SEC Starting Pitcher Power Rankings — Week 7
The Back Half Is Here — and the Separation Is Starting to Solidify
We’re deep into SEC play now, and every start means that much more.
The arms that have been consistent are proving it week after week. The ones that have been inconsistent are starting to fall — and in some cases, fall fast. After another loaded weekend across the conference, there’s movement all over this list.
Let’s get into it.
SEC Starting Pitcher Power Rankings — Week 7
1. Aidan King — Florida (Ranking unchanged)
Season: 7-2, 60.2 IP, 40 H, 20 R, 12 ER, 13 BB, 61 K, 1.78 ERA
Past week: 8.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Eight innings, zero walks, against Texas A&M and that loaded offense. That’s Aidan King.
He didn’t miss as many bats as usual, but he didn’t need to. He pounded the zone all night, let his defense work, and went as deep into the game as any starter in the SEC did this weekend. The ERA creeps up ever so slightly, but at 1.78 on the season, he’s still the best starting pitcher in the conference and it’s not particularly close, for me right now. He’s been the most consistent arm in the SEC all year, and a dominant start against one of the SEC’s best offense’s only enhances that statement.
2. Dylan Volantis — Texas (↑ from No. 5)
Season: 6-0, 56.2 IP, 41 H, 14 R, 13 ER, 17 BB, 80 K, 2.06 ERA
Past week: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 11 K
Dylan Volantis moves up to No. 2 this week, and honestly, it’s hard to argue against it at this point. He’s 6-0. He’s got 80 strikeouts on the season. His ERA sits at 2.06. And this week he went six innings against a Vanderbilt team that’s been much better offensively lately, gave up one run, and struck out 11.
He’s been a dominant Friday night arm in the SEC since he has moved into the number one spot for Texas.
3. Tegan Kuhns — Tennessee (↑ from No. 11)
Season: 3-3, 59 IP, 50 H, 21 R, 19 ER, 11 BB, 73 K, 2.90 ERA
Past week: 8.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K
Tegan Kuhns makes a massive jump this week and he’s earned every bit of it. Kuhns went eight innings, allowed three hits, no runs, one walk, nine strikeouts against Alabama. And he gets a complete game since they won in eight innings.
Last week4, he went five and two-thirds against Ole Miss without allowing an earned run. Now he follows it up with this. Two dominant starts in a row for Tegan Kuhns, and I’ve been saying all year — this kid is going to be pitching in the big leagues for a long time. He’s got the stuff, he’s got the command, and now he’s putting together the kind of back-to-back performances that move you up a power rankings list in a hurry.
4. Andreas Alvarez — Auburn (↑ from No. 10)
Season: 7-2, 52.2 IP, 41 H, 17 R, 13 ER, 18 BB, 69 K, 2.22 ERA
Past week: 6.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Andreas Alvarez bounces back after his rough outing a couple weeks ago, and the overall body of work is still really impressive. He’s 7-2 with a 2.22 ERA and 69 strikeouts. Last week’s blip was the outlier, not the trend, and this week he reminded everyone why he belongs in the top five.
The Auburn rotation as a whole continues to be the best in the league — and Alvarez is a big reason why.
5. Hunter Dietz — Arkansas (↑ from No. 6)
Season: 5-2, 59.2 IP, 49 H, 28 R, 24 ER, 19 BB, 92 K, 3.62 ERA
Past week: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
Hunter Dietz leads the SEC in strikeouts. He now has 92 on the year, and he just went seven innings against a Missouri team that has some bats, giving up three runs with only one walk and eight more punchouts.
He’s the leader in the clubhouse in K’s, and even though the ERA sits right around 3.62, the strikeout total alone makes him one of the most important starters in the conference. He continues to be a nice development for Arkansas, and he’s been really good since taking over that Friday night role.
6. Alex Petrovic — Auburn (↑ from No. 8)
Season: 7-1, 60.1 IP, 42 H, 20 R, 19 ER, 14 BB, 61 K, 2.83 ERA
Past week: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Alex Petrovic is quietly having one of the best seasons by a Sunday starter in the country. He’s 7-1 with a 2.83 ERA in over 60 innings. The strikeout total isn’t flashy, but he goes deep into games, eats innings, and wins. That’s what a Sunday starter is supposed to do.
He didn’t miss as many bats this week as you’d like, and the three walks are a tick higher than normal for him, but two runs in six innings on the road is still a quality start. Auburn keeps winning when he takes the mound, and that’s the bottom line.
7. Aiden Sims — Texas A&M (↑ from No. 13)
Season: 8-0, 60.0 IP, 43 H, 25 R, 23 ER, 17 BB, 64 K, 3.44 ERA
Past week: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K
Aiden Sims is 8-0. Let that sink in for a second.
He didn’t have his best stuff this week — five innings, two runs — but he didn’t walk anybody and he punched out seven. That’s the profile of a pitcher who knows how to compete even when he’s not at his sharpest. His breakout sophomore year continues, and he’s been one of the most reliable arms in the SEC all season. A&M is going to need him to keep this up if they want to make a serious postseason run.
8. Cade Townsend — Ole Miss (↓ from No. 2)
Season: 4-1, 41.2 IP, 33 H, 15 R, 12 ER, 12 BB, 68 K, 2.33 ERA
Past week: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
Cade Townsend drops a bit this week after his first real rough outing of the season. Four and two-thirds innings, four earned runs against Georgia — it’s not what you expect from him, and he’s better than that line shows.
But here’s the thing — even with this start factored in, he still has a 2.33 ERA on the season and 68 strikeouts in under 42 innings. The stuff is still electric. He’s still one of the most exciting arms in the conference and a guy I think should be a top-20 pick in this draft. One bad start (against the best offense in the SEC) doesn’t change any of that. I expect him to bounce back.
9. Tomas Valincius — Mississippi State (↓ from No. 4)
Season: 7-1, 63.1 IP, 50 H, 21 R, 15 ER, 14 BB, 87 K, 2.13 ERA
Past week: 3.2 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Valincius has a rough week and drops a few spots, but zoom out for a second. He’s 7-1 with an 87-strikeout season and a 2.13 ERA. That overall body of work is still elite and he’s one of the best arms in the SEC.
The stat line looks rough — 8 hits in 3.2 innings — but only three of those seven runs were earned, which tells you the defense didn’t do him any favors. I don’t think this is a trend. He’ll be back in the top five when he takes the mound next weekend.
10. Jake Marciano — Auburn (↓ from No. 3)
Season: 3-3, 56.2 IP, 38 H, 17 R, 12 ER, 9 BB, 82 K, 1.91 ERA
Past week: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Jake Marciano drops a few spots this week, but it’s not because he pitched badly — it’s because some guys above him were just better. Two earned runs in five innings against Oklahoma is still a quality start, and his season ERA of 1.91 is still one of the best marks in the league.
Auburn’s rotation top to bottom continues to be the best staff in the SEC in my opinion, and Marciano has been at the heart of it all year. He’s still very much in the top 10.
11. Ruger Riojas — Texas (↓ from No. 9)
Season: 5-2, 55.2 IP, 52 H, 24 R, 24 ER, 12 BB, 89 K, 3.88 ERA
Past week: 3.0 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Ruger Riojas had a tough weekend, getting tagged for five runs on eight hits in just three innings against Vanderbilt. He drops back down the list after jumping into the top 10 last week.
That said, 89 strikeouts on the season is ridiculous. He leads Texas in punch outs and is one of the most electric arms in the conference. The contact allowed this week was a problem, but the strikeout ability is always there and the zero walks show he wasn’t losing the zone. Sometimes you just get hit. He’ll be fine.
12. Liam Peterson — Florida (↑ from No. 14)
Season: 1-4, 55 IP, 50 H, 28 R, 24 ER, 28 BB, 76 K, 3.93 ERA
Past week: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Liam Peterson had a tough week, giving up five against A&M, and his record drops to 1-4. But I’ve said it all season — the record doesn’t tell the full story with this guy. He’s got 76 strikeouts in 55 innings, and when his stuff is right, he’s one of the nastiest arms in the conference.
The walk numbers have been a problem at times this year, but this week he only issued one. The hits were the issue. He’s a great No. 2 for Florida, and I expect him to settle back in.
13. Taylor Rabe — Ole Miss (↑ from No. 21)
Season: 3-2, 40.1 IP, 39 H, 19 R, 19 ER, 5 BB, 47 K, 4.24 ERA
Past week: 6.0 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Taylor Rabe bounces back in a big way this week. Six innings, three runs, zero walks and scattered nine hits against Tennessee — and his strikeout-to-walk ratio on the season is still one of the best among SEC starters. Five walks in 40 innings is elite command.
He had a couple rough weeks that knocked him down this list, but this is the Taylor Rabe we’ve been watching all year. The No. 3 spot in that Ole Miss rotation is critically important, and he reminded everyone why he’s the right guy for it.
14. Evan Blanco — Tennessee (↑ from No. 24)
Season: 5-2, 61 IP, 48 H, 30 R, 26 ER, 20 BB, 75 K, 3.84 ERA
Past week: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 9 K
Evan Blanco makes a nice jump this week. Six innings, three runs, one walk, nine strikeouts against Alabama — that’s a quality start, and the strikeout total shows the stuff was really working.
75 strikeouts on the season for Blanco, and Tennessee has quietly been getting a lot out of that middle-of-the-rotation spot. He’s been better than his ERA suggests, and this week he showed it.
15. Cole Gibler — Arkansas (↑ from Unranked)
Season: 4-1, 43.1 IP, 32 H, 16 R, 14 ER, 18 BB, 37 K, 2.91 ERA
Past week: 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
Cole Gibler jumps in this list in a big way. This weekend he went six innings, allowed one hit, gave up zero runs against a Missouri team that swings it decently. That’s one of the best lines of the weekend across the entire SEC.
I’ve gone back and forth on Arkansas’ arms all year — I said last week they have all the pieces, they just need to figure out where they all go — and this week Gibler showed exactly what he’s capable of. The walks are still a little high for my taste, but when you’re holding an offense to one hit in six innings, it doesn’t matter much. A 2.91 ERA in the SEC deserves respect.
16. Joey Volchko — Georgia (↓ from No. 22)
Season: 6-2, 56.0 IP, 49 H, 27 R, 25 ER, 30 BB, 67 K, 4.02 ERA
Past week: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 5 BB, 10 K
Joey Volchko does it again — 10 strikeouts, and yet still manages to work himself into trouble. Five walks in 5.2 innings is the issue, and it keeps being the issue. The swing-and-miss is elite. The stuff is real. But the walk rate is among the highest of any Friday night starter in the SEC, and that’s going to keep him from climbing this list until he cleans that up.
The ERA is now at 4.02, and with 30 walks in 56 innings, his WHIP is still one of the higher marks in the conference. He’s better than these results when he’s locked in — we’ve seen that — but Friday night starters for top-five programs have to go deep in games, and that’s hard to do when you’re piling up pitches with free passes.
17. Jaxon Jelkin — Kentucky (↓ from No. 7)
Season: 6-2, 58.2 IP, 57 H, 36 R, 28 ER, 16 BB, 69 K, 3.96 ERA
Past week: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Jaxon Jelkin has a really rough week and drops significantly on this list. Eight runs — seven earned — in five innings against Vanderbilt. That’s a tough outing for a guy who had been one of the most consistent arms in the top 10 all season.
The ERA climbs to 3.96, and the hit rate this week was a problem. He’ll bounce back — I still think he’s a first-round talent and he’s been in our top 10 for most of the year — but that was a performance that cost him, especially since I wanted him to set the tone for the weekend, and instead they lost their series at South Carolina.
18. Zane Adams — Alabama (↓ from No. 15)
Season: 4-3, 59.1 IP, 58 H, 30 R, 27 ER, 19 BB, 63 K, 4.10 ERA
Past week: 5.1 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
Zane Adams comes back down to earth after a couple of really nice starts in a row. Five and a third innings, six runs, four walks against Tennessee — that’s a tough line, especially considering how well he’d been pitching the last two weeks.
His ERA climbs back to 4.10, and the four walks are a concern after he’d done a nice job limiting free passes in recent starts. He’s still a solid SEC arm, but this was a step back against a young Tennessee team.
19. Dylan Vigue — Georgia (↓ from No. 12)
Season: 3-1, 43 IP, 24 H, 53 K, 25 BB, 2.51 ERA
Past week: Didn’t Pitch
Dylan Vigue drops a bit this week, and it’s not really about his performance — it’s just that he didn’t pitch. Wes Johnson said he wanted to rest him another weekend, but definitely something to monitor.
That said, he still leads the SEC in opponent batting average, and that’s something. When he’s out there, hitters can’t square him up. Georgia has clearly been experimenting with how they deploy him, and I think there’s still a lot of value here. We just need more innings to rank him higher.
20. Tyler Fay — Alabama (↓ from No. 23)
Season: 7-3, 65.0 IP, 54 H, 35 R, 34 ER, 16 BB, 71 K, 4.71 ERA
Past week: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
Tyler Fay has had a stretch of games where he’s been fighting it a little bit, and the ERA reflects that at 4.71. Five innings, four earned runs against Tennessee this week — it’s not terrible, but it’s not what you’d want from your Friday night guy either.
What I will say is that Fay has been durable all year. 65 innings is a lot, and he’s continued to take the ball every week for Alabama. He’s 7-3, he has 71 strikeouts, and the stuff is still there. This is more of a rough patch than a concern about who he is as a pitcher.
21. Cam Johnson — Oklahoma (↑ from Unranked)
Season: 6-1, 47.2 IP, 33 H, 22 R, 16 ER, 34 BB, 62 K, 3.02 ERA
Past week: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 5 BB, 4 K
Cam Johnson puts together another strong outing — five and two-thirds innings, three hits, no runs against Auburn. Two weeks in a row now of really good starts, and that’s exactly what I said I needed to see from him last week.
The walk rate is still a problem — five in under six innings — but when your stuff is good enough to strand those runners all night and keep zeros on the board, that’s something. He’s got a 3.02 ERA and the best pure stuff on the Oklahoma staff. If he can string a third one together, he’ll move back into the top 15.
22. Josh McDevitt — Missouri (↑ from Unranked)
Season: 3-4, 59.1 IP, 41 H, 34 R, 27 ER, 33 BB, 78 K, 4.10 ERA
Past week: 6.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 11 K
Josh McDevitt makes his first appearance on this list and he earns it. Six and a third innings, 11 strikeouts against an Arkansas team that leads the SEC in punch outs themselves — that’s an elite performance.
The season ERA of 4.10 and the 33 walks keep him from ranking higher, but 78 strikeouts in 59 innings is a legitimate stat line, and this week showed what he’s capable of when his stuff is right. Missouri has been a bit of a wild card in the SEC this year, and McDevitt has been a big part of why they’re still competitive. Keep an eye on him.
23. LJ Mercurius — Oklahoma (↓ from No. 18)
Season: 6-5, 52.1 IP, 50 H, 34 R, 31 ER, 18 BB, 73 K, 5.33 ERA
Past week: 3.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
LJ Mercurius drops back down after giving up four runs in three innings against Auburn. After a couple bounce-back starts, this was a step in the wrong direction. The ERA is back up to 5.33, and three innings against a good Auburn lineup isn’t what you’re looking for.
He still has 73 strikeouts on the year, so the swing-and-miss is real. But right now he’s in a stretch where the inconsistency is catching up with him, and that’s tough to overlook this deep in the season.
24. Shane Sdao — Texas A&M (↑ from Unranked)
Season: 3-3, 56.2 IP, 71 H, 38 R, 36 ER, 13 BB, 66 K, 5.72 ERA
Past week: 3.2 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Shane Sdao is fighting it right now. Three and two-thirds innings, eight hits — the contact allowed is just too much at this point in the season. The ERA sits at 5.72, which is the highest of any arm in this top 25.
What keeps him on the list is the zero walks. He’s got 13 walks in 56.2 innings, which is genuinely impressive command for an SEC arm. The problem is he’s leaving the ball in the zone too often and hitters are punishing it. He’s on this list because he is a solid Friday arm that they can rely on to go deep into games while their offense goes to work. I wouldn't be surprised if A&M eventually goes with Sims on Friday, but for now— if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
25. Hunter Elliott — Ole Miss (↓ from No. 19)
Season: 4-1, 52.1 IP, 52 H, 31 R, 30 ER, 28 BB, 75 K, 4.82 ERA
Past week: 3.2 IP, 9 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Hunter Elliott has one of his worst outings of the season — nine hits, eight earned runs in under four innings against Georgia. That’s a tough number to swallow for a Friday night arm.
He still belongs in this conversation because he’s been a bulldog for Ole Miss all year and that body of work matters. But this was rough, and it’s the kind of start that raises questions heading into the back half of the season. The stuff is good enough to bounce back — he’s done it before — and I fully expect him to. But this week cost him.
Storylines / Notes
Myles Upchurch — Alabama
Myles Upchurch just misses the top 25 this week after another solid outing. Five innings, three earned runs, four strikeouts — it wasn’t his best, but for a true freshman in SEC play, the fact that he’s in this conversation at all is impressive. The walks remain the thing to watch, but when he’s spotting his fastball and working his off-speed, he’s a legitimate piece for Alabama’s weekend.
Tennessee’s Weekend
Tennessee had a really interesting weekend. Tegan Kuhns was absolutely dominant. Evan Blanco had a quality start. And the Vols took the series from Alabama. When those two guys are rolling like that, Tennessee is dangerous. The question is whether Landon Mack — who just missed this list again — can get it together as the third piece, because when he’s on, that rotation can compete with anyone.
Auburn’s Rotation
I’ll keep saying it — Auburn’s rotation is the best in the SEC. You’ve got Alvarez, Marciano, and Petrovic all in the top 10. All three with ERA’s under 3. That’s not normal. That’s a postseason rotation.
The Ole Miss Question
Ole Miss has a real question mark heading into the back half. Cade Townsend and Hunter Elliott both had rough outings this week, and Taylor Rabe bounced back. When all three are clicking, they’re a top-three staff in the league. But this week showed that when two of those guys are off on the same weekend, it can get ugly fast.
Final Thoughts
We’re at the point of the season where the résumé is mostly built.
The arms that have been consistent are locked in. The ones on the fringes of this list are running out of weekends to make their case. And with conference tournament positioning tightening up, every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday start carries more weight than it did a month ago.
This is what the back half of the SEC looks like.
And it is not for the faint of heart.