SEC Baseball: Position Power Rankings Through Week 6
With the 2026 college baseball season now six weeks old, let's take another crack at ranking the top players in the SEC.
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Everyone, take a deep breath.
The four weekends of non-conference play flew by, and we’re now two weeks deep into SEC action. Easter is right around the corner, and everyone will be making their way to Hoover in no time. Things only get more consequential from here.
While we still may not know the floor and ceiling of all 16 teams in the conference, we do have a better idea of who will largely be responsible for helping their respective team try to reach their ceiling as the season treks on.
We all know how loaded with talent the SEC is, but it’s worth repeating how impressive some positions have looked thus far. The catchers are as athletic as ever, and the third baseman group is freakishly impressive. Tools are abundant all over the yard.
So, it’s time for my second iteration of ranking the top players at every position in the conference. With a six-week sample now, there have been plenty of changes compared to version one, which came after week three. Some hot starts have cooled, while others have shaken off some rust and are now impressing early on in SEC play.
And again…this is one man’s opinion and not to be taken as a slight toward your favorite team or player. The numbers play a major role, as does the eye test. Let’s get to it.
Catcher
1. Daniel Jackson, Georgia (.411/.500/.947): The strapping junior continues to bash baseballs and is now up to 15 home runs and 38 RBI on the year. He leads Georgia, an offensive juggernaut, in a slew of categories, including stolen bases (11). Jackson’s emergence makes the Bulldogs all the more terrifying at the plate. SEC Player of the Year is not out of the discussion.
2. Chase Fralick, Auburn (.352/.463/.625): The sophomore continues to motor along as the key cog in Auburn’s lineup. Of his 31 hits, 13 have gone for extra bases. He’s drawing more walks and is now up to 14 assists behind the dish. Hard exit velocities and a sweet, consistent left-handed swing.
3. Brady Neal, Alabama (.380/.485/.646): Made a move to right field this weekend but has served the most time at catcher thus far. Just had a seven-hit weekend to help the Crimson Tide sweep Florida. Drove in seven runs on Sunday thanks to a grand slam and three-run double. Neal is giving Alabama some much-needed juice at the dish to complement Justin Lebron. Now up to 31 RBI, the numbers are starting to look impressive.
4. Ryder Helfrick, Arkansas (.321/.491/.593): It hasn’t been a blistering start to the year for Arkansas’ captain behind the plate, but Helfrick brings a bellowing presence and has now drawn a whopping 29 walks this season to go with four doubles, six homers, five stolen bases and 15 assists. Perhaps not in the Golden Spikes conversation, but Helfrick is one of the best at his position.
5. Deiten Lachance, Oklahoma (.316/.430/.443): Lachance has cooled a bit after his hot start to the year and is also splitting time at catcher with Brendan Brock, someone who nearly cracked this list. Still, he’s walked more (17) than he’s struck out (15), boasts a terrific OBP and has 10 assists to his name. One of the many pieces that’s helped Oklahoma surprise many so far this season.
First Base
1. Gavin Grahovac, Texas A&M (.365/.472/.565): One part of the three-headed monster that leads the way for Texas A&M offensively, Grahovac hasn’t missed a beat after missing last season. Now up to 31 hits, he’s driven in 26 runs and has gone down on strikes just 12 times. Quietly putting together a tremendous season, he leads the pack for a first baseman group that’s among the weaker positions in the SEC.
2. Reed Stallman, Mississippi State (.377/.461/.672): It’s a different bat every night for the Mississippi State offense, and Stallman headlined the Bulldogs’ sweep of Vanderbilt on Sunday. Two doubles and a homer were a part of a four-hit, four-RBI day for the fifth-year senior. Stallman is now up to 27 RBI and is one member of a loaded infield in Starkville.
3. Hudson Brown, Kentucky (.375/.495/.537): The Mississippi native had a fun return to his home state over the weekend, racking up five hits in three games against Ole Miss. The lefty bat sprays balls to all fields, and while he may not be a slugger, he’s a perfect fit for the UK offense, and his numbers are on the rise. Brown now has 30 hits, 16 walks and 15 strikeouts this season.
4. Casey Borba, Texas (.333/.431/.679): The Longhorns are loaded, so Borba’s slower start to the season wasn’t magnified. He’s quickly picked up the pace and is now up to eight home runs this year, seven of which have come this month. There are a lot of strikeouts (28) to his game, but as long as he continues to serve as a power presence, Borba will continue to feast as one of many threats in the middle of the Texas order.
5. Brennan Hudson, Georgia (.283/.451/.850): Georgia has more versatility than anyone in the conference, so Wes Johnson rotates a slew of positions often. Hudson, listed first as a catcher, has become the first baseman of choice thanks to raw power and the ability to get on base. Of his 17 hits, 11 are homers. He’s also walked 14 times and gives the Dawgs another compelling left-handed bat. Just another weapon in Athens.
Second Base
1. Camden Kozeal, Arkansas (.344/.451/.667): The junior hasn’t stopped hitting and is on pace to eclipse his 2025 stats that earned his Second Team All-SEC honors. Kozeal has been able to nestle into second base — playing above-average defense — and just had an eight-hit week to keep things rolling. Now at 32 hits with seven home runs and 31 RBI, he brings consistency and veteran prowess to the table in Fayetteville.
2. Chris Rembert, Auburn (.328/.416/.500): Despite missing a couple of weeks early on, Rembert continues to look like one of the best hitters in the SEC and is already up to 21 hits and 16 RBI in 16 games. He just tallied six hits in four games against Georgia Tech and Texas last week. The sophomore is tooled up and brings some intimidation to the Auburn lineup.
3. Gehrig Frei, Mississippi State (.316/.395/.513): It’s easy to lose track of Frei in the middle of the Mississippi State lineup, but he continues to make the most of his opportunities. Despite still not playing every day, the fifth-year senior is up to nine extra-base hits and 15 RBI. It’s players like Frei that make the Bulldogs feel inevitable, and he’ll be key moving forward.
4. Ethan Mendoza, Texas (.269/.372/.462): Mendoza is fighting it a bit at the plate right now, currently on a 1-for-19 cold streak. Still, he’s a tremendous defender, and Jim Schlossnagle trusts him to get back to being an elite table-setter as SEC play treks on. Mendoza does have five homers and 21 RBI to his name this spring.
5. Ethan Hindle, Kentucky (.262/.381/.631): The average isn’t conducive to consistent success in SEC play, but Hindle has 17 extra-base hits this season and has played a major role for a UK lineup that has been without Tyler Bell for much of the year. He’s also drawn 14 walks, stolen eight bases and didn’t commit an error until last weekend at Ole Miss.
Third Base
1. Ace Reese, Mississippi State (.348/.440/.707): Third base is chock-full of talent in the SEC, but it just looks different when watching Reese play. The hit tool is elite, and while 24 strikeouts to this point isn’t great, when Reese barrels the ball, it goes a long way. The junior just knows how to produce and is now up to 34 RBI this season. He’s hit 12 doubles and seven home runs and is certainly pursuing All-American honors once again in 2026.
2. Tre Phelps, Georgia (.396/.521/.791): With the Georgia lineup containing so many mashers, one could forget how important Phelps is to the equation in Athens. There’s endless thunder in his bat, and he brings a special kind of moxie to the hot corner — though he did play a couple of games at second base over the weekend. Despite the gaudy numbers, it still feels like Phelps is underrated on a national scale.
3. Henry Ford, Tennessee (.344/.400/.646): Everyone knew what kind of bat Tennessee was getting in Ford, but his production has been especially fawned over considering some of the Vols’ struggles this season. He’s up to 33 knocks, including five doubles and eight homers. He’s also played third base in all but one game and has committed just three errors to date.
4. Brodie Johnston, Vanderbilt (.340/.421/.670): It’s a real struggle for Vanderbilt to consistently produce, and that even bit Johnston for the first time over the weekend as he went 0-for-13 at Mississippi State. His torrid start to the year still holds up, though. He’s got 33 hits, 18 of which have gone for extra bases. He’s cut down on the swing and miss and is playing rock-solid defense. Johnston is still one of the best at the position in the nation.
5. Camden Johnson, Oklahoma (.325/.452/.530): There are plenty of candidates for the fifth spot on this list, but watching Johnson over the weekend vs. LSU was impressive. He turned multiple double plays and just looked especially slick with the glove. Add in his 10 extra-base hits, 16 walks and 18 stolen bags, and you’ve got a poster child for Sooners chaos and why they’ve excelled so far this season.
Shortstop
1. Brendan Lawson, Florida (.380/.585/.915): Florida’s up-and-down season has been puzzling, but Lawson has consistently looked like the top shortstop in the SEC to date. He’s up to eight multi-hit games and has already smashed 10 homers, matching his total from 2025. Now at 29 RBI, Lawson has drawn 27 walks and stolen six bases. The defense hasn’t been perfect, but Lawson is the straw that stirs the drink in Gainesville and certainly looks like a potential No. 1 pick in the 2027 draft.
2. Justin Lebron, Alabama (.298/.442/.691): Lebron’s average does not stack up to the others on this list, but he’s up to 28 hits, 11 home runs, 26 RBI, 16 walks and 21 stolen bases, a top-five mark nationally. The secondary pieces around Lebron haven’t provided consistent offensive production, but he continues to pummel baseballs and looks impressive doing it. His defense looks slick, but nine errors would suggest otherwise. It’s something to monitor as the season continues. Regardless, Lebron’s cool factor is undeniable.
3. Jaxon Willits, Oklahoma (.319/.436/.542): Oklahoma continues to find ways to win games, and Willits continues to contribute in more ways than one. Ten of his 23 hits have gone for extra bases, and he’s drawn 17 walks. Defensively, he’s been outstanding and has committed just one error. The junior is striking out less and walking more. Like the Sooners, Willits’ stock is rising.
4. Luke Lawrence, Kentucky (.345/.458/.471): Lawrence made the seamless transition from second base to shortstop once Tyler Bell went down with an injury on opening day. He now has 30 hits, more than any other regular starting shortstop in the SEC. He’s just another bought-in Wildcat that does whatever it takes to win while doing the little things right. Lawrence has walked nine times, been hit by a pitch 10 times and has stolen nine bases.
5. Brandon McCraine, Auburn (.377/.506/.464): The redshirt freshman has been one of the biggest surprises in the SEC this season. Originally filling in at second base while Chris Rembert was injured, McCraine has since moved over to short and has been a spark plug. He’s since cooled off after getting a hit in 15 of his first 18 games, but still boasts an elite OBP and has stolen seven bases this spring.
Left Field
1. Bryce Chance, Mississippi State (.457/.552/.600): Chance leads the SEC in batting average and now has 12 hits in six league games. This is Mississippi State’s nine-hole hitter, for crying out loud. He’s now driven in 18 runs and has struck out just three times in 23 games. The fifth-year senior is on a tear and adds another layer to the Bulldogs’ attack.
2. Henry Allen, Georgia (.351/.458/.727): Allen got off to a ferocious start this season. He’s up to five doubles and seven homers this spring, driving in 26 runs. Allen has impressive bat-to-ball skills and doesn’t strike out much for someone with his kind of power. He’s versatile, athletic and a perfect representation of what makes Georgia so daunting.
3. Jake Duer, Texas A&M (.341/.434/.541): Perhaps the biggest surprise of the season for the Aggies, the FAU transfer now has eight hits in six SEC games, continuing his fun stretch to start the year. Duer is second on the team with 27 RBI, and he’s already up to eight doubles, three shy of his 2025 season total. The senior is also yet to commit an error and brings some extra energy to College Station.
4. Trey Gambill, Oklahoma (.361/.560/.607): The speedy senior showcased an elite glove over the weekend at LSU. His OBP remains stellar thanks to 21 walks and eight HBP in addition to his 22 knocks. Gambill has stolen 12 bases this season, too. He’s another dirtbag that’s completely bought into what Skip Johnson and Co. are building in Norman.
5. Damian Ruiz, Arkansas (.364/.500/.545): The touted Lamar transfer now has a hit in nine of the last 10 games. In five games last week, he racked up nine hits — including his first three home runs — and drove in eight runs. The Arkansas transfer portal class is starting to turn the corner, and Ruiz is leading the charge. Hitting leadoff, Ruiz has drawn 20 walks and has seven stolen bases. The power creep is promising, too.
Center Field
1. Aiden Robbins, Texas (.380/.449/.739): The stunning start for the Seton Hall transfer is blossoming into an All-American campaign. Despite a costly error on Friday at Auburn, Robbins looked like the best player on the field and had two hits in all three games. He hit 12 home runs total in each of his last two seasons, but is already at nine this spring through 23 games as a Longhorn. Add in an oft-stellar glove, and Robbins continues to send his stock soaring.
2. Caden Sorrell, Texas A&M (.393/.475/.857): Injury derailed 2025 for Sorrell, but he’s making the most of his return to the diamond this spring. His almost quiet barrage of 33 hits, including six doubles and 11 homers, has led to 38 RBI, tied for the most in the SEC. Sorrell will strike out his fair share, but the junior is pulverizing baseballs at an absurd clip, and he’s also yet to commit an error out in center this season.
3. Kyle Jones, Florida (.333/.412/.521): One of the few bats in the Florida lineup that has proved reliable, Jones is a standout leadoff hitter with 32 hits, 13 walks and 11 stolen bases to his name this season. This, of course, pairs nicely with a glove that has been at the top of his scouting report for a while.
4. Braden Holcomb, Vanderbilt (.315/.398/.739): Holcomb has slowed a bit after a menacing start to the campaign, but the slash line still speaks for itself. He’s thwacked 11 home runs and driven in 33 runs, all while playing a solid center field. Strikeouts have started to rear their head, but what Holcomb has provided the Commodores to this point isn’t worth ignoring.
5. Derek Curiel, LSU (.323/.415/.438): Curiel flat-out has not lived up to Just Baseball Preseason SEC Player of the Year expectations, but he’s started to turn the corner at the plate. He’s got hits in 11 of his last 13 games and is now up to 18 RBI and 16 walks. His move to center was well-documented, and the glove has been tremendous thus far. Curiel still has the look of an elite player, and the numbers are on the rise, despite LSU’s tumultuous season to date.
Right Field
1. Tristan Bissetta, Ole Miss (.404/.472/.904): Bissetta remains nuclear at the plate and just hit five more home runs last week to bring his season total to 14. The Clemson transfer’s swing is sweet and packs a punch. He’s now up to 38 hits and has driven in 38 runs, making up for 30 strikeouts, the lone blemish on the resume. Bissetta has 15 multi-hit games on the year and now feels like the linchpin in the Ole Miss lineup.
2. Jake Brown, LSU (.381/.487/.794): Brown finally had a subpar series hitting last week, collecting just one hit in four games. Given LSU’s struggles, it’ll hope that’s Brown’s definition of a slump. The mustachioed junior has kept the Tigers’ heads above water for much of the season. He’s now up to 37 RBI, 19 walks and seven stolen bases.
3. Anthony Pack, Texas (.291/.434/.506): The rising freshman has stamped his place in the Texas lineup via a mix of athleticism, production and electricity. The moment hasn’t seemed too big for Pack, whose only real knock thus far has been a couple of errors. He’s tied for second on the team with 24 RBI, is walking as much as he’s striking out and has stolen seven bases.
4. Reese Chapman, Tennessee (.319/.449/.542): It’s been an up-and-down season for Tennessee as a whole, and Chapman is aiming to find some consistency of his own at the dish. When he’s on, he’s one of the Vols’ top bats in the heart of the order. Twelve of his 23 hits have gone for extra bases, and he’s drawn 16 walks while cutting down on the strikeouts.
5. Terrence Kiel, Texas A&M (.320/.469/.373): Kiel did all he could to keep A&M from drowning in 2025, and he’s quietly putting together another staunch season this spring. He only has four extra-base hits and has only driven in nine runs, but he delivers some of the best outfield defense in the SEC, and he knows how to get on base. He’s drawn 17 walks and is up to six steals on the year.
Starting Pitcher
1. Ruger Riojas, Texas (32.2 IP, 7 ER, 5 BB, 56 K): The surprise of Riojas’ electric start to the season is out of the way, but the senior is still pumping high-90s gas and can tinker with his off-speed to make it seem like his pitch selection is endless. He’s a bulldog on the mound and just held a top-five Auburn team to one run over 6.1 IP. Riojas is pitching like an ace who wants the ball in his hand for big moments, and that bodes well for the Longhorns.
2. Jake Marciano, Auburn (36 IP, 4 ER, 4 BB, 51 K): You could make an argument for Marciano topping this list, and I wouldn’t push back at all. The left-handed Virginia Tech transfer and Riojas went toe-to-toe on Friday night, with Marciano holding No. 2 Texas to one run over seven nearly flawless innings. He struck out nine and continues to dazzle with his sinker and sweeper. Marciano’s control is outstanding, and he answers the bell for the Tigers every Friday.
3. Tomas Valincius, Mississippi State (34.2 IP, 4 ER, 9 BB, 47 K): In two SEC starts, the Virginia transfer has yet to allow an earned run, giving up just four hits while striking out 21 across 14 IP. He twirled a gem on Saturday against Vanderbilt, fanning 14 over seven innings. His command hasn’t proven to be an issue after some earlier starts called for a couple of Houdini acts to get out of jams. Valincius has been dynamite for the Bulldogs.
4. LJ Mercurius, Oklahoma (33.2 IP, 7 ER, 10 BB, 48 K): We all know how potent Mercurius’ high-90s fastball can be, but it’s reasonable to expect the whiff rate to drop some in SEC play. He may surrender a touch more hard contact than some of the others on this list, but the UNLV transfer is still stacking strikeouts, and his mentality is built for thriving in this league. If the slider and changeup are working, Mercurius is tough to beat. He’s completed five innings in all six of his starts for OU.
5. Dylan Volantis, Texas (33.1 IP, 5 ER, 12 BB, 44 K): As Ole Miss and Auburn have both found out, if you find yourself in a rubber game against Texas, good luck. The Longhorns have the luxury of rolling out an elite arm like Volantis on Sundays, and it’s paying off. His unique arm angle and devastating arsenal make it nearly impossible to put together consistent at-bats. His command eluded him a bit over the weekend, walking four Auburn batters, but he still muscled through four scoreless innings. Volantis is still yet to allow a home run this season.
6. Aidan King, Florida (28.1 IP, 4 ER, 7 BB, 30 K): King finally allowed earned runs for the first time this season on Saturday at Alabama. He walked four batters and was punished for his mistakes, but that’ll likely turn out to be a blip on the radar for the hard-throwing Florida right-hander. King’s stats to this point don’t rival those above him on this list, but when you watch him pitch, it remains clear that he’s one of the best arms in the SEC. Florida is maneuvering through a puzzling start to the season, so it’ll continue to lean on King and Liam Peterson as the schedule only gets more challenging.
7. Ryan McPherson, Mississippi State (33 IP, 9 ER, 6 BB, 40 K): The Bulldogs’ ace left his start on Friday after four innings and underwent an MRI over the weekend. Head coach Brian O’Connor said McPherson “didn’t look right.” Still, the sophomore’s body of work to this point is impressive. He’s limiting hard contact, striking out more hitters, putting MSU in a position to win his starts, and ultimately looks more than capable of handling the pressure that comes with feeding the Dudy Noble faithful on a Friday night. It remains to be seen if he’ll miss any time.
8. Jaxon Jelkin, Kentucky (33.2 IP, 11 ER, 8 BB, 37 K): The Wildcats’ X-factor has become their ace in quick fashion. He’s completed five innings in all but one start after firing seven innings of one-run ball on the road at Ole Miss on Friday night. It’s really hard to barrel up Jelkin, and his improved command makes him more than a stuff merchant that can’t locate. With just 46 Division I innings under his belt leading into this season, it’ll be interesting to see how he handles the consistent workload as the year continues.
9. Evan Blanco, Tennessee (33 IP, 10 ER, 15 BB, 44 K): The Vols’ Sunday arm sneaks onto the list after his best start of the year over the weekend. Blanco allowed just four hits and one run in 7.2 IP vs. Mizzou. Shaky command has kept him from going deeper into games more often, but he’s proven really hard to hit the first couple times through the order thanks to the usual lefty funk. Praising a home start against Mizzou doesn’t carry much weight, but Blanco is showing improvement, and that’s big for Tennessee moving forward.
10. Hunter Dietz, Arkansas (30.1 IP, 13 ER, 10 BB, 54 K): Slapping Dietz at the No. 10 spot after watching the redshirt sophomore strike out 12 in 6.2 IP at South Carolina. It was a shaky start to the season for the lefty, but he’s now struck out 32 and walked five in his last three outings. Dietz has been hit more than others above him here, but it’s clear what his ceiling is, and the eye test suggests he has some of the best stuff in the league. His slider has multiple variants, and the entire arsenal is solid. It’s also worth remembering that injuries limited him to just 1.2 IP the last two seasons, so the best is likely yet to come. That’s a scary thought for opposing hitters.
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Written by
Hunter Shelton is a contributing college baseball writer for Just Baseball with a focus on the SEC. A University of Kentucky graduate and Lexington native, he…