How Ole Miss IF Chatagnier overcame being ‘undersized’

Before making an impact in the SEC, Ole Miss infielder Peyton Chatagnier was cut from his travel team at 12 years old. His road to playing at Swayze Field was, at times, a strenuous one.

“Maybe my travel coach didn’t believe in me because I was small or whatever it may have been,” Chatagnier said. “He told me to bunt almost every time because I couldn’t hit. It crushed me for sure because I grew up playing with those guys.”

Four coaches watched a 12-year-old Chatagnier try out. The one who wanted him was recently retired professional baseball player Ryan Patterson. At the time, he was with the Hunter Pence Baseball Academy in Houston, Texas. It wasn’t far from his hometown of Cypress. Patterson saw what others didn’t- Peyton’s feel for the game. The two quickly got to work.

“When he first got there he didn’t even swing the bat,” Patterson said. “I saw him swing in the cage but he was scared, especially in hitters counts he would just take. I would say swing away at 3-0 and he’d pop up in the infield and I’d fist bump him. He had to know he could hit before I would give him adjustments at the plate.”

Chatagnier progressed through high school. He was interested in playing for LSU but they said he was undersized. Texas State gave him a C grade on their scale, classifying him an an average/below average high school player.

“At the time I thought my dreams of getting to where I want to be won’t happen and I wouldn’t make it,” Chatagnier said.

Patterson stopped coaching in 2014 to finish his degree at LSU, but still constantly gave Peyton advice. His method of expressing confidence didn’t change and he stayed in his corner.

“You don’t have to get recruited by every school. They all won’t like you and we just try to find the right one for you,” Patterson said. “Let’s be patient, go back to the drawing board and find a school that would be a good fit.”

Through picking Ole Miss over Texas A&M, Texas Tech (and other schools) and cracking the starting lineup for Ole Miss in 2020, Patterson still provides guidance.

“He’s my role model. I look up to him and go to him for just about anything other than my parents. He made me believe in myself. He’s the reason I am here and he’s an awesome guy.”