SEC Baseball Preseason picks Kentucky 5th Eastern Division; Devin Burkes 2nd Team

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Feb. 8, 2024)-----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.

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