The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Baseball Inks Two More
11/9/2000 | Baseball
Nov. 9, 2000
OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss baseball announced the signing of Josh Grant of Hattiesburg, Miss., and Bobby Wilson of Seminole, Fla., to national letters of intent, first-year head coach Mike Bianco announced Thursday. Both will be eligible in the 2001-2002 academic year.
Grant, a 6-foot-7, 215-pound, right-handed pitcher/first baseman at Hattiesburg High School, is listed by Perfect Game and Team One Baseball as one of the top high school prospects in the nation. He was listed by Perfect Game as one of the top 10 pitchers in the nation, and one of the nation's top 100 prospects by Perfect Game and Team One Baseball. Last year, Baseball America ranked Grant as the top underclassmen in Mississippi.
Last spring as a junior, Grant was 6-2 on the mound with a 2.17 ERA and fanned 57 in 44 IP. At the plate, he batted .427 with 11 HRs and 53 RBI. He was named Hattiesburg's Offensive MVP and was a first-team 5A All-State selection.
"Josh is an outstanding prospect," Bianco said. "We're very excited to have an in-state player of his caliber sign with us."
Wilson is a 6-foot-1, 215-pound catcher from Seminole High School, the same high school that Bianco attended. Wilson is a two-time All-County selection. He was named Seminole's team MVP last spring, leading the team in hits and posting a .420 average with seven HRs and a team-high 43 RBI. Wilson was also a first team All-Conference selection, and was the MVP of two tournaments Seminole competed in.
"Bobby is an outstanding high school catcher that handles possibly the best high school pitching staff in the country with three pitchers that could be draft picks," Bianco said. "He is also very good offensively and is someone that could add power to the middle of our line-up."
Bianco was hired as the Rebels' new head baseball coach on June 7 after spending the past three seasons as the head coach of McNeese State. Bianco was 100-71 in his three seasons at McNeese State and guided the Cowboys to an appearance in the 2000 NCAA Regionals.
Ole Miss finished 30-25 last season to record its third straight 30-win season.
2000 OLE MISS FALL SIGNEES
| Player | POS. | HT | WT | HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL |
| Josh Grant | RHP/1B | 6-7 | 215 | Hattiesburg, Miss./Hattiesburg |
| Alan Horne | RHP/1B | 6-4 | 175 | Marianna, Fla./Marianna |
| Bobby Wilson | C | 6-1 | 215 | Seminole, Fla./Seminole |