Evan White Named Preseason All-SEC
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky sophomore first baseman Evan White has been named to second-team preseason All-Southeastern Conference in a voting of the circuit coaches, it was announced by the league office on Thursday morning.
A native of Gahanna, Ohio, White is coming off a season on the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2015, also earning a spot on the SEC All-Defensive Team. He finished with a .318 average (69-for-217) with 12 doubles, one triple, two homers and 28 RBI. He hit .296 in SEC play with 10 extra-base hits and 15 RBI in 29 games.
Also this preseason, Baseball America rated – through the process of a coaching and scouting survey – White as the SEC’s best defensive first baseman. White, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound right-handed hitter, is tabbed as the 29th best prospect available for the 2017 MLB Draft by D1baseball.com.
Kentucky opens its 2016 season on Friday at Wofford, with first pitch slated for 5 p.m. ET at Russell C. King Field. The game will be broadcast live on the UK Sports Radio Network, with Dick Gabriel voicing the action.
2016 SEC BASEBALL COACHES PRESEASON ALL-SEC TEAMS
First Team
C – JJ Schwarz, Florida
1B – Peter Alonso, Florida
2B – Ryne Birk, Texas A&M
SS – Ryan Howard, Missouri
3B – Nick Senzel, Tennessee
OF – Nick Banks, Texas A&M
OF – Buddy Reed, Florida
OF – Anfernee Grier, Auburn
DH/UT – JJ Schwarz, Florida
SP – Alex Lange, LSU
SP – A.J. Puk, Florida*
SP – Logan Shore, Florida*
RP – Zach Jackson, Arkansas
Second Team
C – Mike Rivera, Florida
1B – Evan White, Kentucky*
1B – Hunter Melton, Texas A&M*
2B – Rick Nomura, Arkansas
SS – Errol Robinson, Ole Miss
3B – Will Toffey, Vanderbilt
OF – Bryan Reynolds, Vanderbilt
OF – Stephen Wrenn, Georgia
OF – Jake Fraley, LSU
DH/UT – Clark Eagan, Arkansas
SP – Tanner Houck, Missouri
SP – Robert Tyler, Georgia*
SP – Jared Poche’, LSU*
RP – Ryan Hendrix, Texas A&M
* – Ties were not broken
2016 SEC BASEBALL COACHES PRESEASON POLL
Eastern Division
1. Florida (13) – 91
2. Vanderbilt (1) – 78
3. South Carolina – 54
4. Kentucky – 53
5. Missouri – 47
6. Georgia – 32
7. Tennessee – 30
Western Division
1. Texas A&M (8) – 85
2. LSU (5) – 79
3. Arkansas – 65
4. Mississippi State (1) – 49
5. Ole Miss – 46
6. Auburn – 33
7. Alabama – 28
SEC Champion: Florida (13); Vanderbilt (1)
