NEW ORLEANS — The Sun Belt—which sent four teams to last year’s NCAA Baseball Regionals and had seven noted in at least one of the five major national preseason polls—had five student-athletes recognized as Preseason All-Americans entering the 2023 season.
Southern Miss junior starting pitcher Tanner Hall and Texas State junior starting pitcher Levi Wells headlined the Sun Belt contingent, each earning Preseason All-America nods from multiple publications.
Hall, a consensus All-American in 2022, earned Preseason First Team All-America status from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, D1Baseball, NCBWA and Perfect Game and Preseason Third Team All-America honors from Baseball America. The Zachary, La., native posted a 9-3 record with a 2.81 ERA, 146 strikeouts and just 14 walks over 109.0 innings pitched last season, en route to Conference USA Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-Conference accolades.
Wells, an All-Sun Belt First Team pick in 2022, was dubbed a Preseason Third Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, D1Baseball, NCBWA and Perfect Game. The La Porte, Texas, product compiled an 8-3 record with a 3.07 ERA and 86 strikeouts, while holding opponents to a .231 batting average over 91.0 innings pitched as a sophomore.
Joining the decorated duo were Texas State senior relief pitcher Triston Dixon, Southern Miss senior first baseman Chris Sargent and Georgia State senior outfielder Max Ryerson, who were each recognized by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
Dixon accumulated an 8-0 mark with a 2.93 ERA and 56 strikeouts, while holding opponents to a .231 batting average over 58.1 innings pitched in 2022. The Conroe, Texas, native was dubbed a Preseason Second Team All-American.
Sargent hit .269 with nine doubles, 21 home runs, 56 runs scored and 58 RBI in 2022. The native of Wilmer, Ala., has started all 127 games for the Golden Eagles over the past two seasons and was selected as a Preseason Third Team All-American this year.
Ryerson, the Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year in 2022, hit .335 with 17 doubles, 22 home runs, 45 runs scored and 65 RBI. The Conway, S.C., product was an All-Sun Belt First Team pick a year ago and earned Preseason Third Team All-America recognition this season.
Hall was also named the Sun Belt Preseason Pitcher of the Year by both D1Baseball and Perfect Game, while Louisiana junior first baseman and outfielder Carson Roccaforte was dubbed the Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year by both publications.
Roccaforte was an All-Sun Belt First Team pick at first base for the Ragin’ Cajuns in 2022, after leading the team in the Triple Crown categories with a .374 batting average, 16 home runs and 68 RBI. The Port Neches, Texas, native also paced the program with a .671 slugging percentage, .435 on-base percentage, 147 total bases, 82 hits, 52 runs scored and 25 stolen bases.
The Sun Belt boasted the No. 6 conference RPI in the nation in 2022—trailing only the SEC, ACC, Big 12, Pac-12 and Conference USA. Four current Sun Belt programs were listed among the Top 30 in the final RPI in 2022—No. 20 Texas State, No. 22 Southern Miss, No. 25 Georgia Southern and No. 29 Coastal Carolina.
No. 46 Old Dominion, No. 54 Louisiana, No. 73 South Alabama, No. 97 Georgia State and No. 100 Troy gave the new-look Sun Belt nine teams among the Top 100 at the conclusion of the 2022 campaign.
Sun Belt baseball programs have earned 18 NCAA berths over the past 10 seasons.
PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS
Baseball America Preseason College All-Americans
Tanner Hall, Southern Miss (Jr., SP – Zachary, La.) – Third Team, SP
Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Preseason All-Americans
Tanner Hall, Southern Miss (Jr., SP – Zachary, La.) – First Team, SP
Triston Dixon, Texas State (Sr., RP – Conroe, Texas) – Second Team, RP
Levi Wells, Texas State (Jr., SP – La Porte, Texas) – Third Team, SP
Chris Sargent, Southern Miss (Sr., 1B – Wilmer, Ala.) – Third Team, 1B
Max Ryerson, Georgia State (Sr., OF – Conway, S.C.) – Third Team, OF
D1Baseball Preseason All-Americans
Tanner Hall, Southern Miss (Jr., SP – Zachary, La.) – First Team, SP
Levi Wells, Texas State (Jr., SP – La Porte, Texas) – Third Team, SP
NCBWA Preseason All-Americans
Tanner Hall, Southern Miss (Jr., SP – Zachary, La.) – First Team, SP
Levi Wells, Texas State (Jr., SP – La Porte, Texas) – Third Team, SP
Perfect Game Collegiate Preseason All-Americans
Tanner Hall, Southern Miss (Jr., SP – Zachary, La.) – First Team, SP
Levi Wells, Texas State (Jr., SP – La Porte, Texas) – Third Team, SP
PRESEASON ALL-SUN BELT
D1Baseball Preseason Sun Belt Player of the Year
Carson Roccaforte, Louisiana (Jr., 1B/OF – Port Neches, Texas)
D1Baseball Preseason Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year
Tanner Hall, Southern Miss (Jr., SP – Zachary, La.)
Perfect Game Preseason Sun Belt Player of the Year
Carson Roccaforte, Louisiana (Jr., 1B/OF – Port Neches, Texas)
Perfect Game Preseason Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year
Tanner Hall, Southern Miss (Jr., SP – Zachary, La.)