The Southeastern Conference is, once again, the top conference in college baseball heading into 2026. Eleven teams cracked the top 25 of Baseball America’s preseason rankings, including three teams that made the top five.

An SEC team has won the national championship every year since 2019. On paper, that streak is in a good position to continue in 2026.

Here’s a preview of all 16 SEC teams heading into the spring, along with three top hitters and pitchers to keep an eye on as the season progresses.

Texas

The Longhorns bring back almost all of their best arms from a year ago in right-handers Max Grubbs, Ruger Riojos and Jason Flores, and left-handers Luke Harrison and Dylan Volantis. Volantis is expected to slide into the rotation after setting the SEC record for saves by a freshman. Outfielder Max Belyeu is gone, but Texas added the top catcher in the transfer portal, Notre Dame’s Carson Tinney. Third baseman Casey Borba, Tinney and Wichita State transfer Josh Livingston are expected to provide most of the power for the offense.

Arkansas

An army of big arms will populate coach Dave Van Horn’s team once again. Right-hander Gabe Gaeckle returns to the rotation as the Razorbacks also bring back left-handers Cole Gibler, Parker Coil and Colin Fisher. From the transfer portal, they added talented right-hander Ethan McElvain from Vanderbilt and supplemented a lineup that has preseason All-SEC first-team catcher Ryder Helfrick and second baseman Cam Kozeal.

Mississippi State

The Bulldogs were extremely aggressive in rebuilding their program this offseason under new coach Brian O’Connor’s stewardship. Returning third baseman Ace Reese and designated hitter Noah Sullivan headline a lineup that added multiple proven bats out of the portal. The pitching staff also has a bunch of new faces, including Virginia transfer Tomas Valincius and freshman left-hander Jack Bauer. How all the new pieces will mesh under the weight of high expectations will be the biggest key.

LSU

The Tigers bring back a lot of production from a squad that is coming off a second national title in three years under coach Jay Johnson. Right-handers Casan Evans and Zac Cowan return to an LSU pitching staff that added Kansas transfer Cooper Moore. LSU also brings back its starting outfield and, most notably, Derek Curiel, a projected top-10 draft pick. Oregon State transfer Trent Caraway and Grand Canyon transfer Zach Yorke are expected to make big contributions at the plate.

Auburn

Catcher Chase Fralick, second baseman Chris Rembert and outfielder Bub Terrell lead a strong core of positional players returning from last season’s strong lineup. St. Mary’s transfer Eddie Madrigal is expected to provide the power. The pitching will rely on a handful of transfers and right-hander Christian Chatterton, a sophomore who started 14 games as a freshman and posted a 4.47 ERA.

Georgia

Coach Wes Johnson has most of his infield back from last season, but the third-year coach was aggressive in adding power to his lineup. Davidson transfer Michael O’Shaughnessy, South Carolina Upstate transfer Scott Newman, New Mexico transfer Jody Oriach and Richmond transfer Jack Arcamone each blasted at least 13 homers last season. The Bulldogs didn’t have any players crack the All-SEC preseason first or second team, but Seattle transfer Kenny Ishikawa has a chance to make a massive impact as a two-way player.

Texas A&M

The Aggies lost a lot from last year’s uber-talented group, but they bring back two elite bats in first baseman Gavin Grahovac and outfielder Caden Sorrell. Both sluggers cracked the SEC preseason first team. Texas A&M doesn’t return much on the mound, but left-hander Shane Sdao leads the rotation after missing all of 2025 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He won’t be joined by fellow left-hander Caden McCoy, who will undergo Tommy John surgery after hurting his left elbow during the preseason.

Oklahoma

With the Witherspoon twins no longer around, Oklahoma had to rebuild its pitching staff this offseason after the unit carried the Sooners a year ago. But don’t expect Oklahoma to struggle at the plate as much as it did in its inaugural season in the SEC. First baseman Dayton Tochy, second baseman Kyle Branch, shortstop Jaxon Willits and last year’s starting outfield are all back. The Sooners struggled to hit the ball for power last season. That will have to get fixed in their second SEC campaign.

Vanderbilt

Surprise! Vanderbilt’s pitching should be excellent again. Right-hander Austin Nye posted a 3.55 ERA as a freshman in midweek games. Right-hander Connor Fennel walked just 11 batters in 53⅓ innings last season. The depth behind those two should be exceptional. At the plate, there are questions as to where the power will come from outside of Brodie Johnston, the hulking third baseman who blasted 15 homers a year ago. Outfielder Braden Holcomb was the lone hitter who cracked a preseason All-SEC team.

Ole Miss

Left-hander Hunter Elliott is back for another year, headlining the rotation. Ole Miss also will have a lot of power in the lineup, with third baseman Judd Utermark, catcher Austin Fawley and Illinois State transfer Daniel Pacella all blasting at least 20 homers last season. The question mark for the Rebels is the pitching staff after Elliott, as coach Mike Bianco turns to Saint Louis transfer Owen Kelly and right-hander Cade Townsend for important roles.

Florida

The Gators head into 2026 with arguably the best pitcher in the conference in right-hander Liam Peterson. He was a first-team All-SEC preseason selection and is a potential top pick in the draft this summer. The lineup supporting Peterson and the rest of the pitching staff may not have the same juice it’s had in years past. Cade Kurland is back at second base after an injury-riddled year, but the Gators only have one hitter with double-digit homers returning from last season.

Kentucky

Shortstop Tyler Bell has a chance to be a first-round pick in the MLB draft as a first-team All-SEC preseason selection. The Wildcats are also bringing back their top two weekend starters and were once again aggressive in the transfer portal. Among the more notable additions was Grand Canyon right-hander Connor Mattison, who threw the program’s first no-hitter as a freshman in 2024 and has struck out 11.6 batters per nine innings over his collegiate career.

Alabama

The Crimson Tide might have the No. 1 overall pick starting at shortstop in Justin Lebron. As an uber athlete and remarkably talented defender, Lebron has 30 homers in two seasons at Alabama. On the mound, left-hander Zane Adams and right-hander Tyler Fay are back after tossing more than 55 innings apiece last year. Alabama had a busy offseason after adding 11 freshmen and a host of transfers, including Purdue Fort Wayne infielder Justin Osterhouse, who hit 16 homers and posted a .636 slugging percentage last year.

Tennessee

The biggest news of the offseason for the Volunteers wasn’t on the field; it was in the dugout. Coach Tony Vitello is gone, and replacing him is his assistant, Josh Ellander. Ellander leads a Tennessee team that lost a good bit from last year’s talented lineup but added arguably the top hitter in the portal in Virginia infielder Henry Ford. First baseman Levi Clark also returns as an All-SEC second-team preseason selection. Right-handers Brandon Arvidson and Tegan Kuhns helm the bullpen and rotation, respectively. Rutgers transfer Landon Mack was a major addition as a starter.

South Carolina

The Gamecocks already have lost their potential Friday starter in left-hander Jake McCoy to Tommy John surgery, a big blow to what is already going to be a pressure-packed second season for coach Paul Mainieri. Shortstop KJ Scobey returns after a promising freshman year, but most of the Gamecocks roster was restocked through the portal this offseason. South Carolina added 24 transfers, including Florida right-hander Alex Philpott.

Missouri

After a 3-17 record in conference play last season, the only direction for the Tigers is up in 2026. Missouri brings back two of its top three hitters in terms of on-base plus slugging percentage in outfielders Kaden Peer and Pierre Seals. The pitching figures to be an uphill battle again, but left-hander Javyn Pimental returns after missing all of last year because of Tommy John surgery. Pimental started 10 games and had a 3.61 ERA in 2024.

SEC’s top three hitters

Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama

Lebron has a strong shot at becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the draft this summer. He has elite range, arm strength and athleticism, and has shown excellent power with 30 home runs and a 1.018 OPS through two seasons in Tuscaloosa. If he can cut down on the swings and misses this year, he has a strong case of becoming the top player in the country.

Ace Reece, 3B, Mississippi State

Reece had a monster opening campaign in the SEC with 20 home runs and a 1.140 OPS after transferring in from Houston. He enters 2026 as the favorite to lead the conference in long balls and will be the driving force for a Bulldogs lineup that has the potential to do a lot of damage this spring.

Derek Curiel, OF, LSU

Curiel led off as a freshman for the national champions, positioning himself to be a potential top-10 pick in the draft and becoming one of the best hitters in the nation. He’ll have more on his plate defensively this season, moving from left field to center, but don’t expect the transition to slow him down. Curiel was a center fielder throughout travel baseball and high school.

SEC’s top three pitchers

Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida

Peterson, entering his third year as a starter, made big strides last season, cutting down his walk rate and striking out 12.5 batters per nine innings. The junior now has a chance to be the first college pitcher picked in the MLB draft and become the top starter in all of college baseball.

Hunter Elliott, LHP, Ole Miss

After two seasons lost to injuries, Elliott returned to the Rebels in 2025 as the same guy who led the program to their first national championship in 2022. He posted a 2.94 ERA in 85⅔ innings last season, striking out 102 batters. Given the rest of what the rotation is shaping up to be, Ole Miss will rely heavily on Elliott to give itself early advantages during weekend series.

Dylan Volantis, LHP, Texas

Volantis was arguably the best reliever in college baseball last year as a freshman. He posted a 1.94 ERA and struck out 13 batters per nine innings with only 12 walks in 51 innings. Now he’ll need to prove that he can replicate his success as a starter, moving into a Texas rotation that will have plenty of options besides him in 2026.