FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas will begin the 2020 season in an increasingly familiar situation: highly ranked.
The Razorbacks were No. 5 in the preseason USA Today coaches poll that was released Thursday. It is the program’s second-highest preseason ranking ever in the poll, and highest since Arkansas was ranked No. 1 to begin the 2013 season.
It is the fifth time since 2007 that the Razorbacks have started the season ranked in the coaches’ top 10, and second time in three years. They were ranked No. 6 to begin the 2018 season and No. 12 to start last year.
Counting this year's preseason poll, Arkansas has been ranked in 42 consecutive coaches polls dating to March 2017.
Arkansas is coming off a 46-20 campaign that included a share of the SEC Western Division championship and an appearance in the College World Series for the second consecutive season. The Razorbacks return six primary position starters and two weekend starting pitchers from last year, but must replace multiple top relievers, including two-year ace closer Matt Cronin.
Outfielder Heston Kjerstad and shortstop Casey Martin, both juniors, are consensus preseason All-Americans in 2020. Arkansas also returns All-SEC players in designated hitter Matt Goodheart, outfielder Christian Franklin and pitchers Connor Noland and Patrick Wicklander. Goodheart was second-team all-conference along with Kjerstad and Martin last season, and Franklin, Noland and Wicklander were on the league’s all-freshman team.
Arkansas is one of nine SEC teams ranked in the coaches poll, and one of six teams in the top 10. Reigning national champion Vanderbilt received 20 of 31 first-place votes in the poll to begin defense of its title ranked No. 1.
The Commodores are followed by Louisville (No. 2), Texas Tech (3), Georgia (4) and Arkansas. Louisville received 10 first-place votes and Florida received one first-place vote in the poll.
Other ranked SEC teams are Mississippi State (6), Auburn (9), Florida (10), LSU (12), Texas A&M (21) and Ole Miss (23).
The Razorbacks are scheduled to host Georgia and Florida from the SEC East and play ever SEC West team this season. None of Arkansas’ scheduled nonconference opponents are ranked, but Oklahoma, Texas and South Alabama received votes in the poll, as did South Carolina and Tennessee, the Razorbacks’ other cross-divisional opponents.
Arkansas is scheduled to begin preseason practice Saturday with a noon scrimmage at Baum-Walker Stadium that is open to the public, weather permitting. The first practice was rescheduled from Friday because of a forecast that includes snow flurries and temperatures in the 30s.
The Razorbacks are scheduled to begin the season on Feb. 14 with the first game in a three-game home series against Eastern Illinois.
2020 Preseason USA Today Baseball Coaches Poll
1 Vanderbilt
2 Louisville
3 Texas Tech
4 Georgia
5 Arkansas
6 Mississippi State
7 Miami
8 UCLA
9 Auburn
10 Florida
11 Michigan
12 LSU
13 Arizona State
14 Florida State
15 Stanford
16 North Carolina
17 Oklahoma State
18 North Carolina State
19 East Carolina
20 Duke
21 Texas A&M
22 Georgia Tech
23 Ole Miss
24 Wake Forest
25 Oregon State