Hayden Dunhurst Looks Ahead to 'Good Year' for Ole Miss Baseball

The Rebel catcher is hoping to get his team to Omaha this season for the first time since 2014.

Hayden Dunhurst is no stranger to adversity and change in his collegiate career.

Last season, the Ole Miss catcher dealt with a thumb injury that he managed to play through while some of his teammates succumbed to injuries of their own. Dunhurst is now dealt the hand of learning the tendencies of new pieces on a pitching staff, but he is accepting that challenge head-on.

He has also garnered the praise of his head coach Mike Bianco entering the 2022 campaign, and Bianco believes his catcher has a future in the professional ranks.

"It means a lot coming from someone who's coached a lot of big leaguers," Dunhurst said. "Really makes me excited for the season."

Those throwing to Dunhurst off the mound this season will look a little different than the lineup in 2021. Derek Diamond is now the veteran of the pitching rotation, and the Rebels added transfers John Gaddis and Jack Washburn to its staff this offseason.

"Watching those guys and working with them, I can see we have more depth than last year," Dunhurst said. "Might not have the top-talent arms, but I think we have guys who will be really good competitors for us."

Learning to relate to new pitchers on a staff is a challenge in the collegiate ranks, and that situation is one that Ole Miss faces this season.

"All the guys are different with how you deal with them when they're going through adversity on the mound," Dunhurst said. "Building relationships with them is a key factor. It's going to be fun."

Where there are new faces on one hand, Derek Diamond is a familiar face for Dunhurst. Mike Bianco announced that Diamond will get the ball for the Rebels when they open their season on a Friday later this month.

"You can tell he's kind of the veteran," Dunhurst said. "You see the way he preps and gets his work done, and he looks like a third or fourth-year guy."

The Rebels are aiming to reach the College World Series for the first time since 2014. Even though they haven't been to Omaha in seven years, the expectation for a championship run still permeates the fan base, one that the players believe is a fair expectation.

"Absolutely," Dunhurst said. "It's going to be fun and a good year. We've got some really exciting players, and these guys are just ready to play. We're just really excited to get this thing going."

Ole Miss will open its season at home against Charleston Southern on Feb. 18.

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