE: Suss, Nick. "Ole Miss baseball: Pitching questions, and everything you need to know for opening weekend." Mississippi Clarion Ledger, 10 February 2020, https://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/college/ole-miss/2020/02/10/ole-miss-baseball-everything-you-need-know-opening-weekend/4692686002/

Contact Nick Suss at 601-408-2674 or nsuss@gannett.com. Follow @nicksuss on Twitter.