Ole Miss Baseball Team Faces Major Roster Changes

Oxford, MS – The Ole Miss baseball team is undergoing significant roster changes ahead of the 2026 season following their exit in the regional final of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The Rebels completed the 2025 season with a record of 43 wins and 21 losses, ultimately falling to No. 4 seed Murray State by a close score of 12-11 on June 2. The team made a commendable run in the tournament, winning three elimination games before their defeat.

As the Rebels prepare for coach Mike Bianco’s 26th season at the helm, they are actively monitoring the transfer portal for opportunities to strengthen their roster. Multiple players have already made moves, with incoming and outgoing transfers shaping the lineup for the upcoming year.

Among the inbound transfers, left-handed pitcher Grant Richardson from Grand Canyon University has committed to Ole Miss. Richardson, who missed the entire 2025 season due to Tommy John surgery, is 6-foot-3 and weighs 220 pounds. Despite his injury, he previously showcased impressive performance, posting a 5-1 record and a 3.73 ERA in 14 appearances in 2024, along with achieving 70 strikeouts over 50.2 innings. Notably, his strikeout rate of 12.43 per nine innings stands as a record at Grand Canyon for pitchers with a minimum of 50 innings pitched. Richardson played a crucial role in leading his former team to their first Division I NCAA Tournament win in 2024 against Arizona and was awarded WAC Pitcher of the Week during a standout performance.

On the other hand, the team has seen some players enter the transfer portal, including catcher Campbell Smithwick, who announced his departure on June 11 after a solid season in which he started 27 games, maintaining a .282 batting average with five home runs, 20 runs, and 23 RBIs. Additionally, outfielder Jackson Miller, a freshman from Palm Beach, Florida, who had limited time in 2025 with only five games played and seven at-bats, is also leaving the team. Furthermore, redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher Cole Ketchum, who appeared in just two games last season, has entered the transfer portal as well.

With several roster changes in progress, Ole Miss is placing a strong emphasis on enhancing its pitching staff for the coming season. The additions, particularly Richardson’s potential contributions, signify the Rebels’ commitment to building veteran depth in a critical area of their team.

Coach Mike Bianco’s lengthy tenure with the program, spanning over two decades, has established him as a cornerstone of Ole Miss baseball. Following a competitive 2025 season that ended in heartbreak at the regional finals, the team is poised for adjustments that hope to elevate their performance in 2026.

As the offseason progresses, the Clarion Ledger will continue tracking these roster changes to provide updates on how Ole Miss prepares leading into the next baseball season. The strategies involving transfers could turn significant as the Rebels attempt to bounce back from their recent disappointment and make a deeper run in the postseason next year.