CARY, N.C. – USA Baseball announced the Preseason Watch List for the Golden Spikes Award Friday Afternoon, naming Ole Miss’ Hunter Elliott as one of the 55 players to watch this season.
This is the third time Elliott has made a Golden Spikes Watch List, being named a member of the 2025 Midseason Watch List and the 2023 Preseason Watch List.
This is another in a long list of preseason accolades for the lefthander after being named a Preseason All-American by the NCBWA, Perfect Game, and D1Baseball and a Preseason All-SEC First Teamer by the SEC’s coaches. D1Baseball also named him the Preseason Pitcher of the Year and the fifth best starting pitcher in the entire country.
Elliott made 16 starts for the Rebels as the team’s primary Friday night starter in 2025, posting a 10-3 record with an ERA of 2.94 and 102 strikeouts. He held opponents to a .197 batting average and picked off 13 baserunners, more than any other Rebel in the Modern Era.
Elliott became the fifth pitcher in Ole Miss history to record a 10-win, 100-strikeout season finishing with a 10-3 record and 102 punchouts. He also became just the fourth pitcher in program history to record 100+ strikeouts in two different seasons. His 2.94 ERA was the lowest by a Rebel starting pitcher since his freshman season when he finished with an ERA of 2.70.