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Ole Miss

Peyton Chatagnier's 'battle' during last season puts Ole Miss in a good spot for 2023

11by: Jake Thompson01/31/23JakeThompsonOn3
Peyton Chatagnier
Ole Miss baseball infielder Peyton Chatagnier

There were plenty of storylines sprinkled throughout the Ole Miss baseball team during its national title run last season. One of the more important ones resides with Peyton Chatagnier.

As the 2022 campaign had its ups and down for Ole Miss as a whole so did Chatagnier’s individual year go. Statistically speaking it was the worst season for Chatagnier as a Rebel.

But as it seemed the lights were about to be turned off on the Rebels before a last-minute save as the final team into the NCAA Baseball Tournament, Chatagnier saw a resuscitation of his own.

During Ole Miss’ 11 game run through the postseason last June it was sparked by the play of Chatagnier in the Coral Gables Regional. In three games Chatagnier went 7-for-10 (.700) for two home runs and 10 runs batted in.

After what the senior second baseman described last season as a “battle” it set up both him and Ole Miss to be in a better spot for 2023.

“It was huge. It was something I needed and the team kind of needed there,” Chatagnier said. “It wasn’t the easiest battle throughout the season. I guess if you had to ask me if would I rather do good at the beginning or do good in the end, I’d rather do good in the end. Hopefully this year we can kind of carry that on into the beginning and the end.”

Chatagnier just stuck with his approach and finally got something to click. A late-season adjustment by hitting coach Mike Clement also helped. In fact the pair continued to work and ‘tinker’ on Chatagnier’s swing during fall practices.

“I think anybody that’s ever played baseball knows there’s sometimes when, like, you just can’t figure it out,” Chatagnier said. “Part of it is I did work with (Clement) and he worked on different things. Some of it’s just mental. Some of it you have to realize, half of my at-bat is mental and half of it is physical. I worked on a couple different things then after that it was baseball. It just kind of happened.”

Now Chatagnier is set up for a comeback season, of sorts, while also becoming one of Ole Miss’ locker room leaders.

Gone are Tim Elko, Kevin Graham and Justin Bench. Three key veteran players that helped keep Ole Miss’ season between the ditches until everyone let the Rebels get hot.

Without those players presence in the locker room it is up to guys like Chatagnier to become that voice. After looking up to teammates for three seasons now younger players are looking up to him.

“I hope people see me that way. I try to be as much of a leader as I can,” Chatagnier said. “Obviously missing those guys, it’s going to hurt us a little bit. We’ve got some new guys coming in and I’ve got all the confidence in the world that they’ll step in and be big roles, too. I am excited this year to kind of be the older, more of a leader type guy.”

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