Welcome back! We are under a month away until the Road to Omaha officially begins. First pitch of the 2025 season will be February 14th. In this breakdown, you’ll find a few notes but a lot will change once the season begins.

We hit a preseason ticket last season with Tennessee winning it all. I will be releasing picks & write ups on this WordPress. I will also be posting info on X, @ Wes10rundown and @ WR_Bets. Drop a follow and let’s have a season!

1) Tennessee

What a 2024 season for Tony Vitello and the Tennessee Volunteers. The bad news for the Vols is that the last few champions have struggled the following season. Miss St and Ole Miss failed to make the tournament, then LSU struggled before catching fire to make the tournament last season. The Vols lost a chunk from last years team, however the good news is that Vitello reloaded. Dean Curley, Hunter Ensley, Reese Chapman, and Cannon Peebles return to the lineup. Curley is the #24 prospect for this year’s draft. Top transfers 3B Andrew Fischer (Ole Miss) (#42 prospect) and 2B Gavin Kilen (Louisville) (#28 prospect) will slide right into this lineup. I am high on Freshman Jay Abernathy. He will likely find himself hitting lead off and starting in LF for last year’s national champs. On the bump, preseasonAll- American Nate Snead (#69 prospect) and his triple digit fastball will return. He may even carve out a weekend starting role. Transfer Liam Doyle (Ole Miss) (#75 prospect) figures to own the Friday night role. LHP Doyle had a 5.73 ERA last season, but flashed a huge ceiling. With his stuff, I am excited to see what happens after working with Frank Anderson and staff. One of Newcomers, Juco transfer Brandon Arvidson and freshman Tegan Kuhns, will likely the other weekend role. Arvidson began his career at A&M before going JuCo last season. Kuhns rejected the draft to arrive in Knoxville. Multiple bullpen arms such as Dylan Loy will return. If AJ Russell (#43 prospect) makes a come back to full health, he is a first round arm with maybe the best fastball in the country. There is no timeline on his return, but he is planning to return to the mound at some point this season. Tennessee has new faces for this season, but this team has loads of talent. Tony V snapped the Hoover curse last season so I have no reason to believe that he cannot snap the reigning champion curse. With once again the most projected top MLB Draft prospects in the country, I expect this coaching staff to provide another top tier team as part of their dynasty run. I do not mind a ticket at all at +800; however, I am going wait to see if that price reaches +1000 or better.

2) LSU

LSU disappointed last season before becoming scorching hot a few weeks prior to Hoover. They managed to stay hot, finishing 2nd in Hoover, before losing a wild Game 3 to UNC in the Chapel Hill Regional. Now in 2025, LSU must replace Tommy White, the 1-2 punch in Jump and Holman, and top reliever Griffin Herring. However, I believe the Tigers will be fine. Jared Jones, Steven Milam, and Michael Braswell return to head line this lineup. Transfer catcher Luis Hernandez (Indiana St) and 2B Daniel Dickerson (Utah Valley) (#55 prospect) will be 2 good bats added to the lineup. OF Derek Curiel was PG’s top ranked Freshmen. On the mound, Kade Anderson (#44 prospect) flashed upside in the relief role last season and will likely move to a weekend starting role. Chase Shores (#38 prospect) missed last season due to injury, but has been regarded as a premier arm. Anthony Eyanson (UCSD) was a big portal addition and will likely be a weekend starter. Zac Cowan (Wofford) and Gavin Guidry, and Conner Ware (Pearl River JC) (#66 prospect) are other arms that fill out a deep pitching staff. William Schmidt was a top 2024 draft prospectbefore declining to attend LSU. After a rough regular season last year, I expect LSU to be a top of the line team this season. Tons of pitching and a deep lineup. Johnson will have the talent in front of him and I like the Tigers chances to make it back to Omaha. Worth a ticket.

3) Texas A&M

What an eventful offseason for the Aggies. After finishing runner up last season, HC Jim Schlossangale packed his bags and left for Texas. A huge loss; however, A&M brought in former assistant Michael Early to lead the charge while returning a lot of key members from last year’s squad. Jace LaViollette is preseason player of the year and the #1 college prospect for the MLB Draft, Gavin Grahovac was one of the best players in the country last season as a Freshman. Caden Sorrell, Kaeden Kent and Hayden Scott all return back to this loaded Aggies lineup. In the portal, A&M brought in one of the best transfer hitters available in Gavin Kash (Texas Tech). They also added 2B Wyatt Henseler (Penn) and C Bear Hassion (St Mary’s), which both figure to make an impact in College Station. On the mound, ace Ryan Prager rejected the Angels contract offer and returned to College Station. This was huge for a first year HC like Early. A&M had already lost projected ace, Shane Sdao, for the season so Prager’s return helps tremendously. Justin Lampkin will likely own the Saturday role again after throwing well down the stretch. Transfer Myles Patton (LBSU) had one of the lowest ERAs in the country last season and figures to own a weekend job in the rotation. On paper, this is probably the best roster in the country. However, I do have a few concerns. All American closer, Evan Aschenbck was the best bullpen arm in the country last season and will need to be replaced. This is also a young coaching staff that lacks HC experience. Winning games in the SEC is not an easy task and Early will have his hands full with decisions to make each weekend. He has big shoes to fill as Schloss is one of the best in the game. However, the talent on this roster makes the job easier for a new coaching staff in year one. I will own a ticket.

4) Virginia

The Cavs have made the trip to Omaha 3 times in the last 4 seasons and will have a loaded roster in 2025. UVA is projected to return 6 starters from a lineup that produced top 5 offensive numbers in multiple categories. Henry Godbout (#31 prospect) and Henry Ford (#32 prospect) both project to be high draft picks. Harrison Didawick and Jacob Ference both elected to stay another year despite being projected in last year’s draft. After hitting .362 as a freshman Eric Becker is projected to slide into the starting SS job, replacing first-rounder. Juco Transfer Chris Arroyo (Pasco-Hernando St CC) is a 2 way player expected to make an impact in the lineup and on the mound. Griff O’Ferral. On the mound, Evan Blanco and Jay Woolfolk return to headline this rotation. Blanco was lights out down the stretch last season. Brian O’Connor and the Hoos are 0-4 in Omaha over the last two seasons. With the experience in the pitching staff and one of thee best lineups in the country, this may be the roster to make it deep into Omaha. I will likely have a ticket at +1800.

5) Arkansas

Last season, Arkansas choked in regional play for the second year in a row. Their pitching and defense was top tier however; their offense desperately lacked production. As usual, the Razorbacks have high hopes for this season. Arkansas will need to replace Hagen Smith and others on the mound. Talented arms such as Gabe Wood, Colin Fisher, Will McEntire, and Gabe Gaeckle will all be returning. Gaeckle has a ton of upside topping out at 99 with multiple pitches. He was lights out in the bullpen, will likely be a top draft pick in 2026 if he performs well starting this season. Arkansas also added two huge LH SP arms in the portal with Landon Beidelschies (Ohio State) (#93 prospect) and Zach Root (ECU). According to D1, Christian Foutch (#99 prospect) is expected to slide to the closer role with Carson Wiggins and Cole Gibler contributing. Arkansas pitching staff is expected to reload, but the offense has been the main problem the last few seasons. Wehiwa Aloy (#39 prospect) and Kendall Diggs are good bats that return to the lineup with hopes of improving their offensive numbers this season. D1 currently has 5 transfer bats expected to start in this lineup including 3B Brent Iredale (New Mexico CC) and OF Logan Maxwell (TCU). I believe Arkansas will once again have one of the best pitching staffs in the country. Can a new lineup provide offensive production? Dave van Horn is so overdue. I will own a ticket once again.

6) Florida State

What a turn around last season was for the Seminoles. In 2023, FSU finished last place in the ACC before a remarkable 2024 season ending as a Final Four team. FSU’s rotation will be headlined by perhaps the best SP in the country, Jamie Arnold. Arnold (#3 prospect) posted a 2.98 ERA last season and may be the first pitcher off the board in the 2025 draft. Cam Leiter (#90 prospect) is another top arm but had a procedure this offseason, putting his 2025 season in jeopardy. If Leiter can return at some point, it would make this team a national championship contender. FSU will need to replace 4 big time bats from last season. Highly touted freshmen Myles Bailey and Hunter Carns will likely need to make immediate impact. Carns is PG’s #2 ranked Freshman. I see FSU will use their Friday Night ace, deep pitching staff, and defense to win games. The upside is definitely there if Leiter returns healthy.

Update: There is no preseason timetable for Leiter’s return. It’s uncertain if he even throws this season.

7) Georgia

Wes Johnson’s first season in Athens was a success. After earning a national host, Georgia came just short of Omaha by losing to NC State in Supers. I really like this year’s Georgia team, but was shocked to see Perfect Game rank them at 4. They return a lot but will need to replace production from their 2 best hitters in Charlie Condon and Corey Collins. Slate Alford, Kolby Branch, and Tre Phillips (#19 prospect) combined for 46 HRs last season and will be returning to lead this lineup. Kolten Smith (#47 prospect) and Leighton Finley have experience return to lead the rotation. Georgia loaded up in the transfer portal this offseason with loads of talent. Nolan McCarthy, Devin Obee, and Robbie Burnett are projected to have immediate impact in the OF. JT Quinn struggled on the mound at Ole Miss last season but has flashed upside. Brian Curley was good at VCU last season and be a nice addition. Replacing Condon is no easy task, but this lineup has the pieces. After taking in 17 D1 transfers (and more JuCo), we will see how well Georgia molds. If everything does click though, this team has much upside as anyone in the country. Similar to last season, Georgia will need the pitching to keep pace with the offense. Finley and Smith have potential but both showed inconsistency last season.

8) Florida

A lot of people will tell you Florida did not deserve to make the tournament last season given their resume. Florida dropped a few games they should’ve won during the regular season, but the talent was there all along. The Gators caught fire in the Stillwater regional and ended as a final four team remaining in Omaha. As we know, replacing Cags will not be easy. However, I believe this year’s team has more depth than last years. Colby Shelton, Luke Heyman, Brody Donay, Cade Kurland and Ty Evans are all back in the lineup. Cags carried this offense at times last season. Cade Kurland and Colby Shelton will need to improve from last year’s numbers to lead this lineup. Transfers Kyle Jones (Stetson) and Blake Cyr (Miami) were two big gets in the portal. On the mound, Liam Peterson is set to lead the rotation after an up and down freshman season. Peterson runs the fastball up to 98 and projects to be a top arm in the 2026 draft. Pierce Coppola will hope to improve last season’s numbers. Jake Clemente projects to be the #3. He pitched well down the stretch last season and was a big part of the Omaha run. The Gators are talented on paper once again. I will own a ticket. Never doubt Kevin O’Sullivan as he is one of the best coaches in the game. It would be nice to see them show up in the regular season this time around though.

9) Oregon State

It sucks that Oregon State will be without a conference for this season, but thankfully the Pac will return in 2026. The Beavers had a solid 2024 season earning a host seed before falling in Supers to Kentucky. Travis Bazzanna is gonna and so are starters Aiden May and Jacob Kmatz. However, the Beavers have a pair of projected first rounders in Trent Caraway (#21 prospect) and transfer Aiva Arquette (Washington) (#7 prospect). Gavin Turley (#84 prospect) and Dallas Macias (#60 prospect) will hold down the middle of the order. This lineup will be able to produce runs. The main concern for the Beavers will be on the mound. Eric Segura is their only returning weekend piece and will likely own the Sunday role. Talented Freshman Dax Whitney turned down to draft for Corvallis, and projected to carve out a starting role. Nelson Keljo (#89 prospect) took a leap forward last season and earned a spot on Team USA. Oregon State is high on him, as D1 has Keljo as the projected Friday Night starter. The Beavers only play 20 home games this season. They have 3 tournaments / classics before March. Despite lacking a conference, their schedule will be strong with plenty of opportunities to capture RPI. How will the committee look at Oregon State as an Independent? I believe this team has major upside.

10) Clemson

Erik Bakick has earned a host site in both seasons at Clemson so far. They were eliminated in Supers last year by Florida. The Tigers will be led by Cam Cannarella, who is a potential Player of the Year Award winner. Cannarella is a show in CF that I highly recommend watching at some point this season. On the mound, Ace Aidan Knaak returns along with weekend starter, Ethan Darden. Transfer Michael Gillen posted a 2.31 ERA for Seton Hall last season and will be relied on heavily by this Clemson staff. Drew Titsworth will return to be a high leverage bullpen arm. The Tigers do need to replace big bats such as Jimmy Obertop and Blake Wright on offense. Transfers Luke Gaffney (Purdue), Dominic Listi (Indiana St), and Collin Priest (Michigan) will need to help Cannarella out in this lineup. Gaffney won B10 Freshman of the Year last season with a .359 average. I like this team. They have a superstar in Cannarella, Friday night Ace (Knaak), solid Sat / Sun arms, and a decent bullpen. There are some questions, but Bakich is a great coach and will get the most out of them.

11) North Carolina

Last season was a success for UNC. The Tar Heels won the ACC and made a run to Omaha. They will be returning a solid team, but will need replacements for Vance Honeycutt, Casey Cook, Shea Sprague, and Dalton Pence. The pitching staff will be one of the best, if healthy. Ace Jason DeCaro returns with experience after leading last season. Folger Boaz and Jake Knapp are healthy after suffering injuries last season. All-American Matthew Matthijs will also return to anchor the bullpen. The lineup will be headlined by returning C Luke Stevenson and 3B Gavin Gallaher. Stevenson is only a sophomore and projected to be the first catcher taken in the 2025 draft (#13 overall). D1 currently projects 3 transfers to start in the NC OF: Rom Kellis (FloDar JC), Kane Kepley (Liberty), and Tyson Bass (NC Wesleyan). Kepley is the #40 overall draft prospect according to MLB and was a massive get for UNC. With a good amount returning, I like UNC to find themselves near the top of the ACC once again. I love this pitching staff’s upside, but can they replace the offensive production lost? UNC opens with a series against Texas Tech.

12) Texas

Welcome to the SEC and Jim Schlossnagle era, Texas fans. What an offseason for the Texas baseball program. Schlossnagle is one of the best in the game and is exactly who you would want to lead the program as they move to the SEC. There are uncertainties among Texas for 2025 but this team will be able to hit the baseball. Max Belyeu (#14 prospect) will be one of the best players in the SEC. Jalin Flores, Kimble Schuessler and Ryan Galvan all return after having successful seasons. Newcomers Ethan Mendoza (Arizona St), Easton Winfield (UL Monroe) and Fr. Adrian Rodriguez will plug right into this already experienced lineup. On the mound, the Longhorns attacked the portal. Pitching coach Max Weiner will have his work cut out for him. Jared Spencer (Indiana St) managed a 4.08 ERA last season and is projected to own the Friday role with massive upside. Luke Harrison will throw innings. Other arms include Kade Bing (McLennan CC), Grayson Saunier (Ole Miss), and talent bullpen arm Ruger Riojas (UTSA). Schlossnagle and company will get the most out of this team. We will get a good glimpse of Texas opening weekend when they play Louisville, Ole Miss, and OKST. Can Texas compete in the SEC in year one?

13) Wake Forest

After being preseason favorites last season, Wake was one of the more disappointing teams from last season but it happens. Wake had three top ten picks last season and somehow managed to reload. HC Tom Walter is high on this year’s team and I agree with him. On paper, this is one of the strongest rosters in the country. Marek Houston (#16 prospect) is regarded as the best SS in the country. Transfer Ethan Conrad (Marist, #23 prospect) is also a projected 1st rounder. Jack Winnay returns after a successful sophomore season. C Jimmy Keenan (St. John’s) and Kade Lewis (Butler) project to make immediate impact. Freshman 3B Dalton Wentz is also a talented prospect. Wake has had seven pitchers selected in the first four rounds of the previous two drafts. Their pitching lab also reloaded for this season. Their Friday night starter projects to be transfer Matthew Dallas (Tennessee). I was high on Dallas when he arrived at TN but he never managed to carve out a big role on last year’s national championship team. He is not Chase Burns but he has some very good stuff and I am looking forward to watching him with a larger role this season. Logan Lunceford (Missouri) posted an ERA above 7.00 last season but flashed upside. Freshman Duncan Marsten, Blake Morningstar and Matt Bedford (Notre Dame) are other talented arms on this Wake staff. Joe Arioloa (#87 prospect) is another arm that will be heavily relied on. Chris Levonas was PG’s #9 ranked Freshman. I like this Wake team. I believe last year was just a rough bump in the road for this program. With two projected first round picks and loads of transfer talent, the upside is sky high for this ball club.

14) Duke

Duke has done a tremendous job with their baseball program the last few years. HC Chris Pollard returns with another talented team. Duke was snubbed on a regional host last reason after winning the ACC tournament. Kyle Johnson and AJ Gracia both return to lead and have received preseason 1st team ACC honors by PG. 3B Ben Miller also returns after hitting .360 with 15 HRs last season. SS Wallace Clark returns after a successful 2024 season. On the mound, Duke is replacing their ace and closer. Andrew Healy returns after positing a 3.76 ERA last season and figures to own the Friday Night role. Kyle Johnson is a 2 way that is projected to throw on Saturdays. This staff is pretty deep with talented arms. Duke is due for a trip to Omaha as they have not been since 1961. They had a squad last season, but has power & pitching that will need to be replaced.

15) Oklahoma State

The Cowboys have hosted and been eliminated in three consecutive Stillwater regionals. Their rotation last season (Holiday, Garcia, Benge) was one of the best and all 3 must be replaced. I imagine that we have no idea what this rotation will end up looking like, but they do have talented arms. Harrison Bodendorf (Hawaii) and Mario Pesca (St. Johns) both transfer in after successful 2024 seasons. Freshmen Ethan Lund is a lefty with some hype. Gabe Davis returns to boost the bullpen. On offense, this lineup is dangerous. Led by Nolan Schubart (#30 prospect) and his .370 / 23 HRs a year ago, the Cowboys will have plenty of experience. Colin Brueggemann, Aidan Meola, and Ian Daughtery all returns after combining for 34 bombs last season. Transfer Jayson Jones (Arkansas) is a former top recruit that never hit stride in Fayetteville. I will not be surprised to see Stillwater receive its 4th straight host site given the star power and offense. Josh Holiday and staff will have to figure out the pitching, but Texas and Oklahoma are no longer in the Big 12.

16) Vanderbilt

Vandy’s program seems like it has been trending down the last few seasons after having 4 Omaha showings in the last 10 full postseasons. They disappointed in regionals last season after another solid showing in Hoover. I like what Vandy has set for the 2025 season. The pitching staff is deep. JD Thompson (#65 prospect) will be the ace after showing to be one of the SEC’s best starters a year ago. Cody Bowker (Georgetown) throws a lot of strikes and worked a 5-1 3.00 ERA a year ago in the Big East. Ethan McElvain flashed upside last season and hopes to deliver for this staff. Brennan Sieber, Miller Green, and Sawyer Hawks are all good bullpen arms to add depth. Vandy usually has had the pitching, the problem has been offense. Vandy’s lineup lacked power last season, only finishing with 72 long balls. SS Jonathan Vastine was PG’s top ranked Senior for this season. RJ Austin (#79 prospect) has major upside after a successful 2024 campaign where he hit .331. Jaden Davis also returns after posting a .315 average last season. Transfer Mike Mancini (James Madison) hopes to add power to the lineup. A year ago, Mancini .329 to go with 15 HRs. Freshmen Brodie Johnson is a name to watch as he has made noise so far at 3B. If Vanderbilt’s pitching stays healthy, they will have one of the better staffs in the country. The offense returns guys like Vastine and Austin but will need to increase production to compete in the SEC.

17) NC State

Fresh off another Omaha appearance, NC state will have hopes of rolling the success over to the 2025 season. This year’s squad will return loads of pitching but replacing a lot of offensive bats. If the bats come in and click, NCST is likely to find themselves with another postseason run. Dom Fritton returns with his heavy fastball. Heath Andrews and Ryan Marohn are two talented arms expected to make the leap to the weekend rotation this season. Derrick Smith and Jacob Dudan both return to anchor one of the best bullpens in college baseball. Matt Willadson missed last season to injury but was the Wolf Pack ace in 2023. According to D1, NC State does not have a single hitter returning who finished last season close to double digit HRs. Alex Sosa and Luke Nixon will headline this lineup with expectations to improve last year’s numbers. They added guys from the transfer portal, but a lot are unproven. We just do not know much about the bats in this lineup. Can they replicate the offensive production from last year’s team? I do not know, but the Pack will have one of the deepest pitching staffs in the country.

18) Oregon

5 teams have found themselves in b2b super regionals: Tennessee, Florida, Kentucky, Virginia, and Oregon. Oregon is the only one that came up short of Omaha both times. Oregon managed 15 runs in two games, but ran into a buzzsaw in College Station last season. Oregon returns a ton of production and experience for 2025. 8 out of 9 projected starters received 165+ ABs last season. Jacob Walsh, Mason Neville, Anson Aroz, and Maddox Maloney will headline the lineup once again. This will be one of the best lineups in the Big Ten. On the mound, they return ace Grayson Grinsell. Outside of Grinsell, the Ducks will likely rely on two newcomers. Jason Reitz (St Mary’s) finished with an ERA above 6.00 last season and Freshman Will Sanford. This Oregon team is very deep but they will need production on the mound outside of Grinsell. A new conference means new travel schedule. Oregon avoids having to travel east for b2b weekends, but series at Ohio State, Maryland, Michigan st, and Iowa will not be easy. The roster talent is there and the Ducks have hopes of not only winning the B10 in year 1 but making it past Supers this season.

19) Arizona

Arizona won the PAC 12 last season and hosted a regional in 2024. The Wildcats are set return nearly all of the bats. Mason White (#82 prospect) and Brendan Summerhill (#10 prospect) will headline a loaded lineup. White slashed .305/.392/.603 with 19 bombs last season. Summerhill is a top draft prospect that led the team in AVG, OBP, and XBH. Garen Caulfield returns after hitting .310 last season. Transfer Aaron Walton will have an impact in the OF. This lineup could turn out to be an opposing pitcher’s nightmare. On the mound, the Wildcats need to replace 3 extremely good weekend starters. Transfers Collin McKinney (Baylor) and Christian Coppola (Rutgers) will have an impact. LHP Mason Russell is PG’s #11 Freshman. Arizona has a ton of lineup depth to accommodate their move to the Big 12. Can they replace the rotation? There are a mix of talented arms but we will have to see how it plays out. I expect Arizona to make noise in year one at the top of the Big 12.

20) Mississippi State

It was nice seeing the Bulldogs get the program back on track last season after a rough 2022 & 2023. They will be replacing the main pieces from last season, but I like what the State has in front of them for 2025. Hunter Hines smacked 16 HRs last season and returns to the middle of the order. Transfers Ace Reese (Houston) and Noah Sullivan (USC Upstate) were two nice portal additions from Lemonis. On the mound, Pico Kohn and Karson Ligon will need to lead the way. Both have the stuff to make the leap, but failed to pitch heavy innings. Transfer Jacob Pruitt (Indiana State) and Stone Simmons will also be needed in this rotation. Chase Hungate (Virginia) was another nice portal addition and will anchor the bullpen. I was disappointed the committee did not select Dudy Noble to host last season. Similar to other programs in the SEC, State will have plenty of new names but expected to reload. Hopefully we get to see a regional head back to Starkville.

21) TCU

Highly ranked in the preseason, TCU started last season 13-0 before flopping down the stretch and missing out on the NCAA tournament (snubbed). This year’s team will be motivated to return the Frogs to the NCAA tournament. SS Anthony Silva struggled last season but has loads of talent at the SS position. They will desperately need his bat to anchor this lineup. C Karson Bowen, Freshmen OF Sawyer Strosnider, and 1B Cole Cramer (Washington State) will need to click. On the mound, Ben Abeldt returns as their top arm and is expected to pitch a lot more innings this year. He may replace Payton Tolle as the Friday night starter. Kole Klecker was massive on their 2023 Omaha run before struggling in 2024. Caedmon Parker is back from injury and projects to claim a rotation slot. Tommy LaPour (Wichita State) posted a 4.25 ERA as a freshman last season and will have a role on this staff. There are concerns but I like this team in the B12. Texas and Oklahoma have moved on to the SEC, the conference needs TCU to be good. I’m expecting a bounce back season from the Frogs in 2025.

22) Dallas Baptist

DBU doesn’t rebuild, they only reload and they have one of their more experienced rosters yet. D1 currently has all 9 projected position starters to be an upperclassman. C Grant Jay is a preseason all American after a sincerely sophomore campaign. OF Tom Poole and 1B Chayton Krause both return for their senior seasons after slashing .350/.485/.700 and .358/.415/.626. Michael Dattalo and Luke Heefner are two other bats to watch. Transfer Mason Swinney (Alabama) is expected to make immediate impact. This lineup is deep and it will be a tough task for any CUSA pitching to limit them. On the mound, the Patriots will be replacing a very good 1-2 punch from a season ago. James Ellwanger (#61 prospect) pumps gas as a Friday starter, but is returning from injury. Luke Pettitte returns after winning CUSA Freshan of the Year. Jerrod Jenkins comes back after a 6-0 3.58 ERA line last season. Transfers Micah Buckham (LSU) and Nick Bonn (Pepperdine) will add needed depth. Looking at it from a preseason stand point, the CUSA is DBU’s to lose. I know games are not won on paper, but this is one of Heefner’s more talented rosters. DBU is hoping 2025 ends with the programs’s first ever appearance in Omaha.

23) Auburn

After making it to Omaha in 2022 and receiving a host in 2023, Auburn flopped in 2024 finishing towards the bottom of the SEC. However, I would not expect the same to be the case for 2025. I like this Auburn team and may be one of the only sources to have them preseason ranked. C Ike Irish (#18 prospect) leads the way after a stellar sophomore season in 2024. Cooper McMurray, Cade Belyeu, and Deric Fabian all return. Transfers Eric Snow (South Florida) and Bristol Carter (East Carolina). Can the pitching compete against SEC lineups? Butch Thompson is a great pitching-minded coach with experience of making it to Omaha. Transfers Cade Fisher (Florida) and Sam Dutton (LSU) project to have immersive impact. Fisher was one of the top ranked portal players. True Freshmen Christian Chatterton and Jackson Sanders are two arms with upside to monitor. The Tigers flopped last season, but with an elite talent in Irish, a top portal class, and a few elite freshmen, Auburn can make plenty of noise this season.

24) UC Santa Barbara

After earning a host site in 2024, the Gaunchos are back with hopes of making an Omaha run in 2025. RHP Tyler Bremner (#4 prospect) headlines a loaded pitching staff. Bremner posted a 11-1 / 2.54 ERA in 88.1 IP last season. Jackson Flora will slide into the #2 spot after an impressive freshman season. Frank Camarillo, Chase Hoover (TCU), AJ Krodel, and Cole Tryba all add depth to one of the best staffs on the West Coast. UCSB will need to replace a lot on offense. D1 has 3 transfers sliding into the starting lineup while BA has 5. BA is also projecting to see this year’s Guanchos to be power first, compared to the balanced lineups of the past. OF LeTrey McCollum returns after hitting .320 last season. UCSB will get to host a big conference series vs UC Irvine March 21-23. Having pitching depth goes a long ways in this sport. UCSB has to answer a few offensive questions, but hopes to build off the program momentum.

25) Stanford

After three consecutive Omaha appearance, Stanford took a step backwards in 2024. They were a young roster that never found stride. The good news is they return nearly everyone from last season while adding a young sensation in Rintero Sasaki. Ace Matt Scott (#46) returns and will be one of the many elite Friday night starters in the ACC. Christian Lim and Joey Volchko return after flashing upside as Freshmen. With a solid rotation and bullpen, Stanford’s pitching staff will be a huge strength. On the offensive side of things, they will be headlined by preseason national freshman of the year, Rintero Sasaki. He brings a ton of hype and media to this lineup after breaking Ohtani’s high school HR record. Outside of Sasaki, Stanford will return a good amount of production. The main question for the squad is how will they handle the transition to the ACC? Having to travel to UNC, UVA, Clemson, and NCST in year one will not give them an easy road slate. With a loaded pitching staff and an expedited lineup adding Sasaki, there is a ton of upside with this team.

Just missed:

26) Kentucky

Kentucky will suffer a lot of turnover from last year’s Omaha team. Outside of Devin Burkes and Robert Hogan, the Wildcats are basically a new team. 29 total newcomers this year in Lexington, but I wouldn’t doubt Mingione much tho, as he will get the most out his club.

27) Indiana

After b2b regional appearances, HC Jeff Mercer will be returning a talented squad for 2025. Big time prospect OF Devin Taylor (#20 prospect) will headline the lineup after slashing 357/.449/.660 a year ago. 2B Jasen Oliver and SS Tyler Cerny return after receiving all conference last season. Jake Sadler and Josh Pyne also return to give this lineup tons of depth. Hogan Denny is BA’s preseason Big Ten Freshman of the year. If Indiana find some pitching, they will be a squad to watch this season.

28) Oklahoma

29) Alabama

30) Louisville

31) Southern Miss

31) Troy

32) Stanford

33) West Virginia

34) UConn

35) South Carolina

36) Nebraska

37) Ole Miss

38) Arizona State

39) Maryland

40) East Carolina

Preseason Betting Card

To win the CWS

1u: Texas A&M (+1100, DK)

1u: Arkansas (+1800, DK)

1u: LSU (+1100, MGM)

1u: Virginia (+1800, MGM)

0.5u: Florida (+2500, BR)

0.5u: Oregon State (+2500, ESPN)

To win Conference:

2u: Dallas Baptist – CUSA (-140, BR)

0.25u: Wichita State – American (+1000, BR)

0.75u: LSU – SEC (+650, BR)

0.5u: Arizona State – B12 (+700, MGM)

2u: SEMO – OVC (-150)

To make CWS:

0.5u: Southern Miss (+950, DK)

0.5u: DBU (+750, DK)

0.5u: Louisville (+800, DK)

0.5u: Arizona State (+750, MGM)