Xavier Rivas doesn’t know what uniform he’ll have on when he next takes the mound in a game, but he’s confident and excited about his development when the time comes.

Rivas, who transferred from Division II Indianapolis and started for Ole Miss in 2023, is draft eligible and days away from knowing his exact options for next season. He’s good with either route, and the left-hander is honest about what will dictate his decision.

The Major League Baseball Draft is July 9-11, and free agent deals happen in the days following the draft. Players have two weeks after the draft to come to contract agreements.

"I don’t really have a preference, and it’s about doing what’s best for me,” Rivas said. I love Ole Miss and would love to go back, and I’d love to go to pro ball and the next level. It’s a win-win.

“It’s really about money; what’s best for my future. You want to get a number that makes sense for your value and who you are and your eligibility. You also want enough money to where a team has something in you and some flesh in the game. It’s not good if it doesn’t hut them to cut you.”

Rivas started out as Ole Miss’ Sunday starter but was thrust into the ace role following Hunter Elliott’s injury and the inconsistencies with the rest of the pitching staff. Rivas had a 6.35 ERA and .248 batting average against in 68 innings. He struck out 89 and walked 40.

He was the only starter to give the Rebels any consistent length, going at least five innings in half of his SEC starts and at least four innings in eight of his 10 league appearances. He was fourth in strikeouts and 10th in innings pitched in SEC games.

Ole Miss is coming off its worst season since 1997, going 25-29 overall and 6-24 in SEC play. The Rebels, one year removed from a national title, have added five players from the transfer portal to date and could lose one-to-three players to the draft from their high school signing class.

Keeping Rivas is one of the top priorities from the current roster. NIL possibilities are one thing in Ole Miss’ favor.

“NIL is becoming a big part,” Rivas said. “Some schools can compete a little bit. Not with big first day signing bonuses, but NIL is going to play a big role with guys going cheap at the end of the draft. You can go to school and make close to the same money and then get drafted again.”

Rivas is back home in Indiana currently, but he’s had a fruitful bit of travel since the season ended in late May. He has worked with private pitching coach Dominick Johnson during the offseason ever since his pitching coach at Indianapolis, Adam Cornwell, introduced them. He spent time with Johnson in San Diego right after the season. It’s his third trip to see him since last summer.

Johnson is Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove’s godfather, and he works with many Major League arms including Mike Clevinger, Yu Darvish and Aaron Nola. Johnson and Rivas tweaked his changeup during this recent visit, and Rivas believes it’s now a viable third pitch that could be a tremendous difference maker in his career.

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Rivas was a fastball-changeup pitcher as a freshman at Indianapolis, but as his fastball velocity increased, he lost changeup feel and command. His throwing motion has natural supination, making it difficult to pronate for a circle change.

At Ole Miss, Rivas was primarily a fastball-breaking ball pitcher, so any use of the changeup would be a key, especially against right-handers.

“One downfall this spring was just throwing primarily two pitches,” Rivas said. “You have the midweek bullpens to work on things, but we could’t get it to do what it needed. That’s fall and summer to really experiment.”

Johnson and Rivas developed a split change which allows Rivas to throw it like a fastball and not worry about the pronation. He’s happy with the Trackman and Rapsodo numbers and is eager to test it against live hitters.

The pair also worked on a cutter that isn’t as far along as the changeup, but Rivas is optimistic about it.

“The biggest thing is the changeup and adding velocity which is just an automatic in today’s game and will be a thing because it has been for me every year,” Rivas said. The cutter will be cool. The changeup is huge.

“(Carl) Lafferty, (Mike) Bianco and I have a good relationship, and Laff is the pitching coach, and I talk to him a lot about what I want to do and what I do on my own time. They are good about it and work what I’m doing with Dom into my throwing program.”

Rivas hopes his decision is an easy one as soon as the MLB Draft is over. Since it’s a numbers game almost exclusively, he thinks he will know his next destination in just a few days — if it’s back to Oxford or to start a professional career.

The SEC meat grinder got to Rivas at times, but he learned a lot and wants to prove he can command the strike zone and be more efficient. He walked at least four in six different starts.

“If it’s Ole Miss next year, I’m a year older and being more mature and not being in so many bad situations and bad counts,” Rivas said. “Knowing what it takes in the SEC and how to manage the SEC.

“What helped me when things were going was to remember that while the zone is small and hitters are good, it’s still hard to hit and you just trust it and don’t nibble. I’n not going to be perfect. Just flood the zone and trust yourself. I didn’t trust myself enough, but I’m a better pitcher, and I feel confident right now.”