Fresh Faces of Ole Miss Baseball– Junior College Transfers

With fall practice underway, the Ole Miss baseball team is already gearing up for the 2016 campaign. The fall season is also the time when the incoming recruiting class goes through official practice for the first time. This season features 17 newcomers beginning their Ole Miss careers. As practices and intrasquads continue, OleMissSports.com will introduce you to some of the newest Diamond Rebels each week for the remainder of the season.

Coach Mike Bianco
Photo Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports

To start things off, four junior college transfers decided to continue their playing careers as Rebels. Check out the video to learn more about the ‘Fresh Faces’ of Ole Miss Baseball.

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#3 Chad Smith | RHP | McCalla, Ala. – McAdory HS (Wallace State Community College)
Smith is one of two Rebels from the incoming class selected in the 2015 MLB Draft. Despite being taken in the 23rd round by the Cleveland Indians, Smith chose to become a Rebel. The McCalla, Alabama, native spent the past two years at Wallace State Community College. As a sophomore, he went 3-1 with a 3.09 ERA in nine appearances, including two starts. Smith recorded 42 strikeouts in 35.0 innings throughout the 2015 season. As a freshman, he started his collegiate career with a 2-4 record and a 4.05 ERA in 17 appearances (six starts).

At McAdory High School, Smith pitched and played third base. He was named to the All-West team twice by the Birmingham News throughout his high school years. Smith posted a 5-2 record with an impressive 0.65 ERA as a senior, striking out 90 hitters in 53.0 innings to collect all-metro honors.

#13 Austin Sanders | RHP | Madison, Miss. – Madison Central HS (Hinds Community College)
Sanders posted a combined 12-4 record with 21 saves over two seasons at Hinds Community College. Following his sophomore campaign, he was named the seventh-best prospect in the state of Mississippi by Baseball America. In 26 appearances, Sanders went 4-2 with 11 saves, 37 strikeouts and a 3.20 ERA to achieve MACJC All-State First Team accolades as a sophomore. He also shined in the classroom with a 3.32 GPA to collect academic all-state honors. During his freshman season, Sanders earned MACJC All-State Second Team and NJCAA World Series All-Tournament Team honors after helping the Eagles to a runner-up finish. In his first year, he went 8-2 and led the team in ERA (2.95), appearances (32) and saves (10) to collect the team’s Best Pitcher Award.

A native of Mississippi, Sanders attended Madison Central High School. As a senior, he earned a spot in the Mississippi High School All-Star Game, playing on the North 4A/5A/6A team. He was also named to the Clarion Ledger All-Metro Team.

#34 Brian Browning| LHP | Homewood, Ala. – Homewood HS (Northwest Florida State College)
Browning spent the past two years at Northwest Florida State College, where he went 8-3 with a 2.90 ERA and 55 strikeouts as a sophomore to help the team win a NJCAA National Championship. During the title run, Browning was named FCSAA State Baseball Tournament Outstanding Pitcher and to the all-tournament team after allowing one run on five hits with 11 strikeouts in a complete-game victory. He tossed 68 innings as a freshman, finishing the season with a 6-2 record and a 3.20 ERA to earn all-conference honorable mention.

Browning was a two-year letterman at Homewood High. He was tabbed all-metro honorable mention as a senior, going 8-2 and recording 108 strikeouts over 55 innings. Browning also earned a letter as a member of the school’s basketball team.

#10 David Parkinson | LHP | Henrico, Va. – Mills E. Godwin HS (Florence-Darlington Technical College) 
Parkinson played one season at Florence-Darlington Technical College before deciding to make the transition to Ole Miss. He made 12 starts, posting a 5-2 record with a 2.77 ERA. The Henrico, Virginia, native also recorded 62 strikeouts in 61.2 innings of work to help him earn all-state accolades.

At Mills E. Godwin High School, Parkinson was tabbed as the fourth-best pitcher and 40th-best overall player in the state of Virginia by Perfect Game. As a senior, he was named first team all-district and second team all-metro. During his junior campaign, Parkinson earned 2014 All-Region Honorable Mention (Atlantic) by Perfect Game.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports Information