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Ole Miss baseball: Jerrion Ealy included among Rebels' opening weekend starters
Jerrion Ealy (Photo: Joshua McCoy / Ole Miss Athletics)
OXFORD — Mississippi baseball coach Mike Bianco announced his weekend rotation and most of his opening-night starters during Ole Miss media day on Tuesday.
Bianco will open his 20th season as the school's head coach on Friday at 4 p.m. when No. 25 Ole Miss hosts No. 1 Louisville. Sophomore left-hander Doug Nikhazy will start for the Rebels, while sophomore right-hander Gunnar Hoglund will start on Saturday and freshman right-hander Derek Diamond will start Sunday.
Ole Miss' position players are a little more fluid.
Juniors Tyler Keenan and Anthony Servideo are the only returning full-time starters from a year ago, and Servideo is moving from right field to shortstop. Beyond Keenan and Servideo, Bianco didn't announce many penciled-in starters for Friday, but he did say freshman Jerrion Ealy will start at center field and freshman Hayden Dunhurst at catcher for the first game.
Here's what Ole Miss baseball's depth chart looks like for Friday's opener, based on Bianco's statements:
Catcher: 1. Hayden Dunhurst, 2. Knox Loposer
First base: 1. Tim Elko, 2. Cael Baker
Second base: Justin Bench OR Peyton Chatagnier
Third base: Tyler Keenan
Shortstop: Anthony Servideo
Left field: Kevin Graham OR Hayden Leatherwood
Center field: 1. Jerrion Ealy, 2. Cade Sammons
Right field: Sammons OR Leatherwood OR Bench OR Chatagnier OR John Rhys Plumlee
Designated hitter: Ben Van Cleve OR Graham
Bianco said he expects as many as seven players to see time in the outfield opening weekend. This includes Elko, who has primarily worked at first base this spring but started 13 games as a corner outfielder a year ago.
Graham started as a first baseman and designated hitter a year ago but has transitioned into the corner outfield positions. Bianco said Graham is an "average" outfielder, but if he can hit well enough to justify being in the middle of the order, he'll continue to get reps in the outfield.
Despite never having played a college baseball game, expectations are high for Ealy. Ealy ranked No. 12 in Perfect Game's list of the top freshmen in college baseball last fall and ranked No. 66 in MLB.com's rankings of the top MLB Draft prospects for 2019. The two-sport star also ran for 722 yards and six touchdowns for the football team in 2019, averaging 6.9 yards per carry.
Jackson Prep's Jerrion Ealy gets a hit against Jackson Academy during the MAIS AAAA Baseball Championships held in Flowood in May 2018. (Photo: Bob Smith/For Clarion Ledger)
Ealy's football teammate, quarterback John Rhys Plumlee, also has a chance to see some action in the outfield this weekend. Plumlee accounted for 16 total touchdowns on the gridiron in the fall and will compete with Graham, Leatherwood, Sammons, Bench and Chatagnier for reps at corner outfield positions.
Bianco said he expects to make decisions regarding who will start where based on lefty-righty matchups, especially early in the season while players are trying to find a rhythm.
"I like to do that, especially early in the season to get some guys the best shot to have success off the bat. With [Louisville All-American Reid Detmers] throwing Friday night, a lefty, and a right-hander throwing on Saturday, it gives us an opportunity to play some different guys and hopefully get some guys off to success."
Ole Miss opening weekend baseball schedule
Friday at 4 p.m.: LHP Doug Nikhazy vs. LHP Reid Detmers
Saturday at 1:30 p.m.: RHP Gunnar Hoglund vs. RHP Bobby Miller
Sunday at 12 p.m.: RHP Derek Diamond vs. RHP Luke Smith
SOURCE: Suss, Nick. "Ole Miss baseball: Jerrion Ealy included among Rebels' opening weekend starters." Mississippi Clarion Ledger, 11 February 2020,
Contact Nick Suss at 601-408-2674 or nsuss@gannett.com. Follow @nicksuss on Twitter.
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