Cal Picked Ninth in Preseason Pac-12 Baseball Poll
Two news items as Cal prepares for its baseball opener on Friday:
---Cal was picked to finish ninth in the Pac-12 in the preseason coaches poll
---Bears first baseman and pitcher Grant Holman was one of 55 players nationwide named to the preseason Golden Spikes Award watch list by USA Baseball.
The Pac-12 is always considered one of the best college baseball conferences in America, and Cal will have its work cut out for it to reach the postseason based on the preseason poll.
UCLA, which is picked No. 2 in virtually every national preseason poll, emerged as the preseason favorite based on the coaches poll. The Bruins, who finished the 2019 season ranked No. 1 and were 13-2 last year before the 2020 season was canceled, were a unanimous choice in the 2021 preseason poll after receiving all 10 available first-place votes and totaling 100 points.
Cal was one of five Pac-12 teams that participated in the 2019 NCAA tournament, but the Bears were just 5-11 last season before the pandemic ended the season before their Pac-12 season and the NCAA tournament began.
Cal received 39 voting points to finish ninth among the 11 teams in the Pac-12.
Cal coach Mike Neu talks about UCLA in the video above.
Here are the coaches poll results:
On Thursday, California junior Grant Holmon was named to the watch list for the Golden Spikes Award, which go to the top amateur baseball player in the country.
Cal standout Andrew Vaughn won the award in 2018 and was a finalist in 2019. Cal has had 11 selections to the preseason Golden Spikes Award watch list since 2008.
Holman started all 16 games during the Bears' shortened 2020 season on the mound, at first base or as the designated hitter. He was Cal's top pitcher, compiling a 3.28 ERA with 20 strikeouts to only four walks. Opponents batted just .225 against Holman over 24.2 innings pitched. At the plate, Holman hit .250 with 10 RBI and one home run.
Holman was recently named to Baseball America’s preseason first-team All-American as a utility player.
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Cover photo provided by Cal Athletics
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