2022 NCAA Baseball Tournament: Sherrill, Sproat among local players to keep an eye on

The field of 64 is set. It's time to play ball.

The 75th annual NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament gets underway on Friday with many familiar players looking to make an impact.

This season, seven players from the Pensacola-area across five qualifying teams have their minds geared towards a run to Omaha later this month.

Before the first pitch is thrown, here's a look at the former local stars set to contribute at college baseball's grandest stage:

Auburn

(No. 1 seed and host of Auburn Regional, No. 14 national seed)

Mason Land, Jr., Tate - .244 BA, 4 BB, 3 RBI, 4 R

This past spring was Land's first season with the Tigers after spending the previous season at Chattahoochee Valley at Chattahoochee Valley Community College in Phenix City, Ala.. Making appearances in 28 games, the junior infielder is hitless in his last two games, but that was preceded by a seven-game hitting streak that raised his batting average to .289.

Blue Wahoos baseball: Marlins' top prospect Eury Perez showcases electric repertoire in Pensacola

Controversy at state: Pace Patriots searching for answers after FHSAA allows suspended player to play title game

Land's finest moment this season came on May 7 when he delivered a pinch-hit bunt that scored the go-ahead run in a 5-3 victory over third-ranked Arkansas.

Florida

(No. 1 seed and host of Gainesville Regional, No. 13 national seed)

Brandon Sproat, So., Pace - 8-4, 3.59 ERA, 82.2 IP, 76 K, 31 BB, 1.28 WHIP

Originally drafted by the Texas Rangers in 2019 MLB Draft, Sproat has reemerged as a potential top-round draft pick. According to MLB.com's Pipeline prospect draft rankings, the sophomore pitcher is ranked 112th overall. This season, Sproat has been the Gators top starter on the bump, leading the team in games started (15) innings pitched and strikeouts.

The left-hander had his longest outing in his last start on May 24 against South Carolina. He didn't factor in the decision, but he only relinquished a run on four hits and a walk with seven strikeouts through 8 1/3 innings. Earlier in the season, Sproat was named SEC Pitcher of the Week on March 7.

Georgia Southern

(No. 1 seed and host of Statesboro Regional, No. 16 national seed)

Kyler Hultgren, Jr., Pine Forest - .279 BA, 4 HR, 14 RBI, 22 R, 14 BB

Hultgren is one of three-area players to help the Eagles to a runner-up finish in the Sun Belt Conference tournament. He signed with Georgia Southern last year after stops at Gulf Coast State and the College of Central Florida. The Georgia Southern junior has started 35 of the team's 58 games this season from the catcher position and has appeared in 42 games overall.

Possibly playing his best as of late, Hultgren has batted .407 (11-for-27) in May with a homerun and three RBIs.

Jesse Sherrill, Jr., Tate - .368 BA, HR, 23 RBI, 60 R, 33 BB, 13 SB

Like Hultgren, Sherrill is in his first season with the Eagles after previous stops with Division I Kennesaw State in Kennesaw, Ga. and Gordon State College in Barnesville, Ga.. Featured in the leadoff spot in the order, Sherrill has torn the cover off the ball all season long. The junior infielder is second in the Sun Belt in runs scored and sixth in batting, going no longer than three consecutive games without a hit.

Sherrill has produced 24 multi-hit games. He has accomplished that feat in seven of his last eight contests.

J.C. Peacher, R-Fr., Pace - .429 BA, 8 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB

Redshirting his last year, the former Patriot has appeared in 27 games this season primarily as a pinch runner and defensive replacement in the outfield, touting a perfect fielding percentage with seven putouts. On the rare times he was given the chance to hit, Peacher has come through with three hits in seven at-bats.

Louisiana

(No. 3 seed in College Station Regional, hosted by Texas A&M)

Trey LaFleur, So., Tate - .314 BA, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 6 R

Because of injury, LaFleur wasn't a regular contributor until the second half of the season. Still, the sophomore southpaw enjoyed a bounce back year in 2022. In roughly the same number of at-bats, LaFleur has bumped his batting average up nearly 200 points from his 2021 campaign at Ole Miss.

Helping the Ragin' Cajuns to the Sun Belt Tournament title, he has appeared primarily as a pinch-hitter while making one appearance on the mound, allowing a walk and no hits through 1 1/3 scoreless innings against UC Irvine on Feb. 20.

Ole Miss 

(No. 3 seed in Coral Gables, hosted by Miami-FL)

T.J. McCants, So., Pensacola Catholic - .239 BA, 6 HR, 27 RBI, 22 BB, 10 SB

Following a fabulous 2021 campaign where he was selected to the SEC All-Freshman team and a Freshman All-American by D1Baseball.com, McCants has taken a slight step back from a production standpoint. The sophomore enters the regional with hits in four of his last 45 at-bats. Despite his late-season swoon, McCants is a threat on the bases and a rock in the outfield.

He leads the Rebels in stolen bases and hasn't committed an error in 97 chances.

Patrick Bernadeau is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He can be reached at (850) 503-3828, on Twitter @PatBernadeau or via email at pbernadeau@gannett.com. 

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Seven Pensacola-area players to watch at NCAA Division I Baseball Tourney