MSU, Ole Miss picked to finish at the bottom of the SEC West standings

PRESS RELEASE (Southeastern Conference)- Arkansas has been predicted to win the 2024 Southeastern Conference baseball championship as voted by the league’s 14 head coaches in the annual preseason poll released Thursday. The Preseason All-SEC First and Second Teams were also announced.

Three different schools received first place votes to win the SEC championship. Arkansas led the way with nine votes, while LSU received three and Florida received two. The Razorbacks were predicted to win the SEC Western Division, followed by LSU and Texas A&M. Florida was the pick to win the Eastern Division, followed by Tennessee and Vanderbilt.

Two Preseason All-SEC Teams were selected by a vote of the head coaches. Twelve schools were represented on the All-SEC teams, and Florida led the way with four selections, followed by Tennessee with three. The Gators had four first team accolades, and Arkansas and South Carolina each had two. Florida’s Jac Caglianone was a first team selection as a first baseman and a second team selection as a starting pitcher.

The 2024 regular season for SEC teams begins Feb. 16 with conference play set to begin March 15. Nine SEC teams have been ranked in the top-25 of the national preseason polls.

The 2024 SEC Baseball Tournament will take place May 21-26 at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Ala.

2024 SEC Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll

Eastern Division

1. Florida (11) – 88
2. Tennessee (2) – 75
3. Vanderbilt (1) – 73
4. South Carolina – 50
5. Kentucky – 44
6. Georgia – 36
7. Missouri – 19

Western Division

1. Arkansas (9) – 87
2. LSU (5) – 82
3. Texas A&M – 68
4. Alabama – 47
5. Auburn – 46
6. Ole Miss – 32
7. Mississippi State – 23

SEC Champion: Arkansas (9), LSU (3), Florida (2)

() – First place votes

2024 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team

 First Team

C: Cole Messina, South Carolina

1B: Jac Caglianone, Florida

2B: Cade Kurland, Florida

3B: Tommy White, LSU

SS: Colby Shelton, Florida

OF: Jace LaViolette, Texas A&M

OF: Ethan Petry, South Carolina

OF: Kendall Diggs, Arkansas

DH/UTL: Ike Irish, Auburn

SP: Hagen Smith, Arkansas

SP: Drew Beam, Tennessee

RP: Brandon Neely, Florida

Second Team

C: Devin Burkes, Kentucky

1B: Charlie Condon, Georgia

2B: Christian Moore, Tennessee

3B: Billy Amick, Tennessee

SS: Jonathan Vastine, Vanderbilt

OF: Braden Montgomery, Texas A&M

OF: Dakota Jordan, Mississippi State

OF: Bobby Peirce, Auburn

DH/UTL: Hayden Travinski, LSU

SP: Jac Caglianone, Florida

SP: Carter Holton, Vanderbilt

RP: Alton Davis II, Alabama