Appalachian State (2018 Record: 18-36, 9-21)
Last year was not a particularly good one for Appalachian State baseball as they finished last in the East division and missed the Sun Belt Tournament.
Returning Players
Outfielder Alex Leshock led the team with a .257 average as a freshman last year to go along with 24 runs scored and 11 stolen bases. Shortstop Bailey Welch is back as well after hitting .239 last year. Joel McDaniel led the team with 6 home runs last season.
Will Sprinkle will try to lead a pitching staff that loses a lot of innings from last year. Sprinkle posted a 2.96 ERA in 2018 over 48.2 innings pitched with 28 strikeouts.
Outlook for 2019
The offense has to be better than the .209 team average they put up last year. They’ll also need several arms to step up in the starting rotation.
Arkansas State (2018 Record: 20-32, 11-19)
It was a down year for Arkansas State as they finished fourth in the West and then lost in the play-in round for the Sun Belt Tournament.
Returning Players
First baseman Kyle MacDonald will be back to lead the offense after hitting .346 last year with 50 runs scored, 12 doubles, 15 home runs, and 50 RBI. Justin Felix should be back behind the plate before missing last season with an injury. He made 54 starts in 2017 with a .257 average and 8 home runs. Third baseman Alex Howard will also be back after missing 2018 with an injury. He stared 53 games in 2017 and hit .277 with 17 stolen bases.
Nate Alberius should be back to lead the weekend rotation after posting a 4.43 ERA in 2018 over 81.1 innings pitched with 54 strikeouts.
Newcomers
Infielder Will Zimmerman and pitcher Chandler Coates are both newcomers that will look to make an immediate impact.
Outlook for 2019
“Arkansas State was hit hard by injuries in 2018. Both Justin Felix and Alex Howard missed all of the 2018 season with injuries after being SBC All-Conference and SBC All-Tournament players the year before. Simply being healthy and adding in new players to the mix should make A-State an intriguing team in the Sun Belt this season.” – From A-State Media Relations
Coastal Carolina (2018 Record: 43-19, 23-7)
It was another exceptional year for Coastal Carolina as they dominated Sun Belt competition on their way to a conference championship. They also beat Clemson and North Carolina during the season. They went 1-2 as a regional host.
Returning Players
Zach Biermann should be back at DH after hitting .302 last year with 57 runs scored, 14 doubles, 13 home runs, and 57 RBI. Second baseman Cory Wood should be back atop the lineup after hitting .296 last year with 61 runs scored, 19 doubles, and 17 stolen bases. Center fielder Parker Chavers led the team with a .323 average last year to go along with 48 runs scored, 15 doubles, 7 home runs, and 42 RBI.
Zach McCambley made seven starts last year and had a 3.14 ERA in 48.2 innings pitched with 50 strikeouts. Anthony Veneziano made 12 starts last year and had a 3.81 ERA in 59 innings with 61 strikeouts. Matt Eardensohn had a 2.18 ERA in 57.2 innings pitched in 2018 with 51 strikeouts and 6 saves. Davie Inman posted a 4.19 ERA a season ago in 43 innings pitched with 47 strikeouts. Coastal also gets Austin Kitchen and Bobby Holmes back from injury.
Newcomers
Garrett McDaniels is expected to pick up a lot of big innings on the mound this season as a true freshman.
Outlook for 2019
“Our strength is probably our bullpen, but this year’s starting pitching should be able to get us deeper into games. The starting pitching should be much improved from 2018.” – quote from Coastal Carolina media relations.
Georgia Southern (2018 Record: 30-26, 18-11)
Georgia Southern mad a very solid 2018 season but played in a tough division. They were the five seed in the Sun Belt Tournament and went 1-2.
Returning Players
Outfielder Mason McWhorter led the team with 58 hits last year while batting .283 with 42 runs scored, 18 doubles, 11 home runs, and 42 RBI. Jason Swan hit .267 as a freshman last year with 10 doubles and 32 RBI. Mitchell Golden hit .254 in 2018 with 34 runs scored and 13 stolen bases. Shortstop Austin Thompson missed most of his freshman season in 2018 with an injury, but he still managed to hit .298 with 21 RBI in 121 at-bats. Steven Curry and Christian Avant also return as key contributors from last year’s team.
Seth Shuman returns to lead the weekend rotation after posting a 4.41 ERA last year in 98 innings pitched with 95 strikeouts. Cole Whitney is back for his senior season after posting a 1.90 ERA a season ago in 61.2 innings pitched with 3 strikeouts and 2 saves. David Johnson made 10 starts as a freshman last season and should get another crack in the weekend rotation.
Outlook for 2019
Georgia Southern has almost all of their key contributors coming back from 2018, so one can only expect big things for them in 2019 if those guys take another step forward in their development.
Georgia State (2018 Record: 26-29, 10-19)
Wins over Minnesota and Georgia Tech highlight the 2018 season as Georgia State finished fifth in the East and lost the play-in game for the Sun Belt Tournament as the 10 seed.
Returning Players
Brandon Bell returns for his senior season after the outfielder led the team with a .333 average last year to go along with 5 home runs and 26 RBI in just 132 at-bats. Outfielder Luke Leonard hit .282 last season with 33 runs scored.
Hunter Gaddis will lead the pitching staff as one of the best pitchers in the conference after posting a 2.95 ERA in 2018 over 100.2 innings pitched with 98 strikeouts. Jake Rogers will likely slot behind him after posting a 4.92 ERA last season in 71.1 innings with 47 strikeouts.
Outlook for 2019
This team is losing a lot of key contributors from the 2018 lineup. They do have some depth in the pitching staff that will help them stay in games as they try and figure out how to score runs.
Little Rock (2018 Record: 28-28, 15-14)
It was a decent season for Little Rock as they finished third in the West. They won a play-in round game, but then went 0-2 in the Sun Belt tournament.
Returning Players
Outfielder Troy Alexander is back after hitting .291 last year with 31 runs scored, 12 doubles, 7 home runs, and 40 RBI. Second baseman Chase Coker led the team with a .297 average last year to go along with 34 runs scored, 11 doubles, 6 triples, 4 home runs, 22 RBI, and 12 stolen bases. First baseman Riley Pittman hit .228 in 2018 with 5 home runs. Nick Perez is a two-way player who hit .242 las year with 5 home runs and 30 RBI, while posting a 4.37 ERA in 22.2 innings pitched with 21 strikeouts.
Chandler Fidel should be back in the weekend rotation after posting a 4.02 ERA last year in 96.1 innings pitched with 92 strikeouts. Donavin Buck had a 3.46 ERA in 52 innings with 39 strikeouts, while Pablo Ortiz had 3.38 ERA in 26.2 innings pitched with 17 strikeouts.
Newcomers
Garrett Scott (transfer) and Miguel Soto (freshman) will both compete for time on the infield.
Jose Torres, Eli Sievert, and Dillon Delgadillo are all transfers who will look to add depth to the pitching staff as righties.
Outlook for 2019
The team is looking to improve their team defense in 2019, while cutting down on the strikeouts and improving their situational hitting.
South Alabama (2018 Record: 32-25, 18-11)
The Jaguars had high hopes coming into 2018, but injuries and bad luck helped derail them. They finished third in the East division and went 2-2 in the Sun Belt Tournament.
Returning Players
Catcher Carter Perkins returns behind the plate after hitting .301 last season with 38 runs scored, 9 home runs, and 43 RBI. First baseman Wells Davis hit .295 last season with 36 runs scored, 10 doubles, 8 home runs, and 56 RBI. Outfielder Colton Thomas missed all of last season with an injury but will be counted on this season.
Zach Greene was a very valuable pitcher for South Alabama last year mostly as a long reliever out of the bullpen. He posted a 3.79 ERA in 57 innings pitched with 80 strikeouts and 5 saves. Jared Proctor will likely get a shot in the weekend rotation after posting a 3.11 ERA last year in 55 innings pitched with 49 strikeouts. Nick Desantis is another arm they are looking to take a step forward and pitch some big innings in 2019.
Newcomers
Kaleb DeLaTorre (INF), Nick Lewis (INF/OF), Drake Nightengale (RHP), and Hunter Phillips (RHP).
Outlook for 2019
As mentioned above, the biggest key for South Alabama heading into the 2019 season is healthy. They have plenty of talent, and if they can stay healthy they’ll be in the mix not only for the conference but as an at-large team.
Texas State (2018 Record: 30-28-1, 16-14)
Wins over Oklahoma State and Baylor highlighted a 2018 season in which Texas State finished sixth in the Sun Belt and went 2-2 in the conference tournament.
Returning Players
Third baseman Jaylen Hubbard led the team with a .313 average last season to go along with 34 runs scored, 10 doubles, 3 home runs, 34 RBI, and 12 stolen bases. Outfielder/infielder Dalton Shuffield should hit atop the lineup again after batting .303 in 2018 in just 109 at-bats. First baseman Ryan Newman hit .233 last season with 6 home runs and 25 RBI.
Nicholas Fraze will lead the weekend rotation after posting a 2.97 ERA in 2018 over 78.2 innings pitched with 71 strikeouts. Conner Reich had a 3.57 ERA in 85.2 innings pitched last year with 63 strikeouts. Zachary Leigh posted a 5.11 ERA last season in 61.2 innings with 45 strikeouts. Wes Engle, Brayden Theriot, and Anthony Pagano each threw over 30 innings last year and will be big parts of the pitching staff as well.
Newcomers
Will Hollis – OF, Skyler Valentine – OF, Jaxon Williams – INF, Hunter McMahon – RHP, and Reece Gould – RHP”
Outlook for 2019
They look to be improved defensively, and they will have a look offensively, but they return almost all of their pitching staff from 2018.
Troy (2018 Record: 42-21, 19-11)
Last year was a big season for Troy as they finished second in the East and lost in the Sun Belt championship game to Coastal. They earned an at-large big and upset Duke in the Athens regional.
Returning Players
Third baseman Drew Frederic will lead the offense in 2019 after hitting .331 last year with 63 runs scored, 20 doubles, 7 home runs, 54 RBI, and 28 stolen bases. Outfielder Rigsby Mosley is back after hitting .322 last year as a freshman with 37 runs scored, 12 doubles, 5 triples, 5 home runs, and 51 RBI. Sadler Goodwin, Cole Prestegard, Manning Early, and Chase Smartt all gained a lot of experience last year and will need to step up in the lineup.
Rush Hixon made eight starts last year and had a 5.07 ERA in 49.2 innings pitched with 45 strikeouts. Levi Thomas posted a 1.96 ERA as a freshman in 41.1 innings pitched with 56 strikeouts and a save. Zack Lightsey and Max Newton will take on bigger roles this year as well.
Newcomers
Outfielder Logan Cerny and pitcher Bay Witcher both have a chance to come in and have an immediate impact. Cerny was the 7A Georgia Dugout Player of the Year, while Witcher was the 5A Georgia Dugout Player of the Year.
Outlook for 2019
Troy is losing a lot of key players from a very good 2019 team, but they have enough talent to get similar results. Finding some weekend starters to replace the 191.2 innings pitched by Andrew Crane and Daren Osby last year will be key.
Louisiana (2018 Record: 34-25, 18-12)
The Ragin’ Cajuns had some big wins over Texas, Vanderbilt, Southern Miss, and LSU (x2) last year. But even after winning the West division, they were left out of the postseason after going 1-2 in the Sun Belt Tournament.
Returning Players
Outfielder Daniel Lahare is back for his senior season after leading the team with a .321 average last year to go along with 50 runs scored, 12 doubles, 4 home runs, and 21 RBI. Gavin Bourgeois will join him as a senior outfielder after hitting .311 in 2018 with 46 runs scored, 14 doubles, 3 home runs, 38 RBI, and 22 stolen bases. Another senior, Hunter Kasuls, will bring some thump to the line up after hitting 5 home runs last year with 49 RBI as the team’s second baseman. Shortstop Hayden Cantrelle hit .287 a season ago with 46 runs scored, 4 home runs, and 18 stolen bases.
Losing Colten Schmidt and Hogan Harris from last year’s team will devastate the pitching staff. Guys like Jack Burk and Austin Perrin will try to step up in the rotation.
Outlook for 2019
The offense has a chance to be really good with all but one of their key contributors coming back. How quickly the starting rotation comes together — and finding depth in the pitching staff — will determine how good this team can be in 2019.
UL Monroe (2018 Record: 23-31, 10-20)
ULM took a small step forward in 2018 after a disastrous 2017 season. Still, they finished last in the West and missed out on the Sun Belt Tournament.
Returning Players
Chad Bell will return to the middle of the lineup after hitting .283 last year with 37 runs scored, 7 home runs, and 40 RBI. He will likely be the starting third baseman but could see time at first base as well. Joey Jordan should start at second base after batting .262 in 2018. Braedon Barrett is switch-hitter who will likely start in center field after hitting .235 last year with 44 runs scored, 11 doubles, 5 home runs, 32 RBI, and 12 stolen bases.
Trey Jeans will have a shot to be in the weekend rotation again after starting 14 games last year with a 5.20 ERA in 62.1 innings pitched with 67 strikeouts.
Newcomers
Trent Tinglestad- Right field – Left handed hitter middle of the lineup bat
Colin Gordon- SS – switch hitter should hit at top of lineup.
Cameron Horton- 1B – Left handed power bat
Ryan Humeniuk- Left field – Left handed hitter with speed and power
Jacob Barton- RHP – Grad Transfer from Mississippi State should be a weekend starter
Kayleb Sanderson- RHP – Juco transfer from Nebraska. Weekend starter
Justin Barton- LHP – Juco transfer from LSU-Eunice.
· Notes provided by ULM media relations department
Outlook for 2019
ULM will need to rely on some talented transfers to give the pitching staff a boost. They should have enough coming back on offense to score some runs.
UT Arlington (2018 Record: 22-35, 11-19)
It was a down year for UT Arlington in 2018 as they only won 11 conference games and went 1-2 in the Sun Belt Tournament.
Returning Players
Catcher Will Olson will try to lead the team in 2019 after hitting .270 with 7 home runs and 30 RBI, while directing the pitching staff. OF/INF Zac Cook hit .291 last year with 33 runs scored and 11 stolen bases. Shortstop Josh Minjarez is back after hitting .265 in 2018 with 4 home runs.
Ka’ikepono (Pono) Anderson should be back in the weekend rotation after posting a 4.42 ERA in 71.1 innings pitched with 53 strikeouts. Logan Austin was solid out of the bullpen last year with a 3.31 ERA in 51.2 innings pitched with 43 strikeouts and a save.
Newcomers
Here is a list of newcomers who could have an impact in 2019: Andrew Miller, Cade Winquest, Cesar Gomez, Connor Aube, Kody Bullard, Dylan Paul, Anthony Dominguez
Outlook for 2019
“2018 was a down year after our 2017 Sunbelt West Champion year. Eighteen newcomers in the mix this year should fill all the holes we had from the year before and add competition to every position. We are more physical offensively and have more depth on the mound as a whole. Looking forward to a great year at UTA.” – UTA coaching staff
2019 All-Sun Belt Preseason Team
C: Carter Perkins (South Alabama)
1B: Kyle MacDonald (Arkansas State)
2B: Cory Wood (Coastal Carolina)
SS: Hayden Cantrelle (Louisiana)
3B: Drew Frederic (Troy)
OF: Rigsby Mosley (Troy)
OF: Parker Chavers (Coastal Carolina)
OF: Mason McWhorter (Georgia Southern)
DH: Zach Biermann (Coastal Carolina)
SP: Seth Shuman (Georgia Southern)
SP: Anthony Veneziano (Coastal Carolina)
SP: Chandler Fidel (Little Rock)
SP: Nicholas Fraze (Texas State)
SP: Hunter Gaddis (Georgia State)
RP: Matt Eardensohn (Coastal Carolina)
RP: Cole Whitney (Georgia Southern)
RP: Zach Greene (South Alabama)
Honorable Mention:
C – Will Olson (UTA)
1B – Wells Davis (South Alabama)
2B – Chase Coker (Little Rock)
3B – Chad Bell (ULM)
3B – Jaylen Hubbard (Texas State)
OF – Troy Alexander (Little Rock)
OF – Daniel Lahare (Louisiana)
OF – Gavin Bourgeois (Louisiana)
SP – Zach McCambley (Coastal Carolina)
SP – Connor Reich (Texas State)
SP – Jared Proctor (South Alabama)
Predicted Order to Finish:
1. Coastal Carolina
2. South Alabama
3. Troy
4. Georgia Southern
5. Louisiana
6. Texas State
7. Little Rock
8. Arkansas State
9. UT Arlington
10. Georgia State
11. ULM
12. Appalachian State
