Ole Miss in the MLB: Drew Pomeranz still sidelined with arm injury

The 2023 Major League Baseball season is close to two months old now and with the dog days of summer coming before the final push to the playoffs of August and September it is time to check in and see how some former Ole Miss Rebels are fairing in ‘The Show.’

As of May 26 four former Ole Miss players were on MLB teams: Lance Lynn, Drew Pomeranz, Nick Fortes and Chad Smith. There are 22 former Rebels on Minor League Baseball teams.

For Pomeranz this season is continuing to go how all of the 2022 campaign went, by dealing with a lingering injury.

The San Diego Padres starting pitcher has yet to take the mound in competitive innings and is three months shy of it being two years since Pomeranz pitched in a MLB game.

On Wednesday Padres manager Bob Melvin revealed that Pomeranz underwent a “cleanup surgery on his elbow” and is will have his recovery timeline pushed even further back. Pomeranz’ last apperance in a MLB game was August 2021.

The former Ole Miss ace underwent surgery for a torn labrum soon after that last outing and sidelined him the rest of the season. He was then dealt a injury blow after feeling continued soreness in his arm and shutdown for the entire 2022 campaign.

The expectation was for Pomeranz to make his return to the mound this season but a timetable for that is still unknown.

LANCE LYNN – CHICAGO WHITE SOX

After a rocky April and a 0-4 start to the season Lance Lynn has straightened things out and is having a more successful May.

The former Ole Miss pitcher has gone 3-1 his list four starts and currently has a season earned run average of 6.28. Lynn’s most recent appearance was on May 21 when the White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 5-2 and he picked up the win after going six innings.

Lynn’s 67 strikeouts is currently 14th best in MLB and after giving up eight home runs in the first month of the season he has only offered up six more in May. He has allowed 42 runs – 40 earned – off 65 hits and issued 19 walks in 57.1 innings of work.

The White Sox are currently 21-31 and sitting in fourth place in the American League Central Division.

NICK FORTES – MIAMI MARLINS

Two months into his third season in the majors Nick Fortes is having continued and consistent success for the Marlins.

In 33 games played this season Fortes is hitting .214 (21-for-98) for seven runs batted in and a pair of home runs. In his career Fortes is hitting .231 with 15 home runs and 38 RBIs.

Behind the plate the former Ole Miss catcher has thrown three of the 22 runners that have attempted to steal bases against him.

The Marlins are currently 25-26 and sitting in third place in the National League East Division.

CHAD SMITH – OAKLAND ATHLETICS

Smith has not made any more appearances this season for the Athletics since his April 27 outing against the Los Angeles Angels.

The former Ole Miss pitcher has made eight appearances for the Athletics this season and accrued a 6.30 ERA. In 10 innings pitched he has a 1-1 record and allowed seven runs – all earned – off 11 hits while striking out six batters and issuing walks to five others. Smith has also given up one home run.

The Athletics are currently 10-42 and sitting in fifth place in the American League West Division.

Below is a list of the former Ole Miss players who are now playing in the Minor League Baseball system.

• Taylor Broadway – Worcester Red Sox (AAA / Boston Red Sox)
• Chris Ellis – Norfolk Tides (AAA / Baltimore Orioles)
• Grae Kessinger – Sugar Land Space Cowboys (AAA / Houston Astros)
• Mike Mayers – Omaha Storm Chasers (AAA / Kansas City Royals)
• James McArthur – Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA / Philadelphia Phillies)
• Errol Robinson – Memphis Redbirds (AAA / St. Louis Cardinals)
• Ryan Rolison – Albuquerque Isotopes (AAA / Colorado Rockies)
• Parker Caracci – New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA / Toronto Blue Jays)
• Will Ethridge – Hartford Yard Goats (AA / Colorado Rockies)
• Brady Feigl – Midland Roundrocks (AA / Oakland Athletics)
• Dough Nikhazy – Akron Rubber Ducks (AA / Cleveland Guardians)
• Houston Roth – Bowie Baysox (AA / Baltimore Orioles)
• Anthony Servideo – Bowie Baysox (AA / Baltimore Orioles)
• Kevin Graham – Hillsboro Hops (High-A / Arizona Diamondbacks)
• Brandon Johnson – Quad Cities River Bandits (High-A / Kansas City Royals)
• Cooper Johnson – Hickory Crawdads (High-A / Texas Rangers)
• Derek Diamond – Bradenton Marauders (Single-A / Pittsburgh Pirates)
• Tim Elko – Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (Single-A / Chicago White Sox)
• Gunnar Hoglund – Stockton Ports (Single-A / Oakland Athletics)
• Justin Bench – ACL Giants (Rookie / San Francisco Giants)
• Hayden Dunhurst – ACL Royals (Rookie / Kansas City Royals)
• Dylan DeLucia – ACL Guardians (Rookie / Cleveland Guardians)