2020 SEC Baseball Preview

Prospects Live’s Power Five previews kicked off Monday with Matt Powers’ look at the ACC. Now, we turn our attention to the top college baseball conference in the nation, the SEC.

PROJECTED STANDINGS

East

  1. VANDERBILT

    The defending national champions lost two-thirds of their season-ending lineup, including fourth overall pick J.J. Bleday. There might be some growing pains early, but the returning core is as strong as any in the country. Austin Martin was arguably the best player in the nation as a sophomore; he’s back, looking to join Bleday as a top five overall pick. So too is Kumar Rocker, whose upside was on full display in Supers. He’ll be flanked by Mason Hickman, Hugh Fisher, Jack Leiter and closer Tyler Brown on one of the nation’s most exciting pitching staffs. Tim Corbin will have plenty of talent to work with as they look to repeat.

  2. GEORGIA

    The Bulldogs’ 2019 season came to a surprising early end in regionals when they were bumped by Florida State. Much of the nucleus of the nation’s No.4 overall seed returns for another go in 2020. Emerson Hancock and Cole Wilcox each have top ten pick stuff; No.3 starter C.J. Smith isn’t overpowering but has a chance to be a Day One pick as well based on his plus changeup. They’ll be heavily dependent on that pitching staff, although the return of defensive whiz Cam Shepherd at shortstop will help prevent runs. He and third baseman Riley King, who showed solid-average tools and performed last summer on the Cape, are among the more interesting senior prospects in the 2020 class.

  3. FLORIDA

    It was a down season by Florida standards in 2019; the Gators finished as a 3-seed and couldn’t escape the Lubbock regional. That was a young team loaded with highly-regarded prospects, though, so don’t be surprised if they make a huge leap forward this season. Center fielder Jud Fabian has a chance at going top 15 in 2021 thanks to a well-rounded profile; second baseman Jacob Young and third baseman Cory Acton have more average tools but good feel and performed well as freshmen. In the rotation, Jack Leftwich, Tommy Mace and Nolan Crisp have all battled inconsistency in their college careers, but each has MLB-caliber stuff when on.

  4. SOUTH CAROLINA

    It’s tough to find a player who raised his draft stock on the Cape as much as Carmen Mlodzinski. Injured for much of 2019, the Gamecocks’ ace is healthy again and dominated last summer, striking out forty against four walks in 29.1 innings for Falmouth. Mlodzinski was working 94-97 mph in the fall, and the coaching staff has been pleased with his changeup development recently. Second baseman Noah Campbell has shown first-round tools on the Cape the past two summers, and he’ll be looking to bounce back from a down sophomore season in Columbia. USC also welcomes one of the nation’s top recruiting classes. Freshman Brennan Milone has an opportunity to hit in the middle of the lineup immediately and slot in at third base. Touted JUCO transfer Thomas Farr, meanwhile, has a chance to join Mlodzinski and Brett Kerry in a quality weekend rotation.

  5. TENNESSEE

    The Vols had a surprising breakout in 2019, reaching the NCAA tournament for the first time in 14 years. They’ll have quite a few key players to replace, including ace Garrett Stallings, top hitter Andre Lipcius, and hard-throwing Zach Linginfelter. The Vols aren’t as deep as many others in the conference, but they’ve still got firepower at the top. Lefty Garrett Crochet touches 97 with a plus breaking ball. That’s top ten pick stuff at his best, but he’ll have to show he can hold it for a full season as a starter. Left fielder Alerick Soularie has some swing-and-miss in his game, but he’s got at least above-average raw power and speed and raked in his first season in the SEC after transferring in from San Jacinto JC. Zach Daniels didn’t play much as a freshman, but he showed off his athleticism on the Cape.

  6. MISSOURI*

    To put together a strong season, Missouri’s going to lean on run prevention. T.J. Sikkema is gone as a Day One pick to the Yankees, but there’s still plenty of talent on the pitching staff. Ace Ian Bedell dominated statistically on the Cape. He doesn’t have the lights out stuff of many of the league’s aces, but he’s got a shot at being a top 50 pick as a control-oriented starter with average velocity and a pair of above-average secondaries. Ben Pedersen, meanwhile, was a well-regarded high school prospect who made it to Columbia and should have the best pure stuff on staff.

  7. KENTUCKY

    UK has their work cut out for them in a loaded conference. The Wildcats went just 7-23 in SEC play last season, and five of those seven conference wins came in games started by Zack Thompson, who’s now gone after heading to the Cardinals in the first round of last year’s draft. 6-foot-9 right-hander Jimmy Ramsey showed some intriguing strikeout and walk numbers last season, but they’ll need better than a 7.26 ERA. There’s enough talent in the lineup for UK to hang around if they can find some answers on the mound, though. Senior 1B/DH T.J. Collett junior outfielder Oraj Anu, an incoming JUCO transfer, both have plus raw power. Outfielders Jaren Shelby and Cam Hill, by contrast, won’t bring much thump, but they can each run and defend well.

    *Missouri is ineligible for postseason play in 2020 as a result of NCAA violations unrelated to any of the team’s current coaching staff or roster.

West

  1. ARKANSAS

    The Diamond Hogs have been to the College World Series in back-to-back seasons, and they’ve got the talent to return again. Shortstop Casey Martin has tantalizing physical tools, a two year track record of performance, and is one of the most exciting players in the country. He’ll need to cut down on the swing-and-miss a bit to cement himself as a top 15 pick. Corner outfielder Heston Kjerstad has among the best hit/power profiles in the country, Catcher Casey Opitz has emerged as a solid glove-first prospect, while Christian Franklin was one of the nation’s top freshmen and figures to see some time in center field as a sophomore. The pitching staff is a little thinner after the departures of a handful of quality relievers and ace Isaiah Campbell. Still, Arkansas has emerged as a new age model of player development, and sophomores Patrick Wicklander and Connor Noland form a solid 1-2.

  2. MISSISSIPPI STATE

    Jake Mangum figures to be irreplaceable, but the Bulldogs nevertheless boast a stellar lineup. Infielder Justin Foscue might have been the most improved player in the nation as a sophomore; he’s now a potential first-rounder as a bat-first second/third baseman. Jordan Westburg is a bit stretched defensively at shortstop, but he raked in 2019, both in the SEC and on the Cape, where he was one of the league’s best prospects. Tanner Allen and Rowdey Jordan are back as quality corner bats. The most exciting prospect, though, is former first-round righty J.T. Ginn. The draft-eligible sophomore holds mid-90’s velocity deep into starts and worked to a 3.36 ERA with 103 streikouts and 18 walks last season. He’ll replace Ethan Small as staff ace, either way, Starkville will feature must-see TV every Friday night.

  3. LSU

    Speaking of elite sophomore arms, Cole Henry stabilized an uncertain LSU pitching staff down the stretch last season. He, Landon Marceaux and A.J. Labas (who should be back after missing 2019 with a shoulder injury) anchor what looks to be a stronger rotation than the one the Tigers had last season. They’ll need better pitching with much of last year’s lineup having departed. Catcher Saul Garza returns off a great sophomore season, while corner outfielder Daniel Cabrera has Day One upside thanks to an above-average hit and power combination. Giovanni DiGiacomo has very little power, but he can fly and should be an asset in center field.

  4. AUBURN

    Auburn surprised as a two-seed and made a run to Omaha last season. Much of that roster returns in 2020. Junior right-hander Tanner Burns rivals any pitcher in the country in terms of stuff, fearlessness and statistical track record. In a conference loaded with pitching prospects, there’s a real case for Burns at the top. Sophomore lefty Jack Owen isn’t as eye-catching, often working in the high-80’s, but he compiled a 2.75 ERA with 59 strikeouts against 14 walks in 68.2 innings as a sophomore. The lineup, meanwhile, returns seven regulars, the most interesting of whom is probably sophomore second baseman Ryan Bliss. He showed solid strike zone awareness for a freshman and impressed defensively on the Cape last summer. Burns aside, Auburn doesn’t quite have the firepower at the top of the roster to match some of the other teams in the conference, but it’s among the nation’s deepest and most experienced rosters.

  5. TEXAS A&M

    Here we have yet another team whose ace might be a top-15 pick. A 6-foot-6 southpaw with a mid-90’s fastball and a pair of above-average breaking balls, Asa Lacy led all returning SEC pitchers in strikeouts last season (130). He and junior Christian Roa lead what should be a strong pitching staff. They’ll need more run production this season if they’re to compete for a conference title, however. Among returnees, only seniors Bryce Blaum (a second baseman) and Mikey Hoehner (a catcher) are coming off strong seasons at the dish. Center fielder Ray Alejo, a graduate transfer from UCF, should certainly help. The X-factor is probably junior right fielder Zach DeLoach, after an abysmal season in College Station (.200/.318/.294) he tore up the Cape, showing above-average tools across the board.

  6. MISSISSIPPI

    There may be no better testament to the depth of the SEC West than to place Ole Miss sixth in the division. After all, the Rebels hosted and won a regional in 2019. Their lineup will look quite a bit different next season, but it’s not devoid of talent. Corner infielder Tyler Keenan can mash, and utilityman Anthony Servideo is coming off a quality season. The real strength is on the pitching staff, where sophomores Gunnar Hoglund and Doug Nikhazy will look to thrive. Hoglund’s the more recognizable name. He turned down the Pirates after going 36th overall on the heels of a remarkable senior year of high school, when he issued just one walk. Hoglund’s strike-throwing largely translated to the SEC, but he didn’t miss many bats as a freshman. Nikhazy did, though, and he may now Ole Miss’ ace. He’s not an especially hard thrower, but his vertical arm slot creates natural north-south life on his fastball and curveball.

  7. ALABAMA

    The Tide have some interesting pieces offensively, but the roster is much thinner than those of the rest of the teams in the division. Junior corner outfielder Tyler Gentry slugged .552 last season and turned in a solid showing on the Cape. Senior catcher/outfielder Brett Auerbach doesn’t have a natural positional fit but he’s patient and has more raw power than his one home run as a junior would suggest. Infielder Myles Austin made it to campus and might be the school’s best position player prospect in a decade. How big a role he’ll take on as a freshman remains to be seen.

    PROJECTED FIRST TEAM ALL-SEC

    C- Saul Garza, LSU
    1B- T.J. Collett, Kentucky
    2B- Justin Foscue, Mississippi State
    3B- Austin Martin, Vanderbilt
    SS- Casey Martin, Arkansas
    OF- Heston Kjerstad, Arkansas
    OF- Daniel Cabrera, LSU
    OF- Alerick Soularie, Tennessee
    SP- Tanner Burns, Auburn
    SP- Emerson Hancock, Georgia
    SP- Kumar Rocker, Vanderbilt
    RP- Tyler Brown, Vanderbilt
    RP- Cody Greenhill, Auburn

    PROJECTED SECOND TEAM ALL-SEC

    C- Mikey Hoehner, Texas A&M
    1B- Cade Beloso, LSU
    2B- Ryan Bliss, Auburn
    3B- Tyler Keenan, Mississippi
    SS- Jordan Westburg, Mississippi State
    OF- Tanner Allen, Mississippi State
    OF- Austin Langworthy, Florida
    OF- Zach DeLoach, Texas A&M
    SP- Asa Lacy, Texas A&M
    SP- J.T. Ginn, Mississippi State
    SP- Cole Wilcox, Georgia
    RP- Devin Fontenot, LSU
    RP- Hugh Fisher, Vanderbilt

    PROJECTED THIRD TEAM ALL-SEC

    C- Casey Opitz, Arkansas
    1B- Kendrick Calilao, Florida
    2B- Bryce Blaum, Texas A&M
    3B- Riley King, Georgia
    SS- Cam Shepherd, Georgia
    OF- Christian Franklin, Arkansas
    OF- Jud Fabian, Florida
    OF- Oraj Anu, Kentucky
    SP- Garrett Crochet, Tennessee
    SP- Mason Hickman, Vanderbilt
    SP- Carmen Mlodzinski, South Carolina
    RP- Ryan Webb, Georgia
    RP- Konnor Ash, Missouri

    TOP 2020 DRAFT PROSPECTS

    1. Emerson Hancock, Georgia RHP

    2. Austin Martin, Vanderbilt 3B

    3. Tanner Burns, Auburn RHP

    4. J.T. Ginn, Mississippi State RHP

    5. Asa Lacy, Texas A&M LHP

    6. Casey Martin, Arkansas SS

    7. Cole Wilcox, Georgia RHP

    8. Heston Kjerstad, Arkansas COF

    9. Garrett Crochet, Tennesse LHP

    10. Justin Foscue, Mississippi State 2B

    11. Carmen Mlodzinski, South Carolina RHP

    12. Jake Eder, Vanderbilt LHP

    13. Daniel Cabrera, LSU COF

    14. Cole Henry, LSU RHP

    15. Jordan Westburg, Mississippi State SS

    16. Hugh Fisher, Vanderbilt LHP

    17. Zach DeLoach, Texas A&M COF

    18. Jack Leftwich, Florida RHP

    19. Tommy Mace, Florida RHP

    20. Ian Bedell, Missouri RHP

    21. Alerick Soularie, Tennessee COF

    22. Noah Campbell, South Carolina 2B/OF

    23. A.J. Labas, LSU RHP

    24. Tyler Keenan, Mississippi 3B/1B

    25. Tanner Allen, Mississippi State 1B/COF

    26. C.J. Smith, Georgia LHP

    27. Steven Williams, Auburn COF

    28. Saul Garza, LSU C

    29. Tyler Brown, Vanderbilt RHP

    30. Cory Acton, Florida 2B/3B

    Image credit: USA Today