BTN.com staff, February 10, 2016

Michigan was voted the preseason favorite to claim the 2016 Big Ten Baseball Championship, as voted on by the conference coaches and announced on Wednesday.

The coaches voted on the top six teams and also selected three students from their own squads to a Players to Watch list. The Wolverines were followed in the preseason poll by Maryland in second place, No. 3 Indiana, Iowa in fourth place, No. 5 Illinois and Michigan State in sixth place.

Michigan is coming off its first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2008 and posted a 39-25 record. The Wolverines return 19 letterwinners and eight starters. Brett Adcock posted a 10-4 record last season with a 3.10 ERA in 17 starts and earned third-team All-Big Ten honors. Carmen Benedetti, a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection last season, posted a .325 batting average with 25 doubles, two triples and five home runs, and tallied a 1.84 ERA on the mound. Evan Hill appeared in just 11 contests in 2015, but struck out 37 batters in 38 innings of work. Adcock, Benedetti and Hill represented Michigan on the Players to Watch list.

The 2016 Big Ten baseball season is set to begin on Friday, Feb. 19.

The preseason poll, featuring the top six teams, and the complete Players to Watch list can be found below.

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2016 BIG TEN BASEBALL PRESEASON POLL
1. Michigan
2. Maryland
3. Indiana
4. Iowa
5. Illinois
6. Michigan State

2016 BIG TEN BASEBALL PLAYERS TO WATCH
Jason Goldstein, Sr., C, Illinois
Cody Sedlock, Jr., SP, Illinois
Adam Walton, Jr, SS, Illinois
Craig Dedelow, Jr., CF, Indiana
Kyle Hart, Sr., SP, Indiana
Jake Kelzer, Jr., RP, Indiana
Calvin Mathews, Sr., SP, Iowa
Tyler Peyton, Sr., SP/1B, Iowa
Nick Roscetti, Sr., SS, Iowa
Nick Cieri, Jr., C/DH, Maryland
Mike Shawaryn, Jr., SP, Maryland
Kevin Smith, So., SS, Maryland
Brett Adcock, Jr., SP, Michigan
Carmen Benedetti, Jr., IF/OF/RP, Michigan
Evan Hill, Sr., SP, Michigan
Walter Borkovich, Jr., SP, Michigan State
Cam Vieaux, Jr., SP, Michigan State
Jordan Zimmerman, Jr., 2B, Michigan State
Austin Athmann, Jr., C, Minnesota
Dan Motl, Sr., OF, Minnesota
Dalton Sawyer, Sr., SP, Minnesota
Ryan Boldt, Jr., CF, Nebraska
Derek Burkamper, Jr., SP, Nebraska
Colton Howell, Sr., SP, Nebraska
Jake Stolley, Sr., RP, Northwestern
Zach Jones, Sr., 1B, Northwestern
Joe Hoscheit, Jr., OF, Northwestern
Ronnie Dawson, Jr., OF, Ohio State
Troy Montgomery, Jr., OF, Ohio State
Tanner Tully, Jr., SP, Ohio State
Sal Biasi, So., SP, Penn State
Jim Haley, Jr., SS, Penn State
Taylor Lehman, So., SP, Penn State
Matt Frawley, Jr., RP, Purdue
Kyle Johnson, Sr., CF, Purdue
Kyle Wood, Sr., 1B, Purdue
Howie Brey, Sr., SP, Rutgers
Mike Carter, Jr., OF, Rutgers
Tom Marcinczyk, Jr., OF, Rutgers