By Adam Brown and Jeff Roberson
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com; wjrobers@olemiss.edu
Ole Miss fans, it has been a long month with no sports for the red and blue. Here at HottyToddy.com, we feel the same way you do about not being out at Swayze. We miss hearing the crack of the bats, feeling the energy of the crowd and cheering on the Rebels.
Over the next few weeks, HottyToddy is going to break down the greatest of all time to step on the diamond of Swayze Field in the coach Mike Bianco era. We’re taking a position-by-position look at the five best at their craft.
We know there will be debate about these choices, and that is good. It’s what we want. We also know some excellent players are left off these lists because we only chose five at each spot as well as a total of 15 outfielders.
HottyToddy’s own sports editor Adam Brown and contributor Jeff Roberson are going to give our readers our top picks at each position on the diamond. In all, there will be a total of 10 lists that include starters, relievers, closers, and utility players.
Today’s GOAT (greatest of all time) list will feature the outfielders.
Here is our list of players in no particular order:
Here is our list of players in no particular order
Adam’s Picks and Jeff’s picks
Seth Smith
Auston Bousfield
Logan Power
JB Woodman
Alex Presley
Braxton Lee
Brian Pettway
Ryan Olenek
Thomas Dillard
Will Golsan
Burney Hutchinson
Charlie Babineaux
Mark Wright
Jordan Henry
Tim Ferguson
Here are our top three players from this era that roamed the outfield.
Seth Smith was one of the first major stars of the Mike Bianco era at Ole Miss. From Hillcrest Christian School in metro south Jackson, Smith was named Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year following the 2002 season. That season the freshman outfielder also earned first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors. Smith’s .402 batting average was the highest ever by an Ole Miss freshman, and he also set new school freshman records for hits, singles, runs batted in and total bases. Over the next two seasons, Smith helped guide Ole Miss to the NCAA’s Rice Regional and the first-ever Oxford Regional in baseball. In 2003, Smith was a member of the United States National Team that won the silver medal at the Pan American Games. He finished second on the USA squad in hitting with a .322 average in 29 games and also hit four home runs. After his junior season, Smith was selected in the second round of the 2004 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. He had a solid and lengthy MLB career with the Rockies, A’s, Padres, Mariners, and Orioles, retiring after the 2017 season.
Auston Bousfield roamed center field with speed and efficiency, and he also was highly effective at the plate. In his junior season at Ole Miss in 2014, Bousfield’s batting average was .336, which put him second on the team behind Will Allen’s .339. He was one of three players – Allen and Austin Anderson being the other two – to start (69) and play every game (69) of the Rebels’ College World Series season that spring and summer. That season at Ole Miss, the West Orange (Fla.) The high product had 18 doubles, 2 triples, 6 home runs, and 50 RBI. As a sophomore, he started and played in all 62 games, and as a freshman, he started all but two and played in all but one of Ole Miss’ 63 games.
Logan Powerplayed for seasons for the Rebels from 2006-09. From Hillcrest Christian School in Jackson, Mississippi. Power finished his career .313 batting average with 29 home runs and 183 RBI’s. He was drafted in the 25th round by the San Diego Padres.
