Heading into 2020, the ACC looks stronger than it has been since 2016, when it sent a record 10 teams to regionals (since tied by the SEC). In 2016, Louisville (No. 2) and Miami (No. 6) were the ACC’s two highest-ranked teams in the preseason, and they lived up to the billing, winning their respective divisions and reaching the 50-win mark overall. This year, the Cardinals and Hurricanes are once again the ACC’s favorites, as Louisville is ranked No. 1 for the first time in program history and Miami isn’t far behind at No. 3.
The ACC also has a very strong middle tier after those two front-runners, who are joined in the Top 25 rankings by No. 12 Florida State, No. 15 Duke, No. 16 NC State, No. 18 Wake Forest, No. 19 Georgia Tech and No. 23 North Carolina. Virginia and Clemson join those teams as regional teams in our projection, which would give the ACC 10 regional teams for just the second time ever. But Boston College and Virginia Tech both have the look of very dangerous sleepers who could easily jump up in the standings, while first-year coach Link Jarrett and second-year coach Mike Bell are working hard to rebuild Notre Dame and Pittsburgh, respectively.
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The conference preview below includes the projected order of finish, preseason awards, top prospects and a team by team breakdown.
Projected standings
*Bold indicates 2019 regional team, and records are from 2019. Teams are listed in order of projected 2020 finish.
| ATLANTIC DIVISION | CONFERENCE | OVERALL |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville | 21-9 | 51-18 |
| Florida State | 17-13 | 42-23 |
| NC State | 18-12 | 42-19 |
| Wake Forest | 14-16 | 31-26 |
| Clemson | 15-15 | 35-26 |
| Boston College | 12-18 | 31-27 |
| Notre Dame | 13-17 | 24-30 |
| COASTAL DIVISION | CONFERENCE | OVERALL |
|---|---|---|
| Miami | 18-12 | 41-20 |
| Duke | 15-15 | 35-27 |
| Georgia Tech | 19-11 | 43-19 |
| North Carolina | 17-13 | 46-19 |
| Virginia | 14-16 | 32-24 |
| Virginia Tech | 9-21 | 26-27 |
| Pittsburgh | 8-22 | 21-34 |
Projected Regional Team (10): Louisville, Miami, Florida State, Duke, NC State, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Virginia, Clemson
Player of the Year: Patrick Bailey, C, NC State
Pitcher of the Year: Reid Detmers, LHP, Louisville
Freshman of the Year: Nate Savino, LHP, Virginia
Top prospects/impact freshmen
Asterisk indicates draft-eligible underclassman
| TOP PROSPECTS, 2020 DRAFT | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reid Detmers | LHP | Louisville |
| 2 | CJ Van Eyk | RHP | Florida State |
| 3 | Patrick Bailey | C | NC State |
| 4 | Chris McMahon | RHP | Miami |
| 5 | Aaron Sabato* | 1B | North Carolina |
| 6 | Bryce Jarvis | RHP | Duke |
| 7 | Bobby Miller | RHP | Louisville |
| 8 | Shane Drohan | LHP | Florida State |
| 9 | Reese Albert | OF | Florida State |
| 10 | Joe Boyle | RHP | Notre Dame |
| 11 | Slade Cecconi* | RHP | Miami |
| 12 | Nander De Sedas* | SS | Florida State |
| 13 | Freddy Zamora | SS | Miami |
| 14 | Luke Waddell | SS | Georgia Tech |
| 15 | Andrew Abbott | LHP | Virginia |
| 16 | Nick Swiney | LHP | NC State |
| 17 | Jared Shuster | LHP | Wake Forest |
| 18 | Bobby Seymour | 1B | Wake Forest |
| 19 | Michael Rothenberg | C | Duke |
| 20 | Baron Radcliff | OF | Georgia Tech |
| 21 | Shane Muntz | C/RHP | Wake Forest |
| 22 | Austin Love | RHP | North Carolina |
| 23 | Will Fleming | RHP | Wake Forest |
| 24 | Alex Toral | 1B | Miami |
| 25 | Joey Lancellotti | RHP | North Carolina |
| 26 | Zack Brzykcy | RHP | Virginia Tech |
| 27 | Jonathan Hughes | RHP | Georgia Tech |
| 28 | Lucas Dunn | 2B/OF | Louisville |
| 29 | Max Alba* | RHP | North Carolina |
| 30 | Michael Kirian | LHP | Louisville |
| 31 | Raymond Gil | 3B | Miami |
| 32 | Griff McGarry | RHP | Virginia |
| 33 | Ian Seymour | LHP | Virginia Tech |
| 34 | Joey Loperfido | OF | Duke |
| 35 | Elijah Cabell* | OF | Florida State |
| 36 | Sam Weatherly | LHP | Clemson |
| 37 | Luke Smith | RHP | Louisville |
| 38 | Chris Lanzilli | OF | Wake Forest |
| 39 | Matt Mervis | 1B/RHP | Duke |
| 40 | Matheu Nelson* | C | Florida State |
| 41 | Tyler McDonough* | 2B/OF | NC State |
| 42 | Michael Ludowig | OF | Wake Forest |
| 43 | Zach Britton | OF | Louisville |
| 44 | Sam Hall | 3B | Clemson |
| 45 | Niko Kavadas | 1B | Notre Dame |
| 46 | Brant Hurter | LHP | Georiga Tech |
| 47 | Bryce Teodosio | OF | Clemson |
| 48 | Evan Justice | LHP | NC State |
| 49 | Kyle Hess* | OF | Pittsburgh |
| 50 | Devin Ortiz | RHP/INF | Virginia |
| TOP PROSPECTS, 2021 DRAFT | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adrian Del Castillo | C | Miami |
| 2 | Alex Binelas | 3B | Louisville |
| 3 | Mason Pelio | RHP | Boston College |
| 4 | Sal Frelick | OF | Boston College |
| 5 | Jose Torres* | SS | NC State |
| 6 | Ryan Cusick | RHP | Wake Forest |
| 7 | Ethan Murray | SS | Duke |
| 8 | Zack Gelof | 3B | Virginia |
| 9 | Henry Davis | C | Louisville |
| 10 | Danny Serretti | SS | North Carolina |
| 11 | Robby Martin | OF | Florida State |
| 12 | Mike Vasil | RHP | Virginia |
| 13 | Cody Morisette | MIF | Boston College |
| 14 | Jack Perkins | RHP | Louisville |
| 15 | Brendan Tinsman | C | Wake Forest |
| 16 | Luke Bartnicki | LHP | Georgia Tech |
| 17 | Cooper Stinson | RHP | Duke |
| 18 | Michael Turconi | SS | Wake Forest |
| 19 | Luca Tresh | OF/C | NC State |
| 20 | Carson Taylor | C | Virginia Tech |
| 21 | Vojtech Mensik | 3B | NC State |
| 22 | Jared Poland | RHP/INF | Louisville |
| 23 | Mack Anglin* | RHP | Clemson |
| 24 | Joseph Charles* | RHP | North Carolina |
| 25 | Davis Sharpe | RHP/1B | Clemson |
| 26 | Billy Corcoran | RHP | Pittsburgh |
| 27 | Kerry Wright | RHP | Louisville |
| 28 | Cort Roedig | RHP | Georgia Tech |
| 29 | Carter Lohman | LHP | Louisville |
| 30 | Chris Gerard | LHP | Virginia Tech |
| 31 | JP Gates | LHP/DH | Miami |
| 32 | Nic Kent | SS/2B | Virginia |
| 33 | Emmet Sheehan | RHP | Boston College |
| 34 | Keyshawn Askew | LHP | Clemson |
| 35 | Nick Biddison | OF/C | Virginia Tech |
| 36 | Shane Smith | RHP | Wake Forest |
| 37 | Jordan Lala | OF | Miami |
| 38 | Levi Usher | OF | Louisville |
| 39 | Rudy Maxwell | C/OF | Duke |
| 40 | Anthony Vilar | 2B | Miami |
| 41 | Adam Hackenberg | C | Clemson |
| 42 | Caleb Roberts | C/OF | North Carolina |
| 43 | Cristian Sanchez | RHP | Virginia |
| 44 | Jack Carey | RHP | Duke |
| 45 | Jack Anderson | RHP | Florida State |
| 46 | Kevin Madden | 3B | Virginia Tech |
| 47 | Brandon Neeck | LHP | Virginia |
| 48 | Will Sandy | LHP | North Carolina |
| 49 | Tim Borden | SS | Louisville |
| 50 | Carter Putz | INF | Notre Dame |
| IMPACT FRESHMEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nate Savino | LHP | Virginia |
| 2 | Jose Torres | SS | NC State |
| 3 | Chris Newell | OF | Virginia |
| 4 | Drew Compton | 1B | Georgia Tech |
| 5 | Alex McFarlane | RHP | Miami |
| 6 | Bryce Hubbart | LHP | Florida State |
| 7 | Henry Williams | RHP | Duke |
| 8 | Chris Villaman | LHP | NC State |
| 9 | Zach Maxwell | RHP | Georgia Tech |
| 10 | Dalton Rushing | 1B/C | Louisville |
| 11 | Tyler Causey | 1B/3B | North Carolina |
| 12 | Dylan Brewer | OF | Clemson |
| 13 | Jack Brannigan | 3B/RHP | Notre Dame |
| 14 | Jared Thomas | C | Miami |
| 15 | Mack Anglin | RHP | Clemson |
| 16 | Joseph Charles | RHP | North Carolina |
| 17 | Michael Prosecky | LHP | Louisville |
| 18 | Jake Holland | C | Georgia Tech |
| 19 | Luke Gold | 3B/2B | Boston College |
| 20 | Andrew Jenkins | 3B | Georgia Tech |
| 21 | Fritz Genther | SS | Virginia Tech |
| 22 | Tate Ballestero | C/1B | Virginia |
| 23 | Derek Crum | OF | Wake Forest |
| 24 | Gavin Cross | OF/1B/LHP | Virginia Tech |
| 25 | Jonathan French | C | Clemson |
| 26 | Kyle Smith | C | North Carolina |
| 27 | Matt Willadsen | RHP | NC State |
| 28 | Carson Palmquist | LHP | Miami |
| 29 | Ryan Hawks | RHP | Louisville |
| 30 | Doug Kirkland | RHP | Florida State |
| 31 | Max Cotier | MIF | Virginia |
| 32 | Tres Gonzalez | OF | Georgia Tech |
| 33 | Xander Hamilton | RHP/OF | Virginia Tech |
| 34 | Eric Grintz | C | North Carolina |
| 35 | Matthew Wyatt | RHP | Virginia |
| 36 | Pierce Gallo | INF | Clemson |
| 37 | Tyrell Brewer | INF | Florida State |
| 38 | Kellan Tulio | LHP | Louisville |
| 39 | Daniel Baruch | 1B/LHP | Boston College |
| 40 | Brandon Walker | RHP | Florida State |
| 41 | Stephen Restuccio | RHP/OF | Virginia Tech |
| 42 | Nick Vera | C | Pittsburgh |
| 43 | Grant Norris | 2B/SS | Duke |
| 44 | Max Gieg | RHP | Boston College |
| 45 | Jake Garland | RHP | Miami |
| 46 | Jackson Finley | RHP | Georgia Tech |
| 47 | Patrick Alvarez | INF | North Carolina |
| 48 | Adam Cecere | OF | Wake Forest |
| 49 | Chad Knight | C | Duke |
| 50 | Geoffrey Gilbert | LHP | Clemson |
Projected regional teams
Eight preseason top 25 teams made the ACC's projected regional teams, including Louisville, Miami, Florida State, Duke, NC State, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech and North Carolina. For an in-depth report on each of the eight ACC clubs, click their coinciding links below.
No. 1 Louisville
No. 3 Miami
No. 12 Florida State
No. 15 Duke
No. 16 NC State
No. 18 Wake Forest
No. 19 Georgia Tech
No. 23 North Carolina
To read the full, in-depth ACC conference preview and more team previews, check out D1Baseball.com.
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