SAN FRANCISCO – The Pac-12 has released the preseason coaches poll and the Oregon State Beavers were nearly a unanimous choice as the favorite to win the conference title this season.
The Beavers received nine out of 11 first place votes in the poll, released Monday. OSU was runner-up in the conference last year and returns the reigning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year in first baseman KJ Harrison, as well as starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen and relief pitcher Mitch Hickey. All three sophomores were named Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-Americans in 2015.
Oregon State is ranked in the top 8 nationally by all the major outlets. The Beavers’ highest ranking is No. 5 in the polls from D1Baseball.com, Baseball America and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).
Oregon placed fourth in the voting process and did not receive a first place vote. The Ducks finished sixth in the conference standings last year, but rank in the top 20 nationally of numerous preseason polls.
2016 PAC-12 PRESEASON COACHES POLL
- Oregon State (9) 98
- UCLA (1) 89
- California (1) 84
- Oregon 71
- USC 67
- Arizona State 50
- Stanford 49
- Washington 34
- Arizona 31
- Washington State 17
- Utah 15
