South Bound & Down
Fansided

SEC Baseball: Preseason power rankings for 2022 season

By Matt Melton

OMAHA, NEBRASKA - JUNE 30: Luke Hancock #20 of the Mississippi St. reacts after tagging out Parker Noland #25 of the Vanderbilt in a double play in the bottom of the first inning during game three of the College World Series Championship at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha on June 30, 2021 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
OMAHA, NEBRASKA - JUNE 30: Luke Hancock #20 of the Mississippi St. reacts after tagging out Parker Noland #25 of the Vanderbilt in a double play in the bottom of the first inning during game three of the College World Series Championship at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha on June 30, 2021 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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Mississippi State Bulldogs pitcher Landon Sims (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

1. Mississippi State Bulldogs

Coming off one of, if not the, best single-seasons in school history a year ago, defending national champion Mississippi State enters the 2022 season at No. 1 in SEC Baseball.

Finishing 50-18 last season (20-10 in SEC), the Bulldogs will once again enter the season with a talented roster from top-to-bottom, but will also have to replace multiple key names in both the lineup and rotation. A group headlined by names such as Tanner Allen, Will Bednar, and Rowdey Jordan, replacing those players will be key for Mississippi State and their potential success this season, but the Bulldogs certainly have the talent to do it.

Headlining Mississippi State’s returning 2022 roster will be one of the nation’s top catchers in junior Logan Tanner (.907 OPS, 15 HR in 2021), as well as returning first baseman Luke Hancock who could see time at multiple different spots. In addition to those two, right-hander Landon Sims returns as one of the most-exciting pitchers in the country, and will be making the jump to the rotation after a phenomenal season as the Bulldogs closer a year ago (1.44 ERA, 13 saves).

Joining Sims in the rotation will likely be sophomore Jackson Fristoe, while others such as Houston Harding, Cade Smith, JUCO transfer Andrew Walling, and exciting freshman Jack Walker could all see a significant number of appearances. The lineup will also return a few notable names such as Lane Forsythe, Brad Cumbest, and Kellum Clark, as well as adding a few instant-impact transfers such as RJ Yeager and Jess Davis.

It will be key for Mississippi State in 2022 to replace names such as Allen, Bednar, and Jordan, and the Bulldogs clearly have the talent and depth to do it. Expect yet another exciting season in Starkville, with the defending national champions cemented as one of, if not the, top team in SEC Baseball entering the year.

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