BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced its 2023 SWAC Baseball Predicted Order of Finish along with its Preseason Teams and Individual Award selections on Friday afternoon. The predicted order of finish, preseason teams and individual awards were voted upon by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.
  
Alabama State's Corey King was named Preseason Player of the Year, while Florida A&M's Hunter Viets was tabbed Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
 
King concluded regular season play ranked seventh in the SWAC in batting average (.372). During a phenomenal debut season in which he led the league in total hits (81), King was a key contributor on a Alabama State Hornets team that claimed the SWAC Eastern Division title with a 21-8 league mark. He also ranked third in slugging percentage (.656), fourth in on base slugging percentage (1.116), third in RBI, and first in homeruns (14).

Viets appeared in 15 games for the Rattlers this past season finishing with a 8-4 overall record with 90 innings pitched. He had a WHIP of 1.22 and a ERA of 2.98. Viets was named to the All-SWAC Second Team at the conclusion of the season after contributing a tremendous year on the mound for FAMU. 
 
The upcoming 2023 SWAC Baseball regular season is set to begin next week with league teams returning to action. The 2023 SWAC Baseball Tournament will be held May 24-28 at Russ Chandler Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. 
 
A complete listing of the individual awards winners is listed below.

Preseason Player of the Year
Corey King, Alabama State
 
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Hunter Viets, Florida A&M
  
Preseason First Team
C – Irvin Escobar, Bethune-Cookman
1B – O'Neill Burgos, Southern
2B – Ty Hill, Jackson State
3B – Dreylin Holmes, Mississippi Valley State
SS – Cameron Bufford, Grambling State
DH – Corey King, Alabama State
OF – Jaylen Armstrong, Southern
OF – Trevor Hatton, Grambling State
OF – Terry Burrell, Grambling State
SP – Hunter Viets, Florida A&M
SP – Louis Lipthratt, Bethune-Cookman
RP – Enrique Ozoa, Southern

Preseason Second Team
C – Julian Murphy, Grambling State 
1B –  Jaelen Williams, Jackson State 
2B – Joseph Pierini, Florida A&M
3B – CJ Castillo, Texas Southern 
SS – Zachary Trevino, Prairie View A&M
DH – Benjamin Ybarra, Prairie View A&M
OF – Ty Hanchey, Florida A&M
OF – JJ Rollon, Southern 
OF – Jatavis Melton, Jackson State 
SP – Nolan Santos, Bethune-Cookman
SP – Jacorey Boudreaux, Grambling State  
RP – Joan Gonzalez, Bethune-Cookman
 
About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.

Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.

Women's competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.

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