2023 SEC Season Preview

Season Preview Aaron Fitt - February 1, 2023

Our conference preview includes:

• Projected Order of Finish
• Preseason Awards
• Top Prospects
  • Top 50 Prospects, 2023 Draft
  • Top 50 Prospects, 2024 Draft
  • Top 50 Freshmen
• Team-by-Team Breakdowns

*Teams are listed in order of projected finish. 2022 regional teams in bold.

SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE

WEST

LSU

Ole Miss

Texas A&M

Arkansas

Alabama

Mississippi State

Auburn

EAST

Tennessee

Florida

Vanderbilt

South Carolina

Georgia

Kentucky

Missouri

---

Projected Regional Teams (11): LSU, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Florida, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Alabama, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Auburn

Player of the Year: Dylan Crews, OF, LSU

Pitcher of the Year: Chase Dollander, RHP, Tennessee

Freshman of the Year: Grayson Saunier, RHP, Ole Miss

*Asterisk indicates draft-eligible underclassman

TOP PROSPECTS, 2023 DRAFT
1	Dylan Crews	CF	LSU
2	Chase Dollander	RHP	Tennessee
3	Jacob Gonzalez	SS	Ole Miss
4	Wyatt Langford	OF	Florida
5	Enrique Bradfield, Jr.	CF	Vanderbilt
6	Paul Skenes	RHP	LSU
7	Will Sanders	RHP	South Carolina
8	Hurston Waldrep	RHP	Florida
9	Grayson Hitt	LHP	Alabama
10	Maui Ahuna	SS	Tennessee
11	Grant Taylor*	RHP	LSU
12	Jaden Woods	LHP	Georgia
13	Jared Dickey	OF	Tennessee
14	Nathan Dettmer	RHP	Texas A&M
15	Colton Ledbetter	OF	Mississippi State
16	Joseph Gonzalez	RHP	Auburn
17	Brandon Sproat	RHP	Florida
18	Jaxon Wiggins	RHP	Arkansas
19	Hunter Hollan	LHP	Arkansas
20	Patrick Reilly	RHP	Vanderbilt
21	Cole Foster	SS	Auburn
22	Ty Floyd	RHP	LSU
23	Tre Morgan	1B	LSU
24	Cade Smith	RHP	Mississippi State
25	Calvin Harris	C	Ole Miss
26	Kemp Alderman	OF	Ole Miss
27	Christian Little	RHP	LSU
28	Magdiel Cotto	LHP	Kentucky
29	Josh Rivera	SS	Florida
30	Trevor Austin	2B/OF	Missouri
31	Kyle Booker	CF	Tennessee
32	James McCoy*	3B	Kentucky
33	Jack Mahoney	RHP	South Carolina
34	Chandler Murphy	RHP	Missouri
35	TJ McCants	CF	Ole Miss
36	Jack Moss	1B	Texas A&M
37	Grayson Moore	RHP	Vanderbilt
38	Andrew Pinckney	CF	Alabama
39	Ethan Groff	OF	Ole Miss
40	Colby Halter	INF	Florida
41	Jack Dougherty	RHP	Ole Miss
42	Cody Adcock	RHP	Arkansas
43	Bryce Jenkins	RHP	Tennessee
44	Hunter Furtado	LHP	Alabama
45	Hunter Owen	LHP	Vanderbilt
46	Parks Harber	1B	Georgia
47	Brandyn Garcia	LHP	Texas A&M
48	Austin Troesser	RHP	Missouri
49	Tavian Josenberger	CF/2B	Arkansas
50	Andrew Lindsey	RHP	Tennessee
TOP PROSPECTS, 2024 DRAFT
1	Carter Holton	LHP	Vanderbilt
2	Chase Burns	RHP	Tennessee
3	Tommy White	3B/1B	LSU
4	Paxton Kling*	OF	LSU
5	Peyton Stovall	INF	Arkansas
6	Hagen Smith	LHP	Arkansas
7	Eli Jerzembeck*	RHP	South Carolina
8	Andrew Dutkanych*	RHP	Vanderbilt
9	Pierce Coppola	LHP	Florida
10	Thatcher Hurd	RHP	LSU
11	Jac Caglianone	LHP/1B	Florida
12	Drew Beam	RHP	Tennessee
13	Ben Hess	RHP	Alabama
14	Brady Tygart	RHP	Arkansas
15	Troy Wansing	LHP	Texas A&M
16	Chase Allsup	RHP	Auburn
17	Dakota Jordan*	OF	Mississippi State
18	Hunter Elliott	LHP	Ole Miss
19	Hunter Hines	1B	Mississippi State
20	Blake Burke	1B	Tennessee
21	Jake Faherty	RHP	Arkansas
22	Michael Robertson	OF	Florida
23	Ryan Waldschmidt	OF	Kentucky
24	Ike Irish*	C	Auburn
25	Slate Alford	INF	Mississippi State
26	Chris Cortez	RHP	Texas A&M
27	Colby Holcombe	RHP	Mississippi State
28	Davis Diaz	MIF	Vanderbilt
29	Christian Moore	2B	Tennessee
30	Luke Heyman*	C	Florida
31	Yoel Tejeda Jr*	RHP/1B	Florida
32	Matthew Becker	LHP	South Carolina
33	Brandon Neely	RHP	Florida
34	Luke Holman	RHP	Alabama
35	Nate Dohm	RHP	Mississippi State
36	Max Debiec	RHP	Texas A&M
37	Riley Maddox	RHP	Ole Miss
38	Devin Futrell	LHP	Vanderbilt
39	Cole Wagner	OF/1B	Georgia
40	Charlie Condon	1B	Georgia
41	Rene Lastres	C	Florida
42	Kendall Diggs	OF/INF	Arkansas
43	Ty Sexton	RHP	Texas A&M
44	Tony Neubuck	LHP	Missouri
45	Ty Evans	OF	Florida
46	Jonathan Vastine	INF	Vanderbilt
47	Justin Colon	SS	Missouri
48	Gavin Guidry*	SS	LSU
49	Mason Nichols	RHP	Ole Miss
50	Josh Pearson	OF	LSU
IMPACT FRESHMEN
1	Grayson Saunier	RHP	Ole Miss
2	Paxton Kling	OF	LSU
3	Jace LaViolette	OF	Texas A&M
4	Eli Jerzembeck	RHP	South Carolina
5	Andrew Dutkanych IV	RHP	Vanderbilt
6	Brady Neal	C	LSU
7	Dakota Jordan	OF	Mississippi State
8	Zach Crotchfelt	LHP	Auburn
9	Jared Jones	OF	LSU
10	Riley Quick	RHP	Alabama
11	RJ Austin	INF	Vanderbilt
12	Ike Irish	C	Auburn
13	Ross Highfill	C	Mississippi State
14	Chase Shores	RHP	LSU
15	Jayson Jones	INF	Arkansas
16	Justin Lamkin	LHP	Texas A&M
17	Bradley Loftin	LHP	Mississippi State
18	Ethan Petry	3B	South Carolina
19	Jurrangelo Cijntje	RHP	Mississippi State
20	Dylan Dreiling	OF	Tennessee
21	Kaeden Kent	INF	Texas A&M
22	Colby Shelton	INF	Alabama
23	Luke Heyman	C	Florida
24	Yoel Tejeda Jr	RHP/1B	Florida
25	Matthew Hoskins	RHP	Georgia
26	Cade Fisher	LHP	Florida
27	Hayden Murphy	RHP	Auburn
28	Sam Tookoian	RHP	Ole Miss
29	Chris Maldonado	INF	Vanderbilt
30	Cade Kurland	2B	Florida
31	Jake Clemente	RHP	Florida
32	Mason Neville	OF	Arkansas
33	Parker Coil	LHP	Arkansas
34	Logan Forsythe	RHP	Mississippi State
35	Alex Stanwich	OF	Tennessee
36	Shane Sdao	LHP	Texas A&M
37	Leighton Finley	RHP/INF	Georgia
38	Gavin Miller	INF	Auburn
39	Gavin Guidry	MIF	LSU
40	Jackson Lovich	INF	Missouri
41	Will Furniss	OF	Ole Miss
42	Drew Lafferty	RHP	Kentucky
43	Gage Wood	RHP	Arkansas
44	Chris Stanfield	OF	Auburn
45	Reese Robinett	3B	Arkansas
46	JT Quinn	RHP	Ole Miss
47	Aiden Moffett	RHP	LSU
48	David Mershon	SS	Mississippi State
49	Blake Gillespie	RHP	Georgia
50	JD Thompson	LHP	Vanderbilt

• For in-depth reports on the nine SEC teams in our Top 25 rankings, you can find expansive team breakdowns below:

No. 1 LSU Breakdown

No. 2 Tennessee Breakdown

No. 4 Ole Miss Breakdown

No. 5 Texas A&M Breakdown

No. 7 Florida Breakdown

No. 8 Arkansas Breakdown

No. 10 Vanderbilt Breakdown

No. 20 Alabama Breakdown

No. 23 South Carolina Breakdown

---

Mississippi State

Head Coach: Chris Lemonis
2022 Record: 26-30 (9-21 in SEC)

Strengths: Despite losing four of the top five hitters from last year’s club (RJ Yeager, Kamren James, Brad Cumbest and Logan Tanner), Mississippi State’s offense should be more potent than the unit that ranked ninth in the SEC in scoring and 10th in batting last year. Power should be Mississippi State’s calling card; between returning stalwarts Hunter Hines, Kellum Clark and Luke Hancock plus breakout candidate Slate Alford and newcomers Colton Ledbetter, Dakota Jordan and Connor Hujsak, Mississippi State has seven potential everyday starters who could all smack double-digit homers. MSU led the SEC in fielding percentage last year and should be very strong defensively once again, led by a super-athletic outfield and a slick middle-infield tandem (Larry at second and Lane Forsythe at short). The Bulldogs also added a slew of exciting arms to their retooled pitching staff.

Question Marks: But Mississippi State still has a lot to prove on the mound after ranking dead last in the SEC in ERA last year (6.07). Aside from Cade Smith, MSU lacks proven SEC weekend starters, so it will need big leaps forward from late-blooming but talented veterans like Parker Stinnett and KC Hunt, and/or huge contributions from newcomers like Landon Gartman (a polished strike-thrower from Memphis) and Colby Holcombe (a juco transfer with a 95-98 mph fastball). There is ability here, but the lack of track record calls for some caution.

Star Power: Hines established himself as one of the SEC most fearsome sluggers as a true freshman last year, smashing 16 homers and 13 doubles. His .993 OPS last year was tops among returning Bulldogs, and he will remain a dangerous lefthanded slugger anchoring the heart of the order. Ledbetter, a transfer from Samford, showed off legitimate five-tool ability last spring (16 homers, 14 steals, .318 average) and last summer in the NECBL, where he hit .383 with a league-best 11 homers to win the MVP award. He also has good range in center field and a strong arm, making him the complete package and a potential first-round pick this summer. Smith is the closest thing MSU has to a proven star on the mound, after making 14 starts and posting a solid 3.86 ERA last spring. He has good feel for a quality four-pitch mix that includes a 92-94 fastball, and if he can become just a bit more efficient, then he could be one of the SEC’s top Friday starters.

Glue Guys: Hancock has been a contributor for four years and a key everyday player for the last two, bouncing mostly between DH and first base. Now with Tanner gone, he’ll get a chance to see more action behind the plate, where he should split time with high-profile freshman Ross Highfill. Hancock’s biggest strength remains his plate discipline (83 walks against just 37 strikeouts over the last two seasons), which makes him one of the SEC’s toughest outs and a key cog in the lineup. Forsythe is a very steady defender at shortstop with a contact-oriented approach at the plate.

Picks to Click: Alford mustered just 43 at-bats and hit .209 as a freshman last year, but the departure of James leaves the third-base job for Alford to seize, and he ran with the opportunity this fall, hitting five home runs. Alford also showed off improved plate discipline and outstanding defensive skills at the hot corner, making him the most obvious breakout candidate on this roster. Righties Stinnett and Hunt have long tantalized with their electric pure stuff, but both have been held back by injuries and/or inconsistent command in their careers. Stinnett’s 82-84 mph hammer is one of the SEC’s best breaking balls, and Hunt complements his 93-95 mph heater with four quality offspeed pitches, so the talent is clearly there for both righties to take big jumps and emerge as “post-hype sleepers”.

Top Newcomers: This roster is overflowing with impact newcomers thanks to the additions of college baseball’s No. 2 ranked freshman class and No. 4 ranked transfer class (including juco transfers). The aforementioned Ledbetter is the biggest prize of all, but the athletic and multi-talented Larry (a transfer from New Orleans) and the physical Hujsak (VCU) will also likely serve as valuable everyday regulars in the lineup. Highfill’s special defensive ability will earn him significant playing time behind the plate as a true freshman, and Dakota Jordan’s electric power/speed tool set and running back physique has earned Bo Jackson comparisons, giving him a chance to make a huge splash as a freshman outfielder. Memphis transfer Gartman will surely be a key innings eater on the mound, while Texas transfer Aaron Nixon and Ball State transfer Nate Dohm bring big-time power arms to the deep bullpen mix. Juco transfer Colby Holcombe might have the biggest arm of them all, with a 95-98 fastball and a power slider at 86-88. High-profile freshman lefty Bradley Loftin and exceptional switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cintje should also carve out key roles early on in their careers, and their futures are very bright.

Outlook: Mississippi State has a very real chance to be college baseball’s most improved team this spring, after plummeting from the 2021 national title to the 2022 SEC basement. Aside from LSU, no program improved its roster more from last year to this year than MSU, which hit the jackpot on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal. Sure, the Bulldogs have a lot to prove on the mound, but the talent level is undeniable on the mound as well as in the lineup. So while Mississippi State enters the year ranked just outside the Top 25, no one should be surprised if the Bulldogs wind up hosting a regional for the third time in the last four completed seasons.

From the Fall Report:

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Mississippi State’s national title defense did not go as planned. The Bulldogs stumbled right out of the gate, dropping two of their first three series against Long Beach State and Tulane, then lost superstar ace Landon Sims to a season-ending injury — one of numerous pitching injuries that compounded as the season progressed. The wheels fell off down the stretch, as MSU dropped 12 of its final 13 games to finish in last place in the SEC and miss the conference tournament.

The Mississippi State coaching staff isn’t looking to make excuses — but the mound injuries were certainly a valid explanation. And as the losses piled up on and off the field, the Bulldogs simply could not find their mojo. So this proud program was happy to mash the reset button this fall.

“We had a crazy amount of injuries, and they were all on one spot, so it put some pressure on our program,” MSU head coach Chris Lemonis said. “But I tell people all the time when I speak now, we still should have performed at a higher level. We got to the point we couldn’t pitch at the end of the game, that became an issue. But we have felt like we have had such a great culture in our clubhouse, but we kind of lost that a little bit last year. This fall a lot of what we’re doing is being a better team, being together, it’s about us. Our word this fall is “we”. Let’s do something special together. Nothing against last year’s team, it just unraveled on us. … After last year when we lost eight pitchers at some point, so managing games, there were certain games, we got in a jam, we had to give it away. So we made a conscious effort that wouldn’t happen again. You’ve got to stay healthy, you can’t lose eight again. But it was just kind of a weird year with injuries.” … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING THE FULL IN-DEPTH TEAM REPORT

---

Auburn

Head Coach: Butch Thompson
2022 Record: 42-20 (16-13 in SEC)

Strengths: The one-two punch of Joseph Gonzalez and Chase Allsup atop the Auburn rotation has a chance to go toe-to-two with any in the SEC, assuming Allsup takes the expected leap forward as a sophomore. The coaching staff feels great about its personnel behind the plate and in the outfield, and a quality collection of newcomers should plug holes.

Question Marks: But the Tigers had a whole lot of holes to fill after losing five pitchers drafted in the top 12 rounds plus three-quarters of its infield, headlined by superstar first-team All-America slugger Sonny DiChiara. Does the new-look lineup have enough firepower to hang with the big dogs of the SEC West? And can talented but less proven arms like Allsup, Chase Isbell and freshmen Zach Crotchfelt and Hayden Murphy prove capable of replacing mainstays like Mason Barnett, Blake Burkhalter and Carson Skipper? These are all legitimate questions that will be answered in time.

Star Power: Gonzalez is a potential All-American slated to toe the rubber every Friday night, coming off a 7-4, 3.22 campaign as a sophomore last year followed by a stint with Team USA. His calling card is a heavy sinker that helps him induce groundball outs by the bushel. The lineup lacks any high-profile All-America contenders, but Cole Foster was a blue-chip recruit who has gradually gotten better during his Auburn career, and now he’ll get his chance to take over the everyday shortstop job after playing second a year ago. He’s a switch-hitter with power potential, speed, and athleticism. Fifth-year senior Bobby Peirce is another proven SEC run producer coming off a 10-homer campaign in 2022, and the Tigers are hoping he can take the next step to serious stardom after putting together a monster fall.

Glue Guys: Kason Howell is one of college baseball’s ultimate glue guys — he’s been an everyday starter since 2019, which means he’s been a mainstay of two College World Series teams. Howell doesn’t put up sexy numbers, but he grinds out competitive at-bats, racks up doubles, plays stellar defense in center field and provides crucial leadership and toughness. Nate LaRue has blossomed into another key leader as well as a standout defender behind the plate, and Auburn is hopeful that he can deliver more offensive production as a senior this spring.

Picks to Click: Allsup got his feet wet with 29.1 innings as a freshman last year, striking out 36 but also walking 17. He showed better control this fall and his stuff continued to tick up, as he ran his heater up to 97 mph along with better feel for his slider and curveball. He must emerge as a viable workhorse in the weekend rotation for Auburn to have the season it hopes for. Likewise, the Tigers are banking on Isbell to replace Burkhalter as a shutdown power arm at the back of the bullpen. Isbell showed 93-96 mph heat with a good slider in fall ball, and if he can cut down his walk rate then he could have a huge year.

Top Newcomers: The Tigers laid a strong foundation for the next three years by reeling in a top-10 freshman class that features several players who should make big impacts right out of the chute. Ike Irish should spell LaRue behind the plate this year year before assuming the top catcher job next year, but his powerful and mature lefthanded bat should be in the lineup every day this spring regardless of whether he catches or DHs. Lefthander Zach Crotchfelt and righty Hayden Murphy both flashed big-time stuff this fall, with fastballs that reach the mid-90s and promising secondary stuff. Crotchfelt could make a run at a weekend rotation spot as the spring unfolds.

Outlook: Auburn has a knack for exceeding external expectations in the Butch Thompson era, and it’s easy to envision that happening again this spring if the 24 new players on the roster can acclimate and produce as hoped. But with so much turnover, the question marks are unavoidable, particularly relative to the other teams in the rough-and-tumble SEC West, so the Tigers will have a chance to feed off the outside doubters — despite making two CWS trips in the last three completed seasons. Thompson said heading into last year that he believed his 2022 club had a wide range of outcomes, and the same feels true of this bunch — it could be a borderline regional team fighting for its postseason life, or it could make yet another run at Omaha.

From The Fall Report:

AUBURN, Ala. — Toward the end of a long, late-fall conversation about his club in the Auburn baseball offices, Butch Thompson mentioned in passing that there are currently 30 Auburn alumni on active rosters across all levels of organized pro baseball.

“That’s the most I can recall that we’ve ever had. That’s pretty awesome,” said Thompson, Auburn’s eighth-year head coach. “It’s a reality, it’s gonna be hard — it’s the SEC — but then you’ve got to keep up with the ‘well-dones.’ And that’s a ‘well-done’ for the program.”

Auburn has had a whole lot of “well-dones” in the Thompson era, from player development (as evidenced by all those pro alumni) to on-the-field success. The Tigers have been to Omaha twice in the last three completed seasons, and three super regionals in the last four completed seasons, as well as five regionals in the last six years. That’s an awfully impressive track record for any program in the rough-and-tumble SEC, but it’s particularly impressive considering Auburn’s last CWS appearance before Thompson’s arrival came in 1997, and the program had been to just two regionals in the decade before he took over. In short, Thompson and his excellent coaching staff have built something special on the Plains, and it feels sustainable. … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING THE FULL IN-DEPTH FALL REPORT

Georgia

Head Coach: Scott Stricklin
2022 Record: 36-23 (15-15 in SEC)

Strengths: Georgia returns five everyday players from a lineup that ranked fifth in the SEC in scoring last year, including three physical veterans who slugged double-digit homers last year in Connor Tate, Parks Harber and Corey Collins. This should be a very capable offense once again, with plenty of pop in the middle and tough outs from top to bottom. Georgia also has a solid collection of power arms to build the staff around.

Question Marks: Several devastating injuries coupled with the underperformance of some key arms led to Georgia’s undoing last year, as the Bulldogs finished 13th in the SEC with a 5.65 staff ERA. Losing ace Jonathan Cannon and closer Jack Gowen — the two most reliable arms on the staff last year — only creates more question marks about this pitching staff. Georgia is really banking on talented lefthander Jaden Woods anchoring the rotation after making 24 relief appearances last year, and he’s plenty electric but must prove he can maintain his stuff and command in a starting role. Veterans Liam Sullivan, Nolan Crisp and Luke Wagner all must take major steps forward in order for the Bulldogs to improve upon last year’s woeful pitching. Georgia always plays very sound defense, but this year they are a little less established up the middle, with a pair of new starters at shortstop (juco transfer Sebastian Murillo) and second base (Samford transfer Will David).

Star Power: Tate has been one of the most reliable run producers in the SEC over the past two seasons, highlighted by last year’s stellar campaign (.344/.436/.612, 13 HR, 19 2B). Harber is a proven two-year starter who brings big righthanded power of his own, and Collins is a very good power source from the left side who has the talent to put up All-America-type numbers if he can improve his plate discipline a bit. Woods isn’t quite a star yet, but he’s the closest thing Georgia has on the mound, having pitched for Team USA last summer. With elite induced vertical break that gives his 93-96 mph fastball big-time riding life up in the zone, Woods can really miss bats with his fastball, but he developed a much better breaking ball this fall, which could unlock his full potential as an ace.

Glue Guys: Sixth-year senior center fielder Ben Anderson has been around the block a few times in his long college career, which began at Furman in 2018. He emerged as a catalyst for the Bulldogs last spring, bringing excellent speed and defensive along with sneaky pop, and he will once again help make this lineup go. Catcher Fernando Gonzalez is the general who runs the show from behind the plate, a standout defender who handles the pitching staff very well and is starting to develop some pop at the plate.

Picks to Click: First baseman Charlie Condon redshirted last spring and then busted out with a big summer in the Northwoods League. The ball explodes off his bat, and Georgia thinks he will emerge as another double-digit home run hitter this spring. Right fielder Cole Wagner also looks primed to break out as another lefthanded power source along with Collins and Anderson.

Top Newcomers: Georgia’s freshman class ranks among the nation’s top 10 thanks largely to its exciting power arms. Leighton Finley and Matthew Hoskins both have two-way ability, but they figure to contribute primarily off the mound as freshmen, given the construction of this roster. Both are capable of running their fastballs up to 95 mph, and Hoskins likely fits as a back-end piece early on, while Finley could make a run at a rotation job, perhaps in the midweek to begin. Righties Kolten Smith and Blake Gillespie both throw strikes with four pitches and sit at 90-94. Lefty Jarvis Evans led the team in strikeouts this fall, and his 86-88 mph fastball plays above its velocity.

Outlook: There is no question that Georgia has the offense to compete in the SEC. If the pitching comes together as hoped, this club should remain right in the thick of the regional hosting race, with a chance to make some noise in June. For now, these Bulldogs are lying in the weeds.

From the Fall Report:

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Georgia head coach Scott Stricklin entered the fall feeling really good about his offense. After the first few practices, he began to feel even better about those hitters as they roughed up his pitching staff. The problem is those active bats led to doubts. What if our pitching is making our hitters look that good?

After getting a few top arms active as the fall work continued, Georgia’s pitching began to hold its own.

“It’s funny, as a coach, I don’t think any head coach is ever happy after a scrimmage. Because if you hit too much, you’re disappointed in your pitching. And if you don’t hit, you think your hitting is not very good,” Stricklin said. “Early on, I thought our hitters were really, really good and were tough on our pitchers. Then, Jaden Woods, Liam Sullivan, and Nolan Crisp, those guys came back. And I thought that gave our pitching staff a little bit of a jolt when they came back.

“But also, I thought our kids grew up,” he continued. “We have five freshmen pitchers, I think are all gonna pitch for us. They’ve all got a chance to be really good. Early on, they struggled a little bit, and I thought it was encouraging to see the jump that they made. And then when you add Jaden and Liam and Nolan and those veteran guys back in there, we showed some depth. So, I think we’ve got a lot of depth on the mound.” … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING THE FULL IN-DEPTH TEAM REPORT

---

Kentucky

Head Coach: Nick Mingione
2022 Record: 33-26 (12-18 in SEC)

Strengths: Kentucky did a nice job revamping its roster with a large group of transfers — a haul that we ranked as the 14th-best transfer class in the nation. The lineup looks athletic and balanced, and UK has upside on the mound, with plenty of arm strength.

Question Marks: This club has a whole lot to prove after losing all nine hitters who recorded at least 100 at-bats for the Wildcats a year ago — not to mention its top three pitchers in Sean Harney, Tyler Guilfoil and Daniel Harper. Nonetheless, the coaching staff lauded this “high-trust, low-maintenance” group for its maturity this fall, but how that will translate to the meat grinder that is SEC play remains to be seen.

Star Power: Eastern Kentucky transfer Kendal Ewell is the most accomplished Division I hitter in this lineup, having slashed .337/.456/.557 with 14 homers and 11 steals as a third-year sophomore last spring. He’ll face a significant step up in competition this fall, and his 85 strikeouts in 246 at-bats last year raise a red flag, but his power/speed combination is nonetheless exciting. Kentucky’s best player this fall was redshirt freshman third baseman James McCoy, an athletic 6-foot-4, 205-pound switch-hitter with plus raw power from both sides of the plate and a strong arm at the hot corner.

Glue Guys: Another former EKU player, righthander Darren Williams, heads into his seventh season as a college baseball player after having Tommy John surgery a year ago. He had acclimated well to the SEC before getting injured, posting a 0.93 ERA in 29 innings, but his recovery is on the fast track and he was already throwing bullpens this fall. As you’d expect for a player who graduated high school in 2016, Williams provides valuable experience and leadership, and also could assume a weekend starter job when he gets back to full strength. Emerging redshirt sophomore catcher Devin Burkes and Longwood transfer Hunter Gilliam (who “took command of the locker room” this fall, per the coaches) are also regarded as key leaders here.

Picks to Click: McCoy is the most obvious breakout candidate, but also keep an eye on sophomore second baseman Emilien Pitre, who has added muscle since last spring and led the Cal Ripken League in batting last summer. On the mound, UK really needs a major leap forward from bazooka-armed lefty Magdiel Cotto, who has always tantalized with his mid-to-high-90s fastball but has struggled with control throughout this career, which began at South Carolina. Cotto took a big step forward during his all-star summer in the Cape Cod League, showing an improved ability to land his slider for strikes and developing his changeup though his ability to continue refining his feel for the secondary stuff is the key to his prospects.

Top Newcomers: Center fielder Ryan Waldschmidt is one of the most important transfers on a roster loaded with them. The Charleston Southern transfer impressed this fall with his on-base ability, speed, defense and solid arm strength. He’ll likely serve as the catalyst atop the lineup, but he also brings sneaky pop, having hit nine homers for the Bucs last year. The biggest addition on the mound is righthander Logan Martin, a transfer from The University of the South who attacked at 94-96 with riding life and a solid slider and changeup this fall. The Wildcats expect him to step right into the Friday starter job.

Outlook: This feels like a boom-or-bust campaign for the Wildcats, whose roster turnover was downright dramatic. If all those newcomers prove able to adjust to the big step up in competition in the SEC, then Kentucky could be a sneaky sleeper. But it won’t be easy for a team filled with less proven commodities to leapfrog all the more proven powerhouses in this conference.

From the Fall Report:

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Entering its seventh season under head coach Nick Mingione, Kentucky began the fall looking to continue the momentum from the end of last season when it won nine of its last 15 SEC games, including three wins at the SEC tournament, and narrowly missed the 2022 NCAA tournament. UK’s late season success also included a series win against Tennessee which marked the only series loss of the regular season for the Volunteers.

In preparation for another challenging schedule in 2023, which includes 23 games against opponents that made the NCAA Tournament last spring and eight against super regional opponents, Kentucky’s fall goals beyond its normal emphasis on player development included meshing its large portal transfer class with competing every day in practice and squads, and then teaching the group how to win.

The results were impressive with fall scrimmage victories over Xavier and Marshall, in addition to the vast improvements made with individuals. The most improved returning player was hands down James McCoy. The up and coming corner infield/outfield prospect was featured earlier this fall in 2023 MLB Draft: Rising Hitters to Watch. … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING THE FULL IN-DEPTH TEAM REPORT

---

Missouri

Head Coach: Steve Bieser
2022 Record: 28-23 (10-20 in SEC)

Strengths: Missouri brings back five solid regulars (Trevor Austin, Justin Colon, Luke Mann, Ty Wilmsmeyer and Ross Lovich) from a team that ranked sixth in the SEC in batting and eighth in scoring a year ago. Led by those veterans, the Tigers should be a competent offensive club once again, and the pitching staff has a nice core to build around in Chandler Murphy, Ian Lohse, Austin Troesser and Tony Neubeck.

Question Marks: Can Mizzou’s pitching staff miss more bats than it did a year ago? In 2022, the Tigers ranked last in the SEC in strikeouts per nine innings and hits allowed per nine innings, and staff strikeout leader Spencer Miles is now gone after signing as a fourth-round pick. In his place, Missouri will turn to the likes of Murphy and Neubeck to lead a pitching staff that has a lot to prove. The lineup also took a hit with the departures of its top two hitters, Torin Montgomery and Joshua Day, so the Tigers need some new bats to emerge as focal points of the offense.

Star Power: Third baseman Luke Mann is the most dangerous returning hitter in this lineup, coming off a 17-homer campaign last spring. He’s an obvious threat from the left side and a reliable defender at the hot corner. The other top run producer here is outfielder Trevor Austin (who led all returning regulars with a .297 average last year). Austin is the team’s top position player prospect for the 2023 draft and has a chance to hit for both average and power.

Glue Guys: The Tigers will lean upon the catching duo of Dylan Leach and Tre Morris to provide leadership and defensive stability. Fifth-year senior first baseman Hank Zeisler is another hard-nosed glue guy who defends and runs the bases well.

Picks to Click: Neubeck stood out more than any other Missouri arm during David Seifert’s visit this fall, showing off dramatically improved secondary stuff. He filled up the zone with an 88-91 fastball, a quality slider in the low 80s, a useful 72-73 curve, and a very good changeup with deception and action. He posted a 5.63 ERA in 54.1 innings a year ago and looks poised to take on a bigger role this spring. Hard-throwing righty Troesser and strike-throwing lefty Lohse are also capable of improving upon their solid production from a year ago, and both could factor into the weekend rotation.

Top Newcomer: Murphy, a transfer from Arizona, has the best stuff on the staff, with a 93-94 mph fastball that cuts to his glove side, a sharp high-spin slider at 83-86, and a hammer curveball that spins in the 2900 rpm range. Murphy struggled last spring after returning from a forearm injury, but now he is expected to step into Missouri’s Friday starter role — a big leap for a pitcher who posted a 9.73 ERA last year, but he has the pure talent to make a run at it.

Outlook: Missouri has never posted a winning record in the SEC since joining the league in 2013, and coming off an 8-22 season in 2021 and a 10-20 campaign in 2022, it doesn’t seem likely that the Tigers will make the leap this spring. The conference is just too brutal, and Mizzou lags well behind the other 13 programs in the SEC when it comes to resources. If it all comes together, this team can be competitive, but breaking through to regionals for the first time since 2012 feels like a real long shot.

From the Fall Report:

Coming off a 28-23 overall record and a 10-20 finish in the SEC East this past spring season, the 2023 Missouri Tigers emphasized development throughout their just completed fall season. Gone from the ‘22 squad and into professional baseball are Spencer Miles (4th round, Giants), Torin Montgomery (14th round, Marlins), Josh Day (15th round, D’Backs), Nathan Laundry (15th round, Red Sox) and Drew Garrett (19th round, Phillies).

Miles was an innings eater on most Friday nights. Montgomery led the everyday lineup in many offensive categories, including batting average and on-base percentage. And Day was second in batting average and on-base, while anchoring the middle of the Tigers’ infield defense.

With those key losses in the rearview mirror the Tigers returned this fall to focus on the process and not the immediate result. Nearly every spot on the diamond was open to be taken and everyone was given an opportunity to establish a role for themselves. … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING THE FULL IN-DEPTH FALL REPORT