Rebels in the Pros: Summer Edition

There are plenty of Ole Miss Rebels flying up and down the football field during the fall/winter, but there is no shortage of summer pros heralding from the flagship university. In a new weekly summer series, we will get you up to date on how former Rebel greats are doing at the next level.

WNBA

If you didn’t know this already, Shakira Austin is awesome. She perhaps performing at an even higher level in the WNBA because of the talent surrounding her. Through 23 games played for the Washington Mystics, Austin is averaging 21 minutes, 8.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per contest. She has started 19 games and is the leading rebounder for the third place Mystics.

MLB

Nick Fortes (MIA) - 16 games played, .277 BA, 3 HR and 8 RBI. Fun nugget, Nick Fortes hit a walk off homer the same day Ole Miss won the College World Series.

Lance Lynn (CWS) - The 11 year pro has only appeared in four games this season as he works his way back from knee surgery earlier in the year. His stats are a slightly elevated from his All Star standards, but hopefully he returns to form in due time.

Mike Mayers (LAA) - That’s right, a cult favorite is still going 7 years later for the Los Angeles Angels. Working out of the bullpen, Mayers has appeared in 15 games with a not so tasty ERA over 5. His first two seasons in LA were stellar and the veteran will need to find that form again soon.

Anthony Alford (FA) - The outfielder was recently released by the Cleveland Guardians, but I do not expect him to be without work for long.

Minor Leagues

Doug Nikhazy (High A) - Dougy Fresh is 2-4 in 13 starts with a 3.71 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 53.1 innings pitched.

Gunnar Hoglund (High A) - Has yet to pitch

Anthony Servideo (A) - Promoted from Rookie Ball to Single A, struggling with a .150 average.

Tyler Keenan (High A) - Through 10 games in High A, after being promoted from Low A, Keenan is hitting .235 with 1 HR.

Grae Kessinger (AA) - The 27th round pick is struggling in 2022 with a .179 BA but has bashed 6 homers already.

Thomas Dillard (AA) - Dillard, now a catcher, can be seen playing for the Biloxi Shuckers as he is batting .225 with 6 home runs.

Houston Roth (High A)- The former first round pick (2019) has a 4.88 ERA through 15 games (12 starts) with 64 strikeouts in 62 innings.

(Other Rebs in the Minors will be rotated in throughout the series)

PGA

Braden Thornberry is on Tour making money, playing a sport we all just want to be decent at. His best finish so far in 2022 is T-13 at the Live and Work in Maine Open. He is just over $57,000 in earnings on the year.

Check back every Wednesday to see how your favorite former Rebels are doing this summer and let us know if there is someone else we need to add to the list (other than the minor leaguers, there are like a hundred of them dudes because we are National Champs duh.)