​As expected, Cade Townsend opened the draft for Ole Miss, becoming the first Rebel off the board. He was soon followed by Taylor Rabe, whose remarkable late-season surge propelled him into the spotlight. Ole Miss tied Arkansas and Georgia Tech for the most top-30 picks, with Georgia Tech placing two players in the top eight overall.
Townsend went 23rd overall to the Chicago Cubs, signing for a value of about $3.95 million. The Cubs, in dire need of pitching depth, will give Townsend an opportunity to prove himself quickly. Townsend now stands as Ole Miss’s highest draft pick in program history, surpassing Chris Coghlan by 13 selections.
Taylor Rabe also eclipsed Coghlan, going 30th to the Kansas City Royals. This marks the Royals’ highest-drafted player from Mississippi since they selected Ole Miss commit Cody Reed out of Northwest Community College in 2013. Reed was later traded to Cincinnati for Johnny Cueto, who helped the Royals win a World Series in 2015.
Hudson Calhoun joined the party after being taken in the fourth round by the Texas Rangers. With the 117th pick, his slot bonus is valued around $664,000. Calhoun exceeded expectations by going higher than projected, which suggests he may have agreed to a more favorable deal and is likely done in Oxford.
Two more high school prospects inked early deals as Rebels, including Taj Marchand, selected by the Tampa Bay Rays with the 33rd overall pick, and Cole Prosek, taken 41st by the Chicago White Sox. Prosek, a Magnolia Heights graduate, is poised to command nearly $2.5 million. The White Sox appear to have a soft spot for players from Ole Miss.
Day 1 of the MLB Draft concluded with three Rebels newly selected. Stay tuned to the Cup for updates on which Rebels may hear their names called later in the draft, as Mississippi’s college program continues to leave a strong mark on the summer’s biggest stage.