College Preview Capsules: No. 24 Mississippi

No. 24 Mississippi

2015 Record (Ranking): 30-28 (NR). RPI: 27.

Coach (Record at school): Mike Bianco (587-351-1, 15 years)

Postseason History: 20 regionals (active streak: 4), 5 CWS trips (last in 2014), 0 national titles.

After losing several key pieces from its College World Series team, Mississippi took some lumps in Southeastern Conference play in 2015. But, by the end of the year, it was back in a familiar place: regionals.

Now the Rebels are once again in a position where they return a strong core. Seven starters are back in the lineup, as well as weekend starter Brady Bramlett and closer Wyatt Short. Coach Mike Bianco said it isn’t just about the number of returning players Mississippi has, it’s the kind of experience they are bringing into the season.

2016 Lineup
Pos.	Name, Year	AVG	OBP	SLG	HR	RBI	SB
C	Henri Lartigue, Jr.	.225	.289	.348	1	12	0
1B	Will Golsan, So.	.290	.367	.339	0	26	3
2B	Tate Blackman, So.	.197	.293	.254	0	9	2
3B	Colby Bortles, Jr.	.281	.365	.442	7	47	0
SS	Errol Robinson, Jr.	.297	.376	.364	1	30	6
LF	Connor Cloyd, Sr.	.369	.435	.417	0	15	2
CF	J.B. Woodman, Jr.	.274	.386	.429	7	23	7
RF	Cameron Dishon, Sr.	.251	.332	.323	2	14	17
DH	Nick Fortes, Fr.	HS—Deland, Fla.
Pos.	Name, Year	W	L	ERA	IP	SO	SV
RHP	Brady Bramlett, Jr.	7	4	3.74	84	83	0
RHP	Chad Smith, Jr.	Tr.—Wallace State (Ala.) CC
RHP	James McArthur, Fr.	HS—New Braunfels, Texas
RP	Wyatt Short, Jr.	4	1	1.38	39	44	10

“We returned some guys last year, but they were freshmen and had a little different roles (in 2014),” Bianco said. “Now we’re talking about guys with 500 at-bats in the SEC. It’s a much older group even though we don’t have a lot of seniors.”

Chief among those returners is Errol Robinson, who used a solid summer in the Cape Cod League to establish himself as the top college shortstop in this year’s draft class. He is capable of making highlight reel plays on defense, and employs a contact-oriented approach at the plate to take advantage of his above-average speed.

With so many elite shortstops in last year’s draft, Bianco believes Robinson has stayed slightly under the radar nationally. If he plays up to his ability this spring, that is likely to change. “The kid has played just about every game here since he stepped on campus,” said Bianco, noting Robinson has played 125 of the team’s 127 games the last two seasons. “He just brings a lot of energy to the field.”

Robinson is just one of several toolsy players in the Rebels lineup. Center fielder J.B. Woodman could play his way up draft boards with a strong spring, and Bianco believes third baseman Colby Bortles and second baseman Tate Blackman have positioned themselves for standout seasons with solid performances in the fall.

Mississippi loaded up its 19th-ranked recruiting class with pitching and will be counting on immediate impacts from some of them. Another key addition to the staff will be getting righthander Sean Johnson back after he missed last season due to Tommy John surgery.

Righthander Chad Smith, expected to slot into the weekend rotation, highlights the newcomers. An oblique injury limited him last spring at Wallace State (Ala.) JC, though the Indians drafted him in the 23rd round anyway. He is now fully healthy and is capable of running his fastball into the mid 90s. Several freshmen will also be competing for innings, including righthanders James McArthur, Andy Pagnozzi and Dallas Woolfolk.

“We signed more pitchers in this class than we ever have before,” Bianco said. “We’re excited. We’re just figuring out the rotation and roles for them.”

The Rebels’ pitching staff will start with Bramlett on Friday nights and finish with Short at the back end of games. Bianco said he feels good about the pitchers contending for the roles in between, but the key for the Rebels will be getting the staff settled into roles by the time Mississippi begins SEC play with a visit to Tennessee in March.

“That’s very important as you enter into conference play that guys have those roles,” Bianco said. “That’s really the goal.

“You look at the position players and the expectations, those guys have been here and been starters for the last two years—it’s their team. Those guys started as freshmen on the World Series team in 2014. Now they’re juniors and leaders.”