AUBURN | Fresh off its second trip to the College World Series in the last three postseasons, Auburn baseball was picked to finish sixth in the West and 12th out of 14 SEC teams in the league’s preseason coaches’ poll.
The Tigers were also left without a first- or second-team preseason All-SEC selection as the coaches snubbed returning ace pitcher Joseph Gonzalez, who finished 7-4 with a 3.22 ERA last season.
“I take it personally,” said assistant coach Gabe Gross. “I hope that our guys take on the mentality of their coaches at some level and come out with a lot to prove. I talk about that from literally the first day before the preseason ranking or anything else, ‘You better have a chip on your shoulder and dare somebody to come knock it off.’ I think that’s the mentality that I have.
“I take it personally for this program. I take it personally for our head coach. I don’t know that there’s a guy who’s done more since he’s been at this school than Butch Thompson has at Auburn from where this program was to where’s he’s taken it. A lot of people still don’t believe in it. So that’s why Feb. 17 is going to come and we’ll find out.”
Last season, Auburn was picked seventh in the West and 13th in the SEC before advancing to the CWS after winning the Auburn Regional and defeating Oregon State in the Corvallis Super Regional. AU was also left without a preseason All-SEC selection.
In 2019, AU was picked fourth in the West and seventh in the SEC with starting pitcher Tanner Burns earning preseason first-team All-SEC honors. The Tigers went on to win the Atlanta Regional and Chapel Hill Super Regional to advance to its first CWS in 22 years.
“We’re used to being underestimated and, honestly, we’re comfortable with it,” said assistant coach Karl Nonemaker. “We still have 30 SEC games and a 56-game schedule that will undoubtedly be one of the top 5 hardest schedules in the country. The only thing we care about is the end of season ranking.”
Auburn opens the season hosting Indiana for a three-game series at Plainsman Park Feb. 17-19.
Here’s a complete look at the preseason SEC predictions and All-Conference teams…
2023 SEC Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll
Eastern Division
1. Tennessee (12) – 90
2. Florida (2) – 79
3. Vanderbilt – 64
4. South Carolina – 51
5. Georgia – 48
6. Kentucky – 34
7. Missouri – 19
Western Division
1. LSU (12) – 88
2. Texas A&M (1) – 69
3. Arkansas – 68
4. Ole Miss (1) – 64
5. Alabama – 34
6. Auburn – 33
7. Mississippi State – 29
SEC Champion: LSU (11), Florida (1), Ole Miss (1), Texas A&M (1)
() – First place votes
2023 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team
First Team
C: BT Riopelle, Florida
1B: Jack Moss, Texas A&M
2B: Peyton Stovall, Arkansas
3B: Luke Mann, Missouri
SS: Jacob Gonzalez, Ole Miss
OF: Dylan Crews, LSU
OF: Enrique Bradfield Jr., Vanderbilt
OF: Wyatt Langford, Florida
DH/UTL: Tommy White, LSU
SP: Chase Dollander, Tennessee
SP: Chase Burns, Tennessee
RP: Brady Tygart, Arkansas
Second Team
C: Luke Hancock, Mississippi State
1B: Tre’ Morgan, LSU
2B: Ryan Targac, Texas A&M
3B: Trevor Werner, Texas A&M
SS: Maui Ahuna, Tennessee
OF: Connor Tate, Georgia
OF: Brett Minnich, Texas A&M
OF: Colton Ledbetter, Mississippi State
DH/UTL: Austin Bost, Texas A&M
SP: Carter Holton, Vanderbilt*
SP: Hurston Waldrep, Florida*
SP: Paul Skenes, LSU*
RP: Camden Sewell, Tennessee
*Ties
