Clemson Baseball ranked in preseason poll

Press Release by

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Eight Atlantic Coast Conference baseball teams are ranked in Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s preseason poll, the most from any conference. Additionally, 14 ACC players were named Preseason All-Americans by the publication, highlighted by Louisville’s Brendan McKay who was named the Preseason Player of the Year.

The ACC is led in the poll by No. 8 Miami and No. 9 Florida State. Louisville is ranked No. 11, followed by No. 12 Clemson, No. 15 North Carolina, No. 16 Virginia, No. 31 NC State, and No. 38 Georgia Tech.

McKay (Darlington, Pennsylvania) was selected as the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year and earned First Team All-America honors in each of his first two collegiate seasons. As a sophomore in 2016, McKay had a 12-4 record with a 2.30 ERA and 128 strikeouts in 17 starts on the mound, while hitting .333 with six home runs, 19 doubles and 41 RBI at the plate.

The ACC contingent on the Preseason All-America squads is led by four players on the first team: Clemson’s Seth Beer, Florida State’s Dylan Busby and Taylor Walls, and Louisville’s McKay.

The second team includes Clemson’s Pat Krall, Miami’s Michael Mediavilla and Jesse Lepore, North Carolina’s J.B. Bukauskas, Virginia’s Pavin Smith and Adam Haseley, and Wake Forest’s Stuart Fairchild. Georgia Tech’s Kel Johnson, Louisville’s Kade McClure, and Miami’s John Ruiz are on the third team.

The 14 players recognized is tied for the most from any conference.

ACC on the Collegiate Baseball Preseason All-America Teams

First Team

1B - Dylan Busby, Florida State

SS - Taylor Walls, Florida State

OF - Seth Beer, Clemson

UT - Brendan McKay, Louisville

Second Team

LHP - Pat Krall, Clemson

RHP - J.B. Bukauskas, North Carolina

LHP - Michael Mediavilla, Miami

RHP - Jesse Lepore, Miami

1B - Pavin Smith, Virginia

OF - Stuart Fairchild, Wake Forest

UT - Adam Haseley, Virginia

Third Team

RHP - Kade McClure, Louisville

SS - John Ruiz, Miami

OF - Kel Johnson, Georgia Tech