Florida has been picked to win the 2018 Southeastern Conference baseball championship as voted by the league’s 14 head coaches in the preseason poll released Thursday. Florida, the defending NCAA champion, received 12 first place votes, while Arkansas and Texas A&M had one each. The Gators were predicted to win the SEC Eastern Division, with Mizzou baseball being selected for 6th.
Tigers first basemen Kameron Misner, of Poplar Bluff, was named a 2nd Team All-SEC selection. Some of the highlights from his freshman season in 2017 include:
-Was a middle-of-the-order threat for Mizzou all year as a freshman, turning in one of the best seasons for a true freshman hitter in recent memory
-Hit seven homers, the most home runs by a Mizzou freshman since Trevor Coleman in 2007
-His .282 average on the year was the best for a Mizzou freshman since Brett Bond hit .294 in 2015 while he joined Chris Cornelius as the first Mizzou freshman to drive in more than 30 runs in a season since 2010
-Added 12 doubles, one triple and seven homers while driving in 34 runs and scoring 39 runs
-Stole a team-high 17 bases on the year, a mark that ranked fourth in the SEC after the SEC Tournament
-Stole a career-high three bases against Illinois-Chicago (3/4) and registered a stolen base in five consecutive games from March 10-March 17
The 2018 regular season for SEC teams begins Feb. 16, with conference play set to begin March 16.
2018 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll
Eastern Division
1. Florida – 91
2. Kentucky – 74
3. Vanderbilt – 72
4. South Carolina – 50
5. Georgia – 41
6. Missouri – 32
7. Tennessee – 25
Western Division
1. Arkansas – 90
2. Texas A&M – 72
3. Ole Miss – 62
4. LSU – 59
5. Mississippi State – 44
6. Auburn – 38
7. Alabama – 20
SEC Champion: Florida (12), Arkansas (1), Texas A&M (1)
2018 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team
First Team
C: Grant Koch, Arkansas
1B: Julian Infante, Vanderbilt
2B: Cobie Vance, Alabama
SS: Braden Shewmake, Texas A&M
3B: Jonathan India, Florida
OF: Antoine Duplantis, LSU
OF: Tristan Pompey, Kentucky
OF: Jake Mangum, Mississippi State
DH/UTL: Michael Curry, Georgia
SP: Brady Singer, Florida
SP: Casey Mize, Auburn
RP: Michael Byrne, Florida
Second Team
C: JJ Schwarz, Florida
1B: Kameron Misner, Missouri
2B: Luke Becker, Kentucky
SS: Jax Biggers, Arkansas
3B: George Janca, Texas A&M
OF: Dominic Fletcher, Arkansas
OF: Zach Watson, LSU
OF: Carlos Cortes, South Carolina
DH/UTL: JJ Schwarz, Florida
SP: Sean Hjelle, Kentucky
SP: Blaine Knight, Arkansas
RP: Dallas Woolfolk, Ole Miss
