Bo's Baseball Bites Returns With Special Fall Ball Edition on the SEC

DALLAS – As the old saying goes, “The rich get rich, and the poor get children.”

With fall college baseball practices underway across the nation and as Daylight Savings Time reverts to Standard Time in most parts of the USA on November 3, another saying also comes to mind: spring forward, fall back.

With its fifth-straight national title (and six of the last seven) in June won by Tennessee (preceded by Florida 2017, Vanderbilt 2019, Mississippi State 2021, Ole Miss 2022, and LSU 2023), much of the dugout water cooler talk since then has often been how long the Southeastern Conference can continue the streak. Only Oregon State's remarkable comeback against Arkansas (another SEC team) in 2018 interrupts even longer dominance.

Looking at rankings recently released by Perfect Game USA, here's your answer: the diamond rich are getting richer with an even more lucrative pool of recruits and transfers, and don't expect the SEC to "fall back" anytime soon. In fact, come February, expect it to "spring forward" in formidable pursuit of the 2025 MCWS title.

In Class of 2024 College Recruiting Class Rankings from Perfect Game, the SEC comes in with 14 schools out of the Top 25. We'll let you figure out which two didn't get in, but just in case you hadn't heard, all 16 will be competing in late May at the SEC Baseball Tournament in Hoover, AL, which also just got its contract to host next year's new single-elimination event renewed through at least 2028.

And, of the Top 500 rated players to have reached a college campus this fall, Perfect Game lists 164 who matriculated to SEC schools. That's nearly a third of the entire country. (For a list by SEC school, please scroll to the bottom of this article.)

Tennessee led the league in that category with a whopping 18 standouts; followed by Vanderbilt with 14; Auburn and Oklahoma with 13 each; Ole Miss with 12; Florida and Texas with 11 each; LSU with 10; Alabama, Arkansas, and Kentucky with 9 each; Mississippi State and Missouri with 8 each; Georgia with 7; and South Carolina and Texas A&M with 6.

Of the Top 10 Impact players from JUCO to 4-year schools, the SEC garnered 8 of those. Perfect Game also projects a top newcomer prospect for each SEC squad in the coming season with Alabama’s Andrew Modugno from IMG Academy, Arkansas infielder Brent Iredale (the No. 1-ranked Impact player, via New Mexico), LSU lefthander Connor Ware (No. 5 Impact player, via Pearl River, MS Community College),  Mississippi State righthander Kevin Mannell (No. 3 Impact player, via Kansas State and Cloud County, KS College), Oklahoma lefty Cade Crossland (No. 2 Impact player, via Weatherford, TX College), Ole Miss SS/OF Owen Paino ( No. 7 in Top 500 on campus, via Roy C. Ketcham High School, Poughkeepsie, NY), and Vanderbilt first baseman Riley Nelson (No. 4 Impact player, via famed Yavapai, AZ College).

LSU also recruited Impact Top 10 utility star Tanner Reaves (No. 6) and catcher Blaise Priester (No. 8), while talent-laden Arkansas has No. 9 outfielder Justin Thomas as well among its nationally-regarded newcomers.

Among the rest of the SEC schools, Auburn landed top prospect Connor Getwood of Mobile, AL: Florida gained Jackson Barberi of Snellville, GA; Georgia got Bryce Clavon of Kennesaw, GA, in the footprint of rising power Kennesaw State; 2024 first-time NCAA Men's World Series participant Kentucky nailed down Tyler Bell of Frankfort, IL; Missouri attracted Victor Christal of Raytown, MO; South Carolina under newly-named veteran head coach Paul Mainieri picked up Kamden Scobey of Lakeland, FL; Tennessee added to its treasure trove Anson Seibert of Overland Park, KS; Texas starts its first SEC diamond season with star Samuel Richardson of Olive Branch, MS in the fold; and Texas A&M gathered in Sawyer Farr of Fort Worth, TX.

One surprising factor is that SEC squads still had a bonanza despite some top-of-the-line prospects deciding to sign and go the professional route, Mississippi State leading the leading conference with 14 player/recruit/transfer draftees who signed pro contracts.

As fall practice continues throughout the contiguous states of the SEC, fans may be slipping into the stands for quick peeks at the touted newcomers, wondering if these freshmen signees just might jell into such 2024 yearling All-America stars as 2B Steven Milam, LSU; SS Justin Lebron, Alabama; relief pitcher Gabe Gaeckle, Arkansas; 3B Gavin Grahovac, Texas A&M; OF Tre Phelps, Georgia; starting pitcher Colin Fisher, Arkansas; or NCAA champ relief ace Dylan Loy, Tennessee.

The Class of 2025 doesn't hold much relief for SEC competitors, either. That list shows eight SEC teams in the Top 10, 13 overall, with No. 1 LSU, No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Tennessee, No. 4 Arkansas, No. 5 Vanderbilt, No. 6 Miami (FL), No. 7 Oklahoma, No. 8 Georgia, No. 9 Oklahoma State, and No. 10 Mississippi State; followed by No. 11 Texas A&M, No. 12 Alabama, No. 13 Florida, No. 14 Southern California, No. 15 Georgia Tech, No. 16 Ole Miss, No. 17 Oregon State, No. 18 Duke, No. 19 Arizona State, No. 20 Virginia, No. 21 UCLA, No. 22 Indiana, No. 23 Oregon, No. 24 Virginia Tech, and No. 25 South Carolina.

As the saying goes, the SEC isn't going anywhere. Except to Omaha, of course, probably with multiple teams if recent fields and the past four all-SEC Finals are any indication. Yes, we know Oklahoma was not in the SEC when Ole Miss beat them in 2022, but did you hear they are now, along with perennial power Texas as well?

Time will tell who gets to dogpile in Nebraska next June, but SEC fans already know they will be treated to world-class college baseball in 2025, and these newcomers will only further extend and enhance the image of the nation’s top baseball, football, track and field, and other sports conference when the official first pitches are thrown February 14.

(Special thanks to Perfect Game USA)

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Bo Carter is the Executive Director of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) and is a long time professional in sports media and information. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and has plied his trade in the Southeastern Conference, the Southwest Conference, and the Big 12 Conference. In addition to his NCBWA duties, he also serves as a consultant and columnist for the National Football Foundation. Follow the NCBWA, which produces ranking polls for D1, D2, and D3, as well as naming All America teams at both the D1 and D2 levels and the Dick Howser Trophy (presented each year in Omaha at the Men’s College World Series) at @NCBWA. And, if you’re a college baseball fan, you don’t have to be media to be a member, check them out at ncbwa.com and join today!

Perfect Game USA Top 500 Players To Reach Campus (SEC schools)

Rank	Name	College		Rank	Name	College
10	Andre Modugno	Alabama		88	Cade O'Leary	Mississippi State
191	Ashton Alston	Alabama		95	Henry Allen	Mississippi State
212	Nash Wagner	Alabama		109	Braden Booth	Mississippi State
222	Amari Jefferson	Alabama		149	Ryan McPherson	Mississippi State
338	Jack Ketchum	Alabama		154	Charlie Foster	Mississippi State
354	Connor Lehman	Alabama		201	Conner Barth	Mississippi State
458	Josey Williamson	Alabama		345	Landis Davila	Mississippi State
476	Sean Griggs	Alabama		494	Lukas Buckner	Mississippi State
498	Jon Young	Alabama		165	Victor Christal	Missouri
28	Carson Wiggins	Arkansas		188	Paul Green	Missouri
69	Cole Gibler	Arkansas		224	Clarence Callaway	Missouri
100	Gabe Fraser	Arkansas		306	Brady Kehlenbrink	Missouri
144	Lance Davis	Arkansas		320	Justyn Hart	Missouri
280	Wade Mountz	Arkansas		384	Deshawn Morgan	Missouri
317	Brenton Clark	Arkansas		493	Trey Lawrence	Missouri
318	Tag Andrews	Arkansas		496	Christopher Patterson	Missouri
367	Zane Becker	Arkansas		78	Landon Victorian	Oklahoma
391	Carson Willis	Arkansas		98	Drew Dickerson	Oklahoma
34	Connor Gatwood	Auburn		120	Michael Catalano	Oklahoma
35	Christian Chatterton	Auburn		130	Jordan Stribling	Oklahoma
73	Chase Fralick	Auburn		171	Berkeley Roddy	Oklahoma
84	Dmarion Terrell	Auburn		300	James Nesta	Oklahoma
85	Christopher Rembert	Auburn		310	Cole Hansen	Oklahoma
93	Clinton Harris	Auburn		393	Jake McGhee	Oklahoma
113	Jackson Sanders	Auburn		395	Ryley Leininger	Oklahoma
122	Tanner Waldrop	Auburn		422	Jaxson Reiser	Oklahoma
125	Anthony Tralongo	Auburn		426	Jaden Barfield	Oklahoma
136	Taft Middleton	Auburn		447	Kyle Branch	Oklahoma
150	Addison Klepsch	Auburn		461	Jackson Kircher	Oklahoma
215	Andreas Alvarez	Auburn		254	Kamden (KJ) Scobey	South Carolina
305	Saxon Roberts	Auburn		268	Maximus McClellan	South Carolina
23	Jackson Barberi	Florida		284	Beau Hollins	South Carolina
29	Brendan Lawson	Florida		328	Gavin Braland	South Carolina
38	Schuyler Sandford	Florida		420	Henry Prindl	South Carolina
49	Joshua Whritenour	Florida		451	Riley Goodman	South Carolina
104	Kolt Myers	Florida		12	Anson Seibert	Tennessee
160	Blaine Rowland	Florida		13	Levi Clark	Tennessee
170	Niko Janssens	Florida		19	Tegan Kuhns	Tennessee
295	Felix Ong	Florida		32	Arnold Abernathy	Tennessee
344	McCall Biemiller	Florida		46	Brayden Krenzel	Tennessee
371	Aidan King	Florida		52	Manuelle Marin	Tennessee
387	Jordi Guerrero	Florida		57	Jaxon Walker	Tennessee
24	Bryce Clavon	Georgia		77	Chris Newstrom	Tennessee
25	Michael Mullinax	Georgia		115	Tate Strickland	Tennessee
37	Cade Brown	Georgia		135	Ryler Smart	Tennessee
55	Erik Parker	Georgia		183	Aidan Hayse	Tennessee
82	Nate Taylor	Georgia		258	Brennon Seigler	Tennessee
207	Jax Phillips	Georgia		285	Brooks Wright	Tennessee
260	Asher Sabom	Georgia		294	Andrew DuMont	Tennessee
31	Tyler Bell	Kentucky		348	Nic Abraham	Tennessee
86	Ryan Schwartz	Kentucky		410	Robinson Martin	Tennessee
158	Leighton Harris	Kentucky		429	Beau Revord	Tennessee
184	Bradley Ferrell	Kentucky		452	Jackson Jones	Tennessee
234	Nate Harris	Kentucky		15	Samuel Richardson	Texas
373	Zak Spurrier	Kentucky		30	Drew Rerick	Texas
463	Tristan Hunter	Kentucky		42	Jason Flores	Texas
480	Aidan Larkin	Kentucky		97	Carson Luna	Texas
489	Khaleel Pratt	Kentucky		102	Dylan Volantis	Texas
1	William Schmidt	LSU		107	Bryce Navarre	Texas
3	Derek Curiel	LSU		138	Matthew Scott II	Texas
5	Cade Arrambide	LSU		175	Kaimi Kahalekai	Texas
39	Cooper Williams	LSU		177	Cole Chamberlain	Texas
40	Casan Evans	LSU		321	Matthew Millett	Texas
44	David Hogg II	LSU		368	Donovan Jordan	Texas
56	Ryan Costello	LSU		36	Sawyer Farr	Texas A&M
72	Michael Ryan	LSU		51	Sam Erickson	Texas A&M
74	Mavrick Rizy	LSU		70	Terrence Kiel II	Texas A&M
238	John Pearson	LSU		176	Gavin Lyons	Texas A&M
7	Owen Paino	Ole Miss		185	Elbert (Trey) Craig	Texas A&M
50	Kaiden Lopez	Ole Miss		491	Nathan Tobin	Texas A&M
53	Ethan Surowiec	Ole Miss		41	Brodie Johnston	Vanderbilt
61	Cade Townsend	Ole Miss		54	Rustan Rigdon	Vanderbilt
117	Jackson Miller	Ole Miss		66	Aukai (Jaydon) Kea	Vanderbilt
129	Hayden Federico	Ole Miss		155	England Bryan	Vanderbilt
147	Owen Hancock	Ole Miss		162	Julio Solier	Vanderbilt
193	Tate Sirmans	Ole Miss		172	Tommy Goodin	Vanderbilt
226	Jake Reigert	Ole Miss		252	Aiden O'Connell	Vanderbilt
291	Cooper Johnson	Ole Miss		253	William Hampton	Vanderbilt
293	Tyler Acevedo	Ole Miss		259	Tristan Bristow	Vanderbilt
383	Stone McCaughey	Ole Miss		309	Austin Nye	Vanderbilt
				335	Alex Grant	Vanderbilt
				378	Connor Cobb	Vanderbilt
				392	Ryker Waite	Vanderbilt
				477	Matthew Shorey	Vanderbilt