As the Ole Miss baseball team continues their fall practices, a familiar face returns to Oxford this semester.
The former Ole Miss first baseman, Sikes Orvis, is back in Oxford finishing his journalism degree and plans to graduate from the University in December. Orvis said he hopes his degree will allow him to stay associated with baseball long after his career is over.
The Chicago White Sox drafted Orvis in the 17th round of the 2015 MLB Draft. He now plays professional baseball at the Advance Rookie level in the Pioneer League for the Great Falls Voyagers in Montana.
The current Voyager was a key contributor to the 2014 Rebels team that advanced to the College World Series. Orvis batted .294 on the season with 53 RBIs and led the team in home runs with 14. At the end of the season, he was named first team All-SEC by the conference’s head coaches.
“It was a fast and fun ride that had a lot of up and downs at Ole Miss,” Orvis said. “Going to Omaha was one of my favorite experiences in my life and in my baseball career.”
Now Orvis is trying to make a name for himself in Montana as he looks to move up in the big leagues. In Montana, Orvis played well in his first professional season. Orvis played in 42 games, hitting at a .231 average. He also collected 34 hits, four home runs and 21 RBIs.
“It was a little bit of a learning curve for me that everybody was good,” Orvis said. “I had to make the proper adjustments to compete with those guys.”
Going from college to the pros isn’t easy, but Orvis believes he was well prepared since he faced some of the toughest competition in the Southeastern Conference.
“I was ready to play against everyone in Montana that was at the top of their college,” Orvis said.
Despite preparations, however, Orvis faced some challenges.
“At school, our coaching staff always told us what to do, and they provided us resources,” Orvis said. “In Montana, we were pretty much on our own as far as batting practice and training. I had to create a routine to be mentally and physically prepared to play.”
With his first professional season in the books, Orvis said he is still adjusting to his new lifestyle.
“It’s a business, and it’s your career now,” Orvis said. “It’s big boy baseball and you’ve got to take care of your business on and off the field.”
Orvis said he plans to go home after graduation for a couple of months to relax and prepare for the upcoming season as he hopes to move up to single-A baseball in the near future.
“I’m looking forward for what’s to come,” Orvis said. “I hope to report to the single-A team in Kannapolis, North Carolina and continue chasing the dream of playing baseball.”
