OXFORD, Miss. — After a quiet start to the offseason, Ole Miss is making noise in the transfer portal.
Rebels coach Mike Bianco has secured his first portal commitment of the summer, landing left-handed pitcher Grant Richardson from Grand Canyon University, a move that addresses a critical need for the Rebels’ pitching staff.
Richardson, who announced his transfer on Thursday, brings impressive credentials to Oxford.
During his sophomore season in 2024, Richardson made a seamless transition from the bullpen into Grand Canyon’s starting rotation. Over 50.2 innings, he struck out 70 batters, walked 30, and posted a 3.73 ERA.
Most notably, his strikeout rate of 12.43 per nine innings set a Grand Canyon program record and ranked third in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). His .245 opponent batting average and 70 strikeouts placed him among the WAC’s top pitchers.
Ole Miss’s pursuit of Richardson was deliberate. The Rebels hosted him on a campus visit last week, and he emerged as a primary target for Bianco’s staff, who have made pitching a top priority in this transfer window.
“We knew we needed to add high-level arms, and Grant’s numbers spoke for themselves. He’s shown he can compete against top hitters, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to our program,” Bianco said after the announcement, according to On3.com.
Richardson’s impact at Grand Canyon extended beyond his statistics. He was the pitcher of record in GCU’s first-ever NCAA Division I tournament win, throwing six innings of solid baseball to secure the historic result.
“That was a special moment for me and for Grand Canyon,” Richardson said. “I’m grateful for my time there, but I’m looking forward to new challenges at Ole Miss.”
The move comes at a pivotal time for Ole Miss, which has seen significant roster turnover this offseason.
Six players have entered the transfer portal, including standout catcher Campbell Smithwick.
Pitching departures include redshirt sophomore Cole Ketchum and freshman Hudson Mattox, both of whom still had eligibility remaining, according to the On3 baseball transfer portal tracker.
Bianco acknowledged the challenge of rebuilding a staff after such losses.
“This is part of the new reality in college baseball,” he told local reporters. “You have to recruit from the portal as much as from high school, and it’s about finding the right fits, not just talent-wise, but in terms of character and competitiveness.”
The addition of Richardson, who was recruited by several other programs before choosing Ole Miss, signals that the Rebels are intent on restocking their pitching depth with proven performers.
Richardson’s left-handedness adds a valuable dimension to the Ole Miss bullpen, which struggled with depth and consistency in 2024. According to D1Baseball, the Rebels finished outside the top tiers of the SEC in team ERA and strikeout-to-walk ratio.
“We want to be able to match up with anyone in the conference, and having another lefty who can miss bats gives us more flexibility late in games,” Bianco said.
While Richardson missed the 2025 season due to injury, both he and the Ole Miss staff are optimistic about his return to form.
“I’m putting in a lot of work this summer to get back to 100 percent,” Richardson said. “The medical staff at Ole Miss has already been great, and I’m excited to be part of a program with such a strong tradition.”
The Rebels are expected to keep searching for additional arms in the portal. With the SEC as competitive as ever, every roster move is scrutinized.
If Richardson’s performance at Grand Canyon is any indication, Ole Miss may have found a foundational piece for its rotation.
“Pitching is always at a premium in this league,” Bianco said. “Grant gives us another weapon.”
