COLUMBIA, S.C. — The SEC preseason coaches poll is out and South Carolina is projected to finish fifth in the Eastern Division behind Vanderbilt, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee.
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)
Sophomore pitcher Will Sanders was named to the Preseason All-SEC Second Team.
A Freshman All-SEC selection last season for the Gamecocks, Sanders made 22 appearances with 10 starts for Carolina last season, going 6-3 with a 3.54 ERA, a save and 54 strikeouts in 53.1 innings pitched. He was named a Freshman All-American by Perfect Game and Collegiate Baseball and was ranked the seventh-best college prospect in the 2023 MLB Draft by both D1Baseball.com and Baseball America.