University of Georgia junior pitcher Emerson Hancock has been selected a 2020 First Team Preseason All-American by Perfect Game, it was announced Tuesday.

A 6-4, 213-pound right-hander from Cairo, Ga., Hancock registered a 1.99 Earned Run Average in 14 starts while going 8-3. In 90.1 innings, he struck out 97 with just 18 walks as the ace of the Bulldogs. He helped Georgia to a consensus top 20 final national ranking. The Bulldogs went 46-17 including 21-9 in the SEC. Hancock’s 1.99 ERA ranked among the best in school history and was the lowest by a Bulldog starter since 1977 (Chuck Fore, 1.67). 

The Perfect Game/Rawlings Preseason All-America teams were selected based on a balance of past performance, 2020 expectations and their prospective talent relative to the MLB Draft.

Hancock, who is projected as a first-round draft pick in June by multiple publications, is the 20th preseason All-American in school history. Last month, he was named a preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball newspaper. Following the 2019 campaign, Hancock was named a second-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball, D1Baseball.com, Baseball America, the NCBWA and Perfect Game/Rawlings. A first-team All-SEC selection, Hancock was a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy.

The 2020 season, under the direction of Ike Cousins head coach Scott Stricklin, begins on Feb. 14. The Bulldogs, preseason ranked No. 7 by Collegiate Baseball, will open the year by playing host to Richmond in a series at Foley Field. Season tickets are available at  this link: http://www.gado.gs/42a