OXFORD — The Ole Miss baseball starting rotation for opening weekend will include three returners and a junior college addition, coach Mike Bianco said Friday.

Sophomore JT Quinn will take the ball for the Rebels' opener at Hawaii on Feb. 16. Gunnar Dennis, an offseason addition from Meridian Community College, will start the first game of a Saturday doubleheader, with sophomore Grayson Saunier following in the nightcap. Sunday's game will be started by Riley Maddox, who missed most of the 2023 season with an elbow injury.

Xavier Rivas, who had a 6.35 ERA in 2023 and was projected as a weekend starter, won't play this season due to an injury, Bianco said. Neither will Taylor Rabe ‒ a freshman who Bianco said otherwise would have gotten some innings.

Quinn and Saunier with both thrust into the starting rotation at various points last season out of necessity. They showed flashes, but neither achieved sustained success with ERAs above 6.00.

"Last year, as painful as it was, guys gained valuable experience," Bianco said. "Grayson's one of those guys, like JT, he's changed his body, put on about 20 pounds since last year. He looks terrific."

Dennis, a lefty, worked to a 3.84 ERA at Meridian last season, striking out 74 and walking 44 in 70.1 innings.

Bianco said he's pitched better than anyone on the staff in the buildup to the season.

"He's certainly earned this role and we're excited for him," Bianco said.

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Maddox returned from his injury to pitch three innings for the Rebels last season. As a freshman in 2022, he pitched to a 5.24 ERA, contributing out of the bullpen as Ole Miss made its run to the national title.

Bianco said the Ole Miss staff began to contemplate making him a weekend starter midway through fall ball.

"He's made himself not just a righthanded, lower-three-quarter-slot reliever, but a guy that can run out, pitch to some lefthanders as well and run through some lineups," Bianco said. "Really, kind of different from a lot of our pitchers, can keep his pitch count low."

David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.

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This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Here's Ole Miss baseball's starting rotation for season-opening series