DBU, which returns a host of key position players and pitchers from last year's MVC Regular Season title team, has been tabbed as the league favorite in the annual coaches' preseason poll, receiving all eight first-place votes.
The Patriots tallied 64 points and were named the favorite over second-place pick Indiana State (46 points). Illinois State (39 points) and Southern Illinois (39 points) finished tied for third, while Bradley finished fifth with 34 points. Missouri State was selected in sixth place with 32 points, followed by Evansville (19 points) in the seventh slot and Valparaiso eighth (15 points).
For the 26th time in league history, multiple MVC baseball teams were selected as part of the field of 64 teams to play for the 2021College World Series title. The Valley ranked No. 7 amongst 31 leagues in conference RPI. Four of the Power-Five conferences (SEC, Big 12, ACC, Pac-12) held four of the top five positions, while the American and C-USA sat fifth and sixth just ahead of The Valley.
#1 DBU PATRIOTS
- DBU welcomes back six position players and seven key pitchers from a team that finished the season with a 41-18 record, en route to capturing the MVC regular season and tournament title. The Patriots ended the season one win away from the College World Series, falling to Virginia in the third and deciding game of the Columbia Super Regional.
- DBU claimed a 40-win season for the seventh straight year in 2021. DBU’s seven-straight seasons with 40+ wins is the longest active streak in the nation after Florida State and Louisville saw their streaks end.
- DBU will open the season ranked No. 22 in the D1baseball.com Preseason Top 25 poll.
- While the Patriots must replace last year’s MVC Joe Carter Player of the Year in Jackson Glenn, DBU returns four starters in the infield along with Freshman All-American outfielder Jace Grady. Grady, Cole Moore and Andrew Benedfield each earned All-MVC honors a year ago and will look to anchor the Patriot offense in 2022.
- The Patriots will once again test themselves with a tough non-conference schedule with 16 games against seven teams that made the NCAA field, including eight games against teams that finished the season ranked in the USA Today Coaches Top 25.
#2 INDIANA STATE SYCAMORES
- Indiana State returns nine position starters and four key pitchers from last season's 31-21 squad that finished second in the MVC standings and earned an at-large berth into the NCAA field.
- The Sycamores' season ended in the Vanderbilt Regional, falling to Georgia Tech.
- Jordan Schaffer returns as the Valley leading hitter with a .367 batting average while sitting second overall in the conference with 79 hits. He added seven home runs and 52 runs scored while driving in 34 RBI. Schaffer ended the 2021 season on a 12-game hitting streak including the Sycamores’ postseason run in the NCAA Regionals
- Connor Fenlong is heading back to the mound for the Sycamores this season as the redshirt junior right-hander will look to build off his inaugural season with the Sycamores that saw him finish among the Valley leaders in saves. Fenlong finished second on the Sycamores’ pitching staff with a 3.06 ERA, while posting a 4-3 record
T-#3 ILLINOIS STATE REDBIRDS
- Illinois State returns six position starters and seven key pitchers this spring. The Redbirds finished the 2021 season with a 23-34 record and finished sixth in The Valley standings.
- On the offensive side, Illinois State returns 258 hits (51.1%), 139 RBIs (53.9%), 22 home runs (55%), and 12 stolen bases (40%). Sophomore outfielder Ryan Cermak will look to anchor the lineup in 2022. Cermak hit 11 home runs with 10 doubles and 40 RBI as a freshman.
- On the mound, Illinois State returns 316.2 innings pitched (67.7%), 18 wins (78.3%), all nine saves, and 276 strikeouts (67.5%). Jordan Lussier will look to anchor the rotation after going 6-3 with a 4.36 ERA in 74.1 innings of work last season.
T-#3 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SALUKIS
- Southern Illinois returns four position starters and six key pitchers from its 2021 team that finished 40-20 on the season. SIU won 40 games in a season for the sixth time ever and first time in 31 seasons, since the 1990 team went 49-14.
- As a team, SIU hit .297 and shattered the school record with 84 home runs. SIU scored 439 runs, which is the second-most in program history.
- Senior outfielder JT Weber returns to the outfield for the Salukis after leading the MVC in runs batted in (63) in 2021, while ranking fourth in runs scored (57), tied for fourth in hits (76) and fourth in home runs (15).
- Senior right handed pitcher Noah Farmer returns to lead the Saluki rotation in 2022. Farmer was third in the MVC in ERA (2.98) and innings pitched (66.1) in 2021.
#5 BRADLEY BRAVES
- Bradley returns seven position starters and six key arms from last season's team. The Braves finished 20-22 in 2021. By finishing the league season with a 12-10 (.545) record in 2021, Bradley posted its most MVC wins in a season since 2007 (13-11).
- Bradley has won at least 11 league games and posted a winning conference record in each of the last three Valley seasons. Prior to its current three-year run of success, Bradley had never before posted three consecutive winning conference seasons with at least 11 wins.
- Junior first baseman Connor O’Brien returns to lead the Braves in 2022. O’Brien collected first-team All-MVC accolades in both 2019 and 2021 – becoming the first Bradley player to receive first-team honors twice in his career since designated hitter Greg Partyka in 2013 and 2014.
#6 MISSOURI STATE BEARS
- Missouri State welcomes back seven position starters and three key pitchers from last year's 21-23 team.
- Missouri State’s Keith Guttin enters his 40th season as head coach of the Bears in 2022 with 1,309 career victories under his belt. Guttin ranks 19th all-time and third among active coaches in the Division I ranks, trailing only Minnesota’s John Anderson (1,331) and Georgia Tech’s Danny Hall (1,312).
- The Bears returning players account for 67 percent of last season’s hits, 72 percent of home runs, 69 percent of RBI, 72 percent of game-winning RBI and 73 percent of stolen bases.
#7 EVANSVILLE PURPLE ACES
- Evansville returns eight position starters and eight key pitchers from last year's 28-27 squad. The Aces' season mark was its best since the 2016 campaign when UE also finished 29-27.
- The Aces smashed 45 home runs a season ago and the 2022 campaign should see little drop-off in that department. Both of the Aces top power hitters return with Tanner Craig recording a team-high 12 homers last season and Danny Borgstrom, who tallied nine long balls.
- Of the 455 innings pitched by the Aces’ staff, UE brings back pitchers who pitched 364.2 innings, including 22 of 28 wins and the top three pitchers in ERA.
#8 VALPARAISO Beacons
- Valparaiso returns eight position starters and nine key pitchers from its 2021 team that finished 16-35.
- The season culminated on a high note as Valpo won two games in the MVC Tournament for the first time since joining the league.
- Reigning MVC Freshman of the Year Kaleb Hannahs is back after earning Collegiate Baseball Newcomer Freshman All-American status and All-MVC second team honorees last season. Hannahs became the first Valpo freshman to lead the team in batting average since 2012 a year ago at .296 while finishing the season on a 20-game on-base streak.
Preseason All-MVC Team
The Valley has a depth of talent and experience returning to the league this season despite losing 10 players to the MLB Draft, bringing back 24 players from the 2021 All-MVC teams. The coaches have voted 13 players representing seven teams to the 2022 preseason All-MVC baseball squad.
