Diamond Rebels to Watch: Three Ole Miss Baseball Transfers Primed For an Impactful 2026
OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss baseball is nine days away from its 2026 opening day matchup against the Nevada Wolf Pack on February 13, part of a three-game weekend set, where Rebels’ skipper Mike Bianco and his squad look to start what they hope is another regional hosting season.
Ole Miss hosted a regional last year, marking their first playoff appearance since winning the National Championship in 2022; however, hosting another one is not out of reach, as the Rebels have retained a large portion of their offensive staff and added some key transfer pieces.
Three transfer players stand out to me. Let’s take a look at these Rebels who could be difference-makers for Bianco’s team.
Daniel Pacella – OF – Previous Team: Illinois State
Pacella is a power-hitting outfielder transferring in from Illinois State where he spent his first three collegiate seasons. There, he made an immediate impact, posting a slash line of .307 BA /.363 OBP/.585 SLG (.947 OPS), tallying 16 HRs and 56 RBIs, and adding 9 doubles in an efficient 50-game freshman campaign.
Following that impressive freshman season, Pacella stayed the pace in his sophomore season, even improving in different facets of his play. In 2024, he slashed .328 BA /.429 OBP/.583 SLG (1.012 OPS), adding on 12 HRs, 61 RBIs, and 16 doubles in 53 games.
Finally, Pacella concluded his Redbird career with yet another fantastic season in 2025, in which he set eye-opening career highs, posting a .355 BA/ .429 OBP/ .714 SLG (1.143 OPS) with 20 HRs, 59 RBIs, 19 doubles, even tacking on 2 triples. He improved his career numbers in total to 48 HRs, 156 RBIs, and 44 doubles (212 career hits).
Pacella’s consistent production at the plate is something Rebel fans should be ecstatic about, as he and the other two outfielders will be replacing a full graduating class that created a lot of offense for Ole Miss last season.
Tristan Bissetta – OF: Previous Team – Clemson Tigers
Bissetta was a big get for Ole Miss as the former Clemson Tiger entered the portal after the Tigers hosted a Super Regional before ultimately falling short of Omaha. In his tenure with the Tigers, Bissetta established himself as a speedy on-base machine playing great defense in the corner outfield positions.
Unlike Pacella, Bissetta did not make an immediate impact on the Tigers statistically, but he really came into his own during his second and third years with the program. His sophomore campaign consisted of 44 games and 167 plate appearances, during which he posted a .298 BA/.401 OBP/.511 SLG (.912 OPS) slash line with 7 HRs, 34 RBIs, 7 doubles, and a triple, totaling 42 hits on the year.
In his final season at Clemson, Bissetta posted a slightly disappointing stat line; however, he still proved impactful in 31 games, with solid on-base consistency, great defense, and speed on the base paths.
Bissetta has yet to reach 45 games in a season, but has all the tools to be a key piece of the Rebels’ squad in 2026 alongside Pacella and returning Ole Miss teammate Hayden Federico, who are projected to be the starters in the outfield.
Dom Decker – IF: Previous Team – Murray State
Decker burst onto the national collegiate baseball scene last season alongside the rest of his team at Murray State as the Racers advanced all the way to Omaha for the first time in program history.
Decker was a key piece of the Racers’ history-making squad after transferring from Wallace State Community College. In his only season with Murray State, Decker posted an impressive .351 BA/ .496 OBP/ .464 SLG (.961) slash line without hitting a home run. Decker tallied 74 hits, 18 of which were doubles, with the addition of 3 triples as well, while also holding a +7 walk/strikeout ratio with 47 walks to 40 strikeouts, with 15 hit by pitches and 2 intentional walks on the season.
Decker and the Racers actually won the Oxford regional last year, which is widely speculated to be one reason Bianco and Co. pursued the infielder so heavily.
While his batting speaks for itself, the Rebels are also gaining a very solid glove, especially up the middle, as Decker is primarily a second baseman but can play the left side of the infield as well.
Decker is entering his junior season, with two seasons of eligibility remaining, and while the Swazye Crazies may not get a lot of beer showers in right, Decker is a player to be very excited about.
A Look Ahead
Ole Miss is set for first pitch on February 13 as the Nevada Wolf Pack travel to Oxford for a three-game weekend series to jump-start the 2026 season
Billy Kuhl
Billy Kuhl joins The Rebel Walk as a sophomore at Ole Miss majoring in Journalism with a Sports Media concentration. He is from Jefferson Township, New Jersey and graduated from Jefferson Township High School where he played varsity baseball, and soccer, and swam competitively in his summers. You can contact him at wpkuhl88@gmail.com or DM him on X @Billykuhll or instagram @Billykuhll_
