Jac Caglianone was named to the All-SEC First Team (first base) and Liam Peterson to the All-SEC Freshman Team.
HOOVER, Ala. – University of Florida first baseman/left-handed pitcher Jac Caglianone<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/jac-caglianone/16365> and right-hander Liam Peterson<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/liam-peterson/16631> collected All-SEC nods from the Southeastern Conference coaches on Monday afternoon, with Caglianone being named First Team All-SEC at first base and Peterson an All-SEC Freshman Team recipient.
For Caglianone, the honor marks his second-straight season as the All-SEC First Team first baseman. Meanwhile, Peterson’s first-career All-SEC accolade follows two Freshman of the Week nods on Feb. 26 and May 20.
As the conference’s top all-around first baseman, Caglianone has slashed an unearthly .413/.525/.851 with 29 home runs, 66 runs scored and 58 RBI – all of which lead the Gators. The two-way standout ranks third nationally in home runs (second in SEC), fifth in slugging (second in SEC), eighth in batting average (second in SEC) and 11th in on-base percentage (third in SEC). On top of that, the Tampa, Fla. native has drawn 20 more walks (41) than strikeouts (21), ranking as the 59th-most-difficult hitter to strikeout in the nation with 9.9 at bats per strikeout and wielding a miniscule 8.2% punchout rate.
Caglianone delivered three extraordinary feats over the course of the regular season. After homering in an NCAA-record nine-straight games from April 6-19, Caglianone followed the act with an equally brilliant one by going 66-consecutive plate appearances without a strikeout from April 7-27. The slugger then proceeded to post a 30-game hitting streak from March 23 through May 12 to tie the all-time program mark. Adding in a 5-1 record, 4.35 ERA and 9.9 strikeouts per nine on the mound, Caglianone had more than a legitimate chance at 2024 SEC Player of the Year honors.
Shifting to Peterson, the rookie starter has been lights out across the final month of the regular season. Dating back to April 19, Peterson has made five appearances (four starts) and leads the Orange & Blue with a 2.33 ERA and .211 batting average against in 19 1/3 frames. The right-hander from Palm Harbor, Fla. is 1-0 in that span with just 15 hits allowed, nine walks and 20 strikeouts.
Overall, Peterson enters the postseason with a 2-4 record and 5.83 ERA, although his .251 BAA and 10.5 strikeouts per nine paint an even better picture. As a true freshman, he ranks second on the roster in innings pitched (54.0) and games started (12) behind Caglianone.
No. 9-seed Florida takes on No. 8-seed Vanderbilt in the opening round of the SEC Tournament on Tuesday, May 21 at approximately 5:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
2024 SEC Baseball Awards
Player of the Year: Charlie Condon, Georgia
Pitcher of the Year: Hagen Smith, Arkansas
Freshman of the Year: Gavin Grahovac, Texas A&M
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Drew Beam, Tennessee
Coach of the Year: Nick Mingione, Kentucky
First Team All-SEC
C: Jackson Appel, Texas A&M
1B: Jac Caglianone<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/jac-caglianone/16365>, Florida
2B: Christian Moore, Tennessee
3B: Charlie Condon, Georgia
SS: Justin Lebron, Alabama*
SS: David Mershon, Mississippi State*
OF: Braden Montgomery, Texas A&M
OF: Jace LaViolette, Texas A&M
OF: Dylan Dreiling, Tennessee
SP: Hagen Smith, Arkansas
SP: Khal Stephen, Mississippi State
RP: Evan Aschenbeck, Texas A&M
DH/UT: Ike Irish, Auburn*
DH/UT: Nick Lopez, Kentucky*
Second Team All-SEC
C: Cole Messina, South Carolina
1B: Blake Burke, Tennessee
2B: Peyton Stovall, Arkansas
3B: Tommy White, LSU
SS: Wehiwa Aloy, Arkansas
OF: Kavares Tears, Tennessee
OF: Ryan Waldschmidt, Kentucky
OF: Dakota Jordan, Mississippi State
SP: Ryan Prager, Texas A&M
SP: Luke Holman, LSU
RP: Griffin Herring, LSU
DH/UT: Andrew Fischer, Ole Miss
Freshman All-SEC Team
Gavin Grahovac, Texas A&M
Gabe Gaeckle, Arkansas
Justin Lebron, Alabama
Dean Curley, Tennessee
Tre Phelps, Georgia
Caden Sorrell, Texas A&M
Zane Adams, Alabama
Steven Milam, LSU
Ashton Larson, LSU
Cade Belyeu, Auburn
Liam Peterson<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/liam-peterson/16631>, Florida
Nolan Souza, Arkansas
SEC All-Defensive Team
C: Fernando Gonzalez, Georgia
1B: Blake Burke, Tennessee
2B: Emilien Pitre, Kentucky
3B: Jared Sprague-Lott, Arkansas*
3B: Mitchell Daly, Kentucky*
SS: Justin Lebron, Alabama
OF: Braden Montgomery, Texas A&M
OF: Kavares Tears, Tennessee
OF: Peyton Holt, Arkansas*
OF: Jace LaViolette, Texas A&M
P: Mason Moore, Kentucky
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