Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Top 40

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Illinois baseball team is ranked No. 34 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Preseason Top 40, the publication announced Tuesday. 

Preseason All-American 2B Michael Massey highlights a strong core of returners that includes C Jeff Korte, SS Ben Troike, 3B Grant Van Scoy, DH Michael Michalak, OF Zac Taylor, OF Jack Yalowitz and starting pitchers that combined for 52 of 53 starts. Illinois must replace holes at first base and outfield, where Bren Spillane and Doran Turchin departed for the MLB Draft and closer, which Joey Gerber vacated for pro ball as well.

Illinois returns 97 percent of its pitching wins, 98 percent of its pitching starts, 91 percent of its innings pitched, 75 percent of its hits, 69 percent of its runs and 48 percent of its home runs from last year. In 2018, Illinois finished 33-20 and 15-9 in the Big Ten, while finishing fourth in the conference and reaching the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. 

Illinois also brought in its first-ever top 25 recruiting class this season, the current freshmen. D1Baseball ranked the class No. 22 and Baseball America rated Illinois' recruiting class at No. 24.

The Big Ten has three teams in the top 40, including the Illini, No. 28 Minnesota and No. 39 Michigan.