OXFORD | Grae Kessinger experienced a textbook recovery from his offseason foot surgery and is full speed as Ole Miss begins fall practice.

The sophomore shortstop suffered a Jones fracture picking up a ping pong ball hours before the Rebels played in the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Alabama. The injury ended his season and required surgery.

Kessinger had the surgery May 31 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Famed foot specialist Robert Anderson, who has had Derek Jeter, Kevin Durant, Cam Newton and others as past patients, performed the procedure.

Anderson placed a pin in the fifth metatarsal of the foot, and Kessinger has been full released for activity for several weeks. The break stayed aligned which made for an easier operation. The Rebels start fall practice on Friday. Kessinger was able to strength train as soon as the stitches for out -- except for that side of his lower body.

“The foot is good,” Kessinger said. “I’m done with rehab and getting it strong again by playing on it. There’s been no soreness and no setbacks. I can do everything — running, cutting, taking ground balls. I still need to get some strength back but that just comes from playing on it.”

The injury kept Kessinger from a summer in the Cape League with the Bourne Braves, who finished second in the notable Northeast organization. However, his major disappointment was being being unable to compete in the SEC Tournament. Ole Miss lost the opener and didn’t advance to regional play.

“I wasn’t able to be there for the guys in Hoover,” Kessinger said. “I much rather would have preferred helping out. That was really hard. The Cape would have been great, but I have another year to do that.”

Kessinger’s freshman season featured defensive plays that showed why he was a top prospect and 26th round draft pick out of Oxford High School, but he admits the offensive side didn’t go as planned. He hit .175 in 55 games and 53 starts on the season.

The focus for the fall is to swing with more purpose, and he and some other newcomers allowed the individual setbacks to affect their mindsets at the plate.

“(Ole Miss hitting coach Mike) Clement has been preaching for us to swing with intent,” Kessinger said. “I struggled with that last year. I didn’t just swing to drive it somewhere. When you’re playing everyday and it goes bad you have to handle it. Being a year older we know how to embrace that better than last year.”

Ole Miss is practicing at Swayze Field this fall but will intrasquad at Oxford High School because of the construction at Oxford-University Stadium.