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Ole Miss ace Hunter Elliott to return for 2026 season

11by: Jake Thompson07/14/25JakeThompsonOn3
NCAA Baseball: NCAA Oxford Regional-First Round Mississippi at Western Kentucky
May 31, 2025; Oxford, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels starting pitcher Hunter Elliott (26) reacts after a strike out to end the sixth inning against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Turns out the Monday night relief effort by Hunter Elliott in the Oxford Regional Championship was not the last time Ole Miss fans will see take Swayze Field.

The Rebels ace is returning for another season and confirmed it on Monday with a social media post.

Getting Elliott back is a major piece of the puzzle for Ole Miss in 2026 and locking down the Friday night starter role. The development comes after Elliott was not selected in the first 10 rounds of the 2025 MLB Draft on Monday.

Earlier in the draft Grand Canyon transfer Grant Richardson was a sixth round selection, spelling potential doubt that he would be making it to Oxford-University Stadium in February.

Elliott’s decision softens that blow.

In return to the mound after missing most of the last two years he finished with a 10-3 record and 2.94 earned run average. In 85.2 innings pitched Elliott recorded 102 strikeouts, allowing 31 runs — 28 earned — of 59 hits. He walked 40 other batters.

Elliott was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 20th round of the 2024 MLB Draft but opted to return. After a return season where he looked closer to 2022 form by the end of this Spring put this year’s draft on the table.

Instead, Ole Miss gets its ace back one more time. Something that was not going to be a surprise to pitching coach Joel Mangrum when speaking to Rebel Grove last month.

“It wouldn’t shock me to see Hunter Elliott back in an Ole Miss uniform,” Mangrum said.

“I think Hunter loves it here. If he came back and pitched his redshirt junior year here, he would still have draft leverage. I think that this is, he looks at Ole Miss like it is his place. Like he’s one of the better athletes and better pitchers to come through this program.”

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