Ole Miss starting rotation trio agree to terms with MLB franchises
OXFORD | Mike Bianco had plenty on his mind in the hours between the two regional finals games in Oxford two Mondays ago, as the Rebels tried to regroup from the blowout to Tennessee Tech earlier in the day.
Ole Miss (48-17) would eventually succumb to the Golden Eagles, 3-2, in the nightcap to end the season, and the MLB Draft extracurriculars occupied some of the talk around the game, as Ryan Rolison was picked 22nd overall by the Rockies during the game.
Rolison, a left-handed pitcher who just finished his sophomore season at Ole Miss, signed this week for the full slot value of $2,912,300. Prior to that second loss to Tennessee Tech, ESPN requested to speak with Rolison live in-game should he get drafted. Also, while Bianco doesn’t allow players to have their phones in the locker room or dugout during games, he was asked if he wanted to find a loophole for Rolison, given the circumstance.
“That answer (about the interview) was an easy yes,” Bianco said. “The other question was could he leave his phone… with one of the student trainers not even in the dugout but in the training room so he would know that he got drafted. That was asked between games and I said yes to both of them. It would have been a much tougher answer if he was playing. I can only imagine if you’re pitching or (Florida’s) Jonathan India playing and that really stinks.”
India was drafted while he was going to the plate for an at-bat in the Gators’ regional final against Florida Atlantic. This is the second time in recent years Ole Miss has dealt with the poor scheduling, as the 2014 super regional in Lafayette, Louisiana, also fell on a draft night.
Bianco understands the need for the draft to fall in this part of the calendar, but he’d like it moved back one day, putting the first round on the Tuesday between regionals and super regionals. That three-day window would allow the draft to occur with no games happening.
“I think anyone who has anything to do with the draft or college baseball should be embarrassed about that,” Bianco said. “I don’t think I’m alone in that opinion… With Ryan, one of his great nights in baseball and one of his worst nights in baseball happened to fall on the same night. That’s unfortunate.”
The other two pieces of the Ole Miss weekend rotation have also signed with professional teams. Brady Feigl signed for $300,000 with the Athletics — $68,200 below slot value. James McArthur — a 12th round pick — agreed to terms with the Phillies within the past 48 hours.