Southern Miss Great Carson Paetow Talks About Right Field Traditions

The former outfielder shares his excitement for the upcoming season and confidence in his potential successor.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Carson Paetow, a former Southern Miss baseball slugger and outfielder, joined the Nasty Bunch & Beyond podcast to discuss his excitement for the upcoming USM baseball season, what makes right field at The Pete so special, and his confidence in his potential successor in right field, redshirt senior Ben Higdon.

Why it matters

Paetow was a key part of the Southern Miss baseball program for four years, establishing himself as one of the top players in program history. His departure leaves a void in right field, but the tradition of excellence at USM means there is excitement around who will step up to fill that role.

The details

Paetow, who is affectionately known as "Tuna" by the Southern Miss faithful, talked about the special atmosphere in right field at The Pete and how he focused on interacting with the fans during games. He believes Higdon has the right personality to fill that role and said the fans are going to love him. Paetow expressed confidence that whoever takes over in right field will be ready to produce at a high level, as that is part of the tradition of the Southern Miss baseball program.

  • The 2026 NCAA baseball season is just a few days away from Opening Day.

The players

Carson Paetow

A former Southern Miss baseball slugger and outfielder who ranks fifth all-time in program history in both home runs and RBIs.

Ben Higdon

A redshirt senior who is expected to potentially take over Paetow's spot in right field this season.

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What they’re saying

“Obviously, Ben Higdon's a good baseball player. I think anybody on that roster right now could play right field, but in terms of it being as special of a spot as it is, the fans definitely want interaction. (The fans) love when the players interact with them, and I, maybe sometimes more than I should have, I focused on interacting with the fans during the game. I think they enjoyed that.”

— Carson Paetow, Former Southern Miss Outfielder (Nasty Bunch & Beyond Podcast)

“So I think Hig has a good personality to fill that right-field position. I think (the fans out there) are going to love him. He loves some good chirps and loves jokes. He loves interaction. Like I said, it really is a special spot out there. A lot of fun memories (for me) out there.”

— Carson Paetow, Former Southern Miss Outfielder (Nasty Bunch & Beyond Podcast)

What’s next

The Southern Miss baseball team will open the 2026 season on Friday, February 14th at 4 p.m. against UC Santa Barbara at Pete Taylor Park.

The takeaway

The departure of a Southern Miss baseball great like Carson Paetow leaves a void, but the program's tradition of excellence means there is excitement around who will step up to fill that role. Paetow's confidence in his potential successor, Ben Higdon, and the special atmosphere in right field at The Pete, suggest the transition will be a smooth one for the Golden Eagles.