ACC baseball breakdown

Atlantic Division

Boston College: The Eagles finished the 2010 season with 30 wins for the second straight year. Leading the team at the plate is infielder Mickey Wiswall, who finished last season with 19 homeruns and 61 RBI. Despite having holes to fill both at the plate and on the mound, they are extremely strong defensively.

Clemson: The Tigers have appeared in the NCAA tournament 23 times in the last 24 years. They recently lost outfielder Kyle Parker, who was chosen in the first round of the MLB draft, but the team has few weaknesses and should be a very tough competitor.

Florida State: The Seminoles appeared in the College World Series for the 20th time last season and made it past the Gators. Star player Mike McGee hit three homeruns for the team during the 2010 NCAA Tournament. They should remain competitive in 2011.

Maryland: The Terrapins finished last in the division in 2010, but led the ACC in stolen bases. Head coach Eric Bakich has recruited the 25th best class in the nation, which should help improve the team’s depth. However, they have a lot to improve on.

NC State: The Wolfpack won nine of their final 11 games, but did not impress in 2010. Kyle Wilson led the team in batting with an average of .368. Pitcher Jake Buchanan struck out 96 batters in 105 innings, a team high.

Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons ended last season towards the bottom of the division but finished on a positive note, winning six of their final eight games. Improvement in nearly every area will be necessary for the team to be competitive this year.

Coastal Division

Duke: Though Duke’s season may not have been a success, they boast 2010’s ACC Freshman of the Year, Marcus Stroman. Stroman hit .265 as a second baseman; on the mound, he posted a 5.31 ERA with 64 strikeouts. This season’s recruiting class is solid.

Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets have been known for their offensive prowess, but suffered several key losses. Tony Plagman finished his career leading the ACC in all major hitting categories. Also gone is Deck McGuire, a first round MLB draft pick, whose career ERA was an impressive 3.27. It will be interesting to see if the team can fill these holes.

Miami: The Canes hold the NCAA record with 38 postseason appearances, extended in 2010. The loss of catcher Yasmani Grandal, ACC Player of the Year, will be a tough one. The team led the ACC with a 3.68 team ERA, but have to replace some of last season’s premiere pitchers.

North Carolina: Finishing the season with 38 wins, the Tar Heels won 16 of their last 22 games before a one-run loss to Oklahoma in the Norman Regional ended their season. They are looking to fill holes left in their pitching rotation and improve their low team batting average.

Virginia: The Cavaliers set a school record with 51 wins in 2010. The team is stacked both offensively and defensively, boasting pitcher Danny Hultzen, whose career record is 20-2, and star hitter Phil Gosselin, who finished last season batting .382. They will, however, have to recoup from the loss of several key players.

Virginia Tech: 2010 was the Hokies’ first 40-win season since 1999. Buddy Sosnoskie and Austin Wates were named to the Columbia All-Regional Team. They’ve since lost their best offensive player and pitchers, and are likely to see a drop-off in performance as they rebuild.