​OXFORD — The dust is beginning to settle on Ole Miss baseball’s transfer portal activity, with Coach Mike Bianco and the Rebels adding 11 players from the portal and seeing five depart. The window for the portal ran from June 1 to June 30, and Ole Miss still has a chance to add players who entered during that period but have not yet committed to another school.
Ole Miss aims to reload its 2026 roster after reaching the College World Series, but will bid farewell to Tristan Bissetta, Will Furniss, and Judd Utermark due to graduation. Among the program’s top prospects, pitchers Cade Townsend and Taylor Rabe are anticipated to be early-round selections in the 2026 MLB Draft, which begins July 11 at noon CT (NBC/Peacock). In addition, pitchers Hudson Calhoun (No. 235) and Wil Libbert (No. 181) are ranked among the top 250 draft prospects.
The five pitchers who logged a combined 319 2/3 innings for Ole Miss in 2027 accounted for 57 percent of the season’s workload. In response, Ole Miss has acted decisively in the portal to replenish the rotation. Incoming transfer pitchers include Kendall Hoffman (Houston), Andrew Rogovic (Northeastern), Charlie Foster (Mississippi State), Eli Pillsbury (Jacksonville State), Charlie Willcox (Georgia Tech), Maverick Rizy (LSU), and Brent Stukes (South Carolina Upstate). These seven pitchers combined for 345 2/3 innings in 2026, forming a compelling group expected to compete for innings in 2027.
Willcox, a 10-out-of-10 recruit according to Perfect Game, brings a strong fastball/curveball combination, though his freshman season at Georgia Tech was limited, totaling 14 innings with a 9.64 ERA. Rizy pitched 21 1/3 innings at LSU with a 4.22 ERA; he arrives in Oxford as a junior poised for a breakout year. At 6-foot-9 with elite strikeout capability, Rizy stands out as a potential difference-maker. The arrival of one or two draft-eligible pitchers who decide to return to school rather than turn pro would be a welcome bonus for Ole Miss in 2027.
On the infield, Ole Miss has solidified the middle with returnees Dom Decker at second base and Owen Paino at shortstop. First baseman Trey Hawsey transferred from Louisiana Tech, where he posted 76 hits and 15 home runs, signaling a smooth transition to the SEC. The Rebels also added third baseman Jason Fultz from Clemson on July 2, completing the infield puzzle. Fultz served as Clemson’s primary starter, and his addition fills a key role in the lineup as Ole Miss builds toward the 2027 season.