Eagles Tabbed for Second, Three Earn Preseason Sun Belt Honors
2/8/2023 3:00:00 PM | Baseball
Ledford earns Eagles first SBC Preseason Player of the Year honor
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The Sun Belt Conference announced its preseason awards and poll for the 2023 baseball season on Wednesday, Feb. 8.
Noah Ledford earned the Eagles' first-ever Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year honor, as well as earning a spot on the Preseason All-SBC Team. Ledford earned the honor after having a career season with honors coming from two All-American awards (ABCA/Rawlings and NCBWA), an All-Southeast Region honor, All-SBC First Team honor, and a Statesboro Regional All-Tournament Team honor. Ledford had career-highs in runs (47), hits (79), doubles (19), home runs (17), and RBI (70). His 70 RBI was the most in the SBC. Ledford batted a career-high .348 and slugged .665, as well as having a career high in walks (37) for an OBP of .444. Ledford had his first career grand slam against #20 Georgia at SRP Park on 3/8.
Jesse Sherrill earned his first Preseason All-SBC honor after earning ABCA All-Southeast Region honors, All-SBC First Team honors, and SBC All-Tournament Team honors in 2022. Sherrill also lead the team in batting average with .361 in 2022, along with runs scored (62) and stolen bases (13), tied for first in hits (79) and tied for first in HBP (17). Sherrill had hits in 10 of the final 11 games for the Eagles, including a nine-game hitting streak.
Jarrett Brown earned his first Preseason All-SBC honor after playing in all but two of the games the Eagles played in the 2022 season, with 56 starts. Brown had a career season and set career highs in nearly all of his offensive categories, including runs (35), hits (64), doubles (9), homers (4), RBI (37), slugging percentage (.433), and on-base percentage (.387), as well as a career-high in fielding percentage with .972, with 118 assists and 56 putouts of his own.
The Eagles were tabbed to finish second in the conference for the second straight season, sharing the second place spot with Texas State. Newcomer Southern Miss earned the favorite label with 11 first place votes and 192 points.
All preseason awards and the full preseason poll can be seen below.
Noah Ledford earned the Eagles' first-ever Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year honor, as well as earning a spot on the Preseason All-SBC Team. Ledford earned the honor after having a career season with honors coming from two All-American awards (ABCA/Rawlings and NCBWA), an All-Southeast Region honor, All-SBC First Team honor, and a Statesboro Regional All-Tournament Team honor. Ledford had career-highs in runs (47), hits (79), doubles (19), home runs (17), and RBI (70). His 70 RBI was the most in the SBC. Ledford batted a career-high .348 and slugged .665, as well as having a career high in walks (37) for an OBP of .444. Ledford had his first career grand slam against #20 Georgia at SRP Park on 3/8.
Jesse Sherrill earned his first Preseason All-SBC honor after earning ABCA All-Southeast Region honors, All-SBC First Team honors, and SBC All-Tournament Team honors in 2022. Sherrill also lead the team in batting average with .361 in 2022, along with runs scored (62) and stolen bases (13), tied for first in hits (79) and tied for first in HBP (17). Sherrill had hits in 10 of the final 11 games for the Eagles, including a nine-game hitting streak.
Jarrett Brown earned his first Preseason All-SBC honor after playing in all but two of the games the Eagles played in the 2022 season, with 56 starts. Brown had a career season and set career highs in nearly all of his offensive categories, including runs (35), hits (64), doubles (9), homers (4), RBI (37), slugging percentage (.433), and on-base percentage (.387), as well as a career-high in fielding percentage with .972, with 118 assists and 56 putouts of his own.
The Eagles were tabbed to finish second in the conference for the second straight season, sharing the second place spot with Texas State. Newcomer Southern Miss earned the favorite label with 11 first place votes and 192 points.
All preseason awards and the full preseason poll can be seen below.
2023 SUN BELT CONFERENCE BASEBALL PRESEASON AWARDS
Preseason Player of the Year
Noah Ledford, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., DH – Buford, Ga.)
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Tanner Hall, Southern Miss (Jr., SP – Zachary, La.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
Tanner Hall, Southern Miss (Jr., SP – Zachary, La.)
Levi Wells, Texas State (Jr., SP – La Porte, Texas)
Zeke Wood, Texas State (Sr., SP – Paris, Texas)
Triston Dixon, Texas State (Sr., RP – Conroe, Texas)
Julian Brock, Louisiana (Jr., C – Fulshear, Texas)
Carson Roccaforte, Louisiana (Jr., 1B – Port Neches, Texas)
Jesse Sherrill, Georgia Southern (Sr., 2B – Pensacola, Fla.)
Dustin Dickerson, Southern Miss (Jr., SS – Laurel, Miss.)
Jarrett Brown, Georgia Southern (Jr., 3B – Savannah, Ga.)
Max Ryerson, Georgia State (Sr., OF – Conway, S.C.)
Carson Paetow, Southern Miss (So., OF – Vancleave, Miss.)
Jose Gonzalez, Texas State (Sr., OF – Spring, Texas)
Noah Ledford, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., DH – Buford, Ga.)
Cameron Jones, Georgia State (Jr., UT – Kathleen, Ga.)
2023 SUN BELT CONFERENCE BASEBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Southern Miss (11) – 192
T2. Georgia Southern – 158
T2. Texas State (1) – 158
4. Louisiana (1) – 154
5. Coastal Carolina (1) – 151
6. South Alabama – 123
7. Old Dominion – 116
8. Troy – 109
9. Georgia State – 76
10. James Madison – 73
11. ULM – 58
12. App State – 43
13. Marshall – 36
Preseason Player of the Year
Noah Ledford, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., DH – Buford, Ga.)
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Tanner Hall, Southern Miss (Jr., SP – Zachary, La.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
Tanner Hall, Southern Miss (Jr., SP – Zachary, La.)
Levi Wells, Texas State (Jr., SP – La Porte, Texas)
Zeke Wood, Texas State (Sr., SP – Paris, Texas)
Triston Dixon, Texas State (Sr., RP – Conroe, Texas)
Julian Brock, Louisiana (Jr., C – Fulshear, Texas)
Carson Roccaforte, Louisiana (Jr., 1B – Port Neches, Texas)
Jesse Sherrill, Georgia Southern (Sr., 2B – Pensacola, Fla.)
Dustin Dickerson, Southern Miss (Jr., SS – Laurel, Miss.)
Jarrett Brown, Georgia Southern (Jr., 3B – Savannah, Ga.)
Max Ryerson, Georgia State (Sr., OF – Conway, S.C.)
Carson Paetow, Southern Miss (So., OF – Vancleave, Miss.)
Jose Gonzalez, Texas State (Sr., OF – Spring, Texas)
Noah Ledford, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., DH – Buford, Ga.)
Cameron Jones, Georgia State (Jr., UT – Kathleen, Ga.)
2023 SUN BELT CONFERENCE BASEBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Southern Miss (11) – 192
T2. Georgia Southern – 158
T2. Texas State (1) – 158
4. Louisiana (1) – 154
5. Coastal Carolina (1) – 151
6. South Alabama – 123
7. Old Dominion – 116
8. Troy – 109
9. Georgia State – 76
10. James Madison – 73
11. ULM – 58
12. App State – 43
13. Marshall – 36
14. Arkansas State – 23
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