Hunter Elliott Returns to the Mound for Ole Miss With Improved Pitching Under Coach Joel Mangrum
The Ole Miss Rebels are set to welcome back a key figure on the mound as they open their 2025 baseball season at the Shriners Children’s College Showdown in Arlington, Texas. Left-handed pitcher Hunter Elliott, who has been sidelined since 2023 due to an elbow injury, will make his highly anticipated return on Friday against Arizona.
Elliott’s Journey Back to the Mound
A native of Tupelo, Mississippi, Elliott was a crucial part of Ole Miss’ 2022 national championship team. Now fully healthy, he is expected to lead the Rebels’ pitching staff once again as their ace for the upcoming season.
Despite already being one of the top pitchers in college baseball, Elliott believes he has grown and developed even further under new pitching coach Joel Mangrum, who joined the Rebels last summer. Mangrum’s professional-level experience has brought a fresh perspective to the staff, and Elliott has fully embraced the new coaching approach.
Mangrum’s Influence on Elliott’s Development
“He was kind of at the top of pitching coaches in Minor League/Major League Baseball, so you’re not just getting that type of development,” Elliott said during Ole Miss’ media day. “You’re getting some of the best at that level. He’s got us really locked in to our routines, locked in knowing ourselves and individual mechanics, and the development has been outrageous.”
With a refined knowledge of his delivery and pitch mechanics, Elliott is confident that he is a better pitcher now than before his injury. That development will be tested in Friday’s opener and throughout the 2025 season as he looks to help Ole Miss make its first postseason appearance since 2022.
A Look at Elliott’s Impact on Ole Miss Baseball
- Freshman All-American (2022)
- Ole Miss Freshman Record: 102 strikeouts in a season
- 2022 Stats: 2.70 ERA (second on team)
- Key Contributor to Ole Miss’ First-Ever National Championship
Ole Miss is hoping that a matured and polished Elliott can help lead them back to SEC and national prominence. His journey back to dominance begins Friday against Arizona, with first pitch set for 3 p.m. CT.
