‘He’ll be John Rhys Plumlee 2.0.’ Ocean Springs sophomore headed for 2-sport stardom.
Brayson Hubbard only has 17 varsity games under his belt — 12 in baseball and five in football — and he’s already showing the potential to be a two-sport star at Ocean Springs High School.
As a freshman on the Greyhounds’ baseball team, Hubbard started all 12 games at shortstop before the season was brought to a premature end by the COVID-19 pandemic. He hit .481 with 10 runs scored.
With the football team, he saw time as a defensive back and had 15 tackles in five games.
While he made the occasional freshman mistake with the varsity squads, his speed and athleticism allowed him to make an immediate impact.
“He’s going to be fun to watch the next three years,” Ocean Springs baseball coach Brian Rea said. “He’s a football player and he’s in the battle for the starting quarterback job over there. He’s just really an exceptional athlete.”
Blake Pennock, who was hired as football coach after one season at Pass Christian, has had a limited amount of time to get to know Hubbard, who played travel ball this summer, but he sees big things ahead for the 6-foot-1 ½, 175-pound athlete.
“He’ll be, I think, John Rhys Plumlee 2.0,” Pennock said. “I really have high hopes for him. He’s come along a lot of a passer. He’s going to do it, no doubt about it. He has long legs and he can really go.”
A comparison with Plumlee as a potential two-sport star ranks as high praise in Mississippi. The Oak Grove legend was a game-changer in both football and baseball, helping lead the Warriors’ football team to the Class 6A title game.
Plumlee played both sports as a freshman at Ole Miss in 2019-20, taking over as the Rebels’ starting quarterback after four games and earning Freshman All-American honors. Plumlee threw for 910 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions, but his best attribute by far was his ability to break big gainers on the ground. He ran 154 times for 1,023 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Hubbard, who is in a competition with senior Jak King, another strong athlete, to become the OSHS starting quarterback, has been clocked at 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash.
That speed is what could make him a game-breaker similar to Plumlee.
“He’s incredibly athletic,” Pennock said of Hubbard. “He’s a guy that we think can take it 50 yards to the house at any point on the field. He’s been coming on as a passer since we got here. He’s been pretty impressive. The ceiling is incredibly high for him. He’ll definitely have a two-sport decision once that time comes. Schools are going to let him play both.”
Brayson Hubbard commits to Southern Miss
While Pennock may eventually get the option to play football on the next level, Hubbard has already been given the opportunity to play Div. 1 baseball. The Southern Miss baseball program offered Hubbard a scholarship early in the summer and he verbally committed to the Golden Eagles last week.
The USM staff made clear that they wanted Hubbard on board for the class of 2023.
“It was just how much love they showed me and the (scholarship) money they offered,” Hubbard said. “The offer was huge for me and my family. I have two older siblings that will go to college ahead of me, and my dad has to pay. With what they had to offer, I fit right in. The coaches, they showed me a bunch love.”
The Mississippi State, Auburn and Alabama baseball programs also showed interest in Hubbard, whose dad, Mark, is the OSHS athletic director.
“My dad is good with (helping with the recruiting process),” Hubbard said. “It felt really good to commit. I have time to relax and I don’t have to worry about getting an offer. I’m just working to get better.”
A true utility guy for Ocean Springs baseball
Hubbard’s greatest asset on the baseball field is the same speed that could make him a dangerous quarterback, and he has already shown he can hit as a freshman with an average close to .500.
Rea’s initial plan was to stick him in the outfield as a freshman, but an injury to a starter in the middle of the infield forced him to rethink things ahead of the 2020 season.
“He’s a kid that wherever you stick him on the field, he’s going to be one of the top two players at that position,” Rea said. “I think everyone, including me, feels like he’s going to be an outfielder on the next level. You can stick him out there and let him run and use his athleticism, but I could stick him behind the plate and he’d be one of our top two catchers.”
Hubbard had only a pair of doubles during a shortened 2020 season, but Rea expects the power to come with time.
“I think Bray is going to be a middle of the order guy,” Rea said. “He’ll probably be sliding into that role as as sophomore. He’s got good ride on his ball post contact and the ball gets out in the outfield. He’s got good backspin with his type of swing. The ball doesn’t get out there and die. It stays through those gaps real well. He’ll be a guy that’s a doubles/home runs guy. I think he’ll hit some balls out of the park. That body will continue to change and get stronger. The bat speed is there.”
While Hubbard is on pace to play his college baseball at Southern Miss, he’s open to playing more than one sport.
“It would be a blessing to play both sports in college,” he said. “It all comes down to what offers I get.”
As for now, he’s just hoping to get on the football field this season. The 2020 high school campaign has already been pushed back a couple of weeks until Sept. 4 as COVID-19 cases rise in Jackson County and across Mississippi.
“Oh man, I’m so ready to play,” Hubbard said. “If we don’t play this year, I’m going to be devastated. I can’t wait.”
