The University of Mississippi Athletics
Five Rebels Sign Contracts, Set To Begin Professional Careers
6/20/2006 | Baseball
June 20, 2006
OXFORD, Miss. - The professional careers of five Rebel baseball players are set to begin this week as each individual has signed on the dotted line with their respective organizations and will suit up for their new teams as early as Tuesday night.
Tommy Baumgardner, Justin Brashear, Alex Presley, Garrett White and Mark Wright have all signed contracts to play professional baseball, ending their time with the Rebels and beginning new careers in the professional ranks. The signings brings the total number of players to sign professional contracts over the past three seasons to 22.
Baumgardner, a senior on the 2006 Rebel baseball squad, was drafted by the Colorado Rockies organization in the 28th round and is playing for the Tri-City Dust Devils in Pasco, Wash. The southpaw pitched as both a starter and reliever for the Rebels in 2006 after serving in both roles as a junior. Ole Miss made runs to the SEC Tournament Championship game in 2005 due in large part to Baumgardner's contributions, and claimed the SEC Tournament Championship in 2006.
Brashear was a 44th round pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks organization and will suit up for the Missoula Osprey's a minor league affiliate of the Diamondbacks in Missoula, Mont. Brashear came on strong at the plate for the Rebels as the season progressed and earned Most Outstanding Player honors at the Oxford Regional of the NCAA Tournament as he helped lead the Rebels to a second-consecutive Regional Championship.
Presley anchored the outfield for the Rebels at centerfield and played a key role in the Rebel offense as he moved to the four hole by the end of the season. The Louisiana native will make his professional debut with the Williamsport Crosscutters, the single A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Presley notched seven triples on the year, moving into a tie for first in the career triples list with 14 for his three seasons. The lefty also earned All-Tournament honors at the SEC Tournament.
White, who served as closer for the Rebels, was taken in the sixth round of the draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers and will play for the Ogden Raptors in Ogden, Utah. White picked up 11 saves on the season, tying for second on the single-season list at Ole Miss. He also posted a 3-1 record as he picked up three wins in relief for the Rebels as he was an effective closer in 2006. White was also a candidate for the Closer of the Year Award.
Wright, the SEC Tournament MVP, signed with the New York Mets and begins his professional career on Tuesday night with the Brooklyn Cyclones, a single A affiliate of the Mets. Wright came up big for the Rebel offense throughout the season as he moved fluidly through the lineup. The slugger produced a team-high and career-high 16 home runs in 2006 as he became the single-season RBI leader with 79 on the year, shattering the previous record of 71. Over the course of the last 11 games of the season, Wright drove in 30 runs to help push the Rebels to a second-straight NCAA Super Regional host and the SEC Tournament Championship.
