The Sun Belt should be a very interesting conference to watch this year with several good teams at the top who could break away and earn an at-large bid. We’ll take a look at every team, give you our preseason conference team and power rankings.
Arkansas State (2017 Record: 28-27, 13-16)
It was a decent year for Arkansas State in 2017 finishing with a winning overall record. They won their first two games in the Sun Belt Tournament, but lost the third one and were eliminated.
Lineup:
Justin Felix should be back at catcher for his senior season after hitting .257 last year with 38 runs scored, 14 doubles, 8 home runs and 46 RBI. Third baseman Alex Howard is back after hitting .277 a year ago with 32 runs scored, 4 home runs and 37 RBI. Shortstop Grant Hawkins hit .274 in 2017 with 47 runs scored, 9 doubles, 3 home runs, 27 RBI and 19 stolen bases. All three of them will be seniors. Transfer Kyle MacDonald will try to give the lineup a boost, while playing first base. Freshman Jacob Jablonski could see some playing time on the infield.
Pitching:
Peyton Culbertson started 15 games last year, while posting a 6.32 ERA in 68.1 innings pitched with 66 strikeouts. He’ll try to anchor the weekend rotation in 2018. Bradey Welsh made nine starts a year ago and had a 6.23 ERA in 56.1 innings pitched with 43 strikeouts. Payton Lannon and Jesse Kutzke are two transfer pitchers that could help out right away in the bullpen.
2018 Outlook:
“Our main area we need to improve on offensively is execution and consistency. We think our offensive capabilities are better than we showed last year. Pitching, we need to lower our walks and attack hitters more aggressively.” – Assistant Coach Rick Guarno
Arkansas-Little Rock (2017 Record: 21-24, 11-18)
Little Rock snuck into the Sun Belt Tournament with just 11 conference wins, but they went one-and-out with a 1-run loss to eighth seeded Texas State.
Lineup:
Riley Pittman is the team’s best returning hitter after batting .305 last year with 27 runs scored, 8 home runs and 34 RBI. However, a lot of key contributors from last year’s team will be gone.
Pitching:
Chandler Fidel should be the team’s Friday night guy after posting a 4.83 ERA last year in 63.1 innings pitched with 60 strikeouts. Cole Townsend will go on Saturdays according to Head Coach Chris Curry. He had a 3.70 ERA last year in 41.1 innings pitched with 35 strikeouts. McKinley Moore will get a chance to start on Sundays after posting a 6.10 ERA in just 10.1 innings pitched. Justin Garcia will return as the team’s closer after posting a 3.02 ERA in 41.2 innings pitched with 56 strikeouts and 2 saves.
2018 Outlook:
With all of the major losses this team is taking from 2017 it could take them a while to figure things out. It looks like the pitching staff and closer role is set, which is great, but they’ll need to find a way to score runs.
Appalachian State (2017 Record: 19-36, 8-22)
With only eight conference wins Appalachian State failed to make the Sun Belt Tournament in 2017.
Lineup:
Outfielder Drake Zupcic is the team’s top returning hitter with their top two sticks from last year gone. Zupcic hit .277 last year with 25 runs scored and 23 RBI. First baseman Connor Leonard hit 7 home runs last year and drove in 27. There are a lot of at-bats gone from last year’s team.
Pitching:
Reed Howell was great as the team’s closer last year with a 3.37 ERA in 42.2 innings pitched with 39 strikeouts and 5 saves. Colin Schmid had a 3.61 ERA last year in 87.1 innings pitched with 79 strikeouts. Travis Holden and Luke Watts also return after combining for 27 starts last year.
2018 Outlook:
Almost everyone is back in the pitching staff, which should allow this team to compete. But they’ll need some newcomers and inexperienced players to step up in the lineup if they’re going to win more games.
Coastal Carolina (2017 Record: 37-19-1, 20-7-1)
It was a bit of a letdown in 2017 for the Chanticleers as they tried to defend their national title. They still won 37 games and 20 conference games, but then went 1-and-out in the Sun Belt Tournament and missed out on the postseason.
Lineup:
First baseman Kevin Woodall returns to anchor this lineup after hitting .262 last year with 41 runs scored, 11 doubles, 18 home runs and 60 RBI. Cory Wood also returns after hitting .291 a year ago with 41 runs scored and 16 stolen bases. Transfer Zach Biermann is expected to have a big impact on the middle of the order. He possesses a power bat similar to Woodall’s, and should help bring some more thump to the lineup. Another transfer, Lee Sponseller, should compete for playing time in the outfield. Freshman Tor Sehnert (OF) and Parker Chavers (SS) are expected to compete to start immediately.
Pitching:
Jason Bilous should lead the weekend rotation after starting 13 games a year ago and posting a 4.61 ERA in 52.2 innings pitched with 60 strikeouts. Behind him will be Anthony Veneziano. He had a 7.71 ERA last year in nine starts and 39.2 innings pitched with 41 strikeouts. They brought in a lot of new guys in the pitching staff that should help right away. Scott Kobos is a transfer that was drafted by the Cleveland Indians this past summer. Davie Inman is another transfer that could help out right away. Zach McCambley is a freshman that could have a huge impact immediately. He could be the team’s closer after touching 94 MPH in the fall with a power curveball. Dylan Gentry and Anthony Sinomelli are a couple of other freshman that could compete for innings.
2018 Outlook:
“In 2018 our biggest focus is to be more consistent in all areas, as well as playing better out of the gates. Last year’s club got out of the gates slow and that hurt us down the stretch. This team seems focused, poised and hungry for another successful spring.” – Associate Head Coach Kevin Schnall
Schnall also thinks that if Bilous and Veneziano take the next step in their progression, especially with their command, they could be one of the best Friday/Saturday duos in the country. He added that the protection with Biermann in the lineup should help Woodall become a more complete hitter.
Georgia Southern (2017 Record: 38-21, 18-12)
Last year was a very good year for Georgia Southern winning 38 games, but they didn’t do enough out-of-conference to earn an at-large bid despite losing in the Sun Belt Tournament championship game in extra innings.
Lineup:
Tyler Martin is expected to have an impact in the middle of the order at DH. He hit .291 last year with 35 runs scored, 12 doubles, 9 home runs and 43 RBI. Steven Curry should return atop the order and play second base. He led the team with a .312 average last year to go along with 48 runs scored, 10 doubles and 21 RBI. Mitchell Golden will be back at third base after hitting .301 in 2017 with 45 runs scored. Mason McWhorter should play first base and right field for Georgia Southern. He hit .296 a year ago with 35 runs scored, 13 doubles, 4 home runs and 28 RBI. Matt Anderson returns as the team’s catcher after sitting out last year because of Tommy John surgery. Senior transfer Chandler Corley should take over in center field. Freshman Austin Thompson and Jason Swan could get some immediate playing time. Thompson is a shortstop, while Swan could see time at first base.
Pitching:
Brian Eichhorn and Chase Cohen both return as weekend starters. Eichhorn had a 4.33 ERA last year in 68.2 innings pitched with 70 strikeouts, while Cohen posted a 4.81 ERA in 73 innings pitched with 77 strikeouts. Seth Shuman had a solid freshman season going 8-0 with a 3.34 ERA in 56.2 innings pitched with 49 strikeouts. All three played in the Cape Cod League and should form a solid pitching staff.
2018 Outlook:
“I believe we have an opportunity to have more balance in the lineup top-to-bottom in 2018. We will be relying on some lesser experienced players in a couple of spots, but there is some good talent in our freshman class. With a veteran lineup last season, we played solid defense most of the year and we will have to prove we can do that with a younger team in 2018.
“Also, we will need to find out who emerges in our bullpen. Roles in the middle and on the back end were pretty much defined going into 2017 with some of the experience we had there last season. We have guys very capable of filling those roles in 2018 and we will need to find out who can step up and get the job done. We may have to lean more on our starting pitching in the first half of the season until that becomes more defined.” – Head Coach Rodney Hennon
Georgia State (2017 Record: 22-33, 10-20)
Georgia State snuck into the Sun Belt Tournament as the sixth seed but then were rudely eliminated 21-4 by Arkansas State.
Lineup:
Shortstop Justin Jones hit .275 a year ago with 30 runs scored, 14 doubles, 2 home runs and 25 RBI. Catcher Nick Gatewood led the team with a .319 average in 2017 to go along with 5 home runs and 22 RBI. Romero Greer hit .284 last season with 30 runs scored. Will Kilgore and Darius Sewell received a lot of playing time last year and will be back.
Pitching:
Hunter Gaddis should lead the weekend rotation after posting a 3.72 ERA last year in 75 innings pitched with 67 strikeouts. Rhett Harper was the team’s closer last year with a 4.35 ERA in 20.2 innings pitched with 16 strikeouts and 6 saves.
2018 Outlook:
There is enough coming back on this team to build around. But they’ll need some veterans to get better and some help from newcomers to move up in the standings.
Louisiana-Monroe (2017 Record: 12-42, 6-23)
It was a down year for ULM in 2017 as they only won six conference games and missed out on the Sun Belt Tournament.
Lineup:
First baseman Turner Francis is the team’s best returning hitter after batting .317 in 2017 with 27 runs scored, 10 doubles, 3 home runs and 25 RBI. Spencer Hemphill is a three-year starter at catcher and will be back in the middle of the lineup after hitting .308 last year. Cade Harper hit .293 a year ago and has some power potential. Infielder Chad Bell should hit in the middle of the order after batting .291 last year with 22 runs scored and 4 home runs. Transfer outfielder Braedon Barrett should help out immediately, as should shortstop Joey Jordan. Evian Benjamin is another transfer that could help out right away in the outfield.
Pitching:
Chase Beal will start on the weekend after posting a 6.33 ERA last year in 69.2 innings pitched with 53 strikeouts. Keegan Curtis has a chance to be the team’s closer have striking out 39 batters in 43 innings last year. Transfers Trey Jeans and Cole Gray should help boost this pitching staff in 2018.
2018 Outlook:
Head Coach Michael Federico said he hopes his team improves in every area in 2018 with a new coaching staff and lots of JUCO transfers. The starting pitching could be a concern, but there are some nice pieces in the backend. The position players are athletic and have shown some promise according to Federico.
Louisiana (2017 Record: 35-21-1, 19-10-1)
It was a pretty good season for Louisiana in 2017 with 19 conference wins, but they went one-and-out in the Sun Belt Tournament.
Lineup:
Outfielder Kennon Fontenot hit .270 a year ago with 29 runs scored, 13 doubles, 6 home runs and 29 RBI. Todd Lott should also return to the outfield after hitting .266 a year ago, while Zach Lafleur could solidify the outfield after batting .292 in 65 at-bats last year. Infielder Hunter Kasuls and catcher Handsome Monica also return with plenty of experience. First baseman Eric Moll should be back after missing last year with an injury. Transfer Gavin Bourgeois could work his way into the outfield, as could another transfer in Daniel Lahare. Freshman Hayden Cantrelle will compete for the start at shortstop.
Pitching:
Jack Burk has a chance to be a weekend starter after posting a 2.45 ERA last year in 40.1 innings pitched with 33 strikeouts. Hogan Harris will be the ace of this team after posting a 2.66 ERA in 67.2 innings pitched last year with 87 strikeouts. He won’t be joined at the top by Gunner Leger as news broke on January 22 that he will redshirt in 2018. Nick Lee could also get a shot to start on the weekend after making 12 starts in 2017 with a 5.12 ERA in 65 innings pitched with 55 strikeouts. Dylan Moore was the team’s closer last year with a 3.96 ERA in 36.1 innings pitched with 52 strikeouts and 11 saves. Colten Schmidt should also be a solid contributor in the pitching staff this season. Freshman Brock Batty and Austin Perrin could earn some playing time right away.
2018 Outlook:
The Ragin’ Cajuns coaching staff would love to see this team be more consistent in 2018.
The pitching staff for this team should be very good, and possibly one of the best in the conference, but if they’re going to compete the offense will need to step up.
South Alabama (2017 Record: 40-21, 22-8)
It was a very strong season for South Alabama in 2017 as they won 40 games, breezed through the Sun Belt Tournament as the three seed, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. In the Hattiesburg Regional they beat Mississippi State in their first game, but dropped the next two.
Lineup:
Travis Swaggerty will lead this lineup as one of the best hitters in the country. The center fielder hit .356 last year with 55 runs scored, 12 doubles, 11 home runs, 60 RBI and 19 stolen bases. Left fielder Dylan Hardy led the team with a .356 average last year to go along with 53 runs scored, 10 doubles, 5 home runs, 30 RBI and 18 stolen bases. First baseman Wells Davis hit 14 home runs last year, while batting .293 with 50 runs scored, 7 doubles, and 57 RBI. Outfielder Brendan Donovan hit .336 in 2017 with 52 runs scored, 17 doubles, 9 home runs and 46 RBI. Drew LaBounty is a veteran shortstop who plays great defense, and he also hit a solid .301 last year with 47 runs scored, 16 doubles, 4 home runs and 42 RBI. There are several other players coming back to the lineup with plenty of experience: Carter Perkins (C), Hunter Stokes (2B), Paul Russo (2B), Colton Thomas (DH/OF) and Will Luft (UTIL).
Pitching:
Tyler Carr should lead the weekend rotation after starting 13 games last year and posting a 4.64 ERA in 77.2 innings pitched with 66 strikeouts. Andy Arguelles started 10 games last year with a 5.37 ERA in 55.1 innings pitched with 51 strikeouts. Nick Desantis will be back after coming off Tommy John surgery.
2018 Outlook:
Head Coach Mark Calvi pointed out that this team should be very strong offensively with power and speed, and they should be good defensively. He believes if the pitching comes around this could be a very dangerous team.
Texas State (2017 Record: 29-30, 13-17)
Despite finishing with just a 13-17 conference record, Texas entered the Sun Belt Tournament as the eight seed and won two games to advance to the semi-finals where they were eliminated.
Lineup:
Second baseman Jonathan Ortega hit .339 last year with 54 runs scored, 15 doubles, 6 home runs, 45 RBI and 22 stolen bases. Third baseman Jaylen Hubbard hit .296 a year ago with 39 runs scored, 11 doubles, 3 home runs and 43 RBI. Ryan Newman will return to the middle of the lineup after hitting .296 in 2017 with 32 runs scored, 11 doubles, 6 home runs and 30 RBI. Outfielder Derek Scheible hit .277 last year with 51 runs scored, 15 doubles, 7 home runs, 32 RBI and 12 stolen bases.
Pitching:
Nicholas Fraze led all starters with a 4.59 ERA last year in 84.2 innings pitched with 49 strikeouts. Connor Reich started 10 games last year and had a 5.73 ERA in 77 innings pitched with 71 strikeouts. Brayden Theriot posted a 3.82 ERA last year in 37.2 innings pitched with 34 strikeouts.
2018 Outlook:
This should be a top three offense in the conference. And there is enough returning in the pitching staff as well for this team to jump up in the conference standings this year.
Troy (2017 Record: 31-25, 16-14)
The Trojans had a solid regular season but were bested by in-state rival South Alabama in the Sun Belt Tournament.
Lineup:
Second baseman Brandon Lockridge returns after leading the team with a .344 average in 2017 to go along with 46 runs scored, 13 doubles, 6 home runs, 39 RBI and 11 stolen bases. Shortstop Matt Sanders hit .303 last year with 51 runs scored, 11 doubles, 3 home runs, 33 RBI and 15 stolen bases. Catcher Chase Smartt hit .254 a year ago with 25 runs scored, 10 doubles, 4 home runs and 24 RBI. Mason Rogers and Drew Frederic also return to the lineup.
Pitching:
Andrew Crane led the team with a 1.47 ERA last year in 61.1 innings pitched with 60 strikeouts. He made eight starts last year and figures to work his way into the weekend rotation. Daren Osby started 13 games last year and had a 5.02 ERA in 71.2 innings pitched with 55 strikeouts. Cory Gill could step into the closer role after posting a 3.52 ERA last year in 38.1 innings pitched with 58 strikeouts.
2018 Outlook:
With what they have coming back, I think Troy will be at least as good as they were in 2017. If some newcomers surprise they could jump into the top of the conference.
UT-Arlington (2017 Record: 30-25, 20-10)
UT-Arlington dominated in conference play last year and won the West division title to enter the Sun Belt Tournament as the two seed. But there they were upset by seventh seeded Arkansas State.
Lineup:
First baseman Omar Salinas returns after hitting .333 last year with 45 runs scored, 11 doubles, 11 home runs and 44 RBI. Catcher Will Olson hit .322 a year ago with 31 runs scored, 9 doubles, 2 home runs and 28 RBI. Outfielder Noah Vaughan hit .260 last year with 36 runs scored, 7 home runs and 41 RBI. RJ Williams and Aaron Funk also return to the lineup.
Pitching:
Trae Patterson should lead the weekend rotation after posting a 2.75 ERA last year in 98.1 innings pitched with 73 strikeouts. Daniel James was the team’s closer last year collecting 13 saves to go along with a 3.81 ERA in 28.1 innings pitched with 23 strikeouts.
2018 Outlook:
This team should be just as solid as last year’s team with most of their key players coming back. They will need some newcomers to step up right away to fill in some depth issues.
2018 All-Sun Belt Preseason Team:
C: Justin Felix (Arkansas State)
1B: Kevin Woodall (Coastal Carolina)
2B: Jonathan Ortega (Texas State)
SS: Drew LaBounty (South Alabama)
3B: Alex Howard (Arkansas State)
OF: Travis Swaggerty (South Alabama)
OF: Brendan Donovan (South Alabama)
OF: Derek Scheible (Texas State)
DH: Omar Salinas (UT-Arlington)
SP: Brian Eichhorn (Georgia Southern)
SP: Chase Cohen (Georgia Southern)
SP: Andrew Crane (Troy)
SP: Trae Patterson (UT-Arlington)
SP: Hogan Harris (UL-Lafayette)
RP: Dylan Moore (UL-Lafayette)
RP: Justin Garcia (Little Rock)
RP: Reed Howell (Appalachian State)
Honorable Mention:
C: Nick Gatewood (Georgia State)
1B: Wells Davis (South Alabama)
1B: Turner Francis (ULM)
2B: Brandon Lockridge (Troy)
2B: Steven Curry (Georgia Southern)
SS: Grant Hawkins (Arkansas State)
SS: Matt Sanders (Troy)
3B: Jaylen Hubbard (Texas State)
OF: Dylan Hardy (South Alabama)
OF: Cory Wood (Coastal Carolina)
DH: Tyler Martin (Georgia Southern)
DH: Ryan Newman (Texas State)
SP: Hunter Gaddis (Georgia State)
SP: Seth Shuman (Georgia Southern)
SP: Chandler Fidel (Little Rock)
SP: Colin Schmid (Appalachian State)
RP: Brayden Theriot (Texas State)
RP: Cory Gill (Troy)
RP: Daniel James (UT-Arlington)
Predicted Order to Finish:
- South Alabama
- Coastal Carolina
- Georgia Southern
- Louisiana
- Texas State
- UT-Arlington
- Troy
- Arkansas State
- Appalachian State
- Georgia State
- Little Rock
- ULM
