3. Ole Miss Rebels
Yes, you could certainly make the argument that No. 3 could be too-low for what will be a talented and experienced Ole Miss team under head coach Mike Bianco, but hey, that’s just another example of just how deep SEC Baseball as a whole is.
After finishing 45-22 a year ago (18-12 in SEC), the Rebels are set to return one of the top lineups in the conference, one that is headlined by numerous names such Jacob Gonzalez, Hayden Dunhurst, Tim Elko, Kevin Graham, Justin Bench, and more. Yes, there are more in the lineup alone, all of which saw extensive time a year ago (TJ McCants, Hayden Leatherwood, Peyton Chatagnier).
Plain and simple, this Ole Miss lineup is deep with talent and experience, and could easily be considered as one of, if not the, best in the conference. So, if the lineup is that good, why are the Rebels only at No. 3?
Ole Miss will have to replace two of the SEC’s best pitchers from last season in Doug Nikhazy and Gunnar Hoglund, as well as impactful closer Taylor Broadway. This will certainly not be an easy thing to do to replace three arms as impactful as those three, meaning that Ole Miss will be counting on strong years from the returning Derek Diamond and Drew McDaniel, as well as others such as sophomore Jack Dougherty and Oregon State transfer Jack Washburn.
As is the same with Arkansas previously, pitching will be the biggest key for the Rebels entering the 2022 season. If the Rebels could receive one-to-two breakout seasons from some their younger arms, Ole Miss could be labeled as a legit national title contender.