It is finally baseball season.

I will be highlighting the teams that I expect to out-perform their preseason expectations.

For the mid-majors, I have high expectations for the obvious programs such as Coastal Carolina, Southern Miss, UConn, ECU, UC Irvine, and UCSB. I am trying to select teams that are not getting much hype.

Texas A&M:

Featured in futures: College Baseball Futures

• If you read my futures article, you know that I am high on Texas A&M this season. Michael Early has reconstructed the roster with a clear bounce-back mandate. If team needed any extra motivation, they were predicted to finish 13th in the SEC preseason poll. The roster features 4 players in the top 25 for the Golden Spikes. Let’s jump in as to why I like this team. This lineup should rake. Caden Sorrell is a “Golden Spikes Winner” bet for me. He has legit 20/20 upside if he can manage to stay healthy. Gavin Grahovac returns from injury after hitting 23 HRs as a freshman. He was a centerpiece on the 2024 team that made it to the National title game. Terrence Kiel has elite speed and ability to reach base. Chris Hapocian was perhaps the best portal pickup in the country and projects as a top 10 pick. Jake Duer was hitting .428 at FAU through 34 games before suffering a season-ending injury. Nico Partida is a two-way player that projects to be one of the top freshmen in the country. After losing all 3 member form the weekend rotation, the pitching staff is the big question mark. However, I believe they have a good group of high velocity arms to piece together. Weston Moss was their main bullpen arm last year and is projected to own the Friday role. Shane Sdao is a top 50 prospect that missed all of 2025 with an injury. Clayton Freshcorn is expected to become the high-leverage arm. He was named Preseason All-SEC 2nd team. They cannot afford any more injuries. Caden McCoy is already out for the year with Tommy John. It may burn me, but I expect A&M to out perform their 13th place preseason projection by a good measure.

Wake Forest:

• I have high expectations for Tom Walter’s Demon Deacons this season. Wake Forest has produced 7 first round draft picks in the last three seasons. In 2025, Wake Forest led the ACC with 116 home runs. With seven core position players returning, the 2026 offense is projected to be among the nation’s most dangerous. Kade Lewis is a potential Golden Spikes winner after hitting .376 and earning 2nd-team All ACC last season. Dalton Wentz was a breakout freshman that hit .316 with 13 HRs a year ago. SS JD Stein was graded as one of the top freshmen prospects to make it to campus. Despite losing Chris Muscara to Duke, I am very high on this pitching staff. Eric Nielsen will replace Muscara after serving as the Director of Pitching for the Houston Astros. Blake Morningstar is a potential first round pick. His .235 OBA (Opposing Batting Average) in 2025 was among the best for returning starters in the ACC. Matthew Dallas had an outstanding regional performance and is a breakout candidate this season. Cam Bagwell was CAA Freshman of the Year and projects to be an early round pick in 2027. Chris Levonas has some of the best stuff in the ACC. He was a former second round pick out of high school that projects to take a massive step forward this season. Will Ray returns after missing nearly all of 2025. He anchored the bullpen in 2024. With a roster returning a good amount of production and a pitching staff with upside, I expect Wake to compete alongside the top of the ACC this season.

Ole Miss:

Featured in futures: College Baseball Futures

• Similar to A&M, I wrote up Ole Miss under my futures article. The Rebels will feature an ace in Hunter Elliot alongside a veteran lineup with plenty of power. If Cade Townsend and Will Libert step into their roles, I believe this is a bullpen multiple options. The schedule is brutal. If they can navigate through it and host at Swayze, their path to Omaha becomes much clearer.

UCF:

• I am high on TCU, but I believe the 2nd spot in the Big 12 is up for grabs. UCF has high hopes after finishing 29-26 and missing out of the tournament last season. The Knights finished 9-21 in conference play last season, but led the Big 12 Conference in batting average, on-base percentage, ERA, and WHIP. The lineup lost a few pieces, but will be returning 2 headliners in Andrew Williamson and DeAmez Ross. Both earned with All-Big 12 Honorable Mention last season. Rich Wallace also did a great job in the recruiting cycle, bringing in key pieces from the portal and Perfect Game’s 12th ranked freshman class. UCF lost some production on the mound. However, the 3 projected weekend starters all logged over 30 innings last season with starting experience. They also added Roman Kimball from South Carolina. The Knights were projected 10th in the preseason poll, but I believe the talent is there to over-perform and return to a regional.

Virginia:

Featured in futures: College Baseball Futures

• I expect this team to be better than what the sportsbooks are projecting. +9000 to win the CWS and +700 to make it to Omaha are disrespectful. Chris Pollard built a Duke program into a constant threat. They were one win away from Omaha and a lot of their returning production followed him to Charlottesville. AJ Gracia and Eric Becker create one of the best lineup tandems in the country. Harrison Didawick struggled last season, but was a 2nd team-All ACC member with a program-tying 23 HRs in 2024. Kyle Johnson looks to rebound on the mound and at the plate from last season. UVA also had Perfect Game’s #4 overall 2025 recruiting class, so expect a few freshmen to make an early impact. I expect Chris Pollard to perform well at Virginia, and he may even surprise people in year one.

Mid-Majors

Charlotte

UNCW

UTRGV

Troy

SIU Edwardsville