Rebels Picked To Win 2022 SEC Baseball Title; UK's Ritter Named To 2nd Team All-SEC

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Ole Miss has been predicted to win the 2022 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.

Ryan Ritter (UK Athletics Photo)

Six different schools received first place votes to win the SEC championship. Ole Miss led the way with four, followed by Arkansas with three, Florida, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt with two and LSU with one. Arkansas was predicted to win the SEC Western Division, while Ole Miss and Mississippi State tied for the second most votes. Vanderbilt was the pick to win the Eastern Division, followed by Florida and Georgia.

Two Preseason All-SEC Teams were selected by a vote of the head coaches. Ten schools were represented on the All-SEC teams with Ole Miss leading the way with five selections. Arkansas, LSU, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt each had three. LSU and Vanderbilt claimed an SEC-best three first team accolades.

Shortstop Ryan Ritter is the only Kentucky player named to the Preseason All-SEC team (first or second team).

The 2022 regular season for SEC teams begins Feb. 18 with conference play set to begin March 18. Eight SEC teams have been ranked in the top-25 of the preseason polls.

The 2022 SEC Baseball Tournament will take place May 24-29 at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Ala.

2022 SEC Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll

Eastern Division

1. Vanderbilt (9) - 87

2. Florida (3) - 77

3. Georgia (2) - 68

4. Tennessee - 63

5. South Carolina - 43

6. Kentucky - 34

7. Missouri – 20

Western Division

1. Arkansas (5) - 80

T2. Ole Miss (4) - 77

T2. Mississippi State (4) - 77

4. LSU (1) - 62

5. Alabama - 38

6. Texas A&M - 36

7. Auburn – 22

() – First place votes

SEC Champion: Ole Miss (4), Arkansas (3), Florida (2), Mississippi State (2), Vanderbilt (2), LSU (1)

2022 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team

First Team

C: Logan Tanner, Mississippi State

1B: Tre' Morgan, LSU

2B: Robert Moore, Arkansas

3B: Jacob Berry, LSU

SS: Jacob Gonzalez, Ole Miss

OF: Dylan Crews, LSU

OF: Enrique Bradfield Jr., Vanderbilt

OF: Jud Fabian, Florida

DH/UTL: Dominic Keegan, Vanderbilt

SP: Landon Sims, Mississippi State

SP: Hunter Barco, Florida

RP: Nick Maldonado, Vanderbilt

Second Team

C: Hayden Dunhurst, Ole Miss

1B: Tim Elko, Ole Miss

2B: Peyton Chatagnier, Ole Miss

3B: Cayden Wallace, Arkansas

SS: Ryan Ritter, Kentucky

OF: Jordan Beck, Tennessee

OF: Drew Gilbert, Tennessee

OF: Brady Slavens, Arkansas*

OF: Kevin Graham, Ole Miss*

DH/UTL: Luke Hancock, Mississippi State

SP: Jonathan Cannon, Georgia

SP: Will Sanders, South Carolina

RP: Jaden Woods, Georgia