Despite Heartbreaking Regional Loss, Ole Miss Baseball’s 2025 Season Marks Major Turnaround

OXFORD, Miss. — Despite a heartbreaking loss in the Oxford Regional that ended their postseason hopes, the 2025 Ole Miss Rebels baseball team has every reason to hold their heads high. This season marked a remarkable turnaround from the struggles of 2023 and 2024, reestablishing Ole Miss as a force in college baseball and reigniting hope for the program’s future.

After back-to-back years without an NCAA Tournament appearance and mounting questions about the program’s direction, head coach Mike Bianco and his staff delivered a resurgent campaign. The Rebels finished the season with a 43–21 overall record and a 16–14 mark in Southeastern Conference (SEC) play—far surpassing the team’s low preseason expectations.

Coming into 2025, the Rebels were largely expected to be an SEC bottom dweller, having been predicted to place 15th in the preseason conference coaches poll. But after storming through through non-conference play with a 14–1 start, it was clear that the Rebels’ predicted second-to-last finish was a woeful miscalculation.

Key series wins over Top 25 opponents (including eventual No. 1 and No. 4 overall seeds Vanderbilt and Auburn respectively), along with an appearance in the SEC Tournament title game, proved that this was a team with depth, firepower, and determination. It was one that was fueled by an stellar offense, which was nothing short of explosive at the plate in 2025. The team broke the program’s single-season home run record with 124 long balls, exceeding the mark set by the national championship-winning 2022 squad.

Infielder Judd Utermark led the offensive charge, tallying 22 home runs on the season to finish with the most long balls. Catcher Austin Fawley was close behind with 21 homers, while Mitchell Sanford tallied 17. Of the regular starters, third baseman Luke Hill finished with the highest batting average, hitting at a .336 clip. Sanford (.317) and first baseman Will Furness (.305) were not far behind.

Freshman infielder Hayden Federico quickly became a fan favorite with his poise and timely production, offering a glimpse at the Rebels’ bright future.

Additionally, on the mound, junior left-hander Hunter Elliott was spectacular, finishing the season with a 1.86 ERA. After two injury-plagued seasons, his return anchored a revitalized pitching staff that drastically improved under new pitching coach Joel Mangrum. The bullpen, once a liability, became a strength—helping the Rebels grind through tight games and deliver key SEC wins.

Despite the season ending in the gut-wrenching fashion that it did, what we can take away is this—there is a feeling of optimism around the Ole Miss program. The Rebels have a much brighter outlook this coming season than they did following 2024. Despite key veterans likely headed to the MLB Draft, a core of young talent will be back, and the 2026 outlook is promising, both via the transfer portal and high school recruits expected to make it to campus.

The 2025 campaign may be remembered as the season that turned the tide—a year when Ole Miss baseball rediscovered its identity and proved that it is still among the SEC’s best.