Baseball

Sun Belt Well-Represented Among D1Baseball Preseason Player Rankings

NEW ORLEANS – Following a season in which two Sun Belt programs hosted NCAA Baseball Regionals for the first time in conference history and Coastal Carolina advanced to the championship series at the College World Series, the Sun Belt was well-represented among the 2026 D1Baseball Preseason Player Rankings. 
 
The Sun Belt had a student-athlete noted at all eight positions ranked by D1Baseball, which listed the Top 50 catchers, first baseman, second basemen, shortstops and third basemen; Top 100 relief pitchers; Top 150 outfielders; and Top 200 starting pitchers. 
 
Twenty-eight Sun Belt student-athletes were listed among the preseason player rankings, which represent the top 15 percent of NCAA Division I starters at each position. 
 
Reigning national runner-up Coastal Carolina led all conference programs with 10 players mentioned. Southern Miss—which was ranked alongside the Chanticleers in all five national preseason polls—boasted seven selections. Troy (6), Louisiana (3), App State (1) and Arkansas State (1) also had student-athletes recognized. 
 
Sun Belt Preseason Pitcher of the Year Coastal Carolina junior starting pitcher Cameron Flukey (No. 1) was the highest-ranked Sun Belt player at any position. 
 
Four other Sun Belt student-athletes were listed among the Top 5 in the nation at their position: Coastal Carolina relief pitcher Dominick Carbone (No. 2), Coastal Carolina relief pitcher Ryan Lynch (No. 3), Coastal Carolina senior second baseman Blake Barthol (No. 4), Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year Troy senior first baseman Blake Cavill (No. 5). 
 
Three additional Sun Belt student-athletes were ranked among the Top 25 in the country at their position: Troy sophomore catcher Jimmy Janicki (No. 12), Southern Miss senior first baseman Matthew Russo (No. 15) and Southern Miss redshirt junior catcher Tucker Stockman (No. 20). 
 
Led by Top 5 honorees Flukey, Lynch and Cavill, 8-of-14 members of the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team were recognized by D1Baseball. 
 
The Sun Belt has been a multi-bid conference in 30-of-36 seasons since 1989 and has earned four regional berths on six occasions since 2000, including three of the past four seasons. 
 
Over the past four seasons, the Sun Belt has sent 14 teams to NCAA Baseball Regionals, 10 to NCAA Baseball Regional finals, two to NCAA Baseball Super Regionals and one to the championship series at the College World Series. That grouping has included four regional hosts and national seeds—No. 13 Coastal Carolina (2025), No. 16 Southern Miss (2025), No. 10 Coastal Carolina (2023) and No. 16 Georgia Southern (2022). 
 
2026 D1Baseball Preseason Player Rankings 
Catchers
No. 12 Jimmy Janicki, Troy (So., C – Downers Grove, Ill.) 
No. 20 Tucker Stockman, Southern Miss (RS Jr., C – Athens, Ala.) 
No. 39 Jose Torres, Louisiana (5th Yr., C – San Miguelito, Panama) 
 
First Basemen
No. 5 Blake Cavill, Troy (Sr., 1B – Sydney, Australia) 
No. 15 Matthew Russo, Southern Miss (Sr., 1B – Madisonville, La.) 
 
Second Basemen
No. 4 Blake Barthol, Coastal Carolina (Sr., 2B – Allentown, Pa.)
No. 41 Kyle Morrison, Southern Miss (Sr., 2B – Wetumpka. Ala.) 
No. 44 Sean Darnell, Troy (Sr., 2B – Wetumpka, Ala.) 
 
Shortstops
No. 37 Aaron Piasecki, Troy (Sr., SS – Muskegon, Mich.) 
 
Third Basemen
No. 38 Walker Mitchell, Coastal Carolina (Jr., 3B – Lexington, S.C.)
 
Outfielders
No. 52 Steven Meier, Troy (Sr., OF – Kennewick, Wash.)
No. 92 Dean Mihos, Coastal Carolina (Sr., OF – Chester Springs, Pa.) 
No. 93 Blagen Pado, Coastal Carolina (Jr., OF – Haymarket, Va.) 
No. 110 Caleb Stelly, Southern Miss (Sr., OF – Baton Rouge, La.) 
No. 131 Jordan Taylor, Coastal Carolina (Sr., OF – Jacksonville, Fla.) 
 
Starting Pitchers
No. 1 Cameron Flukey, Coastal Carolina (Jr., SP – Egg Harbor Township, N.J.) 
No. 26 Colby Allen, Southern Miss (Sr., SP – Louisville, Miss.) 
No. 37 Hayden Johnson, Coastal Carolina (Jr., SP – Myrtle Beach, S.C.)
No. 66 Grayden Harris, Southern Miss (So., SP – Greenwell Springs, La.) 
No. 74 Noah Thigpen, Troy (So., SP – Lake Park, Ga.) 
No. 88 JR Tollett, Louisiana (Jr., SP – Ruston, La.) 
No. 153 Tanner Nolan, App State (Jr., SP – Deptford, N.J.) 
No. 165 Ty Roman, Louisiana (Jr., SP – Diboll, Texas) 
No. 186 Chase Richter, Arkansas State (Gr., SP – Tomball, Texas) 
 
Relief Pitchers
No. 2 Dominick Carbone, Coastal Carolina (Jr., RP – Rocky Point, N.Y.) 
No. 3 Ryan Lynch, Coastal Carolina (Gr., RP – Snohomish, Wash.)
No. 30 Darin Horn, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr., RP – Bluffton, SC.) 
No. 36 Kros Sivley, Southern Miss (Sr., RP – Sumrall, Miss.)