PHOENIX -- In a poll of Pac-12 Baseball head coaches, third-ranked Sun Devil Baseball has been selected as the preseason favorite to win the Conference title for the 2020 season. This is the fourth time in program history and the first since 2010 that the Sun Devils were chosen to win the Pac-12, which was also the last time ASU clinched the Conference crown.
Arizona State, which is ranked in the top-10 in every preseason national poll, received seven first-place votes and 96 points to edge runner-up and defending league champion UCLA, which amassed 89 points and the remaining four first-place votes.
The Sun Devils are coming off their first postseason appearance since 2016 after they started last season with a 21-game win streak, the second-best start to a season in Pac-12 history, en route to a 38-19 overall record and its most wins since 2011. The Sun Devil roster features five returning 2019 All-Conference performers, led by two-time All-American Spencer Torkelson, as well as the nation's No. 8 ranked recruiting class. Torkelson led the Conference in home runs last spring with 23, bringing his career-total to 48, four shy of entering the league's career top-10.
Torkelson rounded out unanimous Preseason All-America honors with the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America tabbing him on their First Team, also released today. Fellow junior slugger Trevor Hauver was named to the outlet's Third Team by the organization as well.
Torkelson was named Preseason National Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball News. Additionally, Baseball America, D1Baseball, America and Perfect Game have all tabbed Torkelson as the first team first baseman on each outlet's Preseason All-America team.
In 2019, Torkelson batted .351 with 23 homers, 66 RBIs, 17 doubles and 85 hits on route to becoming a unanimous all-American for the second year in a row. Torkelson currently sits at 48 home runs in his collegiate career, just eight shy of the ASU school record of 56. According to a number of outlets, Torkelson is - at minimum - a top-three pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, with certain outlets having him projected as the No. 1 overall pick.
Hauver becomes ASU's fourth preseason All-America after batting .339 last season with 13 homers, 60 runs scored and a .574 slugging percentage while reaching base at a .433 clip out of the leadoff spot.
The left side of ASU's infield has also received a fair amount of preseason recognition as well.
Junior shortstop Alika Williams was named to D1Baseball's first team All-America squad and the second team for both Baseball America and Perfect Game. In his sophomore season, Williams recorded 53 RBIs batting in the clean-up spot for head coach Tracy Smith's team. Williams' strong campaign earned him a Pac-12 All-Conference honorable mention and a spot on the Pac-12 All-Defensive team in 2019.
Joining Williams on Baseball America's Preseason All-America second team is junior third basemen Gage Workman who batted .330 with eight home runs and 42 RBI's in his sophomore campaign. Workman was also given recognition for his stellar defense, gaining an honorable mention for the Pac-12 All-Defensive team.
The Sun Devils open the 2020 season at home with a three-game series against Villanova beginning Feb. 14 at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. ASU will also take on 2019 College World Series runner-up Michigan on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 6 p.m. as part of an action-packed opening home weekend.
Arizona State, which is ranked in the top-10 in every preseason national poll, received seven first-place votes and 96 points to edge runner-up and defending league champion UCLA, which amassed 89 points and the remaining four first-place votes.
The Sun Devils are coming off their first postseason appearance since 2016 after they started last season with a 21-game win streak, the second-best start to a season in Pac-12 history, en route to a 38-19 overall record and its most wins since 2011. The Sun Devil roster features five returning 2019 All-Conference performers, led by two-time All-American Spencer Torkelson, as well as the nation's No. 8 ranked recruiting class. Torkelson led the Conference in home runs last spring with 23, bringing his career-total to 48, four shy of entering the league's career top-10.
Torkelson rounded out unanimous Preseason All-America honors with the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America tabbing him on their First Team, also released today. Fellow junior slugger Trevor Hauver was named to the outlet's Third Team by the organization as well.
Torkelson was named Preseason National Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball News. Additionally, Baseball America, D1Baseball, America and Perfect Game have all tabbed Torkelson as the first team first baseman on each outlet's Preseason All-America team.
In 2019, Torkelson batted .351 with 23 homers, 66 RBIs, 17 doubles and 85 hits on route to becoming a unanimous all-American for the second year in a row. Torkelson currently sits at 48 home runs in his collegiate career, just eight shy of the ASU school record of 56. According to a number of outlets, Torkelson is - at minimum - a top-three pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, with certain outlets having him projected as the No. 1 overall pick.
Hauver becomes ASU's fourth preseason All-America after batting .339 last season with 13 homers, 60 runs scored and a .574 slugging percentage while reaching base at a .433 clip out of the leadoff spot.
The left side of ASU's infield has also received a fair amount of preseason recognition as well.
Junior shortstop Alika Williams was named to D1Baseball's first team All-America squad and the second team for both Baseball America and Perfect Game. In his sophomore season, Williams recorded 53 RBIs batting in the clean-up spot for head coach Tracy Smith's team. Williams' strong campaign earned him a Pac-12 All-Conference honorable mention and a spot on the Pac-12 All-Defensive team in 2019.
Joining Williams on Baseball America's Preseason All-America second team is junior third basemen Gage Workman who batted .330 with eight home runs and 42 RBI's in his sophomore campaign. Workman was also given recognition for his stellar defense, gaining an honorable mention for the Pac-12 All-Defensive team.
The Sun Devils open the 2020 season at home with a three-game series against Villanova beginning Feb. 14 at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. ASU will also take on 2019 College World Series runner-up Michigan on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 6 p.m. as part of an action-packed opening home weekend.