Stanford picked to repeat in 2023 Pac-12 Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll

SAN FRANCISCO - Coming off its second straight Men's College World Series appearance and its first Pac-12 title since 2018, STANFORD was voted by the conference’s coaches to repeat in 2023. The Cardinal received nine first-place votes and 99 points to earn the top spot in the preseason coaches’ poll for the second consecutive year.

In addition to winning the regular season, Stanford captured the first Pac-12 Baseball Tournament title at the inaugural event last May. The Cardinal enter the season ranked in the top five in all six national polls, including a No. 3 ranking in the USA Today Baseball Coaches Poll. While head coach David Esquer saw a lot of talent move on to the next level, his roster is stacked again, highlighted by reigning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and two-way star Braden Montgomery.

UCLA picked up the other two first-place votes and totalled 90 points to finish second in the poll.  The Bruins, who reached a regional final last spring, are ranked No. 15 in the USA Today preseason poll and are seeking their first conference title since 2019.

OREGON STATE, last year’s runner-up in both the regular season and at the tournament, was picked third with 77 points. The Beavers are ranked No. 23 in USA Today poll and are the last Pac-12 team to win a Men's College World Series title (2018).

ARIZONA collected 74 points to finish fourth in the poll. In his first season last spring, head coach Chip Hale took the Wildcats to the NCAA postseason, losing in a regional final to eventual National Champion Ole Miss.

OREGON, ranked No. 25 in the USA Today poll and coming off an NCAA Regional appearance, was picked fifth with 68 points followed by ARIZONA STATE in sixth (45 points), WASHINGTON in seventh (43 points) and CALIFORNIA in eighth (40). WASHINGTON STATE (29), USC (24) and UTAH (16) rounded out the poll.

In addition to the preseason poll, the Pac-12 revealed the first baseball preseason all-conference team in its history, which was also voted on by the league’s coaches.

Stanford led the way with eight selections. In addition to Montgomery, fellow preseason all-americans Ryan Bruno (LHP), Carter Graham (INF), Quinn Mathews (LHP) and Tommy Troy (INF) earned the honor along with Cardinal infielder Drew Bowser, outfielder Eddie Park and pitcher Joey Dixon.

The 32-person team also includes preseason all-americans Travis Bazzana (INF) and Ben Ferrer (RHP) from Oregon State, Chase Davis (OF) from Arizona and pitcher Alonzo Tredwell of UCLA. 

Tredwell and UCLA teammate Cody Schrier (INF), both 2022 Freshman All-Americans, were two of six Bruins selected, which was second-most behind Stanford. 

Non-conference play is scheduled to begin next week with all 11 programs opening up on Friday, February 17 and league play starting Friday, March 10.  The season will conclude with the second year of the Pac-12 Baseball Tournament in Scottsdale, Arizona which is scheduled for May 23-27 at Scottsdale Stadium.

2023 PAC-12 BASEBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL

2023 PRESEASON ALL-PAC-12 BASEBALL TEAM (ALPHABETICAL)