The Sun Belt has been dominated by the likes of Southern Miss and Coastal Carolina for some time but will that continue in 2024? Well, it certainly looks like the two Sun Belt titans are set up well for success in this upcoming season. Here’s a look at our 2024 Sun Belt baseball season preview.
Related: 2024 College Baseball Season Preview: Big West
Appalachian State
We begin our 2024 Sun Belt baseball preview with Appalachian State. The Mountaineers were competitive in the Sun Belt conference last year, as App State went 16-13 in conference play. App State, however, won’t be bringing Xander Hamilton back to Boone. Hamilton, who struck out 114 batters last season, was picked by the Twins in the 14th round.
Senior outfielder Xavier Moronta, who led App State in hits last season, is back for 2024. Among the new players on the Mountaineers is freshman pitcher Luke Coll, who was #394 in the Class of 2023 per Perfect Game.
Arkansas State
The 2023 campaign was none too kind to the Arkansas State Red Wolves. Arkansas State finished with a 20-31 overall record and the third-worst Sun Belt conference (9-19) record.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, two-way threat and arguably Arkansas State’s best pitcher from 2023, Kyler Carmack, headed to Ole Miss after the 2023 campaign. Reliever Arlon Butts and 2023 hits leader Wil French are among the notable players back for 2024.
Coastal Carolina
Head coach Gary Gilmore has built a powerhouse in Coastal Carolina and that should remain true come 2024. Heading into 2024, the Chanticleers were rated #19 in the preseason USA Today/Coaches poll and can be considered the favorites to win the Sun Belt.
Coastal Carolina boasts a strong team, highlighted by pitcher Darin Horn, catcher Caden Bodine, and catcher/first baseman Derek Bender. Bender is rated as the 93rd-best prospect in the 2024 MLB Draft per MLB.com. As far as incoming freshmen are concerned, Cameron Flukey (#128), Walker Mitchell (#411), and Chase Stryker (#367) all made the top 500 of the Perfect Game Class of 2023.
Georgia Southern
Georgia Southern didn’t finish at or near the top of the Sun Belt last season. However, the Eagles did end 2023 with a respectable 16-14 record in what was a deep conference.
The Eagles will see Jarrett Brown, who hit 12 home runs for Georgia Southern, return for 2024. Pitcher Porter Buursema, the 275th-best player in the Class of 2023 per Perfect Game, is on the Georgia Southern roster as a freshman.
Georgia State
The Georgia State Panthers will look quite different in 2024 after a 16-14 run in the Sun Belt last season. Pitchers Ryan Watson, Joseph Brandon, and Camren Landry, the three of whom made a combined 36 starts for Georgia State last year, are no longer with the Panthers.
Georgia State will see outfielder JoJo Jackson, who hit .319 last season, return for 2024. Among the newcomers include former St. John’s pitcher Tyler Roche, former Davidson outfielder Henry Koehler, and freshman Samuel Schofield. Schofield was rated #397 in the Perfect Game Class of 2023.
James Madison
Even though James Madison lost Chase DeLauter in the 2022 MLB Draft, the Dukes didn’t do too badly in their first Sun Belt season. James Madison went 15-13 in conference play and saw infielder/outfielder Fenwick Trimble have a strong 2023 (.342. 13 HR in 56 GP) campaign.
Trimble is back for 2024, as are 2023 team strikeout leaders Ryan Murphy and Todd Mozoki. However, the Dukes won’t have an easy start to the 2024 campaign. James Madison is set to open up the season against Arkansas.
Louisiana
The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns made it to the 2023 NCAA Tournament but ultimately fell in the Coral Gables regional in what was a strong overall season. However, two key players from their 2023 roster, Jackson Nezuh and Carson Roccaforte, are now in the pros.
Louisiana will see Carson Fluno and junior infielder Kyle DeBarge, the latter of whom hit .371 for the Ragin’ Cajuns as a sophomore and is the 61st-best prospect in the 2024 MLB Draft per MLB.com, return for 2024
Marshall
Can the 2024 campaign be different for the Marshall Thundering Herd? Marshall went 5-24 in Sun Belt play in 2023, the worst record among the teams in the conference.
It doesn’t help that arguably their two best pitchers from last season, Patrick Copen (Dodgers) and Zac Addkison (Padres), are now property of Major League teams. Marshall did get back 2023 home run leader (8) Gio Ferraro.
Old Dominion
Despite a solid overall record of 32-23 in 2023, the Old Dominion Monarchs went just 15-15 in Sun Belt play. And after last season, the Monarchs did lose Sam Armstrong (Cubs) and 2023 home run leader (22) Hunter Fitz-Gerald (Mariners) to the pros.
Old Dominion will have sophomore infielder Alex Bouche, who notched 60 hits as a freshman last season. Pitcher John Holobetz, who struck out 49 over 42.2 IP last season, is also back.
South Alabama
The 2024 season was not a bright one for the South Alabama Jaguars. South Alabama went just 11-19 in conference play a year ago. However, the Jaguars will have a star back for 2024.
The star of the South Alabama team is expected to be outfielder Will Turner, the 84th-best prospect in the upcoming MLB Draft per MLB.com. Turner hit .349 and posted a 1.051 OPS for the Jaguars last season.
Southern Mississippi
What will the 2024 season have in store for Southern Miss? The last season ended in heartbreak in Knoxville when the Golden Eagles lost in the Super Regionals to Tennessee. After the 2023 campaign, Matthew Etzel, Dustin Dickerson, and Tanner Hall were all drafted by MLB teams.
The Golden Eagles will return starters Billy Oldham and Matt Adams, as well as senior outfielder Slade Wilks. Wilks blasted 20 home runs for Southern Miss as a junior last season.
Texas State
Texas State had a relatively successful season in 2023, as the Bobcats finished with the fourth-best record in the Sun Belt last season. However, Texas State lost staff ace Levi Wells in the summer after he was selected in the fourth round by Baltimore.
As for who is back for 2024, senior reliever Jack Stroud returns to Texas State. The same can be said for sophomore infielder Chase Mora, who hit .316 last season.
Troy
The Troy Trojans did enough in 2023 to make it to the NCAA Tournament. However, Troy ultimately fell in the Tuscaloosa regional. The Trojans will look to get back to the tourney in 2024 but will need to do so with a different roster.
Troy did see pitcher Grayson Stewart, who struck out 94 and posted a 3.65 ERA last year, return for 2024. Infielder Peyton Watts, who made the top 500 of the Perfect Game Class of 2023, joins the Trojans for his freshman season.
ULM
We end our 2024 Sun Belt baseball preview with the University of Louisiana-Monroe. ULM finished with a 6-23 record in conference play last year, just one game better than Marshall. Now-Red Sox farmhand Nicholas Judice, acquired in the Alex Verdugo deal, was selected and signed by the Yankees last summer.
Senior pitcher Chipper Menard and redshirt sophomore Kade Dupont, the latter of whom led the Warhawks in hits (55) last year, are among the returning players for 2024.