First Team
C-Tony Caldwell; Sr Aub-.349 avg, 10 HR, 41 RBI. 6/10 SB. Yes, that's 6 SBs for a catcher.
1B-Preston Tucker; Jr UF-.331 avg, 50 runs, 11 HR, 49 RBI, 43 BB. 2nd team all SEC a year ago & a member of the All-Defensive team.
2B-Anthony Gomez; So Vandy-.379 avg, 2 HR, 30 RBI, 9/12 SB. Freshman AA last season.
3B-Jason Esposito; Jr Vandy-.359 avg, 12 HR, 64 RBI, 31/35 SB. Esposito's speed keeps him on the first team in a tight vote. His 25 doubles led the conference last year.
SS-Austin Nola; Jr LSU-.320 avg, 16 2B, 5 HR, 52 RBI, 1/2 SB. 33 point higher average than Fontana.
OF-Jackie Bradley Jr; Jr USC-.368 avg, 12 2B, 13 HR, 60 RBI. Outright leader of the National Champs
OF-Taylor Dugas; Jr Bama-.393 avg, 66 R, 59 BB, 19/24 SB, .530 OBP. 1st team AA last season.
OF-Mikie Mahtook; Jr LSU-.335 avg, 14 HR, 50 RBI, 22/32 SB
DH-Brian Johnson; So UF-.405 avg, 4 HR, 21 RBI in 27 games. Weekend starter in deep Gator rotation.
SP-Sonny Gray; Jr Vandy: 10-5, 3.48 era, 113 K in 108.2 innings. .246 opponent avg, 97 mph fastball with a 80-84 mph curve. Gray can be unhittable when he is on.
SP-Nathan Kilcrease; Sr Bama: 8-3 with a 2.85 era. 82 K to 21 BB, .224 opponent's avg. Began the year as the Tide closer and posted an era in the low ones until the trip to Columbia. Shifted to the rotation late in the year and will be the Tide ace. Is perhaps the shortest pitcher in the conference at 5'5".
SP-Hudson Randall; So UF: 8-4 with a 3.24 era. 69 K to 21 BB. Freshman All-American. Lives down in the strikezone with his sinker and breaking pitches.
RP-Matt Price; RSo USC-5-1 with 10 saves. 2.26 era, 81 K to only 19 BB. Absolutely dominant in the Super Regionals and CWS. Was on the mound for the final 2.2 innings when the Fighting Gamecocks defeated UCLA for the National Title
RP-Brett Huber; So Ole Miss-2-0, 12 Saves. 54 K, 19 BB. .216 opponent avg. Freshman AA in 2010
Second Team
C-Mike Zunino; So UF-.267 avg, 9 HR, 41 RBI, 8/11 SB. Freshman AA in 2010.
1B-Christian Walker; So USC-.327 avg, 9 HR, 51 RBI, only 18 K. Walker turned it on big time in post season play and sent the Gamecocks to the CWS with a 3 run home run at Coastal Carolina.
2B-Tyler Hanover; Jr LSU-.332 avg, 16 2B, 2 HR, 35 RBI, 4/8 SB.
3B-Austin Maddox; So UF-.333 avg, 17HR, 72 RBI. SEC Freshman of the year in 2010.
SS-Nolan Fontana; So UF-.287 avg, 3 HR, 49 RBI, 11/16 SB. Fontana is a superb defensive shortstop.
OF-Justin Fradejas; Sr Aub-.358 avg, 3 HR, 33 RBI, 14/21 SB.
OF-Collin Kuhn; Jr Ark-.336 avg, 18 2B, 16 HR, 52 RBI, 25 HBP, 17/19 SB. A 15th round pick of Detroit in the 2010 draft, Kuhn must replace the offense of departed superstar 3B Zack Cox. Hit 4 home runs in 4 regional games last season.
OF-Zach Cone; Jr UGA-.363 avg, 10 HR, 53 RBI, 13/13 SB. With stolen bases ever more important,
Cone should excel.
DH-Brady Thomas; Sr USC-.331 avg, 8 HR, 30 RBI. Thomas will share in the catching duties but will not be behind the plate for more than 50% of the contests due to his ulcerative colitis. Named to the CWS All-Tournament team in 2010, it is Thomas's clutch hitting that gives him the selection over Ole Miss's Matt Smith.
SP-Alex Panteliodis; Jr UF: 11-3 with a 3.51 era. The hefty lefty struck out 42 with 23 walks. Has a high pitch per inning ratio and often hits his pitch count early in games. Was Florida's Friday starter a year ago and has the numbers to be on the first team, but Panteliodis may not even be in the weekend rotation in 2011. Coach O'Sullivan announced that Hudson Randall and Brian Johnson secured their spots with Panteliodis battling stud freshman, Karsten Whitson, for the final position. Based on last season's numbers however, he projects at least this high.
SP-Alex Meyer; Jr UK: 5-3 with a 7.06 era, yes that is accurate 7.06. 59 hits in 51 innings, 63K, 36 BB. Why should a pitcher with such awful stats be considered All-SEC the following season? Well, Meyer suffered from mono last year and when healthy, his fastball can break 100. A healthy draft eligible Meyer can prove a formidable obstacle for teams on Friday night.
SP-Chris Stratton; So Miss St: 5-3 with a 5.29 era. 76K. Freshman All-SEC. While the era is a bit high, it was still one of the lower ones among returning starters in the conference last season.
RP-Steven Rodriguez; So UF-2-0 with 1 save and a 2.57 era. 26 K and 5 BB in 28 innings. Will take over for another dominant lefty as Kevin Chapman left for professional ball.
RP-Matty Ott; Jr LSU: 2-4 with 11 saves, 6.38 era. Ok, Ott was awful for most of last season and had to move into a starting role by year's end since the LSU staff was spent. As bad as he was as a sophomore, Ott was equally unhittable as a freshman when he earned 1st team All-SEC and 3rd team All-American honors with a 2.68 era and 16 saves. In 2009, Ott's K:BB ratio was 7.6:1. Last year, the ratio fell to 2:1. Ott regained his form in the Cape Cod League and is primed for a big time year in his first draft eligible season.
Player of the Year-Sonny Gray; RHP Vanderbilt. In the inaugural season of the Dead Bat era, Gray becomes that more dominant.
Newcomer of the Year-Ryne Stanek, SP Arkansas. While Florida Gator Freshman hurler, Karsten Whitson, may be the most talented new member of the league (selected 9th overall by San Diego), Stanek arrives in Fayetteville to find the entire starting rotation open. A 3rd round pick himself, Stanek should have the opportunity to make a greater impact since his role as a weekend starter is assured.
