The Ole Miss Rebels are down three players after announcing that Mike Bianco will return in 2025.
While Mike Bianco will be back for his 25th season as Ole Miss’ head baseball coach, three players won’t be back for a second year in Oxford.
According to 247 Sports, outfielder Seth Farni, catcher Trenton Lyons and RHP Gabe Smith all will enter the portal after failing to reach the NCAA Tournament this season. The trio could return if they choose to have a change or heart, but Smith and Lyons might be top names to monitor on the market.
Lyons saw the most action during his freshman season, appearing in 22 of Ole Miss’ 56 games with seven starts. A native of Memphis, Tenn., Lyons notched 10 hits (.263), three RBIs, one stolen base and one extra-base hit while striking out 16 times in 39 plate appearances.
He’s an upside four-tool player who will need work behind the plate. Last season, he was credited with a .929 to go along with six errors.
Farni played in seven games (no starts), registering one hit in seven at-bats on the season. The 6-foot, 195-pound freshman last appeared in April during the middle of the regular season.
Smith did not get the chance to play on the mound this year for the Rebels, but the value of the pitcher his hard to replace. He’ll have options elsewhere this offseason given the need for arms in the bullpen and back of a rotation.
The Rebels missed the tournament for a second consecutive year and had their third straight SEC campaign that finished with a losing record (27-29). Even though Ole Miss won the national championship in 2022, that came in a season where it lucked into a tournament spot after a run in Hoover, Ala., through the SEC Tournament.
Ole Miss will be going through substantial changes next season after losing several marquee names. The Rebels will bring back power-hitting Andrew Fischer and infielder Luke Hill as the foundation of a new roster.