ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Fifth-year junior Jake McCaw and third-year sophomore Ryan Cermak have been selected to the Preseason All-Missouri Valley Conference team as the Illinois State baseball team was picked to finish in a tie for third in the MVC standings, as determined by a poll conducted of the conference's eight head coaches.
Both McCaw and Cermak were First-Team All-MVC honorees in the 2021 season.
McCaw, who earned the MVC's Dr. Charlotte West Award, hit a blistering .367 while leading the MVC with a .417 clip in conference action. He added 18 extra-base hits, including a league-high 10 doubles during MVC-play. McCaw had 27 RBIs and 30 runs scored.
Cermak, who was named MVC Defensive Player of the Year in his first season playing outfield, hit .284. He recorded a team-high 25 extra-base hits and 105 total bases, including 11 home runs. Cermak also had 40 RBIs and 32 runs scored en route to being named a Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper in 2021.
Dallas Baptist was picked to win the MVC while Indiana State was picked second. The Redbirds came in a two-way tie for third with Southern Illinois.
Illinois State is scheduled to open the 2022 season at second-ranked Arkansas from February 18-20.
MVC PRE-SEASON POLL
Dallas Baptist (8) - 64
Indiana State - 46
Illinois State - 39
Southern Illinois - 39
Bradley - 34
Missouri State - 32
Evansville -19
Valparaiso -15
PRE-SEASON ALL-MVC TEAM
PLAYER, TEAM POS. B/T YR. HOMETOWN (PREVIOUS SCHOOL)
Jake McCaw, Illinois State 1B L/R RJr. Bloomington, Ill. (Normal Community)
Connor O'Brien, Bradley 1B R/R Jr. San Diego, Calif. (Rancho Bernardo)
Cody Cleveland, Southern Illinois 2B R/R Jr. Rockwall-Heath, Texas (Northeast Texas College) Andrew Benefield, DBU 3B R/R RSo. Murfreesboro, Tenn. (Louisville)
Jordan Schaffer, Indiana State SS R/R RSr. Terre Haute, Ind. (West Vigo)
Drake Baldwin, Missouri State C L/R Jr. Madison, Wis. (Madison West)
Jace Grady, DBU OF S/R So. Austin, Texas (Elgin)
Ryan Cermak, Illinois State OF R/R So. Riverside, Ill. (Riverside-Brookfield)
J.T. Weber, Southern Illinois OF R/R Sr. Metropolis, Ill. (Massac County)
Luke Eldred, DBU SP R/R RSr. Mt. Vernon, Iowa (Mt. Vernon)
Shane Gray, Evansville SP R/R Sr. West Jefferson, Ohio (West Jefferson)
Peyton Sherlin, DBU RP L/L Sr. Deer Park, Texas (Deer Park)
Trey Ziegenbein, Missouri State RP R/R Sr. Blue Springs, Mo. (Johnson County CC)
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