SEC Starting Pitcher Power Rankings
Week 4: Final Non-Conference Weekend
Final Rankings Before SEC Play
With non-conference play wrapping up, this weekend served as the final tune-up before the real gauntlet begins.
For some pitchers, it was another opportunity to dominate lesser competition and build confidence heading into conference play. For others, it revealed small cracks that SEC lineups will certainly try to exploit.
What’s clear after these first few weeks is that several programs have elite weekend rotations, and the depth of pitching across the league might be the strongest it’s been in years.
Here are the SEC Starting Pitcher Power Rankings heading into SEC play.
1. Ruger Riojas — Texas
4-0, 1.23 ERA 22.0IP 42K 3BB
Riojas continues to look absolutely electric. He threw six innings with 12 strikeouts, no walks, and one earned run on a solo home run where a hitter simply got out in front of a changeup and squared it up. Outside of that swing, the contact was weak all night.
Riojas was 95–98 mph, mixing a gyro slider at 88–91, a big curveball at 79–83, and a mid-80s changeup. He even dropped down once for a 92 mph power sinker/split look, showing an advanced ability to manipulate arm slots.
More importantly, he carries himself like a true Friday night starter — confident, aggressive, and attacking hitters with the fastball. The way he pitches off that heater reminds me of a more powerful Freddy Peralta. Right now he looks like someone who could legitimately pitch in the big leagues.
2. Cam Johnson — Oklahoma
3-0, 2.11 ERA 21.1IP 32K 5BB
Johnson jumps to No. 2 after another dominant outing. He went 5.1 innings, allowing two hits and one unearned run with seven strikeouts, bringing his season totals to 32 strikeouts and five walks in 21.1 innings.
I already wrote extensively about Johnson in my Friday Night Sh*t breakdown with Riojas, but the short version is simple: he looks like a true ace. His size, delivery, and ability to repeat mechanics give him the profile of someone who could be a frontline starter.
3. LJ Mercurius — Oklahoma
4-0, 0.39 ERA 23.1IP 34K 6BB
Mercurius continues to post absurd numbers. He threw six shutout innings, allowing four hits with six strikeouts and no walks.
That brings him to 34 strikeouts and just six walks in 23 innings, with a microscopic ERA heading into SEC play. Oklahoma having both Mercurius and Johnson at the top of a rotation makes them extremely dangerous.
4. Jake Marciano — Auburn
2-0, 1.23 ERA 22IP 35K 1BB
Marciano remains one of the most reliable Friday night arms in the country. He threw six scoreless innings, walking his first batter of the season but still maintaining elite command overall.
He did hit four batters, but much of that comes from his approach of aggressively working inside to right-handed hitters (see chart below) to open up the outer half of the plate. It’s intentional, and it works.
Marciano now sits at 35 strikeouts and just one walk on the season.
5. Ryan McPherson — Mississippi State
3-0, 1.96 ERA 23IP 28K 5BB
McPherson continues to trend upward. He walked the first hitter he faced on four pitches, which was unusual, but quickly settled in and dominated.
When he gets into rhythm, the combination of his fastball, curveball, and cutter is extremely difficult to handle. His mound presence and pitch mix make him every bit of a Friday night starter.
6. Hunter Dietz — Arkansas
2-1, 2.84 ERA 19IP 34K 5BB
Dietz makes one of the biggest jumps in the rankings. He hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last two starts and has struck out 20 batters with only one walk during that stretch.
He reminds me of a young Drew Pomeranz, sitting 92–96 mph and touching 97, mixing a curveball around 80–82 with a harder slider at 87–89. His confidence continues to grow as the game progresses.
He now has 34 strikeouts and five walks in 19 innings.
7. William Schmidt — LSU
3-1, 2.45 ERA 22.0IP 33K 4BB
Schmidt continues to look like a future big leaguer. He threw 5.2 innings with eight strikeouts and no walks, and that’s now back-to-back starts without issuing a free pass.
His jump from freshman to sophomore year has been impressive, and his stuff looks major league ready.
8. Cade Townsend — Ole Miss
2-0, 0.48 ERA 18.2 IP 32K 4BB
Townsend is technically Ole Miss’s Saturday starter right now, but I would not be surprised if he opens SEC play on Friday night.
He struck out seven in five innings, bringing his total to 32 strikeouts in 18 innings. The velocity wasn’t quite the 95–97 mph we’ve seen previously, but he still sat 93–95 and touched 96 while pitching efficiently.
He’s trending in a very strong direction.
9. Tegan Kuhns — Tennessee
1-1, 3.09 ERA 23.1IP 29K 4BB
Kuhns gave up some early runs against Wright State but settled in nicely and finished strong. He ended the night with five innings, seven strikeouts, and no walks.
His stuff is why he’s here. The body, frame, and athleticism all scream first-round talent, and he’s compiled 29 strikeouts to four walks heading into SEC play.
10. Jaxson Jelkin — Kentucky
3-0, 2.53 ERA 21.1IP 26K 4BB
Jelkin drops slightly but remains a top-tier arm. He dealt with some bad luck and weak contact against The Citadel but battled through it and gave Kentucky a chance to win.
He reminds me a lot of Jacob deGrom with his athletic delivery and lanky frame. He also unveiled a 90–92 mph cutter this weekend (see below) to complement his 94–96 fastball, slider, and curveball — a scary combination moving forward.
11. Dylan Volantis — Texas
2-0 1.54 ERA 23.1IP 29K 7BB
Volantis slides down slightly in the rankings, but this has more to do with workload management than performance. This is now the second straight outing where he hasn’t quite reached five innings, which appears to be a product of Texas managing his transition from the bullpen to a starting role under Jim Schlossnagle and Max Wiener.
He went 4.2 innings, allowing six hits and three earned runs with two walks, throwing 78 pitches in a somewhat laborious outing. While the efficiency wasn’t ideal, the stuff still looked plenty good enough.
Volantis remains a very intriguing arm heading into SEC play. He has the ability to miss bats and compete with anyone in the league, and the expectation is that his workload will continue to build as the season progresses.
12. Casan Evans — LSU
1-0, 4.66 ERA 19.1IP 30K 7BB
Evans continues to show why LSU trusts him in a big role in their weekend rotation. He opened his start by retiring the first 15 hitters in order, looking completely dominant through the first several innings.
He finished with five strong innings, and although he ran into some bad luck late and didn’t quite finish the outing cleanly, the overall performance was extremely encouraging.
His fastball sat 95–97 mph, and when he’s commanding it, he’s about as overpowering as anyone in the conference. Evans and William Schmidt form a very formidable 1-2 punch for LSU heading into SEC play, and when Cooper Moore rounds out that rotation, it becomes one of the deeper staffs in the league.
13. Liam Peterson — Florida
1-0, 3.72 ERA 19.1IP 34K 12BB
Peterson might have the most electric, pure stuff in the SEC when everything is working.
In the first inning of his start this weekend, he was sitting 97–99 mph, and the fastball had that true backspin that makes it look like it’s riding through the top of the zone. He pairs that heater with a big overhand curveball and mixes in a slider as well.
The issue right now is command. Peterson occasionally yanks the fastball and loses the feel for it, and because so much of his pitch mix works off that heater, everything else can unravel when that happens.
Still, when he’s locked in, there may not be another arm in the conference whose stuff matches up with him. If he finds consistent command, he has true ace potential.
This combo shouldn’t be allowed in college baseball.
14. Colin Fisher — Arkansas
2-1, 1.17 ERA 23IP 30K 3BB
Fisher drops slightly this week, but the overall body of work still speaks for itself.
He had a solid outing but allowed three earned runs on six hits in four innings, striking out four without issuing a walk. That’s actually notable because Fisher’s strike-throwing ability is still elite.
He now has 30 strikeouts to only three walks in 22 innings, which is an absurd strikeout-to-walk ratio. Arkansas continues to have tremendous depth in their rotation, and Fisher still profiles as one of the most reliable starters in the conference.
15. Jackson Sanders — Auburn
3-0, 3.22 ERA 22.1IP 33K 4BB
Sanders had one of the most impressive outings of the weekend.
He struck out 10 hitters in seven innings, and when everything clicks for him mechanically, the delivery and angle he creates make him extremely difficult to hit.
His crossfire motion and release point are reminiscent of Madison Bumgarner, and when he’s commanding his pitches, hitters struggle to pick the ball up. He now has 33 strikeouts in 22 innings, and Auburn’s weekend rotation continues to look very strong heading into conference play.
16. Shane Sdao — Texas A&M
3-0, 2.49 ERA 25.1IP 25K 2BB
Sdao continues to do exactly what you want from a Friday night starter: give your team a quality outing and keep them in the game.
He threw seven innings, allowing four hits and three earned runs with one walk and eight strikeouts. His season totals now sit at 25 strikeouts and only two walks in 25 innings, which speaks to his excellent command.
He may not always overwhelm hitters with strikeouts, but he mixes his pitches extremely well and consistently works deep into games.
17. Gabe Gaeckle — Arkansas
2-1, 2.61 ERA 20.2IP 27K 6BB
Gaeckle delivered a bounce-back performance this weekend.
He threw six shutout innings, allowing five hits with one walk and six strikeouts. His stuff has always had first-round potential, and Arkansas continues to trust him in big spots.
The key now will be seeing how that stuff translates once SEC lineups start forcing him to execute consistently. If he handles Friday nights well in conference play, his draft stock could rise significantly.
18. Joey Volchko — Georgia
4-0, 3.00 ERA 21IP 24K 8BB
Volchko turned in another solid outing without anything particularly flashy.
He threw six innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs with three walks and six strikeouts. It’s the type of performance that keeps him in the top twenty, but he hasn’t quite shown the dominant upside that some of the other arms around him have displayed in non-conference play.
As SEC play begins, the expectation is that he’ll need to elevate his game slightly to match up with the conference’s top aces.
19. Tyler Fay — Alabama
3-1, 4.57 ERA 21.2IP 26K 5BB
Fay had one of the best outings of the weekend.
He struck out 11 hitters in seven innings, allowing only four hits and one walk while giving up two earned runs on a homer. His ability to generate swings and misses stood out, and he looked extremely sharp throughout the outing.
If he continues pitching like that, Fay could climb quickly once SEC play begins.
20. Zane Adams — Alabama
3-0, 3.48 ERA 20.2IP 23K 3BB
Adams had a solid outing but wasn’t quite as efficient as you’d like to see.
He went five innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs with two walks and four strikeouts, throwing 90 pitches in those five innings. That pitch count is a little high for that length of outing.
Still, the overall numbers remain strong — 23 strikeouts to just three walks so far this season — and Adams continues to be a reliable piece in Alabama’s rotation.
21. Hunter Elliott — Ole Miss
2-0, 3.66 ERA 19.2IP 30K 15BB
Elliott’s situation is worth monitoring closely.
The stuff is still there, and he has 30 strikeouts in 19 innings, but the command issues are becoming noticeable. He has 15 walks and six hit batters over that span, which is far higher than what we saw from him previously.
Last season he walked 40 hitters in 85 innings, so the expectation is that he’ll eventually find that command again. But right now, those free passes are something to watch.
22. Connor Fennell — Vanderbilt
2-0, 3.80 ERA 21.2IP 30K 3BB
Fennell had a very strong outing this weekend, striking out 11 hitters and continuing to show strong command.
He now has 30 strikeouts and just three walks in 21 innings, with a 3.80 ERA. That strikeout-to-walk ratio is excellent, and if Vanderbilt’s bullpen stabilizes behind him, Fennell could become a very dependable Friday night option.
23. Tomas Valincinus — Mississippi State
3-0, 1.74 ERA 20.2IP 26K 6BB
Valincinus had a decent outing for Mississippi State, pitching four innings and allowing four hits and two earned runs with two walks and six strikeouts.
While he didn’t work deep into the game, the strikeout ability continues to show up. He now has 26 strikeouts in 20.2 innings, and he remains an important part of the Bulldogs’ rotation depth.
24. Duke Stone — Mississippi State
3-0, 3.06 17.2IP 24K 2BB
Stone had an extremely efficient outing this weekend.
He threw four innings without allowing a hit, run, or walk, striking out six on just 57 pitches. His numbers now sit at 22 strikeouts to only two walks in 17 innings, which is extremely impressive.
Mississippi State’s rotation depth continues to look better each week.
25. Aiden Sims — Texas A&M
3-0, 1.59 ERA 22.2IP 25K 5BB
Sims rounds out the top 25 after another strong outing.
He threw five shutout innings, allowing four hits with no walks and four strikeouts on just 57 pitches. He now has 25 strikeouts and five walks in 21 innings, showing a very strong improvement from his freshman season.
His development from year one to year two has been noticeable, and he looks like a much more polished starter heading into SEC play.
Emerging Pieces (26–44)
Short notes for the rest of the rankings:
Cooper Moore — LSU – The steady glue piece of LSU’s rotation; continues to provide reliable innings and shows a different look in between Evans and Schmidt. Moore is 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA and 31:5 K:BB ratio.
Landon Mack — Tennessee – Swing-and-miss stuff remains strong despite command issues this weekend and still has a 2.38 ERA with 30Ks in 22.2 IP.
Cord Rager — Oklahoma – Solid third piece in Oklahoma’s rotation despite a rough outing this weekend. 22:6 K:BB ratio in the first 18 innings of his college career is very promising.
Caden Aoki — Georgia – Has flashed swing-and-miss ability, despite average fastball velocity, but was hit around in his latest start before conference play. 25:4 K:BB ratio.
Miles Upchurch — Alabama – Talented freshman with nasty stuff and future Friday-night potential. Had 11Ks this weekend heading into SEC play and rocks a 3-1 record with a 1.39 ERA and 31Ks in 19IP.
Aiden King — Florida – Talented arm who has shown flashes but is still developing consistency and looking to go deeper into games. 17:2 K;BB ratio in 17 innings so far and has not allowed an earned run.
Alec Petrovic — Auburn – Strong secondary/third starter with a good starter profile. 3-0, 2.37 ERA 23:2 K;BB ratio is a tough Sunday guy to beat.
Weston Moss — Texas A&M – Reliable innings-eater who continues to deliver quality outings as A&M’s Saturday arm. Only blemish is a tough outing against the UCLA juggernaut.
Josh Gunther — South Carolina – Has flashed upside but still working toward consistency after dominating Clemson at home two weeks ago.
Luke Harrison — Texas – Developing arm with strong rotation depth value in between Riojas and Volantis. Will need to be more consistent in SEC play though.
Evan Blanco — Tennessee – Provides valuable depth and leadership for Tennessee’s strong pitching staff and a reliable Sunday arm.
Javyn Pimentel — Missouri – Has shown promise but struggled in his latest outing, not getting out of the second inning and giving up six earned runs against UIC.
Ben Cleaver — Kentucky – Very good arm and has shown his typical swing and miss stuff, but only throwing limited innings in non-conference. Would be higher if he had more innings. I am anxious to see if that’s a strategy or something bigger to pay attention to. He is 1-0, 0.68 ERA 20Ks 8BB’s in 14 innings so far.
Nate Harris — Kentucky – Continues to develop as another quality arm for the Wildcats, but tough outing this weekend after an incredible one last weekend.
Brady Kellenbrink — Missouri – Left-handed, Sunday arm that has show swing and miss stuff albeit not overpowering. Has 33:4 K:BB ratio, and had 11 Ks this weekend.
Wil Libbert — Ole Miss – Developing piece of the Rebels’ rotation depth.
Nate Taylor — Vanderbilt – Still searching for consistency but flashes intriguing stuff as Vandy’s Sunday arm.
Amp Phillips — South Carolina – Emerging arm with potential to climb these rankings.
Cooper Walls — Florida – Depth starter with upside as Florida continues to build pitching depth. Going to be a key piece if Peterson and King struggle to go deep into games.
Sam Cozart — Texas - This kid would be way higher if he was stating on the weekend, which may happen sooner than later if Luke Harrison doesn’t right the ship. He is a 6’6” 260-pound donkey (you may have heard of his size 18 shoe size from social media) who throws 94-96 with a power curveball. He has 18 Ks in 13 innings in two starts so far.
Taylor Tracey — Tennessee - Freshman lefty from Texas who made his first career start this week against Oakland and threw three perfect innings with 7 Ks. His delivery, mound presence, and command was very advanced for a true freshman and I was impressed. Curious to see if that develops for Tennessee and if he cracks the weekend rotation at all this year.
Dylan Vigue — Georgia - I cannot tell if Vigue will be in the rotation for the Dawgs, only time will tell as SEC plays out, but he is off to a 3-1 start with a 1.93ERA and 24:7 K:BB ration through 18.2 innings.