We’ve managed to amble through an entire week of SEC baseball. It felt premature to stack up the SEC without at least a handful of games. Then again, after last season, Ole Miss might argue that it’s all premature until the NCAA Tournament. We won’t go that far, but with a decent sample size, here’s our in-season first crack at SEC baseball’s power rankings.

14. Mississippi State

At 5-3, the Bulldogs haven’t exactly been a disaster. They won a series with Arizona State, but have also lost games to VMI and UL-Monroe. State has the most errors in the SEC and opposing base stealers are 18-for-19 against the Bulldogs. Pitching is a huge concern, particularly the fact the staff already has issued an SEC-worst 48 walks in 72 innings. This feels like a team that will struggle enough in the little things to get left behind in the SEC West.

13. Georgia

Georgia is 5-2 but 13th in the SEC in ERA (5.46). UGA’s pitchers have allowed 14 homers, most in the SEC by a mile. Liam Sullivan has been a highlight, and Parks Harber (.370, 4 homers) has been outstanding at the plate. But Georgia will have to score plenty of runs to offset their limited pitching depth.

12. Kentucky

Pitching has been good for the 5-2 Wildcats, who are holding opponents to a .195 batting average and have the SEC’s 4th-best team ERA. UK catchers also have thrown out 7 base-stealers, tied for most in the SEC. That said, Kentucky’s 5 homers are last in the SEC. Kentucky’s pitching does look greatly improved, but the offensive is a significant question.

11. Missouri

The Tigers haven’t been this high in the SEC power rankings in a long while, but a 5-2 start, including wins over Texas and TCU definitely impressed. The pitching staff hasn’t given up a homer yet this season. Sixth-year infielder Hank Zeisler has 4 homers and 11 RBIs so far. It’s been a nice start for Mizzou.

10. South Carolina

Carolina has opened 8-0, but it’s been a little confusing. The Gamecocks opened with beatdowns but then had to outlast Penn, winning the last 2 games of the series by a single run. But South Carolina’s 26 homers lead the SEC, and App State transfer Noah Hall is off to a sharp start on the mound (2-0, 0.68 ERA). We’ll see soon enough if the Gamecocks still blast homers constantly against SEC competition.

9. Alabama

The Tide also are 8-0, albeit against less than brilliant competition. But a sub-2.00 ERA and a .352 team batting average both point to a squad that’s faring well so far. Veteran Drew Williamson has been red hot (.519 and 4 homers) and the Tide don’t have a single pitcher with an ERA above 3.60. Again, level of competition is the only strike against this squad.

8. Texas A&M (No. 12 in Baseball America poll)

A&M’s 4-3 start isn’t worthy of their elevated ranking. The Aggies are hitting just .230 with 6 homers. Nathan Dettmer has been sharp on the mound, but overall, A&M’s pitching staff has been fine, but not good enough to carry the SEC’s weakest offense on the season. Surely A&M’s cold start won’t last.

7. Auburn (No. 23 BA)

The 5-1-1 Tigers (and yes, that read correctly, it’s not a Pat Dye football record) have been solid, hitting a robust .336, led by freshman catcher Ike Irish’s .586 mark. While that stat won’t hold up, Irish is a star from Day 1 and was a top-150 prospect in the 2022 MLB Draft. On the mound, things are a big more questionable, with ace Joseph Gonzalez having arm issues that could be a massive red flag.

6. Arkansas (No. 9 BA)

Arkansas (5-2) could well be a couple spots better than this — it’s just hard to say much now. The Hogs’ 6.56 ERA is worst in the SEC, and that’s not encouraging. Losing Jaxon Wiggins for the year may be a big problem for Arkansas’ pitching depth. Offensively, the Hogs have been hot and cold — capable of blowing teams out or getting blown out. For the moment, caution is due a team with such iffy pitching.

5. Vanderbilt (No. 5 BA)

Vandy had a pair of losses in the week and sits at a humble 5-3. The pitching staff has been superb, as opponents are hitting just .198 and have struck out 97 times, one shy of the league high. But at the plate, the Dores are uncertain. A .239 team average and 7 homers are each 13th in the SEC, and even Enrique Bradfield has proved human, getting caught stealing 3 times this year after not being thrown out all season last year. Vandy will probably do a good enough job pitching to stay in games, but the offense is a concern.

4. Tennessee (No. 6 BA)

After a rough opening week, the 6-2 Vols got double good news with the return of coach Tony Vitello from suspension and the eligibility approval of transfer shortstop Maui Ahuna. UT’s 1.21 ERA attests that their pitching staff has been sharp, but the offense wasn’t good in the opening weekend. Now that things are evening out, the Vols could jump up the power rankings in a hurry.

3. Ole Miss (No. 8 BA)

The Rebels do have recent history on their side, and they put together 30 runs in 3 games of their series with Maryland. The Rebels are 6-1 and boast a .361 team batting average. Star shortstop Jacob Gonzalez may be the best position player in the SEC, and outfielder Calvin Harris is off to a red-hot start. Hunter Elliott’s balky arm is the biggest concern at the moment, but if the Rebels can put the pitching together, they’ll be fine.

2. Florida (No. 2 BA)

The Gators stand 7-1, with a 1-run loss to South Florida preventing them from a perfect mark. Jac Caglianone had a 3-homer game and threw his hat well into the ring for the league’s top two-way player (.414, 6 HR, 1-0, 2.38 ERA). Transfer Hurston Waldrep has been sharp on the mound, and Florida’s .366 batting average and 20 homers in 8 games suggests that the Gators could be the league’s best offense.

1. LSU (No. 1 BA)

The Tigers haven’t done much to hurt their cause so far. At 6-1, they mostly cruised through the Round Rock Classic, although they did take a loss to Iowa. All Dylan Crews did was rip off a 9-for-13 series. An injury to Tommy White in the opener turned out to be no big deal — though White still is waiting to hit his first homer in purple and gold. Interestingly, transfer Paul Skenes — a 2-way standout in 2022 — has only pitched so far, though it’s hard to argue with his 0.75 ERA or 23 strikeouts in 12 innings. It’s early, but the Tigers look ready for a long run this fall.