Every 2024 college baseball regional, previewed

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DI baseball regional tournaments run from May 31 to June 3. Below you will find previews for each region, from . This article will continue to be updated with more regions.

Athens Regional Preview

After beginning the season with very little outside expectation, Georgia became one of the best stories in college baseball by earning not only a host spot but a place as a top-eight national seed. But it has some potential speed bumps in its regional thanks to the inclusion of UNCW, a team with 39 wins — already the most for the program since 2018 — rival Georgia Tech, which has about as many high-end series wins as any team in the country, and Army, which is making its sixth consecutive regional appearance.

1. Georgia |
2. UNCW |
3. Georgia Tech |
4. Army |

Most Exciting Player: Charlie Condon, 3B/1B, Georgia

Condon has had a truly historic season. He’s batting .443/.558/1.043 with 35 home runs, which is the most in the 64-team era of college baseball that goes back to 1999. Teams pitched Condon extremely carefully, especially during the second half of the season, but he was so locked in that he had a record-breaking season anyway.

Best Hitter: Charlie Condon, 3B, Georgia

The answer here is also Condon for all of the reasons discussed above, but let’s also use this space to give a shoutout to UNCW’s Tanner Thach for the season he’s had. He’s batting .330/.413/.725 with 27 home runs and 72 RBIs.

Best Defensive Player: Jac Croom, 3B, UNCW

Croom, a fifth-year senior, is an air-tight defender at the hot corner, where he’s started every single game this season and fielded the ball at a .965 clip, which is a big part of the Seahawks fielding a solid .973. For his career, during which he’s also played some second base, he’s a .962 defender.

Best Pitcher: RJ Sales, RHP, UNCW

With all due respect to Georgia’s Kolten Smith, who has been excellent over the second half of the season, RJ Sales stands out for his consistency this season and status as a true rotation workhorse. He has a 3.37 ERA, a .208 opponent batting average and 81 strikeouts in 82.2 innings. He’s got high-end stuff as well, including a fastball that averages over 92 mph and touched as high as 96 this season, and a low-80s curveball that has a 36% whiff rate.

College Station Regional 

Texas A&M was one of the most consistent teams in college baseball this season, and the Aggies spent a few weeks as the No. 1 team in the land until a lull at the end of the regular season. The No. 3 overall national seed, the Aggies have one of the nation’s premier offensive lineups and a front-line ace in lefthanded pitcher Ryan Prager. Louisiana is a classic case of being way better than the RPI suggests. The Ragin’ Cajuns have depth on the pitching staff with Andrew Herrmann and outstanding reliever LP Langevin leading the way, while the Sun Belt champs have the premier shortstop in college baseball in. Kyle DeBarge. He’s the epitome of must-see TV.

1. Texas A&M  | 
2. Louisiana  | 
3. Texas  | 
4. Grambling  | 

Most Exciting Player: Kyle Debarge, Louisiana

He’s a premier defender and the top shortstop in college baseball. He also happens to be an outstanding hitter on top of everything else. DeBarge is having an impressive draft year for the Cajuns, hitting an impressive .357 with 17 doubles, two triples, 21 home runs and 67 RBIs. DeBarge also has 10 stolen bases, just two more strikeouts than walks, and enters the weekend with an impressive 1.135 OPS. Regarding the overall package, it’s hard to beat DeBarge this weekend.

Best Hitter: Braden Montgomery, Texas A&M

There’s zero doubt that Montgomery has struggled at the plate the past couple of weeks. But returning home in front of the Blue Bell Park crowd and having offensive-friendly weather? That seems to suit Montgomery quite well for breaking out of his slump. Even with the slump, Montgomery still has outrageously good offensive numbers. For instance, he has hit 14 doubles, 26 homers, and knocked in 80 runs while accruing a massive 51 walks. Montgomery enters the weekend with a 1.193 OPS, a huge key to the Aggies’ success.

Best Defensive Player: Kyle DeBarge

I have to go with my man Kyle DeBarge here yet again. Like we said above, in addition to his offensive prowess, DeBarge is a premier defender up the middle with smooth actions and a solid, consistent arm over to first base. This regional is chock full of impressive shortstops, including Texas A&M’s Ali Camarillo and Texas’ Jalin Flores. Camarillo is smooth as silk up the middle, while Flores has made immense strides defensively since earlier this season.

Best Pitcher: Ryan Prager, LHP, Texas A&M

Prager, a 6-foot-3, 200-pounder, has had an impressive return from an injury that sidelined him all last season. The talented lefty has started 15 games this season and has a 2.51 ERA in 79 innings of work, along with 106 strikeouts and, shockingly, just 15 walks. Prager also has limited opposing teams to a .210 batting average. That OBA is just .242 in Southeastern Conference play. From a sheer stuff standpoint, Prager will attack hitters at 88-91 mph with the fastball, while his bread and butter is a slider and changeup combination that’s lethal when he’s commanding in the bottom quadrants of the strike zone. He’s a steady presence for the Aggies.

 Chapel Hill Regional Preview

North Carolina won the ACC by two games and earned the No. 4 national seed, but the Tar Heels drew a scary No. 2 seed in reigning national champion LSU, a preseason top-five team that fell into a 3-12 hole to start SEC play, then reeled off 18 wins in their final 24 games to cruise into regionals. Wofford also reached the 40-win mark and finished inside the top 50 of the RPI after a strong stretch run, which was capped with a SoCon tournament championship, sending the Terriers to their first regional since 2016. Fourth-seeded Long Island went 24-9 in the Northeast Conference to finish in second place, then ran through the losers’ bracket at the NEC tournament to beat top-seeded Sacred Heart twice in the finals, sending Dan Pirillo’s Sharks to regionals for the second time in three years, and the third time since 2018.

1. North Carolina: |
2. LSU: |
3. Wofford: |
4. Long Island: |

Most Exciting Player: Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina

The nation’s premier power/speed threat, Honeycutt has posted two 20/20 seasons in his three years at UNC, and his junior year has been his best season to date, with a career-high 1.118 OPS to go along with 22 homers, 58 RBI and 28 steals in 31 tries. His 80-grade speed and huge raw power should make him a first-round pick despite his high swing-and-miss rate, but his most special attribute might be his defense in center field — more on that in a moment.

2024 DI baseball tournament bracket, schedule and scores 📲

Best Hitter: Tommy White, 3B, LSU

Another soon-to-be-first-rounder, White has been a wrecking ball for three years, hitting 27 home runs as a freshman at NC State, then 24 last year to help lead LSU to a national title and 24 more as a junior this spring. Even though his triple-slash numbers (.337/.412/.675) are all the lowest of his career, White remains a terrifying presence in the box, with elite power that particularly plays to the opposite field. He lets the ball travel well and has a very low strikeout rate (12.1 percent) for an elite power hitter. And his flair for the dramatic is unmatched in college baseball; his extra-innings homer to lift LSU past Wake Forest in last year’s national semifinals was one of the iconic moments of this era in college baseball.

Best Defensive Player: Honeycutt.

Honeycutt is simply the best defensive outfielder in all of college baseball, and you can make a strong argument that he is the best defender at any position. He leads all outfielders with 13.98 defensive runs saved this year, and he has been regarded as a special defender since his freshman year. His reads, jumps, quickness and straight-line speed all add up to give him unmatched range, giving him major league Gold Glove potential even though his arm is fringy at best. If you’re looking for someone other than Honeycutt, consider LSU dynamic freshman second baseman Steven Milam, whose 8.81 defensive runs saved are second-most to Honeycutt in this regional.

Best Pitcher: Luke Holman, RHP, LSU

Holman is another surefire first-round pick in this regional, thanks to his combination of quality stuff, superb feel for pitching, elite competitiveness and poise. He doesn’t have the raw arm strength of Chase Burns and Hagen Smith, but he might wind up being the third college player off the board after those two, because his performance track record in the SEC is very loud. This year he is 9-3, 2.54 with 116 strikeouts against 32 walks in 85 innings, and he has held opponents to a .167 batting average, which is eighth-best in the nation among qualifiers. Holman doesn’t overpower with velocity, but his 91-93 fastball plays up because of its running life and his outstanding command, as well as his ability to keep hitters off balance with his wipeout slider (one of the nation’s best) and his solid curveball.

Charlottesville Regional Preview

Virginia is one of just four teams to host this season that also hosted last year. The Cavaliers return several players off last season’s College World Series team, but they also had to replace some huge names starting with Kyle Teel and Jake Gelof as well as their entire starting rotation. The Cavaliers have struggled to find consistent starting pitching beyond Evan Blanco and Elon transfer Joe Savino, so will that make Virginia susceptible to being knocked off? To beat the Cavaliers, someone in the trio of Mississippi State, St. John’s and Penn will have to quell the UVA bats that scored double-digit runs 26 times this season while being held to fewer than five runs just 10 times.

1. Virginia  | 
2. Mississippi State  | 
3. St. John’s  | 
4. Penn  | 

Most Exciting Player: Jurrangelo Cijntje, SHP, Mississippi State

He throws with his left. He throws with his right. He’s a baseball freakshow of the best kind. Just don’t think this is some circus sideshow. Cijntje has already popped on our Heat Sheet this season, hitting 98 mph with his right arm, which he uses more frequently, and he says he can get up to 95 mph from the left side. He’s put up some of the best numbers on the Hail State staff, going 8-2, 3.55 with 108 strikeouts in 83 innings.

Best Hitter: Wyatt Henseler, 3B, Penn

Mississippi State’s Dakota Jordan was also in consideration, but Jordan struggled in the SEC Tournament and has just six hits in his last nine games while Henseler was the Ivy League Tournament MOP and enters the regional on a 12-game hitting streak in which he’s scored in 11 games and driven in a run in eight. The single-season and career home run leader in Ivy League history is hitting .372-22-55 with an on-base percentage of .474. Mississippi State fans should take note of Henseler as he is committed to play at Texas A&M next season.

Best Defensive Player: Griff O’Ferrall, SS, Virginia

Slick, smooth and easy. O’Ferrall has terrific hands, great range and is super accurate with his throws to first. The Hoos position him well, and he seems to rob someone of a hit at least once a game. He is fifth among shortstops nationally in defensive runs saved with 13.37, a number more than five runs better than any other defender in this regional.

Best Pitcher: Evan Blanco, LHP, Virginia

Blanco doesn’t have overpowering stuff with a fastball that sits 89-91, but the sophomore southpaw has really come into his own at the front of the Virginia rotation late in the season. He allowed only one earned run in the month of May, spanning 23 innings and four starts.

Clemson Regional Preview

For the second season in a row, Clemson earned a top-eight national seed, but unlike last season, there was no surprise about it this time around. The bigger challenge for the Tigers is ahead of them, though, because they’ve been eliminated in each of their last five regionals played at home at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Even beyond that, storylines abound in this regional. You have Vanderbilt, which won the Clemson Regional in 2017 and 2018, you have Coastal Carolina, coached by the legendary Gary Gilmore in his final season at the helm, and you have High Point competing in its first-ever regional.

1. Clemson: |
2. Vanderbilt: |
3. Coastal Carolina: |
4. High Point: |

Most Exciting Player: Cam Cannarella, OF, Clemson

Though he dealt with some injuries early in the season that somewhat limited him, Cannarella has put up numbers that rival those of his breakout season in 2023, and the standout center fielder and top prospect for the 2025 draft is the most electric player in this regional. He’s batting .342/.422/.560 with 16 doubles, nine home runs and 51 RBI, all while serving as a good defender at his position.

Best Hitter: Sam Antonacci, 3B, Coastal Carolina

With all due respect to Cannarella, who could easily be the choice here as well, Antonacci is a prototypical pure hitter and leadoff man for Coastal. He’s batting .367/.526/.486 with 48 walks (and 26 hit by pitches) compared to just 38 strikeouts. The Chanticleers have a number of dangerous run producers in the middle of the order, but Antonacci is the engine that makes the lineup go.

Best Defensive Player: Cannarella

Cannarella’s defensive value is part of why he was listed above as the most exciting player in this regional. A shoulder injury early in the season cost him some time in center field, as his ability to throw the ball back into the infield was severely compromised, but he’s started in the field every day since late March. In terms of running balls down and covering tons of ground, there are few in college baseball better than Cannarella.

Best Pitcher: Aidan Knaak, RHP, Clemson

With Carter Holton available this weekend but with some uncertainty about how effective he will be, this nod goes to Clemson righthander Aidan Knaak, who amazingly is just a freshman. He had some growing pains early in the season, but those passed quickly and he became one of the best starting pitchers in the country. He has a 2.96 ERA, a .216 opponent batting average and 97 strikeouts compared to 26 walks in 73 innings. He works with a fastball that averages over 92 mph and has touched as high as 96 this season with a high-70s changeup that has an astounding 61% whiff rate and a low-80s curveball.

Corvallis Regional Preview

1. Oregon State  | 
2. UC Irvine  | 
3. Nicholls  | 
4. Tulane  | 

Most Exciting Player: Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State

Talk about a no-brainer, the Wonder from Down Under has had an incredible season, currently sitting fourth in the country in batting average (.418), second in walks (71), eighth in home runs (26), second in on-base percentage (.581) and second in slugging percentage (.939). And when you consider this has been done all while defenses are putting on a massive shift for the lefthanded hitter each and every at-bat, it makes his numbers all the more impressive. 

Best Hitter: Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State

See above. This dude hits everything on the screws, every at-bat. 

But if you’re looking for a non-Bazzana answer, take a look at Nicholls first baseman Edgar Alvarez, who ranks 12th in the nation with a .518 on-base percentage, while hitting .411 with a .680 slugging percentage. Alvarez is a doubles machine (21) who also has double-digit homer pop (12), but he shines most for his superb control of the strike zone, drawing 51 walks against just 30 strikeouts this year.

Best Defensive Player: Woody Hadeen, SS, UC Irvine

Hadeen missed nearly the entire season in 2023 and the Anteaters missed the postseason. But his return in 2024 has been a boon to the Anteater fortunes this season, not just because of his expert glove-work at shortstop. Hadeen has also killed it at the plate, hitting .365 and with 58 walks, good for seventh nationally.

Best Pitcher: Aiden May, RHP, Oregon State

The Beaver ace has been on a tear lately. I mean, he has been nails all season, sporting 6-0, 2.71 numbers along with 70 Ks in 63 innings and holding opposing bats to a .209 average. But he has also had five quality starts in his last seven outings, so if this continues he is certainly peaking at the right time. And his stuff is electric, with a mid-90s fastball and a devastating slider.

Fayetteville Regional Preview

Prior to last season, the last time Arkansas didn’t advance to the super regional round was in 2017. With the nation’s best pitching staff, an air-tight defense and an offense that knows how to get the job done, head coach Dave Van Horn and his Razorbacks are determined to advance not only to a super regional, but to the College World Series. Standing in their way is a balanced and battle-tested Louisiana Tech team that enjoyed their best season since they hosted a regional in 2021, a Kansas State squad loaded with impact talent and a powerful Southeast Missouri State lineup that has hit 100 home runs so far this season.

1. Arkansas  | 
2. Louisiana Tech  | 
3. Kansas State  | 
4. Southeast Missouri State  | 

Most Exciting Player: Kaelen Culpepper, SS, Kansas State

Arkansas ace Hagen Smith would be an obvious choice for this one, but let’s save him for the Best Pitcher category and instead highlight Culpepper, a potential Day One draft pick this summer with exciting tools across the board. After playing standout defense at third base as a sophomore, Culpepper has made a smooth transition to short, where his double-plus arm is a serious weapon — and it’s fun to watch him throw lasers to first from deep in the hole. He’s also a good runner with serious bat speed, and he can impact the game by hitting a homer (9) or a double (12), or by swiping a bag (16). Along with 2B Brady Day (8 HR, 16 SB), CF Brendan Jones (8 HR, 36 SB) and Chuck Ingram (9 HR, 8 SB), Culpepper is part of an excellent core of Wildcats who can both hit for power and steal bases.

Best Hitter: Cole McConnell, OF, Louisiana Tech

After missing almost the entire 2023 season due to injury, McConnell returned for his fifth year with the Louisiana Tech program this season and has routinely come up big when his team has needed him the most. Slashing .380/.462/.682, McConnell leads a dangerous offense in numerous categories, including each of the triple slash percentages, homers (18) and total bases (165). He also has committed just one error while playing center field, providing valuable leadership for a team that has no shortage of experience.

Best Defensive Player: Michael Ballard, 2B, Louisiana Tech

Ballard was a key offseason acquisition by the Bulldogs, arriving in Ruston from Eckerd College at the Division II level, where he batted .329 and committed just 21 errors in 116 games over a three-year span while playing shortstop. Playing second base this year in deference of another transfer, Kasten Furr (New Orleans), Ballard has solidified one of the best middle infield combos in the nation and has committed just one error all season long. He’s also been a steady offensive contributor and is one of six regulars in the Louisiana Tech lineup batting on the sunny side of .300.

Best Pitcher: Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas

The SEC Pitcher of the Year, Smith is going to earn plenty of national Pitcher of the Year accolades as he leads the nation in strikeouts (184), 30 more than anyone else, and a ridiculous 17.54 strikeouts-per-nine-innings. Overall he’s 9-1, 1.48 with a 154-to-30 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 79 innings. During that time he’s allowed just 37 base hits, enjoying a historic year for a power arm that rivals what Paul Skenes did a year ago for LSU.

Greenville Regional Preview

East Carolina is hosting a regional for the fifth time in the last six completed seasons, and the Pirates won three of the four regionals it has hosted in that span. For a while this year, the Pirates were a strong contender for a top-eight national seed, but key injuries on the mound led to an uneven final three weeks and a slide in the RPI, putting their hosting chances in question. But they snagged the final host spot, and they’re extremely hard to beat in the postseason at Clark-Leclair Stadium. But ECU drew one of the scariest No. 2 seeds in Wake Forest, which entered the season as the consensus No. 1 team in the nation coming off last year’s run to the national semifinals. The Deacs had some ups and downs, but their talent is undeniable, led by three soon-to-be first-rounders in Chase Burns, Nick Kurtz and Seaver King.

In Bradley LeCroy’s second season as head coach, VCU is back in a regional for the third time in the last four years after finishing second in the A-10 standings and then running 4-0 through the conference tournament, allowing just 13 runs in those four wins. Fourth-seeded Evansville went 35-23 overall and 17-10 in the Missouri Valley with a veteran roster, then captured the MVC’s automatic bid with a 4-0 run through the conference tourney, capped by an upset win against top-seeded Indiana State in the finals.

1. East Carolina  | 
2. Wake Forest  | 
3. VCU  | 
4. Evansville  | 

Most Exciting Player: Seaver King, 3B, Wake Forest

After earning a spot on Team USA last summer following a big spring at Division II Wingate, King entered this season as a preseason All-American with first-round upside, and he has delivered on those expectations, hitting .316/.385/.594 with 16 homers, 14 doubles and 11 steals while flashing jaw-dropping defensive ability at third base, shortstop and center field, depending on what the Deacs needed at various points in the season. He is an electrifying quick-twitch athlete in the Mookie Betts mold, with elite bat speed as well as running speed and arm strength.

Best Hitter: Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest

Honorable mention here to VCU’s Brandon Eike (1.145 OPS, 27 doubles, 14 HR), Evansville’s Mark Shallenberger (1.241 OPS, 20 2B, 15 HR) and ECU’s Carter Cunningham (1.110 OPS, 16 2B, 14 HR), all of whom would be excellent choices for this category were it not for the presence of Kurtz, who has been one of college baseball’s premier bats for three years and figures to be among the top 10 players selected in this summer’s draft. Kurtz recovered from a slow start and a first-half injury to post an OPS over 1.300 for the second year in a row, with 22 homers and a remarkable 76-39 BB-K mark. He’s an on-base machine with light-tower power from the left side and a long track record of elite production.

Best Defensive Player: Simon Scherry, SS, Evansville

Scherry ranks 10th among Division I shortstops with 11.52 defensive runs saved, per 6-4-3 Charts — and last year he led all D-I shortstops with 12.73 DRS. He’s a big-time playmaker anchoring the middle of the Purple Aces’ veteran defense.

Best Pitcher: Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest

Remarkably, this regional features two of the three best pitchers in college baseball this season in Burns and fellow All-American Trey Yesavage of ECU, who also figure to be two of the first three pitchers drafted this summer. Burns (10-, 2.46) leads the nation with a ridiculous 184 strikeouts against 26 walks in 95 innings, and Wake Forest coach Tom Walter recently called him “the best college pitcher I’ve ever seen,” a list that includes Wake legend Rhett Lowder and former LSU superstar Paul Skenes, who shut down the Deacs in Omaha last year. With a fastball that sits comfortably at 96-100, a virtually unhittable 86-91 mph slider that has generated an absurd 65% whiff rate, a plus curveball in the low 80s that has a 61% whiff rate, and even a useful changeup, Burns’ four-pitch repertoire is unmatched in college baseball.

Knoxville Regional Preview

Tennessee earned the No. 1 national seed for the second time in three years after sharing the SEC regular-season title with Kentucky and then backing it up with an SEC tournament championship. The Volunteers are a fearsome juggernaut once again, but their regional field won’t be a cake walk. Southern Miss gave Tennessee all it could handle last year in the Hattiesburg Super Regional, and while some key personnel have changed for both teams, the potential for a rematch is very intriguing. Indiana took some lumps early against a very aggressive nonconference schedule, but the Hoosiers really came together down the stretch and finished third in the Big Ten to earn an at-large bid. In Dizzy Peyton’s third year as head coach, Northern Kentucky notched its highest-ever finish in the Horizon (second place), then took down perennial league power Wright State in the conference title game, sending the Norse to their first regional in 12 years as a Division I program.

1. Tennessee: |
2. Southern Miss: |
3. Indiana: |
4. Northern Kentucky: |

Most Exciting Player: Devin Taylor, OF, Indiana

The lefty-swinging sophomore was the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Year in 2023. This season, he got pitched around so much that the Hoosiers moved him to leadoff batter. He still made first-team All-Big Ten, hitting .352 with 18 homers, a 643 slugging and a .447 on-base percentage. He also has six homers in his past 10 games — the virtues of hitting leadoff has played a role. He finished the regular season leading the conference in runs and ranking second in homers and ninth in batting average. In addition, he is vastly improved in left field.

Best Hitter: Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee

A first-team All-SEC selection, tied for fifth in the nation with 28 homers. He also led Tennessee in batting average (.382); RBI (63); slugging (.789); and on-base percentage (.447). Moore, a native of Brooklyn, has made himself at home in Rocky Top.

Best Defensive Player: Ozzie Pratt, SS, Southern Miss

BYU transfer Ozzie Pratt has been a key addition for Southern Miss, stepping into the shortstop job vacated by mainstay Dustin Dickerson. Pratt is a rock-solid defender whose 7.84 defensive runs saved are best among shortstops in this regional. He’s the linch pin of the Golden Eagles defense.

Best Pitcher: Billy Oldham, RHP, Southern Miss and Connor Foley, RHP, Indiana

Southern Miss senior righthander Billy Oldham is an old-school pitchability master who doesn’t blow hitters away with velocity but keeps them off balance thanks to his advanced feel for multiple quality offspeed pitches. As a result, he misses plenty of bats, striking out 96 against 26 walks in 90.2 innings over 15 starts this year, while posting a 3.97 ERA. He’s as reliable a pitching commodity as you’ll find in this regional, right there with Tennessee three-year stalwart Drew Beam, a likely Day One draft pick despite his modest strikeout rate.

Also in this discussion is Indiana’s Connor Foley, a 6-5 sophomore righthander, who can hit 99 with his fastball with elite riding life. If Indiana beats Southern Miss and the Vols take care of business against NKU, the Hoosiers could have Foley (4-1, 3.71) lined up to challenge the Volunteers. Batters have hit just .155 against Foley this season, and he has struck out 80 batters in 60 2/3 innings. His walk rate is high, but he’s pitched around it, posting a 3.71 ERA.

Lexington Regional Preview

The No. 2 overall seed in the field, SEC co-champion Kentucky is a heavy favorite, but the Wildcats got a tougher draw than they should have. Indiana State (No. 10 in the RPI) is a balanced team with postseason experience who returned many key pieces from last year’s super regional team. Illinois was a model of consistency in the Big Ten season, going 18-6 in the conference and winning seven-of-eight series. Don’t look past Western Michigan, which dominated the MAC tournament by outscoring opponents 29-3 in three games.

1. Kentucky  | 
2. Indiana State  | 
3. Illinois  | 
4. Western Michigan  | 

Most Exciting Player: Ryan Waldschmidt, LF, Kentucky

A table-setter at the top of Kentucky’s dynamic offense, Waldschmidt slashed .405/.510/.702 with 19 stolen bases against the SEC gauntlet that sent a record 11 teams into this tournament. Additionally, the athletic left fielder posted a 1.141 OPS this season while boosting his draft stock from the mid-day two range into a potential day-one selection now. 

Best Hitter: Nick Lopez, DH, Kentucky

A 24-year old veteran with 650 career plate appearances spread over four college programs (Illinois-Chicago, Santa Ana CC, Southern California, Kentucky), Lopez will get his first taste of the NCAA tournament this weekend. Lopez is a switch-hitter with juice from both sides of the plate who’s entrenched in the cleanup spot for the Wildcats and is second in the SEC with 20 doubles. Moreover, he’s leading Kentucky with a .369 average while posting a stingy 10.2% strikeout rate.  

Best Defensive Player: Grant Magill, C, Indiana State

The MVC Defensive Player of the Year for two years running and reigning Rawlings Gold Glove winner, McGill is renowned for his glovework behind the dish. He manages this talented Sycamore staff while using his strong, accurate arm to erase 19 would-be basestealers last spring and another 13 so far this season. His ability to control the running game is something to watch as host Kentucky swiped an SEC leading 109 bags this spring (ranked 19th nationally).    

Best Pitcher: Jared Spencer, LHP, Indiana State.

There’s no runaway choice here. A number of Indiana State arms could be considered as could Kentucky’s Trey Pooser (5-1, 4.02) who’s been a bright spot in the Kentucky rotation down the stretch. A lower slot lefthander with a wipeout slider who’s capable of running his fastball into the mid-90s, Spencer gets the nod here based on upside. A potential early day-2 draft prospect, Spencer has handled the transition from reliever to starter and flashes the stuff to give the Sycamores a chance against any team in the other dugout. 

Norman Regional Preview

Oklahoma had a memorable final Big 12 season, winning the regular season going away. The Sooners are in a great position to advance if they can handle one of the toughest 2-seeds in the tournament in ACC tournament winner Duke. Add in regional regular Connecticut and 2023 College World Series participant Oral Roberts and you have a challenging quartet that can be a problem for any host.

1. Oklahoma: |
2. Duke: |
3. Connecticut: |
4. Oral Roberts: |

Most Exciting Player:  Michael Snyder, 1B, Oklahoma

Snyder has been a stalwart in the heart of the Oklahoma lineup all season, earning all-Big 12 first-team honors. The senior batted .351/.462/.635 with 24 doubles, three triples, and 10 home runs. He also stole 15 bases, making him one of the most dangerous players in the regional field.

Best Hitter: Zac Morris, 2B, Duke

Morris has the best WAR (wins above replacement) value in the regional, and the infielder batted .328/.429/.628 with a team-best 18 home runs and 59 RBI. Morris also had 10 doubles, drew 38 walks, and stole 13 bags. A transfer from VMI, Morris had three multi-homer games and five games with three or more hits. And he’s coming in hot after a standout ACC tournament.

Best Defensive Player: David Herring, SS, ORU

The senior shortstop had a disappointing season at the plate as his average dropped from .294 to .209. However, his impact on the game defensively cannot be overstated. Herring made just four errors in 206 chances at short and had a defensive runs saved score of 11.4 that ranks among the best defensive shortstops in the country.  

Best Pitcher: Charlie Beilenson, RHP, Duke

This is unusual for a reliever to be here, but Charlie Beilenson is not your normal relief ace. The senior is 7-3 this season with 12 saves and has appeared in 32 games. In 59 innings, he allowed only 37 hits for a .175 batting average. Keep in mind he has struck out 87 batters in those 59 innings with only 17 walks. If Duke has the lead late, he’s as sure as it gets in college baseball. He can pitch every day, he can shorten games by going multiple innings, and he can beat you with four quality pitches — but especially with his devastating changeup, one of the best out pitches in the nation.

Raleigh Regional Preview 

NC State is hosting a regional for the seventh time and is looking to advance to the super regionals as the group's top seed. To do so, the Wolfpack will have to get by South Carolina, who handed them a regional loss last year in Columbia. That rematch will have to wait, though. NC State must first defeat Bryant and the Gamecocks must win against James Madison if these two programs are to meet with a spot in the regional final on the line.

1. NC State |
2. South Carolina |
3. James Madison |
4. Bryant |

Most Exciting Player: Fenwick Trimble, OF, James Madison

Not only does Fenwick Trimble have the best name of anyone playing in the Raleigh Regional, but he’ll also be the most dynamic player on the field. He’s batting .371/.455/.638 with 17 doubles, 14 home runs, 61 RBIs, more walks (27) than strikeouts (17) and 16 stolen bases, all while serving as the Dukes’ center fielder. 

Best Hitter: Alec Makarewicz, 3B, NC State

There are a ton of good options in this regional, like Trimble, South Carolina’s Cole Messina and Bryant’s Gavin Noriega, but the player they call A-Mak gets the nod. He’s batting .376/.438/.724 with 20 doubles, 19 home runs and 71 RBIs. He had a very solid career in four seasons at East Carolina, but this has been a breakout season above and beyond all expectations for him going into the season. 

Best Defensive Player: Jacob Cozart, C, NC State

Cozart has an OPS just over 1.000, but if anything, defense has always been his calling card and that continues to be the case. He has plus arm strength and accuracy behind the plate, which helps him turn in sub-two-second pop times. He’s also a strong receiver who routinely steals strikes for his pitchers, especially down in the zone. 

Best Pitcher: Garrett Gainey, LHP, South Carolina

Gainey’s case as the best pitcher in this regional begins with his numbers, as he has a 3.75 ERA and a 64-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 48 innings, but his case also involves his versatility. Throughout this season, he’s been a long reliever, a closer and a starter for the Gamecocks, and he’s been effective in all of those roles. He’ll run his fastball into the mid-90s, but it plays up even more than that thanks to its induced vertical break. 

Santa Barbara Regional

1. UC Santa Barbara  | 
2. San Diego  | 
3. Oregon  | 
4. Fresno State  | 

Most Exciting Player: (tie) Austin Smith, LHP/OF, San Diego and Tommy Hopfe, RHP/OF

These two Olerud Award finalists are key parts to both sides of their respective teams. Smith is hitting .314-7-39 and has made 16 appearances on the mound with three saves among his 6-0, 2.96 numbers. Hopfe is actually leading the Bulldogs in hitting at a robust .357-7-45. But even though he has made 15 appearances and has collected eight, he has had his struggles on the bump, going 1-2, 8.62. Hopfe threw the last two innings of the MWC Tournament title game against San Jose State but got roughed up for two home runs, three runs and six hits before finally getting the last three outs to win the title. 

Best Hitter: Jakob Christian, 1B/OF, San Diego

Talk about transitioning seamlessly. Christian was the National Player of the Year in Division II for nearby Point Loma Nazarene in 2023 before he transferred to USD this season. All he did was lead the Toreros in hitting at .355 with 23 home runs and 60 RBIs. Christian has hit two home runs in a game four different times this season and is currently 18th nationally in yard calls. 

Best Defensive Player: Murf Grey, 3B, Fresno State

There are a gaggle of really good third basemen in this field. But Mr. Grey stands out and I suppose there is a reason why he was named the top prospect out of the MWC for the 2025 draft because this dude plays a mean hot corner. His stick isn’t too shabby, hitting .299 with nine home runs, 48 RBI, but it’s his glove work that is really exemplary as he has committed just four errors in his 59 games this season. 

Best Pitcher: Ryan Gallagher, RHP, UC Santa Barbara

Ya’ know, it really is splitting hairs when trying to choose the best pitcher for the Gauchos, much less for this regional. You could say Gallagher is the best, sure. He’s posted numbers like 9-1, 2.27 with 93 strikeouts in 83.1 innings and holding opponents to a pitiful .157 average. But Tyler Bremner is 11-0, 2.63, 96 strikeouts in 82.0 innings and a .173 opponent average. And finally, Mike Gutierrez is 9-0, 3.19, 82 strikeouts in 84.0 innings and holding opponents to a .208 average. But because Gallagher has slightly better statistics, I’ll go with him here.

Stillwater Regional Preview

Oklahoma State hosted a regional each of the previous two years but wasn’t able to advance. Stillwater has played host to some rather offensive settings during that time, and each of the three visiting teams has a notable slugger to keep an eye on including Nebraska catcher Josh Caron, Florida first baseman Jac Caglianone and Niagara first baseman Eric Rataczak. The difference this year could be the Cowboys’ pitching staff as their 4.06 team is the 11th-best mark in the nation.

1. Oklahoma State: |
2. Nebraska: |
3. Florida: |
4. Niagara: |

Most Exciting Player: Jac Caglianone, 1B/LHP, Florida.

Caglianone is a generational talent, a two-way star that hits tape measure bombs as a lefthanded slugger and reaches triples digits as a lefthanded pitcher. At 6-foot-5, 250-pounds, he looks like a big leaguer and each season he has played has been significantly better than the one before. This year he’s slashing .415/.525/.844 with 29 home runs. Some of the counting stats aren’t as good as what he posted last year, but the walks are up (41 this year as compared to 17 last) and the strikeouts are down (21 this year, 58 last year). While his professional future will continue as a position player, he also has a 5-1, 4.35 record on the mound with 68 strikeouts in 62 innings. He hasn’t pitched since May 18 due to Florida’s one-and-done showing at the SEC tournament, so he arrives in Stillwater with a fresh arm in addition to his incredible power potential.

Best Hitter: Jac Caglianone, 1B/LHP, Florida.

In addition to being the regional’s most exciting player, Caglianone is also the best hitter in attendance, and it’s a big reason why he’s on the short list for the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. To spread the wealth I’ll also mention Oklahoma State sophomore outfielder Nolan Schubart who has already posted some pretty incredible numbers in two years for the Pokes.

Best Defensive Player: Josh Caron, C, Nebraska.

Opposing teams have hardly tested Caron behind the plate thanks to his rocket for a right arm, and he’s also taken a more take-charge approach with the pitching staff after largely being known as an offensive-minded backstop his first two years at Nebraska. Combine his defensive prowess with his powerful righthanded swing — he hit six of his 16 home runs this season during the Big Ten tournament in Omaha last week — and you have yet another talented all-around player that could go off at the launching pad known as O’Brate Stadium.

Best Pitcher: Brett Sears, RHP, Nebraska.

Sears had one of the best statistical seasons in the nation on his way to being named the Big Ten’s Pitcher of the Year. He improved to 9-0, 2.00 last weekend with an impressive nine-strikeout performance in six innings against Purdue — when he didn’t have his best stuff — to avoid elimination, and he completed Nebraska’s Big Ten tournament run with a perfect 1-2-3 inning to pick up the first save of his collegiate career. His transformation from a serviceable reliever a year ago to the Huskers’ ace this year is pretty remarkable, and he fronts a Nebraska staff that has a 4.40 team ERA. At his best Sears sequences between a four-pitch mix headlined by his 89-94 mph fastball and low-80s slider.

Tallahassee Regional Preview

After a brutal initial season in Tallahassee, second-year Florida State head coach Link Jarrett led the Seminoles to a top-eight seed, returning the program to its customary status. FSU is the unquestioned favorite in a foursome that includes Alabama, UCF and Stetson. The Crimson Tide have series wins over Tennessee, Arkansas, LSU, and South Carolina demonstrating they can defeat anyone. UCF had a strong Big 12 campaign, riding a deep pitching staff to a regional berth. Stetson has two wins over West Virginia, one over Florida and a win over top-seed Florida State. There are no easy wins in the group.

Tucson Regional Preview

Pac-12 regular-season and tournament champion hosted despite a No. 31 RPI — and the Wildcats were rewarded with the toughest regional field from top to bottom, with a No. 2 seed that had its own strong hosting case in Dallas Baptist, a No. 3 seed that could have been a 2 in West Virginia, and the toughest 4-seed in the field of 64 in Grand Canyon. It’s anybody’s ballgame, and it should make for compelling theater out West.

1. Arizona: |
2. Dallas Baptist: |
3. West Virginia: |
4. Grand Canyon: |

Most Exciting Player: JJ Wetherholt, SS, West Virginia

The lefthanded-hitting shortstop won Big 12 Player of the Year in 2023, and Wetherholt is a projected top-10 pick who might wind up being the best pro out of a loaded collection of prospects at the top of this draft class. There’s nothing he cannot do on a baseball field. Finally healthy, Wetherholt is back at shortstop in addition to hitting, and he ignites a sneaky outstanding lineup.

Best Hitter: Mason White, SS, Arizona

The Wildcats’ lefthanded-hitting shortstop is a dynamic offensive player. The 5-foot-11, 176-pound sophomore hits for surprising power (19 home runs) and he is a run-producing force (54 runs, 65 RBI). His 84 punchouts raise eyebrows but when he is hot, the Arizona offense is a problem.

Best Defensive Player: Alton Gyselman, C, Grand Canyon & Cade Verdusco, CF, Grand Canyon

The Lopes offer elite defense up the middle, especially when it comes to arm talent. Both Gyselman and Verdusco show 70 arms and baserunners in the Tucson Regional will be wise to take caution on the bases. Gyselman will likely pitch in professional baseball, and his throws to second base are a sight to behold. #LaserBolts

Best Pitcher: Ryan Johnson, RHP, Dallas Baptist

Johnson (11-2, 2.07 ERA) pitches with an up-tempo, almost quick-pitch operation. It’s certainly unique, but this is not about trickery. Johnson is third in the nation with 147 punchouts and his slider generates an outrageous 53% whiff rate. The junior will make his 40th career start in Tucson and he owns 22 victories.