Today, we will continue our series by previewing the 2025 Ole Miss Baseball roster. The first two installments covered positions with a bit more competition, the shortstop and catcher positions, respectively. Today, we will cover the three least controversial positions: First, Second, and Third Base. The three players occupying these positions are all returners, will be in the heart of the order, are leaders, and taking the next step will be crucial for the Rebels competing this season.
First Base - Will Furniss
There is little doubt who will be the first baseman for the Rebels this upcoming season. It will be Will Furniss who will return for his third season. The Texan will look to build upon two really solid seasons to begin his collegiate career. Furniss has appeared in just under 100 games in his two seasons at Ole Miss, and I expect him to be a full-time starter and one of the first names written onto the lineup card daily.
Furniss turned in a solid debut season in his freshman campaign hitting .298 with a .367 OBP in 131 ABs. However, the power was not really there yet. Last season, Furniss did improve in the department, slugging .473 with nine homers and eight doubles. Half of his hits were XBHs. However, he saw a drop in OBP and average (albeit average is not a great maker). I would call Furniss’s sophomore season an improvement, but it was not a breakout year. He saw an increase in strikeout rate, which he will need to improve upon. The hope is that Furniss can have somewhat of a year three surge akin to that of Kemp Alderman, where he becomes a premier slugger in the SEC. He indeed contains that potential.
Regardless, Furniss will be in the opening day lineup at the clean up spot and most likely every other lineup. While most of his playing time early in his career came at DH, in the second half of last season, he started to play much more at 1B. I thought he was excellent defensively, making some outstanding plays and only having one error. There have been other players who have been more loyal to Ole Miss over the last two seasons, and he will be a key part of the success of the ball club in 2025.