SEC baseball has long featured some of the premier teams and players in the nation. Last season, three teams (LSU, Texas A&M, Florida) found themselves in Omaha for the College World Series, with Florida eventually winning the championship. With the 2o18 season set to begin on Friday, here are three hitters primed for big seasons in the SEC.

Hunter Wilson, Redshirt Junior INF, Arkansas

This is a pretty gray area, considering Wilson only had ten starts for the Razorbacks before succumbing to a season-ending leg injury, but he should shine if healthy. Wilson did impress in limited action, hitting .310 in 29 at-bats, and only striking out twice. Before Arkansas, he spent one season each at Stephen F. Austin and Oklahoma State Junior College. At SFA, Wilson played in 44 games (37 starts) and hit a respectable .252, but with just 5 extra-base hits. The power came around in his only JUCO season, where Wilson slashed an impressive .361/.475/.563 with 9 home runs, 39 RBI and 16 stolen bases. While the power numbers did not transition in limited action last season (zero extra-base hits), expect a healthy Wilson to mash SEC pitching, which is no easy feat.

Nick Horvath, Senior OF/LHP, Florida

Nick Horvath saw significant action last season, finding success on the mound, but struggling at the plate. Horvath is now entering his third season in Gainesville after spending one year at Santa Fe College (JUCO). In his previous two seasons, Horvath has enjoyed success on the mound, posting a 3.19 ERA across 42.1 innings of work. But success at the plate has not come as easily for Horvath, who has struggled to a paltry .173 average in 98 at-bats in his two seasons. On the positive side, Horvath has shown incredible patience, with a .339 OBP thanks to an almost 20% walk rate and is a tremendous fielder, not making a single error in his Florida career. If the strikeouts go down (29.3 K%), Horvath should find playing time in the outfield.

Thomas Dillard, Sophomore C/OF, Ole Miss

Dillard was a highly touted prospect out of high school, ranking amongst Baseball America’s Top 500 2016 Draft prospects, but underwhelmed in his freshman campaign. After shifting to the outfield once he was in Oxford, Dillard played in 48 games, with 45 starts between outfield and DH, but he hit just .206. A high strikeout rate (30.5%) can be to blame for the poor average, although Dillard did flash some power, having 12 of his 29 hits go for extra bases. In addition, Dillard walked at an impressive 15% rate, stole three bases, and made just two errors in the field. All in all, the season was not a lost cause, despite the low batting average. As a sophomore, look for Dillard to cut down on the strikeouts and showcase some improved power.