Rebel Picks a Rebel: Kevin Graham drafted by Arizona, will join former Ole Miss player and Diamondbacks’ Special Asst. to GM, Deric Ladnier
OXFORD, Miss. – After being selected in the 14th round of the major league baseball draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks, Ole Miss outfielder Kevin Graham made an easy decision.
“I think it is best to go out as a national champion.“
Kevin Graham on his decision to sign his first professional contract
The Rebel left fielder had the option to return to Ole Miss for another year due to the COVID-19 rule. Last season, Graham hit .335 with 11 doubles, 11 home runs and he drove in 109 runs.
As of Tuesday afternoon, he was still waiting for his new destination, but he is ready to go.
“I’m not sure,” Graham said of his first professional stop. “But I know I’ve got to start playing ball pretty soon.”
One person who does know where Graham is going is Deric Ladnier, the special assistant to the general manager of the Diamondbacks.
“We are going to bring him out here (to Phoenix) for a physical and evaluation. Then more than likely, we will send him to Visalia (Calif.) where we send most of our college draft picks.”
Diamondbacks’ Deric Ladnier on Kevin Graham
Ladnier is proud to have chosen Graham for another reason besides the O’Fallon, Ill., native’s talent.
In the early 80’s, Ladnier played third base for the Rebels. After his junior season in Oxford, he was drafted by the Kansas City Royals.
After an injury in Double-A ball, he began his post-playing career as a scout before quickly ascending to other front office positions.
“I told someone as long as I have been doing this, this is the first Ole Miss player I have ever drafted.“
Deric Ladnier
Prior to selecting Graham, Arizona picked Mississippi State pitcher Landon Sims. Graham said he had no problem with playing with a former archrival.
“I think that (playing with Sims) will be kind of fun. We will both be able to show off a national championship ring.”
Kevin Graham on playing with State catcher Landon Sims
The Rebels won the national title this season, State won the championship a year ago. During this year’s College World Series, Graham hit .360 in five games, with a double, a home run and he drove in five runs.
Ladnier certainly knows talent. He has worked in the front offices of the Braves, Royals and Nationals. While in Washington, he drafted both Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper.
Graham was not the only Rebel taken in the draft.
In the sixth round, Derek Diamond (Pittsburgh) and Hayden Dunhurst (Kansas City), and Dylan DeLucia (Cleveland) were picked. Brandon Johnson (Kansas City) went in the ninth round, Tim Elko (Chicago White Sox) was drafted in the tenth round, and Justin Bench (San Francisco) was picked in the 17th round.
The Diamondbacks selected Druw Jones with their first-round pick, the second overall. He is the son of former Atlanta outfielder Andruw Jones who Ladnier worked with when he was the director of minor league operations for the Braves.
“I guess I have come full circle,” Ladnier said. “I worked with the father in Atlanta and now with the son in Arizona.”
Ladnier has come full circle in another way. He is a former Ole Miss Rebel who played professional baseball who is now giving another Ole Miss Rebel a chance to do the same thing.
(Feature image credit: Josh McCoy, Ole Miss)
Steve Barnes
Steve Barnes joins The Rebel Walk staff as a senior writer and brings a trifecta of journalistic experience. As a writer, he has covered college sports for Rivals.com, Football.com and SaturdayDownSouth.com as well as served as a beat writer for various traditional newspapers.
He has been a broadcaster for arena football and several national tournament events for the National Junior College Athletic Association as well as hosting various shows on radio.
A former sports information director at Albany (Ga.) State University and an assistant at Troy and West Florida, he has helped host many NCAA conference, regional and national events, including serving five years on the media committee of the NCAA Division II World Series.
Barnes, a native of Pensacola, Fla., attended Ole Miss in 1983-84, where his first journalism teacher was David Kellum. The duo has come a long way since that time.
He will bring a proven journalistic track record, along with a knack for finding the out-of-the-ordinary story angles to The Rebel Walk.
Barnes continues to reside in Pensacola a mere ten minutes from the beach because he does have taste and a brain.
