Second Base - Luke Hill
Luke Hill went through an up-and-down first season with the Rebels but has successfully landed the heel-to-face turn and become a leader for this team. The former Arizona State SS arrived in Oxford with high expectations, but things did not work out. He struggled massively early on, both offensively and defensively. Then, of course, there were the off-field concerns. However, no one has been more committed to Ole Miss and the face of keeping the program together throughout the summer than Luke Hill.
His on-field play also considerably improved in the second half of the season, which is notable because that was during SEC play. First, Hill switched to the other side of the middle infield, second base, which was much more suitable for the second his skill set. He ended the year second on the team in batting average, hitting .291, and posted an On-base percentage north of .400. The power wasn’t there for Hill quite like it was in his Freshman year at ASU, and that is where he will look to improve, in 2025.
There are rumors that Hill is being worked in at 3B by Bianco, but I find it hard to believe that this experiment will last long. Hill will more than likely be the opening day and everyday second baseman this season, as well as the lead-off hitter. Hill led the team in average this fall, hitting nearly .350. He also swiped 14 bags, a team-high, and started to see the gap power return, hitting five doubles and posting an OPS of over 1.000.