Baseball
Ole Miss Baseball’s Greatest: Best Outfield Of All Time
In discussions of who the greatest Rebels of all time may be, the questions of old vs. young, consistency vs. clutch performances and so on will arise. With a decorated history to pull from, four HottyToddy.com writers have set out to determine the best player in Ole Miss history at each position.
Last week, we released our greatest infield in Ole Miss history. Today we release our picks for the three best outfielders in Rebel history. Next week, we will release our picks for the top pitchers and catchers in Rebel history. As we go, we encourage you to follow along, debate and come up with your G.O.A.T lineup.
Outfield #1
David Dellucci – photo courtesy of OleMissSports.com
Steven: David Dellucci
When you look at the record books of Ole Miss Baseball, Dellucci’s name is a constant presence. Dellucci ranks in the top 10 in numerous categories, including batting average in a season (.410), runs scored in a season (67), hits in a career (247), home runs in a career (36), stolen bases in a career (72) and much more. After a long and successful career, Dellucci was named an All-American in 1995. Dellucci was inducted into the Ole Miss Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.
Adam: David Dellucci
When you think about the greatest players to step onto the diamond at Swayze Field, the greatest outfielder would have to be David Dellucci. In a Rebel uniform, Dellucci roamed left field tracking down fly balls from 1992-95. He was an All-SEC selection in both 1994 and ’95. Also in ’95, Dellucci set 10 school records and won the SEC batting title. In 2010, he was elected into the M-Club Hall of Fame and was named one of the 50 Greatest Athletes in Ole Miss history.
Nick: David Dellucci
Dellucci was a monster when he played for Ole Miss. He was almost a sure hit his senior year with a batting average of .410. He accumulated 94 hits and 17 home runs his senior year. He also stole 31 bases his senior year and 72 while he was a Rebel. Dellucci also will go down as one of the more famous professional Rebels as he played in the MLB for countless years. He was a four-year player with Ole Miss and was named an All-American his senior year.
Cole: David Dellucci
Dellucci led a prolific career through four years at Ole Miss and went on to have a solid professional career. His senior year with the Rebels, he hit for a whopping .410 average, while smashing 17 home runs and earning first team All-American honors.
Outfield #2
Auston Bousfield photo courtesy Ole Miss Athletics/Joshua McCoy
Steven: Seth Smith
While he played numerous positions during his time as a Rebel, Smith earned Freshman All-American honors as an OF, was named SEC Freshman of the Year, and was placed on the NCAA All-Regional team for the 2003 season. The freshman phenom holds Ole Miss single-season freshman records with 52 RBI and a .402 batting average and a .452 on-base percentage. He managed to play every spot in the outfield, a stint at shortstop, and while his clipboard holding abilities behind Eli Manning on the football field were impressive, he makes the list for his abilities in the OF.
Adam: Seth Smith
Seth Smith, since stepping in between the lines of the diamond, quickly made a name for himself in the SEC as he was named a Freshman All-American his first year. He was also a backup QB to Eli Manning.
Nick: J.B. Woodman
Woodman may be a stretch for some people, but his stats back up the argument for him to be on this list. Woodman was a three-year starter for the Rebs, playing both center and right field. He led the SEC in home runs with 14, and he had 23 career beer showers. Woodman hit .323 average, 55 RBIs and scored 53 runs his senior season. Even though Woodman’s bat was beneficial, it’s the defensive plays that place Woodman on this list. He had nine assists his senior year, including throwing seven runners out at home! Woodman was named a second team All-American in 2016.
Cole: Auston Bousefield
This one was difficult, but simply put, it would be hard not to include Bousefield on this list. In his final year at Ole Miss, he led the Rebels to Omaha while hitting .336 at the plate. Bousefield was also spectacular in the field, dazzling fans with web gem after web gem in the outfield.
Outfield #3
Brian Pettway – photo courtesy MiLB.com
Steven: Paul Husband
A member of the 1972 World Series team and a two-time All-American, Husband left his mark in right field at Oxford. During his junior season, Husband finished with an impressive .351 average with eight home runs. With each passing year, Husband’s play improved. In 1973, the Jackson, Mississippi native recorded a .402 batting average and a .622 slugging percentage. Husband is one of just two Rebels to earn All-American honors in multiple seasons, and for that reason, he is my choice for the best RF of all time.
Adam: Brian Pettway
Brian Pettway in two seasons in a Rebel uniform led the team with eight home runs in 2003 while driving in 39 RBIs. In 2004, he was more of a utility player coming in and pitching from his DH role or in the outfield.
Nick: Burney Hutchinson
The word that best describes Burney’s game would be consistency. Burney a Tupelo native was a four-year starter for the Rebels in the outfield. He ranks in the top 10 all-time for hits, runs, RBIs, home runs, doubles and triples. He had three seasons with 10+ home runs, and his career batting average is .325. He was a two-time All-SEC outfielder and a second team All-American in 2001, the first under Coach Bianco.
Cole: Jordan Henry
There are plenty of options to choose from, but I had to go with arguably the fastest player to ever play at Ole Miss. Henry ended his career hitting .341 while also tallying 64 stolen bases. In 2009, he led the Rebels to their first SEC championship in over 30 years.
By Cole Crenshaw, Steven Gagliano, Nick Bushart and Adam Brown.
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