COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – For the second straight season, the San Diego State baseball team was picked first in the Mountain West preseason coaches poll, as announced Tuesday by the conference office. In addition, Aztec juniors Casey Schmitt and Matt Rudick were named to the preseason all-MW team in a vote of the league's head coaches.
Collectively, SDSU received 46 points and four first-place votes, edging second-place Fresno State (42 pts, 2 first-place votes), while Nevada (38 pts, 2 first-place votes) was predicted to finish third, followed by fourth-place UNLV (34 pts). Rounding out the remainder of the poll were New Mexico (5th, 23 pts), Air Force (T-6th, 17 pts), San José State (T-6th) and Boise State (8th, 7 pts).
The Aztecs, who posted a 32-25 record and a 16-13 mark in conference play during the 2019 campaign, have won five of the last seven Mountain West championships and return five position players and two starting pitchers from last season's squad. Additionally, SDSU welcomes 13 newcomers, including 11 true freshman and a pair of junior college transfers, comprising a talented recruiting class that was ranked 20th nationally by Perfect Game.
A consensus 2020 preseason All-American as a utility player, Schmitt ranked second on the Aztecs last year with a .315 batting average as the team's starting third baseman, smacking eight doubles, five home runs and 36 RBI to merit second-team all-MW honors. The Eastlake High product also appeared in 21 games with four starts as a pitcher, posting a 3-3 record and a 3.77 ERA in 43.0 innings to go with a team-high eight saves.
In the summer of 2019, Schmitt excelled for the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod League, earning MVP honors for the championship finals after belting two homers and scoring three runs in a 10-3 title-clinching victory over Harwich. He also pitched six scoreless innings in two relief appearances during the finals, striking out eight batters against two walks.
Rudick, meanwhile, garnered first-team all-conference accolades in 2019 after leading SDSU in several categories, including batting average (.320), total bases (95), hits (77) and runs scored (48), serving as the team's leadoff hitting throughout the year. In addition, the Aztec outfielder topped the squad with 18 multi-hit games and reeled off a team-high 21-game hitting streak. The Scripps Ranch High alumnus was also the toughest player in the Mountain West to strike out last season, fanning just once per 12.1 at-bats which was good for 25th nationally.
Not to be outdone, the Scarlet and Black also return outfielders Mike Jarvis (.289, 5 HR, 8 2B, 30 RBI), who was a second-team all-MW selection as a junior last season, and Jaden Fein (.293, 4 HR, 11 2B, 20 RBI), who collected league Co-Freshman of the Year distinction to go with Freshman All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball magazine.
In addition, sophomore first baseman Brian Leonhardt (.272, 1 HR, 14 2B, 34 RBI) is back in the mix, along with sophomore right-handed pitcher Aaron Eden (4-2, 4.01 ERA, 41 SO, 19 BB).
San Diego State begins its 2020 season on Friday, Feb. 14, when it battles Virginia Tech in the first game of the Brittain Resorts Baseball at the Beach tournament in Conway, South Carolina. The Aztecs will also face host Coastal Carolina (Feb. 15) and UNC Greensboro (Feb. 16) at the event.
2020 MOUNTAIN WEST BASEBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
Rank Team (1st-place votes) Points
1. San Diego State (4) 46
2. Fresno State (2) 42
3. Nevada (2) 38
4. UNLV 34
5. New Mexico 23
6. Air Force 17
San José State 17
8. Boise State 7
2020 MOUNTAIN WEST BASEBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Name Class Position Institution
Matt Rudick Jr. OF San Diego State
Casey Schmitt Jr. 3B San Diego State
Ashton Easley Sr. OF Air Force
Nathan Price So. RHP Air Force
Jaime Arias Jr. LHP Fresno State
Oscar Carvajal Jr. RHP Fresno State
Jaylon McLaughlin Sr. OF Nevada
Dillan Shrum Sr. 1B Nevada
Joshua Zamora Jr. 3B Nevada
Connor Mang Jr. OF New Mexico
Ryan Hare Sr. RHP UNLV
Edarian Williams So. 2B UNLV
Jack-Thomas Wold Jr. 1B/DH UNLV