COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M Aggies were ranked No. 11 in the USA Today Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll released Thursday afternoon.
Texas A&M is one of eight SEC teams in the Top 25 along with Florida, Arkansas, Kentucky, LSU, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State and Ole Miss.
Defending national champion Florida was slotted No. 1, followed by Oregon State, Texas Tech, TCU and Florida State. Arkansas, North Carolina, Kentucky, LSU and Vanderbilt. The Aggies shared the No. 11 spot with Cal State Fullerton.
Thirty-one college coaches are involved in the 2018 polling with Auburn’s Butch Thompson representing the SEC. Florida captured 26 first-place votes while Oregon State picked up four and Texas Tech garnered one.
In other preseason polling, the Aggies were recently slotted No. 10 by both Baseball America and D1Baseball.com.
The Aggies’ lineup returns five starters from last season, led by All-America and SEC Freshman of the Year Braden Shewmake who batted .328 with 47 runs, 18 doubles, two triples, 11 home runs and 69 RBI in 2017. Cole Bedford (.301, 13 doubles, 3 HR, 26 RBI), Hunter Coleman (.283, 7 doubles, 5 HR, 22 RBI), Logan Foster (.280, 13 doubles, 6 HR, 24 RBI) and George Janca (.261, 9 doubles, 6 HR, 30 RBI) also return to the lineup.
The Maroon & White also return a wealth of talent on the mound, including 2017 MLB Draft picks Cason Sherrod (4-1, 4 saves, 2.89 ERA) and Kaylor Chafin (7-2, 3 saves, 2.33 ERA). Stephen Kolek (4-5, 3.79 ERA), Mitchell Kilkenny (3-3, 7 saves, 3.67 ERA) and John Doxakis (4-3, 5.44 ERA) also buoy the squad’s expectations for 2018.
Texas A&M capped their 41-23 2017 campaign with their sixth trip to the College World Series.
The Aggies begin the 2018 season on February 16 as they host the Rhode Island Rams in a three-game series on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.
USA TODAY TOP 25 COACHES POLL — January 25, 2018
Rank | School (record) | Points | 2017 Final | 1st Place Votes |
1. | Florida (52-19) | 766 | 1 | 26 |
2. | Oregon State (56-6) | 735 | 3 | 4 |
3. | Texas Tech (45-17) | 656 | 15 | 1 |
4. | TCU (50-18) | 648 | 4 | 0 |
5. | Florida State (46-23) | 622 | 6 | 0 |
6. | Arkansas (45-19) | 605 | 18 | 0 |
7. | North Carolina (49-14) | 548 | 13 | 0 |
8. | Kentucky (43-23) | 500 | 10 | 0 |
9. | LSU (52-20) | 479 | 2 | 0 |
10. | Vanderbilt (36-25-1) | 414 | 16 | 0 |
t-11. | Texas A&M (41-23) | 371 | 8 | 0 |
t-11. | Cal State Fullerton (39-24) | 371 | 7 | 0 |
13. | Louisville (53-12) | 369 | 5 | 0 |
14. | UCLA (30-27) | 365 | NR | 0 |
15. | Mississippi State (40-27) | 345 | 12 | 0 |
16. | Stanford (42-16) | 337 | 17 | 0 |
17. | Dallas Baptist (42-21) | 268 | NR | 0 |
18. | Virginia (43-16) | 246 | 21 | 0 |
19. | Mississippi (32-25) | 235 | NR | 0 |
20. | Texas (39-24) | 162 | 25 | 0 |
21. | Clemson (42-21) | 150 | 22 | 0 |
22. | Houston (42-21) | 135 | 24 | 0 |
23. | South Alabama (40-21) | 128 | NR | 0 |
24. | Miami (Fla.) (32-27) | 102 | NR | 0 |
25. | North Carolina State (36-25) | 65 | NR | 0 |
Dropped out: No. 9 Long Beach State, No. 11 Wake Forest, No. 14 Missouri State, No. 19 Sam Houston State, No. 20 Southern Mississippi, No. 23 Davidson.
Others receiving votes: South Carolina 55; Indiana 47; Oklahoma 46; Arizona 45; West Virginia 39; Missouri State 35; Louisiana-Lafayette 26; Duke 22; Sam Houston State 19; Southern Mississippi 19; Oklahoma State 15; Auburn 12; Michigan 12; Nebraska 12; Mercer 11; Long Beach State 7; Minnesota 4; Oral Roberts 3; Tulane 3; Central Florida 2; Florida International 2; Georgia Southern 2; Georgia Tech 2; New Mexico 2; St. John’s 2; Stetson 2; Kent State 1; Marist 1; Oregon 1; San Diego 1; South Florida 1; Southeastern Louisiana 1; Wake Forest 1.