OXFORD — Will Golsan looks good in yellow.
It’s not surprising because the Golsan spent most of his career with the New Hope High School baseball team making impressions — albeit in black, gold, and white. He capped his four-year letter-winning career with the Trojans by playing integral roles in back-to-back state championships.
Last year, Golsan realized his dream when he received an opportunity to play baseball at Ole Miss. As the start of the 2015 season inches closer, Golsan is doing his best to show Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco he is ready to contribute. Part of that effort — at least on Friday — involved wearing a yellow jersey that is awarded to the Ole Miss player who performs the best in defensive drills. Dubbed the “Tour de Defense” jersey, Bianco said the shirt is an award that has been handed out for nearly 10 years. He said Golsan’s ability to win the jersey is a sign of how well he is adjusting to the college game. In fact, Bianco joked Golsan was wearing the yellow jersey especially for his interview with the media, but Bianco feels Golsan is making strides.
“He has played very solid in the field and at the plate,” Bianco said. “At shortstop, we’re looking at defense as No. 1. You have to be able to catch the ball and throw the ball across the infield, and he has played very well in the intrasquad games and he has played well in practice and in the defensive portions of practice, and I have been impressed with the batting practices.
“He is a good runner, and I think like a lot of young guys it is tough in the fall learning everything, but I think he has handled it terrificly.”
Through eight games, Golsan is hitting 5-for-29 with four runs scored and four RBIs. He also has committed three errors. Statistics from Ole Miss’ scrimmages Friday and Saturday weren’t available at press time. Golsan has spent the fall season competing for playing time in the infield with four other infielders — Tate Blackman (Florida), Michael Fitzsimmons (Tennessee), Joe Wainhouse (Washington), and Kyle Watson (DeSoto Central) — who are part of a recruiting class Collegiate Baseball ranked No. 15 in the nation. Golsan and his classmates are part of a 12-player group of freshman that makes up the bulk of the 18 newcomers.
It remains to be seen how many of those freshmen — particularly the middle infielders — will see playing time in 2015 considering Errol Robinson returns after hitting .294 and starting 66 games in 2014. Robinson played a key role in helping Ole Miss (48-21) win the Southeastern Conference Western Division Championship, play host to a regional, and advance to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, where it was one of the final four teams remaining.
Robinson, a sophomore from Maryland, was named to the SEC All-Freshman team after he became the first true freshman to start at shortstop for the Rebels on opening day since Zack Cozart started at the position in 2005. Robinson made 19 errors and had a fielding percentage of .939.
Bianco said the addition of a talented recruiting class packed with at least three more shortstops, including Golsan, is designed to bring out the best in all of the players. Besides pitcher, Bianco said shortstops are the most recruited position.
“This year with the young freshmen, we have another great crew of shortstops,” Bianco said. “So far through this fall, they all look like the can play shortstop.”
Bianco smiled when asked what kind of problem presents him when it comes time to make out a lineup. He said he doesn’t want it to be easy to make up a lineup because that means players are pushing each other for playing time. If that is the case this season, Bianco feels he and the Rebels will benefit.
“Last season, Robinson stepped in as a freshman and started games and hit. He also had a fielding percentage of. The addition of Golsan and classmates should create plenty of competition in practice. Bianco feels that daily grind and fight for playing time will help the players because they won’t have to feel like they are the only one at that position and they don’t have to be someone who always has to produce.
“It is very human to want it easy, or to want somebody to say, ‘Hey, you’re going to be the starter,'” Bianco said. “But all our guys know. It is one of the things in recruiting that I will never say, that ‘you’re going to be the starter, or you’re going to be the Friday night guy.’ I think everybody wants an opportunity, and, certainly, those guys have an opportunity.”
Golsan hopes to make Bianco’s decisions difficult. As a junior with the Trojans, Golsan hit a team-best .541 with 18 doubles, three home runs, and 21 RBIs. He also was 3-0 with a 0.81 ERA and 44 strikeouts. His performance helped him earn Class 5A Player of the Year honors from the Mississippi High School Activities Association.
As a senior, Golsan hit .398 with 19 RBIs, seven doubles, four triples and 42 runs scored. For his career, he was a .416 hitter with four home runs, 59 RBIs, 34 doubles, six triples, and 113 runs. Golsan feels his fielding is a little ahead of his hitting a few months into his first season with the Rebels.
“Things are going great,” Golsan said. “I love the team. I love the coaches. They bring us in like family. It has been a great atmosphere, and it has been a great fall.”
Golsan said the biggest adjustment has been the level of play and the speed of the game. Defensively, he said infielders have to get rid of the ball quicker. Offensively, he said it has been an adjustment to the overall level of pitching.
Golsan agrees with Bianco in that the level of competition at shortstop will motivate everyone to play to their potential. He feels all four shortstops are talented, and that Bianco’s choice of a starter will be based on who is working harder and getting the job done.
“You just have to stay focused and do your job,” Golsan said. “I just want to keep doing what I have been doing and be myself,” Golsan said. “I want to know I can compete and just stay focused.”
Part of that means playing solid defense. Golsan said he earned the Tour de Defense jersey by being the last player standing after a five- to seven-minute round of fielding hard-hit groundballs. He said the drill continues until a fielder bobbles or misses a ball. Golsan said the prize he received is another indication he is primed to make an impact with the Rebels.
“I knew I had to come here knowing I could do it because if you don’t believe in yourself, you can’t do much,” Golsan said. “I have been trying to work hard and get myself focused in the batter’s box for every at-bat. I think I am getting better at it. I am focusing more and getting better at-bats, so I think I am doing pretty good.”
Bianco agrees and believes he has a group of shortstops who will push each other to help make the Rebels the best they can be.
“No doubt (Golsan) has earned (the yellow jersey), and it is out there for all,” Bianco said. “We don’t look at kids like freshman or sophomores or juniors or seniors. I know we talk about it in the media a lot, but the truth of the matter is they are varsity baseball players, so we don’t look at them by their class, but how they are going to help and support the team.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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