2023 College Baseball Rankings Primer: LSU Vs. The Field?
In June, Ole Miss beat Oklahoma to win the 2022 College World Series. A long offseason later, college baseball is back on our doorstep, with play kicking off Feb. 17.
LSU is the unanimous No. 1 team this preseason after winning 40 games, but were Hattiesburg Regional runners-up. The Tigers added firepower in the transfer portal and are the favorites to win the SEC this season. Tennessee checks in second after a 50-win season last year.
What other teams make up the preseason rankings?
College Baseball Preseason Rankings: The Top
This year, it's LSU, it's Tennessee, and then it's everyone else. NC State transfer Tommy White (a.k.a Tommy Tanks) joined LSU this offseason. White exploded onto the scene as a freshman with the Wolfpack last year, hitting 27 home runs (fifth-most nationally). Dylan Crews and Paul Skenes join White on D1 Baseball's preseason All America list and Crews is among the frontrunners to win the Dick Howser Trophy.
Chase Dollander and Chase Burns both return to the Vols, the nation's top pitching duo. Dollander went a perfect 9-0 on the mound last year with 108 strikeouts and just 13 walks. Burns posted 103 of his own strikeouts in 2022 and posted an 8-2 record.
Stanford checks in third at D1Baseball and College Baseball Nation, and fourth with Baseball America. The Cardinal have made back-to-back College World Series and are seeking a third straight. All Americans Tommy Troy (second base) and Ryan Bruno (pitcher) headline the roster this season.
Texas A&M and Florida place no lower than seventh on the three preseason rankings list, the only other teams to do so.
Defending champion Ole Miss checks in fourth on D1Baseball's poll, fifth on College Baseball Nation's rankings, and 10th via Baseball America.
SEC Continues Its Reign
Seven SEC programs rank inside D1 Baseball's preseason top 10. Given the sport's February start date, it's extremely regionalized to the south and the SEC perennially reigns king. LSU, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Florida, Arkansas, and Vanderbilt are the top 10 programs while Alabama debuts at 20 and South Carolina at 23.
2021 champion Mississippi State falls just outside of the top 25 at both D1 Baseball and College Baseball Nation.
Last year, four of the final eight teams in Omaha hailed from the SEC, albeit fewer than expected. Red hot Notre Dame toppled top-seed and CWS favorite Tennessee in a shocking Super Regional upset.
College Baseball Preseason Rankings: The Rest
Three exciting teams to keep an eye on inside the top 25: Southern Miss, East Carolina, and Texas State.
Southern Miss debuts as highly as eighth in College Baseball Nation's poll while Texas State checks in at 22– their first-ever preseason ranking. East Carolina made a miraculous run and was selected as a Super Regional host in 2022, but luck of the draw brought them powerhouse Texas, who upended them.
The Big 12 doesn't draw the same amount of representation this year as year's past with so much of their experienced talent leaving. Oklahoma State and TCU top the conference while Texas Tech is the only other Big 12 member inside the debut top 25.
Resurgent ACC Litters Top 25
Where the Big 12 falters is where the ACC excels. Wake Forest, Miami, North Carolina, and Louisville top the list while NC State, Virginia, and Virginia Tech all check in ranked, as well.
While no ACC team made it to Omaha in 2022, three of them won their regional and another hosted.
UNC's Vance Honeycutt and Wake Forests' Nick Kurtz are All Americans to note in the outfield and at first base, respectively. Wake starter Rhett Lowder and Miami closer Andrew Walters also land on D1 Baseball's All America roster. Walters posted a ridiculous 1.65 ERA with 62 strikeouts and only six walks in 32.2 innings pitched last year. He ranked fifth nationally with 14 saves.
The conference itself is wide open this season.
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