Ole Miss, in the days after the 2024 schedule ended, took the first steps toward a plan for the following season.

The Rebels, through the transfer portal, would lean on maturity and established college players instead of prospect-heavy or a youth movement. Culture issues were part of the lack of success the past two seasons, and the added players would also be expected to push for a better climate in the clubhouse.

There are three weeks left in the regular season, but it’s fair to say the roster overhaul is a success. Ole Miss (31-13) is 12-9 in the Southeastern Conference and in the race for a host spot come Memorial Day. Th Rebels are trying to have postseason baseball at Swayze Field for the first time since 2021.

"We have guys who have played a lot of baseball and been in the battles," outfielder Mitchell Sanford said. "The group believes and bought in. That helps when things are going well and otherwise."

The Rebels lost the bulk of the national title team following that season, and Ole Miss finished 6-24 in the SEC in the championship-defense year. Last season the Rebels went 11-19 in the league – though the Pythagorean win expectation was approximately eight wins in each season, signaling more luck and less improvement.

Ole Miss knew it had a good pitching nucleus with Hunter Elliott, Riley Maddox and Mason Nichols to go with closer Connor Spencer and much-improved returner Mason Morris. Those all more-or-less proved true, and pitching coach Joel Mangrum hit on his first portal want with Saint Joseph’s Will McCausland.

That left the majority of the attention to be the position players, as Ole Miss needed an all-new outfield and infielders to go with Will Furniss, Judd Utermark and Luke Hill.

The Rebels grabbed Sanford from UNO and Issac Humphrey from Louisville. Humphrey is rated one of the top-10 outfielders defensively in the country, and Sanford has a 1.124 OPS and eight home runs in league play. Ryan Moerman from Illinois is above average in the field and has had moments despite struggling with velocity.

The Rebels have 11 years of experience in their three starting outfielders.

Ole Miss was the worst defensive team in the SEC a year ago, and shortstop Luke Cheng and Austin Fawley have transformed the Rebels up the middle. Fawley has one passed ball and no catcher interference calls all season. He’s also hit 12 home runs. Ole Miss had 21 passed balls last year.

Cheng handles tough hops well and provides a consistency and the chance at elite defensive snags at shortstop. That’s been extra beneficial with freshman Owen Paino’s struggles.

Some plans don’t work, and the portal is as much crapshoot as it is art or science. But, relative to the money available and the needs both with talent and attitude, Ole Miss gets a high grade for roster management.

The Rebels put together a group that improved the deficiencies and has a toughness absent the past two seasons.

There are still chapters remaining before we know the end result, but the architecture makes sense. College athletics is as much front office as coaching in today’s world.

Ole Miss is reaping those benefits and playing meaningful baseball in May.