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D1Baseball 2020 Preseason Rankings Chat
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Kendall Rogers
1:38
Southern -- Oregon State was in the discussion and is in our next group of 10 teams to watch. The Beavers just have a lot of question marks right now. I do think the offense has a chance to be productive with the return of Dukart, McGarry and others. I also think Troy Claunch will be an asset both at and behind the plate. But we'll see how the pitching staff does with Chamberlain and Mulholland both making the move to the rotation. I love both as relievers -- but can they sustain stuff for 5-6 innings? We'll see.
JB
1:38
How significantly do you think Nate Savino's early arrival changes things for UVA Baseball this Spring? Does he have a chance to be the Friday night type guy (at least later in the Spring) that UVA has lacked in the last couple of years?
Aaron Fitt
1:38
Getting Savino to enroll early is a game-changer, there's no doubt about it. We've got UVa right on the cusp of the Top 25, one of the teams that just barely missed out -- I have a strong feeling that team will spend plenty of time in the rankings as the year progresses. Savino is definitely the kind of talent that has anchored weekend rotations for most of UVa's great teams in the past -- he's got a chance to do what Danny Hultzen and Nathan Kirby and Connor Jones did in years past. How quickly that happens will obviously be key -- you never quite know what to expect from an early enrollee who didn't get a chance to get his feet wet in the fall like the other freshmen. He might just be good enough to hit the ground running anyway, but it could take some time to get acclimated.
Ray T
1:40
Thoughts on South Carolina this year?  Certainly not a team that should be top 25 after last year. Can they get there before the season ends?
Aaron Fitt
1:40
We actually gave South Carolina strong consideration for the Top 25 -- they're in our group of Next Ten. I think getting those two four-year transfers (Dallas Beaver and Bryant Bowen) was absolutely huge; that gives the lineup some much-needed veteran presence and physicality, and both of those guys should slide right into the heart of the order. They need Noah Campbell to put it all together as a junior, and I think he can do that. I think it's actually going to be a pretty good lineup, and the pitching staff looks much deeper, thanks in part to all the power armed juco guys they brought in, plus Carmen Mlodzinski's return from injury. That pitching staff has exciting upside.
CypressAg
1:42
Do you think Sam Houston could make their way into the top 25 at some point? Do you think Colton Cowser picks up where he left off?
Kendall Rogers
1:42
Cypress -- It wouldn't shock me much at all actually. I thought the Bearkats showed some quality pitching depth when I saw them against Rice. Tyler Davis and Dom Robinson are both quality arms, and I think Matt Dillard and Landon Ausley are capable of being dominant arms this season. The big key will be how much help they give Colton Cowser. SHSU will finish at the top or near the top of the SLC yet again.
Nate
1:43
Who do you anticipate will end up being in the weekend rotation for UNC?  Also, outside of Sabato do you think the Tar Heels will hit well enough to make another run to Omaha?
Aaron Fitt
1:43
In a perfect world, I think the Tar Heels would roll out Dalatri, Max Alba and Will Sandy on weekends, and stick with Austin Love and Joey Lancellotti anchoring a shutdown bullpen. Obviously Dalatri's health remains a wild card, but if he can return to form, that should be a good staff. Alba made some noise in the fall, it's a power fastball and a swing-and-miss breaking ball, but we've yet to see him at the Division I level, so a little caution is prudent there. Sabato and Danny Serretti is a nice place to start with the lineup, but there's a lot of uncertainty after that -- I'm in wait-and-see mode with that offense, but newcomers like Mikey Madej and Tyler Causey have a chance to be impact guys. Right now, I don't see UNC as an Omaha team, but the potential is there if things break the right way.
HornFan
1:43
How close was Texas to cracking the top 25? Feels like they’re on par with Ok State as a backend of the top 25 type team.
Kendall Rogers
1:43
HornFan - UT was in the next 10 group along with TCU. And you're right, there's not a lot of separation between OSU/OU and Texas/TCU, IMO.
KD
1:44
Yall are much higher on Florida (10+ spots) than any other publication releasing their pre-season rankings so far. I know yall are always very high on Sully but what specifically has you ranking them Top 5?
Aaron Fitt
1:44
Put it this way: I saw just about all of the ACC and SEC this fall, and I saw Florida twice... and they were the best team I saw all fall. Fall ball is not the SEC season, but I'm just in love with the talent, balance and depth of this roster. And frankly I trust my own instincts on this one -- I don't mind being out in front on the Gators. They're going to be really, really good. For more, read the Top 25 breakdown on Florida that we just posted.
Terrance
1:48
ACC seems stacked this year, perhaps more so than it's been in a while. What do you like about them most this year and do you think the league will be able to maintain this number through the season?
Aaron Fitt
1:48
Yeah, I agree with you Terrance -- I think this is the strongest the ACC has been in a long time, from top to bottom. I see three legitimate top-end contenders in Louisville, Miami and FSU, then a really strong next tier in Duke, NC State, Wake Forest and Georgia Tech (which you could line up in any order, really), then another really good tier of regional-caliber teams in UNC, UVa, Clemson and Boston College. That's 11 deep of regional-caliber clubs, and I think Virginia Tech is a very frisky 12th team, behind a rotation that should be very competitive and a nice group of emerging sophomores in the lineup. Obviously the ACC isn't going to get 11 or 12 regional teams, but nine or 10 feels very possible to me, and it will be fascinating to see how it shakes out.
Brandon
1:50
Have insight into the third piece of Tech’s potential weekend rotation? Who do you think will join Dallas and Bonnin?
Kendall Rogers
1:50
Brandon -- With the Red Raiders feeling pretty good about Kurt Wilson and Clayton Beeter out of the bullpen, I'd look for an experienced arm like John McMillon to be in the weekend rotation. He obviously has a power and a quality slider. I really like Tech's rotation and entire pitching staff entering the spring.
Guest
1:50
What are your thoughts about N.C. State pitching?
Aaron Fitt
1:50
Nick Swiney is one of my big picks to click this year -- I think he's going to have a huge year. It's a 90-94 lefty with a changeup and breaking ball that both flash plus, and he came on strong down the stretch last year. With him and Reid Johnston, you've got two quality veteran starters, and Chris Villamon is a freshman who is ready to start on weekends right away -- he's going to have a great career at NC State. I also really like the veteran presence at the back of the bullpen with Feeney, Klyman and Cotter leading the way, though Cotter could also be a starting candidate. I think it's a pretty deep, varied staff that can offer a lot of different looks.
Jake
1:52
Any sleepers outside the Top 25 who could end up as non-legacy Regional hosts?
Aaron Fitt
1:52
Kendall mentioned my favorite non-Top 25 sleeper earlier: Minnesota. I love their pitching this year, we just need to see some of the guys in the lineup prove themselves. But I think that's definitely a team that can host a regional for the second time in three years if things break the right way.
Mitchell
1:53
Two questions. 1) What about Arkansas do you like so much that has them at #7....2) This is the second pre season poll I've seen that has Louisville and Vandy #1/#2, how close together are those two overall?
Kendall Rogers
1:53
Mitchell -- I just think Arkansas is the total package. I love that lineup with Kjerstad/Martin/Nesbit/Goodheart/Opitz and I think Christian Franklin has a big-time 2020 campaign. I also think the bullpen will be solid. The weekend rotation might not have that "star" power, but I think Patrick Wicklander and Connor Noland at the front-end of the rotation are more than serviceable for this team to have a great season. As for Vandy and Louisville -- I don't think there's much difference between UL and the top 3-5 teams. Very close race IMO.
Justin
1:53
I read the fall ball write up on Ole Miss but do you think the Rebs have a chance to out perform your current ranking of #25? We all want to see post season baseball at Swayze.
Aaron Fitt
1:53
Sure they do -- it's a young team, but a very talented team. If all those underclassmen grow up in a hurry, that team could definitely wind up in the hosting discussion again. I think it's going to be a very fun team to watch, full of athleticism in the lineup and well stocked with quality arms on the mound. Nikhazy and Hoglund will both have big sophomore years anchoring that rotation, I suspect.
RCRaider17
1:55
Losing Ethan Small is huge.  Do the Bulldogs have enough behind JT Ginn to win the SEC?  Looking forward to another season with D1 Baseball.
Aaron Fitt
1:55
Thank you, sir! Behind Ginn, the MSU pitching staff is definitely less proven than it was a year ago, but I think Christian McLeod and Eric Cerrantola offer really intriguing upside, it's just a matter of harnessing their talent. McLeod looked very good when I saw him in the fall; I think he'll do a nice job as the Saturday guy. And Cerrantola's arm strength has never been in question, let's just see how the pitchability develops as a sophomore.
Bobby
1:57
How about some lower tier teams in power 5 conferences that could surprise?
Kendall Rogers
1:57
Bobby -- out of the different leagues. Alabama could surprise a little in the SEC. Really like the personnel upgrades the Tide has made. In the ACC, keep an eye on Boston College. There's some definite talent there to work with. In the Pac 12, Arizona is my team to watch that is not ranked. In the Big 12, I feel like we're all going to regret not buying in on Baylor. Steve and his staff just do a great job.
SECbaseball
1:58
Hey guys, the SEC, as always, is very deep. What teams outside the top 25 do you see putting together a solid year? Thanks for all you do, and so glad to be back reading a chat!
Aaron Fitt
1:58
Honestly, every team in the SEC is capable of jumping up and being a regional-caliber club. I love Missouri's weekend pitching and think that team is going to win a lot of games, it's a shame they won't be eligible for regionals this year. Kentucky looked very offensive in my look this fall; their pitching is unproven, but there's reason for cautious optimism there. Tennessee has some real star power in Alerick Soularie and Garrett Crochet leading the lineup and the pitching staff, respectively, and I suspect the Vols will be very competitive once again. And Alabama should be dramatically improved from a year ago -- keep an eye on the freshman lefty Connor Prielipp, who be the Friday guy right away and isn't a bad bet for SEC freshman of the year honors. It's gonna be a battle royale once again.
Aaron Fitt
2:01
All right gang, that's all we have time for today -- thanks for a great batch of questions to kick off the year. Looking forward to another great year of talking college baseball with you all!
jeremy
2:12
Do you know who the weekend starting pitchers will be for TCU?
Kendall Rogers
2:12
Jeremy -- I think TCU's rotation is still up in the air. Johnny Ray is a power arm the coaches really like and he could be in the mix for one of the top two roles. Marcelo Perez will be in the mix for a starting job and Harrison Beethe is another interesting arm to watch. I really like Beethe during fall workouts.
Quentin
2:18
What's your feel on Southern Miss this season? Lost a lot of big players at the end of last year.
Kendall Rogers
2:18
Quentin -- There's no doubt the Golden Eagles have some question marks, but I actually think they'll be pretty decent. Gabe Sheppard is an absolute star and he's going to lead them to many wins on Friday nights. The offensive lineup definitely has question marks with the departure of Chad Caillet as coach and others personnel wise -- but Gabe Montenegro is a spark plug, Matt Guidry is really seasoned and I think Danny Lynch continues to develop into a premier hitter. Hunter Leblanc also has a lot more potential than he showed last season at times.
Kendall Rogers
2:18
hey guys -- that's all the time we have today.
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