2022 SEC Baseball Rankings

Looking for the latest Sec Baseball Rankings for 2022? Check out our list of the top teams in the conference, updated regularly.

Preseason Top 25

1. Arkansas
2. Ole Miss
3. LSU
4. Florida
5. Vanderbilt
6. Georgia
7. Mississippi State
8. Tennessee
9. Auburn
10. Texas A&M

Preseason All-SEC

The Eastern Conference unveiled its preseason all-SEC teams on Wednesday morning, as voted on by the league’s 14 head coaches

Mississippi State was picked to win the SEC championship in the preseason poll, while Arkansas was picked to finish second and LSU third.

Preseason All-SEC First Team
1. OF Heston Kjerstad, Arkansas
2. OF Dylan Crews LSU
3. 1B Andrew Kyler, Tennessee
4. 2B Jerrion Ealy Mississippi State
5. 3B TJ Collett, Kentucky
6. SS Cam Shepherd, Georgia
7. C Hayden Moore, Florida
8. DH Jordan Westburg, Mississippi State
9. P Kevin Kopps Arkansas
10. P Brandon Sproat, Florida

Preseason SEC Player of the Year

Returning SEC Player of the Year Hunter Wood is one of the league’s top returning players.

Preseason SEC Pitcher of the Year

Preseason SEC Pitcher of the Year
1.
4*. Carter Stewart RHP, Mississippi State
2. Asa Lacy LHP, Texas A&M
3. JT Ginn, RHP, Mississippi State
4. Ma’Khail Hilliard, RHP, LSU
5. Kevin Millette, RHP, Vanderbilt

Preseason SEC Newcomer of the Year

Redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Will Bednar of the Vanderbilt Commodores has been named the 2022 SEC Newcomer of the Year, as voted on by the league’s 14 head coaches. Bednar transferred to Vanderbilt from Penn State prior to the 2020 season.

Preseason SEC Freshman of the Year

As the SEC baseball season approaches, there is much excitement surrounding the conference’s Top Players One player who is receiving a lot of attention is freshman pitcher Nolan Gorman, who has been named the Preseason SEC Freshman of the Year.

Gorman, who hails from Phoenix, Arizona, was ranked as the No. 2 overall prospect in the 2018 MLB Draft by Baseball America He chose to play for the University of Arkansas rather than sign with the St. Louis Cardinals who drafted him in the 19th round.

In his first season with the Razorbacks, Gorman is expected to be a key contributor on a team that is ranked No. 6 in the preseason SEC standings. He will look to help Arkansas return to the NCAA tournament after missing out on last year’s postseason.

Preseason SEC Coaches of the Year

The SEC coaches have spoken and here are their preseason predictions for the top three teams in the conference.

1. LSU
2. Vanderbilt
3. Mississippi State

Preseason SEC Predictions

The Eastern Conference is widely considered the best baseball conference in the country. The SEC has sent at least 10 teams to the NCAA Tournament in all but one year since 2000, and the conference has produced nine National Champions since 1990.

So it should come as no surprise that the SEC is once again loaded with talent heading into the 2022 season. Here are our preseason predictions for how the SEC will stack up this year:

1. Vanderbilt Commodores
The Commodores are coming off a disappointing 2020 season in which they failed to make the NCAA tournament but they’re reloaded and ready to contend for a national title in 2022. Vanderbilt returns one of the best pitching staffs in the country, led by ace Kumar Rocker (11-1, 2.80 ERA). The offense will be strong as well, led by slugging first baseman JJ Bleday (.305/.415/.585 with 23 home runs in 2020).

2. Arkansas Razorbacks
The Razorbacks are coming off a trip to the College World Series and they look poised to make another deep run in 2022. Arkansas has one of the best infields in the country, led by third baseman Casey Martin (.332/.438/.632 with 17 home runs) and second baseman Jake McMullen (.326/.410/.547 with 11 home runs). The pitching staff is anchored by ace Fort Worthiar/Gwinnett right-hander Kevin Kopps (10-2, 2.50 ERA), who had an 0.92 WHIP and struck out 138 batters in 112 innings last season.

3. Florida Gators
The Gators are always among the SEC’s elite teams and they should be once again in 2022. Florida returns a strong nucleus from last year’s team that made it all the way to the College World Series led by catcher/outfielder Austin Langworthy (.277/.361/.493 with 12 home runs) and starting pitcher Jack Leftwich (8-4, 3.52 ERA). The Gators also have one of the best recruiting classes in the country, headlined by five-star shortstop JordanLawrence-Randolph.

4. LSU Tigers
LSU is coming off a down year by their standards, but they’re still one of the most talented teams in the SEC. The Tigers have a star-studded lineup that includes first baseman Cade Beloso (.329/.457/.636 with 19 home runs), outfielder Daniel Cabrera (.360/.452/.625 with 15 home runs) and shortstop Josh Smith (.346/.473/.558 with six home runs). The pitching staff is anchored by right-hander Jaden Hill (6-1, 2.38 ERA), who had a 1.04 WHIP and struck out 84 batters in 69 innings last season.

5. Ole Miss Rebels
Ole Miss took a Step Back last season after making back-to-back trips to the College World Series but they’re still a team to watch out for in 2022. The Rebels have one of the best players in the country in outfielder Tim Elko (.358/.444/.636 with 16 home runs), who will lead an Ole Miss offense that also features third baseman Tyler Keenan (.303/.378/.590 with 14 home runs) and second baseman Anthony Servideo (.291/.373/.455 with seven home runs). The pitching staff is fronted by right-hander Gunnar Hoglund (7-4, 3..67 ERA), who had a 1..21 WHIP and struck out 103 batters 60 innings as a freshman last season..

Preseason All-American Teams

As the 2021 college baseball season comes to a close, we take a look at the top players in the SEC for the 2022 season. These rankings are based on preseason All-American teams.

1. Florida Gators
2. Arkansas Razorbacks
3. LSU Tigers
4. Mississippi State Bulldogs
5. Ole Miss Rebels
6. Texas A&M Aggies
7. Auburn Tigers
8. Kentucky Wildcats

Preseason National Player of the Year

As we look ahead to the 2022 season, there are a Number of players who have a chance to be the National Player of the Year. Here is a look at some of the top candidates:

1. Louisville’s Brendan McKay is the preseason favorite for the award. The left-hander had a great sophomore season, going 10-3 with a 2.56 ERA and 148 strikeouts in 103 innings. He also hit .308 with eight home runs and 36 RBIs.

2. Florida’s A.J. Puk is another left-hander who could contend for the award. Puk had a strong freshman season, going 8-4 with a 3.03 ERA and 119 strikeouts in 103 innings. He also hit .282 with four home runs and 28 RBIs.

3. Vanderbilt’s Jeren Kendall is one of the top Position players in the country. The junior outfielder hit .332 with 12 Home Runs 53 RBIs, and 25 stolen bases last season.

4. LSU’s Alex Lange is another player to watch after he went 10-5 with a 3.79 ERA and 143 strikeouts in 127 innings as a sophomore last season. He also hit .270 with three home runs and 34 RBIs at the plate.