Southland announces preseason all-conference baseball teams

FRISCO, Texas – Reigning Newcomer of the Year and Northwestern State senior pitcher Jerry Maddox headlines the 2019 Southland Conference Preseason All-Conference baseball teams, announced by the league Tuesday.

Incarnate Word, Northwestern State, Sam Houston State, Southeastern Louisiana, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi all earned a trio of selections while Abilene Christian, McNeese, New Orleans and Stephen F. Austin each earned two picks. Central Arkansas, Lamar and Nicholls each garnered one spot.

The Cardinals and Lions lead the first team with a pair of their selections being named to the top list, including Southeastern Louisiana pitcher and two-time all-conference honoree Corey Gaconi. The Metairie, La., native went 7-1 as a member of the Lions’ 2018 rotation and issued just 1.8 walks per nine innings.

A San Jacinto Junior College transfer, Maddox worked his way from mid-week starter to weekend rotation staple and posted the Southland’s lowest ERA (1.88) among pitchers with at least 50 innings pitched. He recorded a league-high eight wins, struck out 99 batters over 86 innings and registered a .182 opposing batting average.

Among the second-teamers are 2017 Southland Conference Hitter of the Year Shane Selman of McNeese, and 2017 Freshman of the Year and SHSU hurler Hayden Wesneski.

A year after being one of the league’s most explosive hitters, Selman still managed to club the third-most home runs in the league (10), despite his average dipping 40 points.

A third-team All-Southland pick in 2018, Wesneski finished the year with a 7-3 mark and went at least six innings in 10 of his 15 starts, including each of his last eight, and posted nine quality starts.

The 2018 Southland Baseball Preseason Poll will be announced Thursday. The season begins Friday, Feb. 15, with 13 games, starting when Nicholls welcomes Southern Illinois at 1 p.m. CT.

Southland preseason all-conference teams are nominated and voted upon by the league’s head coaches. Voting for one’s own athletes is not permitted. Returning all-conference selections from the previous season are automatically named to the preseason teams and may be elevated to higher teams based on available positions.

2019 Southland Conference Preseason All-Conference Baseball Teams

First Team
Name School Pos. Class Hometown
Tyler Smith* Central Arkanas 1B Sr. Deer Park, Texas
Kyle Bergeron* Incarnate Word 2B Jr. Bridge City, Texas
Jake Georgiades* Stephen F. Austin 3B Sr. College Station, Texas
Ethan Valdez Nicholls SS Sr. San Antonio, Texas
Beau Bratton* New Orleans C Jr. Biloxi, Miss.
Dalon Farkas* Abilene Christian DH Sr. Milton, Ga.
Itchy Burts* Texas A&M-Corpus Christi OF Sr. League City, Texas
Eddy Gonzalez* Incarnate Word OF Sr. Laredo, Texas
Hunter Hearn* Sam Houston State OF Sr. Crosby, Texas
Corey Gaconi* Southeastern Louisiana P Sr. Metairie, La.
Carlisle Koestler* Southeastern Louisiana P Sr. Vicksburg, Miss.
Jerry Maddox* Northwestern State P Sr. Dayton, Texas
Cole Coker* Lamar U Jr. Huffman, Texas

Second Team
Name School Pos. Class Hometown
Ryan Flores* Incarnate Word 1B So. Corpus Christi, Texas
Cody Grosse* Southeastern Louisiana 2B Sr. Plainfield, Ill.
Enrique Sanchez Jr. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 3B Sr. Houston, Texas
Manny Vasquez Stephen F. Austin SS Sr. Naco, Ariz.
Drake Osborn* Texas A&M-Corpus Christi C Jr. Sandia, Texas
J.P. Lagreco* Northwestern State DH Sr. Pearl River, La.
Clayton Harp Sam Houston State OF Sr. El Campo, Texas
Pearce Howard New Orleans OF So. Silver Springs, Md.
Shane Selman McNeese OF Sr. Lake Charles, La.
Aidan Anderson McNeese P Sr. Beaumont, Texas
Ridge Heisler* Northwestern State P Sr. Mangham, La.
Hayden Wesneski* Sam Houston State P Jr. Cyrpess, Texas
Derek Scott* Abilene Christian U Sr. Abilene, Texas

* – Member of 2018 All-Southland Conference Teams