Southern Miss outfielder Matt Wallner named preseason CUSA player of the year

Today, the Southern Miss baseball team was picked to win Conference USA in a preseason poll conducted by the leagues 12 coaches. Those same coaches also picked USM’s best player as the CUSA preseason player of the year.

Matt Wallner taking home the honors for the second year in a row, coming off back-to-back All American seasons as an outfielder. During his junior season, Wallner is looking to translate that success to the mound as he takes on a more prominent role as a two-way player.

A lot like USM alum Taylor Braley two years ago, Wallner is expected to play the part of an ace on the mound and a silver slugger at the dish. If only he could reach out to his former teammate more often for advice.  “Yeah, I talk to Braley. I mean not every day, but every once in a while. I think if he’d put down the rifle more and stop hunting I could probably talk to him more. But yeah no, I think Braley is definitely a good leader and a good person to talk to for me going forward, for sure.”

Braley was selected in the sixth round of the 2017 MLB first round player draft by the Miami Marlins as a pitcher. He’s reportedly their best hitting pitcher in the entire minor league system.

Three other Golden Eagles will join Wallner on the All-Conference team, giving USM more representation than any other school in the league. Walker Powell and Stevie Powers are holding it down from the weekend rotation with first baseman Hunter Slater getting some love as well.

Now Southern Miss not ranked in the USA Today Coaches poll to start the season. Coming in at number 1 is LSU. Other notable teams making the cut are the last two College World Series winners, number 3 Florida in 2017 and number 5 Oregon State in 2018.

Not to mention, the other two Magnolia state programs getting it done with Ole Miss at 10 and Mississippi State at 15. Golden Eagles on the outside looking in with the 27^thmost votes.