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Where Cade Townsend, Taylor Rabe, top Ole Miss signees are in latest MLB mock drafts OXFORD Ole Miss baseball is expected to factor into the top of the 2026 MLB Draft.
The MLB draft begins July 11 (12 p.m.
CT, Peacock) with rounds 1-4 and will finish with rounds 5-20 on July 12 (10:30 a.m., MLB.com).
The Chicago White Sox have the No.
1 pick.
Ole Miss has multiple MLB Draft prospects, including a mix of players from the 2026 College World Series team and incoming signees.
Here are the top Rebels who could be picked.
Cade Townsend, P Cade Townsend broke out in 2026 under pitching coach Joel Mangrum.
Townsend earned a weekend starter spot and went 5-3 with a 3.94 ERA.
His tools make him a worthwhile top pick.
Townsend throws five pitches, but has different shapes for his cutter, sweeper and slider that make it seem like even more.
His fastball sits in the mid-90s.
Townsend controlled the strike zone by recording 88 strikeouts and just 22 walks.
MLB.com prospect rank: 35 ESPN prospect rank: 26 Cole Prosek, 3B/C Cole Proseck is a versatile prospect from Senatobia, Mississippi.
He is expected to be taken as early as the first round.
He is a 6-foot-1, 195-pound left-handed hitter who played third base, catcher and some outfield at Magnolia Heights.
He is 19 and has plus power but below-average speed.
MLB.com prospect rank: 27 ESPN prospect rank: 30 Taylor Rabe, P Taylor Rabe came on strong in the second half of 2026 to rocket up the draft rankings.
Rabe blew out his elbow in 2024 and was used periodically in 2025, but worked his way into the No.
1 starting spot for the Rebels in the College World Series.
Fastballs and control are Rabe's strengths.
His fastball sits in the upper-90s and is tough to hit because of the release from his 6-foot-5 inch frame.
He had 105 strikeouts and just 15 walks in 2026.
MLB.com prospect rank: 40 ESPN prospect rank: 48 Taj Marchand, INF Taj Marchand is a high school middle infielder from South Carolina.
He is a 6-foot-2, 200-pound right-handed hitter, and is just 17.
Marchand has built a reputation as a power hitter with tools to be a strong fielder.
MLB.com prospect rank: 37 ESPN prospect rank: 45 Wil Libbert, P Wil Libbert transferred from Missouri and was solid for the Rebels in 2026.
He has the tools to be drafted in the first few rounds.
Libbert's fastball sits in the upper 90s.
His cutter is a quality secondary pitch, but his ERA was 6.19 for the Rebels.
MLB.com prospect rank: 181 ESPN prospect rank: 178 Hudson Calhoun, P Hudson Calhoun emerged as Ole Miss' best middle-innings reliever down the stretch in 2026.
He had a 4.05 ERA.
He throws five pitches, including a fastball that sits in the mid 90s.
He had 67 strikeouts and 26 walks for the Rebels this season.
MLB.com rank: 235 ESPN prospect rank: N/A Judd Utermark, Hunter Elliott among other Ole Miss prospects in MLB draft Look for some key members of the College World Series run to be picked in the second half of the draft.
Pitcher Hunter Elliott will be 24 in August, which hurts his draft status.
He has turned down the MLB on multiple occasions, and can again to return to Ole Miss.
This is Elliott's last season with the leverage to return to college, so he could choose to sign.
Judd Utermark, Ole Miss' third baseman, exits as the program's home run king.
Power is his strength, and strikeouts are his weakness.
He profiles as a later-round pick.
Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger.
Email him at [email protected] or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_.