BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Auburn standouts Ike Irish and Bobby Peirce have earned preseason All-SEC recognition, the Southeastern Conference announced Thursday. Irish was tabbed the First Team Preseason All-SEC designated hitter/utility player and Peirce was named a Second Team Preseason All-SEC outfielder.
The preseason recognition is the second for Irish, who was named NCBWA Preseason Second Team All-America earlier this week, and first for Peirce.
A year ago, Irish became the 20th Freshman All-American in program history and set an Auburn freshman record with 24 doubles. He also earned SEC All-Freshman Team and Auburn Regional All-Tournament Team honors.
Irish led Auburn in average (.361), hits (86) and doubles (24) while ranking second in RBI (50) and total bases (130) and third in runs (48). His 24 doubles were good for the sixth most in program history, including the most since 2005, and were tied for second most in the SEC and the most among freshmen nationally. Irish also finished the season seventh in the league and fourth among freshmen nationally in hits, while his batting average was good for a top-10 mark in the SEC.
Elected a Legacy Leader by his peers for 2024, Peirce returns to The Plains coming off a 2023 campaign in which he hit a career-best .343 and is the Tigers most experienced returning position player with 102 games played and 85 starts.
Along with his career-best average, Peirce also registered career highs in runs (43), hits (62) and doubles (10) while adding five homers and 26 RBI in 46 games played in 2023. The graduate outfielder was a catalyst for Auburn's second-half run in SEC play in which the Tigers posted a league-best 12-3 record. In 17 games from April 18-May 13, Peirce registered a .438 average (28-for-64) and collected multiple hits on 10 occasions.
2024 SEC Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll
Eastern Division
1. Florida (11) – 88
2. Tennessee (2) – 75
3. Vanderbilt (1) – 73
4. South Carolina – 50
5. Kentucky – 44
6. Georgia – 36
7. Missouri – 19
Western Division
1. Arkansas (9) – 87
2. LSU (5) – 82
3. Texas A&M – 68
4. Alabama – 47
5. Auburn – 46
6. Ole Miss – 32
7. Mississippi State – 23
SEC Champion: Arkansas (9), LSU (3), Florida (2)
2024 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team
First Team
C: Cole Messina, South Carolina
1B: Jac Caglianone, Florida
2B: Cade Kurland, Florida
3B: Tommy White, LSU
SS: Colby Shelton, Florida
OF: Jace LaViolette, Texas A&M
OF: Ethan Petry, South Carolina
OF: Kendall Diggs, Arkansas
DH/UTL: Ike Irish, Auburn
SP: Hagen Smith, Arkansas
SP: Drew Beam, Tennessee
RP: Brandon Neely, Florida
Second Team
C: Devin Burkes, Kentucky
1B: Charlie Condon, Georgia
2B: Christian Moore, Tennessee
3B: Billy Amick, Tennessee
SS: Jonathan Vastine, Vanderbilt
OF: Braden Montgomery, Texas A&M
OF: Dakota Jordan, Mississippi State
OF: Bobby Peirce, Auburn
DH/UTL: Hayden Travinski, LSU
SP: Jac Caglianone, Florida
SP: Carter Holton, Vanderbilt
RP: Alton Davis II, Alabama