The season is literally around the corner as the opening series against Nevada begins on Friday. Since we are so close to first pitch, there is no longer a guessing game on the starting lineup as head
coach Mike Bianco revealed his projected starters on Wednesday.
Going around the diamond, the Rebs will look like this:
C: Austin Fawley
1B: Will Furniss
2B: Dom Decker
3B: Judd Utermark
SS: Brayden Randle
LF: Daniel Pacella/Tristen Bissetta
CF: Hayden Federico
RF: Daniel Pacella/Tristen Bissetta
DH: Colin Reuter
The infield is full of returners as Dom Decker is the only projected starter that was not with the team last season. So let’s meet the new guys and get refreshed on the vets.
#1 Brayden Randle – Junior
Randle started in 18 games last year at both shortstop and second after starting 34 games his freshman season. He finished the sophomore campaign hitting .286 with one home run and 10 RBI. He will get the first crack at the starting shortstop job, but will have to fend off Owen Paino.
#6 Owen Paino – Sophomore
As a freshman, Paino started 24 games, 16 of them at shortstop. He finished the season batting .236 with one home run and seven RBI. He also made seven errors to Randle’s four and while he may not be the starter to begin the season, Paino will be a factor at some point during the season.
#7 Topher Jones – Sophomore
Jones is a JUCO transfer from one of the top programs in the country, Pearl River CC. He is a Hernando, MS native that will eventually take over as the everyday first thirdbaseman upon the departure of Judd Utermark. He hit .358 with 11 home runs and 72 RBI as a freshman for PRCC last season.
#12 Dom Decker – Junior (Murray St.)
Decker hit .351 across 60 starts at second base for the Racers. He had an on-base percentage of .496 and had 14 multi-hit games. Needless to say this dude gets on base and will be a fixture at the top of the Rebel lineup for head coach Mike Bianco.
#20 Collin Reuter – Senior (BYU)
Despite being a BYU transfer, Reuter is a Mississipi boy, playing at Magnolia Heights where he won 2021 4A Player of the Year in the state. He will serve as the primary DH but be available to spell Austin Fawley behind the dish. Last year he hit .300 with three home runs in 26 games. Across 94 career games he hit 16 home runs with a .256 average.
#24 Austin Fawley – Junior
After spending his freshman year at Kentucky, Fawley dazzled as a sophomore for the Rebels last year. He hit 21 home runs in 50 starts, all but one at catcher. The 21 dingers were the most ever for a catcher under Bianco. He added 53 RBI to his .256 batting average but more importantly was a brick wall behind the plate, a common theme for Bianco catchers. He did not allow a single passed ball in conference play. Fawley’s production will have a direct impact on how this season goes.
#27 Judd Utermark – Senior
Utermark combined with Fawley to be the first pair of teammates in program history to both hit 20+ home runs. He added 69 RBI to his 22 home runs, both of which led the team. Utermark’s bat led him to playing all over the field last season, starting at second, third, left and DH. The senior will be the primary fixture at the hot corner and middle of the lineup in 2026.
#36 Will Furniss – Senior
The 6-4 senior started 51 games at first base last year. He finished the year hitting .305 with 12 home runs and 47 RBI. In his 157 game career, he has 24 home runs and 93 RBI. If there is any improvement from an already stellar season, that would be big for his draft potential and for the Rebel offense. a 3-4-5 of Fawley, Utermark and Furniss will be one of the best in the conference.
