My starting lineup of Ole Miss baseball favorites to cover

This would have been the day to dissect the series between Ole Miss and Mississippi State and start preparation for Vanderbilt and the Rebels in Oxford as part of Grove Bowl festivities this weekend. That Gunnar Hoglund-Kumar Rocker matchup would be appointment viewing, but instead we’re another week without college baseball and without sports, and I miss the ballpark.

College baseball is a great sport to cover because you can still get to know the players and coaches on a better level than some of the other sports in this era of college athletics. That includes more time and availability for longterm features and more opportunities to ask about their families or interests other than baseball.

I’ve covered Ole Miss baseball for 15 seasons, and the difficult people to cover are few and far between compared to the ones you have to try hard not to root for during their careers. With that, and with little else to do, here’s a starting lineup of some of my favorite players to cover during my career. Stats and ability level don’t factor in directly, though obviously everyday contributors were the focus of my days more often than not. Also, current players are ineligible to make the list.

Catcher - Brett Basham (2006-2009)

I almost cheated and added an OR right off the top because Cooper Johnson was professional, accommodating and helpful to the media from even before he stepped on campus. But, in the end, Brett Basham was a part of that run from 2006-2009 and was the SEC All-Defense catcher in 2008. Catchers are helpful because that one interview can cover offense, the opposing pitchers and the pitchers for the team you cover since they are a part of of each pitch, as well. Basham was the best set of eyes when analyzing Scott Bittle, Drew Pomeranz, Lance Lynn and others.

First Base - Matt Smith (2008-2011)

Matt Smith was the go-to quote for multiple Ole Miss seasons and is tied for the career RBI school record with Logan Power. One of my top-three favorite players to cover, Smith tore his UCL on opening day of his redshirt freshman but spent four years as a cog in the lineup and an emotional spark plug for the roster. He’s best known for the walk-off home run in game one of the 2009 super regional, but he caught me in mid-air one day as I slipped on a wet bullpen mound and was destined for the most embarrassing moment of my life, falling flat down into a mud puddle in front of the whole team. I’ll be forever grateful.

Second Base - Alex Yarbrough (2010-2012)

Alex Yarbrough is also the best statistical second baseman I’ve covered, hitting .350 as a sophomore and .380 as a junior to go with his solid defense. The switch hitter was equally productive from both sides and is somewhat undervalued looking back because his three postseasons included two third-place regional finishes and a blown winner’s bracket opportunity in College Station in 2012.

Third Base - Austin Anderson (2012-2014)

I spent the majority of Austin Anderson’s career arguing that his lack of statistical production was mostly because of BABIP misfortune, and he completed his career proving me correct, hitting .323 and receiving third team All-America honors. He was top 10 in the SEC in on-base percent, runs, doubles and total bases. His walk-off home run on an attempted intentional walk against Auburn remains one of the top highlights from the last decade.

Shortstop - Grae Kessinger (2017-2019)

Wearing the Kessinger name across your back isn’t the easiest task in an Ole Miss uniform, but Grae Kessinger handled the high expectations, bounced back from multiple freak injuries and finished his career with the Brooks Wallace Award, given annually to the nation’s top shortstop. Kessinger made his own legacy and improved each season, parlaying his play into a second round MLB Draft selection from the Astros.

Outfield - Tim Ferguson (2008-2010)

Tim Ferguson played infield primarily the first two seasons in Oxford before moving to the outfield as a junior, a better overall fit and an everyday assignment that allowed him to get into a rhythm offensively and use his speed routinely on the bases. He led the 2009 team with a .358 average while mostly platooning with Evan Button. Mike Bianco pushed a lot of correct buttons with that 2009 group, but Ferguson was likely underutilized during his career.

Outfield - Justin Henry (2005-2007)

Justin Henry was a Swiss army knife during his career in Oxford, finding a role at DH as a freshman and then playing both infield and outfield during his remaining two seasons with the Rebels. In 2007, he and his brother, Jordan, each had 99 hits, good for third in school history. He also stole 22 bases. Henry played in 57, 64 and 65 games, respectively, in three seasons.

Outfield - Auston Bousfield (2012-2014)

Auston Bousfield, who was too nice to correct everyone who mispronounced his name for the better part of his career, was an All-America selection in 2014, occupying the No. 2 spot in the batting order and player center field among a loaded defensive outfield group that included Braxton Lee, JB Woodman and Will Jamison. Bousfield had excellent freshman and junior seasons and overcame a sophomore slump. The Florida native was take-in the fifth round of the 2014 Draft.

Starting Pitcher - Christian Trent (2014-2015)

I made the argument on the Oxford Exxon Podcast earlier this year that a case can be made for Christian Trent as the most valuable signee in Mike Bianco’s tenure. And while Stephen Head is the actual answer there, Trent’s 2014 season was remarkable as the Rebels finished third nationally. For the season he was 9-0 with a 2.05 ERA and was even better in the postseason, allowing one earned run in 21.1 innings, helping Ole Miss to the driver’s seat with a win over Washington in the regional and elimination game victories over ULL and Texas Tech. He had a bit of a chip on his shoulder after starting his career at LSU, and it made for great quotes and a fun environment to be around.

Starting Pitcher - Bobby Wahl (2011-2013)

Bobby Wahl, much like Yarbrough, is somewhat one the back burner among recent stars because of the lack of team success. Wahl was 10-0 with a 2.03 ERA in 2012, but Ole Miss missed the postseason his freshman year and then lost in road regionals in 2012 and 2013 — the latter without playing the regional winner. Wahl was excellent to deal with as a recruit and continued that during his three seasons in Oxford. He and Mike Mayers deserved better fates, as they held together a subpar era of Ole Miss baseball.

Starting Pitcher - Brady Feigl (2016-2018)

I’m not sure I’ve covered an overall nicer player than Feigl, and he came back from Tommy John surgery to put together a nice career in Oxford including a 2018 season as the No. 2 starter behind Ryan Rolison. Feigl went eight innings to out-duel Casey Mize in a win over Auburn and struck out eight without a walk against Tennessee Tech in the winner’s bracket game of the Oxford Regional. His 40.2 relief innings in 2016 were critical as that group hosted a regional.

Relief Pitcher - Scott Weathersby (2013-2015)

It’s pretty neat when perseverance pays off. That happened for Scott Weathersby, as he was a little-used reliever his first two seasons in Oxford, playing summer ball in nearby New Albany and searching for the difference that would make him an integral part of thee Ole Miss pitching staff. That happened prior to the 2014 season, and Weathersby was on the mound when the Rebels won the regional. He also got the win in relief of Trent’s dominant effort against Tech in Omaha. He had a 2.62 ERA as senior in 2015, helping the Rebels scrape their way to a postseason berth despite a limited roster.