Ole Miss Baseball Position Preview: Gonzalez, Chatagnier Anchor Middle Infield

With the Ole Miss baseball season beginning on Friday, The Grove Report's position previews continue with the infield.

Versatility is the name of the game for many spots on the Ole Miss baseball roster in 2022, and the infield is no exception.

Mike Bianco listed his probable opening day lineup at Ole Miss baseball's media day on Feb. 4, and the infield is anchored by All-American Jacob Gonzalez at shortstop and Peyton Chatagnier at second. Tim Elko also returns to first base after an ACL tear sidelined him for part of the 2021 campaign.

Here is a look at those names and what they bring to the table entering the season.

Third Base -- Justin Bench or Reagan Burford

Bench's 2021 Stats: .307/.423/.440, 7 HR, 39 RBI

Burford's 2021 Stats: N/A

Bench is also a potential candidate for the center field position for the Rebels this season along with TJ McCants, but Rebel fans may be more used to him at third in recent memory. Bench has proven to be a proverbial Swiss army knife for the Rebels during his career, playing a multitude of positions.

Reagan Burford is a newcomer to the Ole Miss roster, and the sophomore turned heads this offseason. In games where Bench patrols center, Burford could find himself at the hot corner this season.

Shortstop -- Jacob Gonzalez

Gonzalez's 2021 Stats: .355/.443/.561, 12 HR, 39 RBI

Jacob Gonzalez led the Rebels in multiple hitting categories as a freshman in 2021, and the hype surrounding the shortstop has been massive entering this season. Gonzalez was D1Baseball's 2021 National Freshman of the Year, and he has been named a Preseason All-American by multiple publications entering 2022.

Barring a sophomore slump, Gonzalez is expected to be an anchor in the Rebel lineup as well as the middle of the infield this season.

Second Base -- Peyton Chatagnier

Chatagnier's 2021 Stats: .271/.368/.412, 6 HR, 43 RBI

Peyton Chatagnier has been an energy spark plug for the Rebels since he arrived on campus for the 2020 season. Now as a junior, Chatagnier is one of the veterans on this experienced team, and his production will be vital defensively this season.

First Base -- Tim Elko

Elko's 2021 Stats: .325/.444/.675, 16 HR, 55 RBI

Elko became one of the biggest stories in college baseball last season when he returned from an ACL tear as the Rebels' designated hitter and continued to hit balls out of the yard. Now, Elko is "100 percent," in his words, and that will be a welcome sight to Ole Miss fans as he returns to his natural spot at first base.

Ole Miss Baseball vs Louisville in the third game of a weekend series on February 16th, 2020 at Swayze Field in Oxford, MS (via. Ole Miss Athletics)

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Ole Miss opens its baseball season at home on Friday against Charleston Southern. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT.

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