Gators Baseball Picked to Win SEC East

Florida was picked to finish first in the SEC East by 11 of the conference’s 14 baseball coaches in the league’s preseason poll released Thursday.

The Gators were also picked to finish third overall in the conference, with two first-place votes. Arkansas was picked as the favorite in both the West and the SEC as a whole, with LSU behind them.

Tennessee and Vanderbilt were picked second and third, respectively, in the East behind UF.

https://twitter.com/SEC/status/1755634239498854549?s=20

Gators On All-SEC Teams

Florida led the way with four players picked for the preseason All-SEC teams. Jac Caglianone was named first team All-SEC as a first baseman and second team as a starting pitcher. Other Gators on the first team are second baseman Cade Kurland, shortstop Colby Shelton and reliever Brandon Neely.

League-High 4️⃣ First Teamers 🥱

🗞 https://t.co/gSx1LgnqOD | #GoGators pic.twitter.com/mtyhyAxBLr

— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) February 8, 2024

Season Start

Florida begins the season at home with a three-game series against St. John’s on February 16-18. Conference play starts a month later on March 15 against Texas A&M.

 

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 first-place votes), LSU (3), Florida (2)

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