Preseason Honors Set the Tone
The Sun Belt Conference unveiled its 2026 preseason baseball awards and poll, setting the stage for what promises to be a competitive campaign across the circuit.
Blake Cavill of Troy earned the league’s Preseason Player of the Year honor after a 2025 season in which he batted .320 with 11 home runs and 50 runs batted in.
Relief pitcher Cameron Flukey from Coastal Carolina was recognized as the Preseason Pitcher of the Year, having posted a 7‑2 record, a 3.19 earned‑run average and 118 strikeouts last year.
Coastal Carolina emerged as the predicted front‑runner, topping the preseason coaches poll, followed by Southern Miss in second place and Troy in third.
The Chanticleers also led the conference with four preseason honorees, underscoring the depth of talent returning to the roster.
Both Coastal Carolina and Southern Miss are coming off strong post‑season runs, with the former reaching the College World Series championship series and the latter advancing to a regional final for the sixth straight season.
The upcoming schedule will test these expectations, as teams battle to translate preseason promise into actual results on the diamond.