Jacob Gonzalez Named to 2023 Preseason All-SEC First Team

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – (Release) The Southeastern Conference released their annual Baseball Preseason All-SEC Teams Thursday morning and Ole Miss’ Jacob Gonzalez was named as the lone shortstop on the First Team.

The SEC also released the results of their 2023 Baseball Preseason Coaches’ Poll and the reigning national champions were picked to finish fourth in the Western Division with 64 total points and one first place vote. LSU was picked to win the West and Tennessee was picked to win the East with the Tigers being picked as the overall regular season champion.

The preseason accolades for Gonzalez continue to pile up as he was named a Preseason All-American by Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball News, D1Baseball, NCBWA, and Perfect Game.

In addition to his All-America honors, Gonzalez has been named the No. 3 MLB prospect in all of college baseball by D1Baseball and the No. 5 MLB Draft prospect by MLB Pipeline heading into the 2023 season. He was also named the second-best college shortstop in the nation by D1Baseball.

Gonzalez led Ole Miss in runs scored (73) and walks (50) during their National Championship run, while also starting every game at shortstop for the Rebels. He finished second on the team in RBI (52), total bases (135), and home runs (18).

The Glendora, California native put together a phenomenal postseason, scoring at least one run in every game of both the Coral Gables Regional and the Hattiesburg Super Regional. He went 3-for-4 with a solo home run that sparked the scoring for the Rebels in the National Title clinching game against Oklahoma in the College World Series Final.

Opening weekend

Ole Miss will open their 2023 campaign on February 17 against Delaware with the first of a three-game series against the Blue Hens. First pitch is set for 4:00 p.m. at Oxford-University Stadium.

(Feature image credit: Josh McCoy, Ole Miss)