NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The No. 2 Vanderbilt Commodores are favored to repeat as SEC champions as five Commodores were recognized on the coaches’ preseason all-conference team, the league office announced Thursday.

Vanderbilt matched Mississippi State for the most preseason honorees as third baseman Austin Martin and relief pitcher Tyler Brown were recognized on the first team. Catcher Ty Duvall, second baseman Harrison Ray and starting pitcher Kumar Rocker were tabbed second-team honorees.

Eight of the league’s 14 coaches chose the Commodores as the league’s preseason favorite. Vanderbilt garnered 87 total points followed by Arkansas (82), Florida (77) and Georgia (76).

Points were compiled on a descending basis for each division. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team, and each coach also voted for one team as an overall conference champion. For the fifth consecutive year, two preseason all-SEC teams were selected by league head coaches.

Vanderbilt opens its season one week from Friday at the MLB4 Collegiate Baseball Tournament in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Commodores will face Michigan at 6 p.m. CT on the MLB Network in a rematch of the College World Series finals. Vanderbilt’s SEC opener takes place March 13 at Hawkins Field against Kentucky.

2020 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll

Eastern Division

1. Vanderbilt (9) – 87

2. Florida (3) - 77

3. Georgia (2) – 76

4. Tennessee – 50

5. South Carolina – 48

6. Missouri – 32

7. Kentucky – 22

Western Division

1. Arkansas (5) – 82

2. Mississippi State (4) – 73

T3. Auburn (2) – 67

T3. LSU (3) – 67

5. Texas A&M – 44

6. Ole Miss – 38

7. Alabama – 21

() – First place votes

SEC Champion: Vanderbilt (8), Florida (2), Arkansas (1), Auburn (1), Georgia (1), Mississippi State (1)

2020 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team

First Team

C: Casey Opitz, Arkansas

1B: Cade Beloso, LSU*

1B: T.J. Collett, Kentucky*

2B: Justin Foscue, Mississippi State

3B: Austin Martin, Vanderbilt

SS: Casey Martin, Arkansas

OF: Daniel Cabrera, LSU

OF: Alerick Soularie, Tennessee

OF: Heston Kjerstad, Arkansas

DH/UTL: Matt Goodheart, Arkansas

SP: Emerson Hancock, Georgia

SP: Asa Lacy, Texas A&M

RP: Tyler Brown, Vanderbilt

Second Team

C: Ty Duvall, Vanderbilt

1B: Josh Hatcher, Mississippi State*

1B: Rankin Woley, Auburn*

2B: Noah Campbell, South Carolina*

2B: Harrison Ray, Vanderbilt*

2B: Riley King, Georgia*

3B: Tyler Keenan, Ole Miss

SS: Jordan Westburg, Mississippi State

OF: Jud Fabian, Florida

OF: Tyler Gentry, Alabama

OF: Rowdey Jordan, Mississippi State*

OF: Zach DeLoach, Texas A&M*

DH/UTL: Tanner Allen, Mississippi State

SP: Kumar Rocker, Vanderbilt

SP: Tanner Burns, Auburn

RP: Cody Greenhill, Auburn