Special to Gatorsports.com
The Gators are once again expected to finish near the top of the Southeastern Conference baseball standings, the league coaches voted.
The league’s 14 coaches voted in the 29th annual preseason SEC poll, released Thursday, and selected Vanderbilt as the preseason favorite. Florida was the only other team that received multiple first-place votes. The Gators were also picked to finish second in the SEC East behind the Commodores.
In addition, sophomore outfielder Jud Fabian was voted onto the Preseason All-SEC Second Team. Fabian hit .232 with 32 runs and 26 runs batted in, in addition to posting a .993 fielding percentage as a 54-game starter in center field for the Gators.
Florida opens its season with a three-game series against Marshall beginning Feb. 14 at 6:30 p.m. Season tickets and Flex Passes for 2020 Gators Baseball and the final season at McKethan Stadium are on sale now and can be purchased online through Ticketmaster or by calling the Gator Ticket Office at 1-800-34-GATOR from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
2020 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll
Eastern Division
- Vanderbilt (9) – 87
2. Florida (3) – 77
3. Georgia (2) – 76
4. Tennessee – 50
5. South Carolina – 48
6. Missouri – 32
7. Kentucky – 22
Western Division
- Arkansas (5) – 82
2. Mississippi State (4) – 73
t-3. Auburn (2) – 67
t-3. LSU (3) – 67
5. Texas A&M – 44
6. Ole Miss – 38
7. Alabama – 21() – First place votes
SEC Champion: Vanderbilt (8), Florida (2), Arkansas (1), Auburn (1), Georgia (1), Mississippi State (1)
2020 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team
First Team
C: Casey Opitz, Arkansas
1B: Cade Beloso, LSU*
1B: T.J. Collett, Kentucky*
2B: Justin Foscue, Mississippi State
3B: Austin Martin, Vanderbilt
SS: Casey Martin, Arkansas
OF: Daniel Cabrera, LSU
OF: Alerick Soularie, Tennessee
OF: Heston Kjerstad, Arkansas
DH/UTL: Matt Goodheart, Arkansas
SP: Emerson Hancock, Georgia
SP: Asa Lacy, Texas A&M
RP: Tyler Brown, Vanderbilt
Second Team
C: Ty Duvall, Vanderbilt
1B: Josh Hatcher, Mississippi State*
1B: Rankin Woley, Auburn*
2B: Noah Campbell, South Carolina*
2B: Harrison Ray, Vanderbilt*
2B: Riley King, Georgia*
3B: Tyler Keenan, Ole Miss
SS: Jordan Westburg, Mississippi State
OF: Jud Fabian, Florida
OF: Tyler Gentry, Alabama
OF: Rowdey Jordan, Mississippi State*
OF: Zach DeLoach, Texas A&M*
DH/UTL: Tanner Allen, Mississippi State
SP: Kumar Rocker, Vanderbilt
SP: Tanner Burns, Auburn
RP: Cody Greenhill, Auburn
*Tie (ties are not broken)
