Four Pac-12 teams in Top 25 of Baseball America preseason poll

SAN FRANCISCO - Four Pac-12 baseball teams have been ranked in Baseball America's Preseason Poll, it was announced on Monday. OREGON STATE, WASHINGTON, ARIZONA, and STANFORD all cracked the top 25 at No. 9, No. 12, No. 22, and No. 23, respectively.

Oregon State tied for third in the Pac-12 in 2016. The Beavers return the reigning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Nick Madrigal. Madrigal and fellow sophomore Bryce Fehmel earned All-America accolades as well. The duo were both named Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-Americans in 2016. Madrigal was also named the 2016 Collegiate Baseball Freshman Relief Pitcher of the Year.

Washington finished second in the Conference last season and earned a trip to the NCAA Regionals for the second-straight year. The Huskies return a majority of their 2016 squad and welcome in a top-10 ranked recruiting class. It is the highest preseason ranking that the Huskies have received in the major polls so far. Washington was ranked 21st by Collegiate Baseball News. Washington returns Noah Bremer and Joe DeMers on the mound.

Arizona, the NCAA runner-up, comes off of a stellar season in 2016. First-year head coach Jay Johnson took the Wildcats all the way to Game 3 of the NCAA College World Series, Arizona’s best finish since winning the title in 2012. The Wildcats return Alfonso Rivas III who was a Pac-12 Player of the Week last season. 

Stanford tied for fifth in the Pac-12 in 2016. Eleven freshmen join a Stanford squad that returns nearly its entire starting lineup, all of its starting pitching and the majority of its bullpen. This will be legendary head coach Mark Marquess’ final season at Stanford after a historic career. The Cardinal return pitcher Tristan Beck who earned Freshman All-America honors and was named an All-Pac-12 honoree. 

With 28 College World Series National Titles, including four of the last 11, the Pac-12 looks to continue its dominance in the ranks of collegiate baseball in 2017.