Given the SEC’s recent achievements in college baseball, it’s no surprise that the conference dominates the preseason YSL News Sports coaches poll. SEC teams occupy the top three spots and four out of the top five, based on votes from our panel of 30 coaches.

Texas A&M kicks off the season in the number one position. The Aggies, who were national runners-up in Omaha last year, secured the top spot on 17 ballots. They bring back a formidable team featuring standout players like Jace LaViolette and Gavin Grahovic, supported by ace pitcher Ryan Prager.

Defending College World Series champions Tennessee will start the season in second place, earning 10 first-place votes. Although the Volunteers lost several key players from last year, they still have infielder Dean Curley returning and have bolstered their roster with an impressive transfer class. Close behind Tennessee is perennial powerhouse LSU, the 2023 national champions, who garnered one first-place vote along with many votes for second place. Virginia, the only non-SEC team to receive a first-place vote, starts at No. 4, while the fifth spot goes to Arkansas.

In the preseason top 10, Virginia is joined by fellow ACC teams Florida State at No. 6 and North Carolina at No. 8. Oregon State, competing as an independent this season, opens at No. 7. The SEC features two more teams in the top 10: Georgia at No. 9 and Florida at No. 10, bringing the league’s top-10 representation to six teams.

In total, the SEC has 11 ranked teams, with newcomer Oklahoma sharing the 25th position with Troy. Following them, the ACC has seven ranked teams, while three teams from the revamped Big 12, led by No. 17 Oklahoma State, make the list.