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The 2025 ������Ƶ DI baseball regional tournaments run from May 30 to June 2. Below you will find previews for each region, from . This article will continue to be updated with more regions.

 Athens Regional Preview

The Athens Regional certainly looks intriguing on paper. Georgia has one of the nation’s premier offenses (ranked 28th nationally in runs per game), and it is particularly potent at home at Foley Field. Duke is another offensive club, ranked 26th nationally in runs per game, while Oklahoma State is ranked 165th nationally in runs per game, but definitely has much more potential than that, especially if Nolan Schubart has a productive weekend. Even Binghamton is ranked in the Top 100 in runs per game with 7.3 runs per game. 

1. Georgia: |
2. Duke:|
3. Oklahoma State: |
4. Binghamton:|

Most Exciting Player: Slate Alford, 3B, Georgia

Alford is an older guy who has been an outstanding piece of the Georgia offense this season. Alford is just a hitting machine and is an incredibly tough player to get out. He enters the weekend hitting an impressive .325 with 15 doubles, two triples, 17 homers and 60 RBIs, along with 36 walks. Alford can swing and miss a little bit, but more often than not, he’s making a sizable impact on the baseball. 

Best Hitter: Ryland Zaborowski, Georgia

Zaborowski missed a significant amount of time with an injury earlier this season, but is back in the fold and hopes to impact the baseball and his team in a big way this weekend. Zaborowski had a tall and physical frame and enters the Athens Regional hitting an impressive .375 with 10 doubles, 16 homers and 60 RBIs, along with a .497 OBP and .801 slugging percentage. He’s one of those sluggers who can change the game with one swing of the bat. 

Best Defensive Player: Kolby Branch, INF, Georgia

The Bulldogs have been rather solid up the middle this spring, and Branch is a big reason for that. In addition to being one of their key leaders, Branch has been a very solid defender, fielding at a .979 clip entering the weekend. He’s a steady type for the Bulldogs. 

Best Pitcher: Harrison Bodendorf, LHP, Oklahoma State

Color me a massive fan of Bodendorf from the left side. I first saw him throw at the Astros Foundation Classic earlier this season, and it was a fastball up to 92-93 mph along with very quality secondary stuff, particularly a sharp slider. Bodendorf is having a strong season for the Cowboys, tallying a 2.84 ERA in 85.2 innings of work, along with 97 strikeouts and 27 walks. Unfortunately for the Pokes, they will need to use Bodendorf against Duke and not host Georgia, but you can’t assume anything in that first game against a very good Duke Club. Bodendorf has a whiff rate of 50% higher with both the changeup and slider.

Auburn Regional Preview

After a 2024 season in which it finished dead last in the SEC, Auburn bounced back in a big way in 2025, with an SEC-opening series win over Vanderbilt in hindsight a clear signal that the Tigers were a different team this time around. In the end, Auburn did enough to secure the No. 4 national seed, giving the program its first top-eight seed in the tournament since 2003. The presence of NC State, a team that had hosting aspirations of its own as recently as a few weeks ago, and Stetson, which has 40 wins and lots of high-end talent, won’t make this regional easy, but this is also by many measures the best Auburn team we’ve seen in more than 20 years

1. Auburn: |
2. NC State: |
3. Stetson: |
4. Central Connecticut: |

Most Exciting Player: Isaiah Barkett, INF, Stetson

There are more accomplished players and better prospects in this regional, but no one defines the word exciting better than Barkett, whose first game in this regional will come against his former team, NC State. The infielder who has mostly played third base for the Hatters but can also handle shortstop, is batting .380/.450/.476 with 30 stolen bases out of the leadoff spot. His most impressive statistic, however, is that he’s struck out just eight times in 240 plate appearances for a minuscule 3.3% strikeout rate.

Best Hitter: Aidan Redahan, INF, Central Connecticut State

Auburn catcher/outfielder Ike Irish deserves a nod here given that he hit nearly .400 in SEC play and has 16 home runs, but we must acknowledge Redahan because he’ll go into the weekend leading the nation in batting at .458, and with just 11 strikeouts (compared to 24 walks) in 225 plate appearances, his 4.9% strikeout rate is nearly as low as Barkett’s. With a .334 team batting average, the Blue Devils have some depth in the lineup, but Redahan makes them go.

Best Defensive Player: Justin DeCriscio, SS, NC State

Stetson shortstop Lorenzo Meola, who won ASUN defensive player of the year honors, is a very viable option here, but the nod goes to DeCriscio, who has just six errors as the Wolfpack’s shortstop this season. He’s not the flashiest or toolsiest defensive player around, but you can’t play on the infield of an Elliott Avent-coached NC State team without being a very solid defender, and that’s the case with DeCriscio.

Best Pitcher: Jonathan Gonzalez, LHP, Stetson

Gonzalez is the quintessential veteran workhorse starter. After three quality seasons with the Hatters, the fifth-year senior missed all of last season with injury but has made up for lost time this season. In 87.2 innings, he has a 1.95 ERA, a .199 opponent batting average and 101 strikeouts compared to just 18 walks. He mostly gets it done with two pitches — a high-80s fastball and a high-70s changeup that has a 49% whiff rate — but when you throw them as effectively as he does, you can get away with that.

Austin Regional Preview

Regional host Texas has made serious waves in Jim Schlossnagle’s first season in Austin, winning the SEC by two full games and showcasing an elite backend of the bullpen led by Max Grubbs and Dylan Volantis. UTSA put together a consistent and strong regular season and are very offensive with Mason Lytle, James Taussig and others leading the charge, while there’s apparently no such thing as a rebuilding campaign in Manhattan, Kan. K-State reached the ������Ƶ Super Regional round last season, and despite losing several key cogs from that team, has continued to experience success this spring. Maximus Martin, in particular, has had a monster offensive campaign. As for HCU, the Huskies are in the ������Ƶ tournament in just Clay VanderLaan’s first season as the head man. VanderLaan previously served as an assistant under previous head coach Lance Berkman, and the Huskies are not some sort of one-weekend wonder. They’ve been a solid club throughout the season.

1. Texas:|
2. UTSA:  |
3. Kansas State: |
4. Houston Christian:  |

Most Exciting Player: Ethan Mendoza, 2B, Texas | Keegan O’Connor, C/LF, Kansas State

There are some good options for this category. Galvan would be a good one for Texas, while Lytle and even James Taussig are good options for UTSA, But I’ll focus on two guys in particular — Texas slugger Ethan Mendoza and Kansas State’s Keegan O’Connor. Mendoza is a hit machine for the Longhorns and has been clutch the entire season — he’s hitting .330 with 68 hits on the season, while O’Connor is a big bopper for the Wildcats with 14 doubles, 16 homers and 56 RBIs. Both sluggers command your attention when they’re at the plate.

Best Hitter: Mason Lytle, CF, UTSA

I wrote a little bit about him in another section, but Lytle, a 5-foot-10, 180-pound, senior, continues to have a strong offensive campaign for this hard-nosed Roadrunners club. Lytle enters the weekend with some strong statistics in several areas. For instance, he’s hitting .372 with 21 doubles, nine homers and 65 RBIs, while he also can make things happen on the bases with 16 stolen bases out of 21 attempts. The other thing I love about Lytle is that he sees pitches very well. He only has 18 strikeouts this season as compared to 22 walks. He sets the tone for this UTSA offense.

Best Defensive Player: Rylan Galvan, C, Texas

There are plenty of strong defenders in this regional, but I always resort to the most important position on the field — the catcher position. There, Galvan has become one of the premier backstops in the country. In addition to having a strong arm, Galvan is a brick wall behind the plate and does a terrific job of ‘stealing’ pitches with his ability to frame the ball. Galvan has total control of the field is a key leader for this Texas team.

Best Pitcher: Dylan Volantis, LHP, Texas

We already wrote plenty about Volantis in our section on the Texas bullpen below, but he’s the X-factor and the most consistent piece of this Longhorns’ team. The only thing to potentially watch with Volantis is that teams have seemed to see him a bit better over the last couple of weeks. But he’s still putting up video game numbers out of the backend of the bullpen. From talking to opposing coaches about his overall approach and stuff, teams have a tough time picking up the fastball, cutter and slider from the same up top arm angle. It’ll be interesting to see how he performs in his postseason debut.

Baton Rouge Regional Preview

The sixth overall national seed LSU welcomes Dallas Baptist, A-10 champ Rhode Island, and OVC champ Little Rock to Alex Box Stadium this weekend. Can the Tigers return to supers after losing in the regional round a season ago? If so, they must lean on a talented pitching staff and slow down potent offenses in DBU, URI, and pesky underdog Little Rock.

1. LSU: |
2. Dallas Baptist: |
3. Rhode Island: |
4. Little Rock: |

Most Exciting Player: Jared Jones, 1B, LSU

There may not be more raw power in the country than Jones. The mammoth slugger has slugged 19 homers and 66 RBIs in his junior season. He’s one of those players who people notice when he steps in the box, and one must expect he’ll be in top form as his LSU career winds down with a home regional.

Best Hitter: Anthony DePino, 3B, Rhode Island

DePino has amassed massive numbers this season with a .359 average, 19 homers, 20 doubles, and 60 RBIs for the Rams. He’s also stolen 21 bases and drawn 55 walks in an incredibly productive season in the Atlantic 10. But he’s also been an incredibly productive power hitter for four years, with a school-record 64 career homers to go along with 178 RBIs and a 1.062 career OPS in 204 games.

Best Defensive Player: Steven Milam, SS, LSU

Milam has developed into a playmaker in the middle of the field. He’s always in the correct position and seems to find a way to make the highlight play and nab the runner by a step.

Best Pitcher: Kade Anderson, LHP, LSU

Anderson might be the best pitcher in the nation and the top college arm in the draft. The lefty holds batters to a .220 average and is as competitive as any pitcher in college baseball. Anderson has a legit four-pitch arsenal, but his fastball and changeup generate truly elite swing-and-miss rates. Our David Seifert wrote that he draws industry comparisons to Scott Kazmir, who was the 15th overall selection in the 2002 draft and went on to a 108-win career over 13 years in the MLB.

 Chapel Hill Regional Preview

After a dominant 3-0 run through the ACC tournament, North Carolina ascended to No. 1 for the first time in the 11-year of the D1Baseball Top 25 rankings, though the Tar Heels still landed just the No. 5 national seed from the committee. UNC looks like one of the leading contenders to win the national title, but the Heels will have their hands full in this regional, which features an SEC No. 2 seed with some high-end power arms in Oklahoma, a preseason Top 25 team playing its best baseball at the right time in 3-seed Nebraska, and the Patriot League’s regular-season and tournament champion in Holy Cross.

1. North Carolina: |
2. Oklahoma: |
3. Nebraska: |
4. Holy Cross: |

Most Exciting Player: Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma

There aren’t many regionals where Witherspoon wouldn’t get the nod for “Best Pitcher”, but that honor has to go to ACC pitcher of the year Jake Knapp. But Witherspoon is certainly the more electrifying talent and a potential top-five overall pick. And like Knapp, Witherspoon has performed at an All-America level this spring, going 10-3, 2.47 with a 120-20 K-BB mark in 91 IP. Armed with an explosive fastball that sits at 96-98 deep into ballgames, a swing-and-miss cutter/slider at 86-90, a knockout curveball at 79-81 that generates a whiff rate in the 98th percentile, and a quality split-change, Witherspoon is a complete pitcher with command and elite stuff. And a bonus, his twin brother Malachi Witherspoon has similarly electric raw stuff; if he can harness it when it matters, the Sooners could win this regional. One way or another, the two Witherspoon brothers in the OU rotation will be a treat to watch.

Best Hitter: Kane Kepley, OF, North Carolina

High-profile teammate Luke Stevenson hits for much more power (18 HR), and veteran teammates Alex Madera and Hunter Stokely hit for more average (.332), but Kepley has been the most valuable offensive player for the Tar Heels, and the most valuable offensive player in this regional, with 44.75 offensive runs above replacement, per Synergy. He recovered from a first-half slump to build a solid .293 average, but that just scratches the surface of his value. With 25 HBPs and a dynamite 40-22 BB-K mark, Kepley is an on-base machine (.458). And once he’s on base, his elite speed allows him to wreak havoc, as evidenced by his 38 steals in 42 tries. Kepley is clearly a marquee table setter, but he also has some sneaky extra-base pop, with 12 doubles and six triples (aided by his speed, of course).

Best Defensive Player: Alex Madera, SS, North Carolina

Madera was a premium defensive second baseman a year ago, when he fielded .991, committing just two errors all season. He has shifted to shortstop this year, and though he lacks elite arm strength, he has continued to defend at a very high level, fielding .975 with a team-best 12.36 defensive runs saved.

Oklahoma’s Jaxon Willits is a similarly steady defender with comparable defensive stats, but Madera has a slight DRS nod, and a better fielding percentage than Nebraska shortstop Dylan Carey, who is another worthy candidate for this spot. This regional also features two very good catching prospects in Stevenson and Oklahoma’s Easton Carmichael, but neither has been able to truly shut down opposing running games this year, so we’ll give the nod to the shortstop Madera.

Best Pitcher: Jake Knapp, RHP, North Carolina

After missing all of 2024 with an elbow injury, Knapp has returned better than ever as a fifth-year senior ace this spring, going 12-0, 2.17 with 78 strikeouts against 13 walks in 87 innings en route to ACC pitcher of the year honors. And he has been even better against ACC competition than he was out of conference, going 10-0, 1.96 in 10 ACC starts. Knapp ranks second nationally in wins, and though he hasn’t racked up a dazzling K rate, he simply keeps hitters off base better than almost anyone, ranking second in the nation with a 0.83 WHIP (tied with Southern Miss ace JB Middleton). A 6-foot-5, 270-pound clydesdale, Knapp maintains his 93-96 mph velocity deep into ballgames — and he’s made pitching into the late innings a routine occurrence, working into the seventh or later in nine of his last 11 starts since building up his stamina early in the year. Knapp pitches heavily off his fastball, using it 64% of the time, but he also has an effective changeup and slider to keep hitters honest.

 Clemson Regional Preview

This has the potential to be one of the more exciting regionals in the tournament. Host Clemson is no stranger to the postseason under head coach Erik Bakich, who has guided the Tigers to three straight home regionals. After dropping the first one, they advanced last year and have the team to do so again. West Virginia had the makings of a host for much of the year and won the Big 12 regular season title; WVU aims to return to supers for the second season in a row. Kentucky is one of a record 13 teams from the SEC to earn a bid and has its sights set on a second straight run to Omaha. Finally, USC Upstate is in the field for the first time after knocking on the door the last few years before winning 22 of 27 games against Big South competition this spring, en route to the regular-season and tournament crowns.

1. Clemson: |
2. West Virginia: |
3. Kentucky: |
4. USC Upstate: |

Most Exciting Player: Cam Cannarella, CF, Clemson

There are few players in the country that have the capability to make the plays Cannarella does in center field, and he’s truly the emotional heartbeat of the Tigers. Cannarella has heated up down the stretch offensively and is now slashing .344/.477/.495 with more walks (51) than strikeouts (40) and 20 doubles on the year. Clemson head coach Erik Bakich has frequently described him as a superhero, particularly in big moments.  “He has that ability, that when we need the highest level of compete and the highest level of execution, in the most high-leverage situation, that is when he shines,” Bakich said. “He’s got a very special gift in that regard.” And, since Cannarella has a claim for the next category as well, it’s notable that over the last month, he’s 26-for-58 (.448) with seven extra-base hits and paces the team with 16 RBIs and a 1.181 OPS. 

Best Hitter: Johnny Sweeney, DH, USC Upstate

We’ll highlight the younger brother of USC Upstate head coach Kane Sweeney here. Johnny Sweeney has erupted as a junior and entrenched himself in the cleanup role for the Spartans. He hit just .201 over 139 at-bats in his first two years on campus but has slashed .351/.702/.504 with 17 home runs and 15 doubles while driving in 81 runs. Sweeney’s 3.8 offensive WAR paces the field in Clemson while his underlying numbers show an ability to punish secondaries, particularly changeups and sliders. The former is an interesting matchup against the Tigers’ Aidan Knaak as Sweeney’s posted a .562 wOBA (96th percentile) against changeups.

Best Defensive Player: Cam Cannarella, CF, Clemson

In the 2024 Super Regional against Florida, Cannarella pulled off the catch of the year — an over-the-shoulder basket catch while running at full speed up the hill in center field at Doug Kingsmore Stadium — to prevent a walk-off in the 10th inning. That type of play is almost routine for the junior, who flashed the leather on many occasions this year and provided a safety blanket for his pitching staff. Metrically, he’s also only gotten better this year, posting an 11.8 defensive runs saved mark that ranks 11th nationally among center fielders. You can chalk the improvement up to settling back in after offseason labrum surgery.

Best Pitcher: Aidan Knaak, RHP, Clemson

There’s an argument here for Clemson’s backend pairing of Reed Garris and Lucas Mahlstedt, but the Tigers’ path to a regional win begins with a strong start from Knaak. He’s been outstanding in his last two starts, going a combined 13.1 innings with two runs on four hits allowed while striking out 18. It starts with his changeup, one of the better pitches in the country. In those two starts, opponents were just 1-for-17 against it with 11 strikeouts. He’s made 30 starts in two years for Clemson, including a pair in the postseason last year, so he’s no stranger to the big moment.

Conway Regional Preview

No. 13 national seed Coastal Carolina racked up a gaudy 48-11 overall record while winning both the Sun Belt regular-season title and conference tournament. Now the Chanticleers host a very dangerous Florida club that recovered from a rocky first half with a big-time second-half surge, along with fellow perennial power East Carolina and MAAC heavyweight Fairfield.

1. Coastal Carolina: |
2. Florida: |
3. East Carolina: |
4. Fairfield: |

Most Exciting Player: Dixon Williams, MIF, East Carolina

One of the most well-rounded players in college baseball, Williams offers a blend of speed (22-for-25 in stolen base attempts), power (13 homers and 12 doubles), barrel control and patience (.296 average, .451 OBP with 47 walks against 45 strikeouts). He’s also a premium defender with extremely sure hands, smooth actions and great instincts at second base — and he can also handle himself at shortstop (where he played in the conference tournament) despite lacking a bazooka arm. But the Pirates got a nice spark in their 4-0 run through the AAC tourney with Williams at short and spark plug freshman walk-on Braden Burress (the tournament MOP) at second base.

Best Hitter: Colby Shelton, SS, Florida

You could make a case here for fellow Gators Bobby Boser and Brody Donay (who both offer more power), or Fairfield’s trio of Dean Ferrara, Matt Bucciero and Luke Nomura, or ECU’s Williams. But we’ll give the nod to Shelton, who is hitting .377 overall and .360 in SEC competition, both team highs. He’s a tough out with 21 walks against 24 strikeouts, and he boasts a .458 OBP and a .606 slugging percentage, with a team-leading 19 doubles along with seven homers. Shelton is also a standout defender at short, but he really stands out for his evolution from a feast-or-famine slugger with high strikeout totals over his first two seasons, to an under-control hit machine as a junior.

Best Defensive Player: Caden Bodine, C, Coastal Carolina

Bodine is likely a Day One draft pick this summer thanks to his combination of elite defense behind the plate and his elite discipline at the plate (44 BB against 18 SO). He’s an uncommonly athletic backstop with soft hands, excellent blocking and receiving skills, and a very accurate arm, if not a cannon. He is fielding .998 with just one passed ball and has thrown out 36 percent of base stealers.

Best Pitcher: Jacob Morrison, RHP, Coastal Carolina

After missing 2024 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, Morrison was one of college baseball’s brightest breakout stars this spring, going 11-0, 1.90 with an 84-19 K-BB mark in 85.1 IP en route to Sun Belt pitcher of the year honors. An imposing 6-foot-8, 245-pound righty, Morrison works downhill from a high slot with a very good four-pitch arsenal: a riding fastball that averages 92.6 mph and touches 95; a mid-70s downer curveball that opponents are hitting just .098 against (86th percentile in Division I); a wipeout mid-80s slider with a 39.% whiff rate (75th percentile); and a functional changeup.

Corvallis Regional Preview

Corvallis is one of just three regionals where all four teams have won 35+ games. Oregon State earned a national seed by being road warriors with only 19 home games this season after choosing to go independent in the wake of the Pac-12’s dissolution. The only other trip they’ll make this season is to Omaha … if they can win the next two weekends. They’ll be challenged by a pair of power conference foes in TCU and Southern California, who have a ton of connections and familiarity on the coaching staff with Trojan head coach Andy Stankiewicz long-time friends with TCU hitting coach Bill Mosiello. USC pitching coach Sean Allen worked under Mosiello at Ohio State the previous two seasons. Oregon State and TCU have not just been postseason but College World Series regulars over the last two decades while USC is making just its second regional (2015) since 2005 and Saint Mary’s is in the ������Ƶ tournament for just the second time in program history (2016).

1. Oregon St.:|
2. TCU: |
3. Southern California:|
4. St. Mary's (CA): |

Most Exciting Player: Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State

Arquette (.348, 17, 60) doesn’t have quite the same scare factor that previous Beaver offensive monsters like Travis Bazzana or Adley Rutschman or Michael Conforto have had, but he’s the next top 10 draft pick in the OSU lineage. All he does is produce line drive after line drive, some with a little elevation that travel over the wall. His barrel stays in the zone for a long time, and he uses all fields well making him a difficult out. Instead of scary, he’s just frustrating because he seems to always be on base.

Best Hitter: Eddie Madrigal, 1B, Saint Mary’s

Arquette could easily be slotted here as well, but Madrigal quietly (unless you’re a WCC pitcher that has seen him step in the box) has the best numbers of any hitter in the Corvallis Regional. After having just 66 at-bats his first three years on campus, Madrigal has had an explosive breakout campaign with an extended opportunity, hitting .372, 21, 77. Madrigal had multiple hits in 15 of his last 20 games, including nine of the last 11. He’s driven in 36 runs during the 20-game stretch despite moving to the leadoff spot just before the stretch began.

Best Defensive Player: Anthony Silva, SS, TCU

Silva has range for days to both his left and right. He makes difficult look pedestrian, and he isn’t afraid to utilize some flair, such as his behind-the-back flip to second base for a force out in the Big 12 Tournament last week. He is fifth nationally and second among shortstops in defensive runs saved with 16.02, a number more than five runs better than any other defender in this regional.

Best Pitcher: Tommy LaPour, RHP, TCU

The Wichita State transfer has dyanmic stuff with a fastball that has been up to 100 mph this season and a hard changeup that he’ll throw at 89-91 mph. But his most effective pitch has been his slider that has created a 40.8 whiff percentage and opponents have only hit .182 against this season. LaPour (8-2, 2.89) was throwing the slider in the mid 80s early in the season while it has been 79-81 with varied movement, sometimes going down…other times cutting straight across, most recently. He did get tagged for five earned runs in back-to-back starts to end the regular season but fired a gem in the Big 12 Tournament. 

Eugene Regional Preview

Oregon entered the 2025 season in a new conference (Big Ten) with the momentum of a program that had won regionals in back-to-back seasons. The host Ducks will open regional play against one of the nation’s highest scoring offenses in Utah Valley but their three-peat will likely face its greatest challenges from former Pac-12 league mates Arizona or one of the hottest clubs on the West Coast in Cal Poly. This regional features one regular season champion (Oregon) and three conference tournament champions.

1. Oregon: |
2. Arizona:|
3. Cal Poly: |
4. Utah Valley: |

Most Exciting Player: Brendan Summerhill, OF, Arizona

Summerhill was a breakout star a year ago and he is both a run creator and run producer. The 6-foot-3 lefthanded hitter is an electric athlete who posted an OPS 1.133 this season, earning 35 free passes while striking out just 14 times. The junior right fielder lost 21 games to injury in 2025, otherwise the Wildcats might have been a one seed.

Best Hitter: Mason White, SS, Arizona

White went off at the Big 12 Championship, hitting three home runs at cavernous Globe Life Field as the Wildcats won their second straight conference tournament title. The 5-foot-11, 186-pound lefthanded hitter is prone to streakiness as evidenced by his 200 career strikeouts. But those punchouts are a small price to pay for a middle infielder with a career OPS of 1.023, including 45 long balls and 166 RBIs.

Best Defensive Player: Carter Garate, 3B, Oregon

If you believe that third base is the toughest infield position in college baseball, you would be correct. And Garate gives the Ducks a middle infielder’s skill set at the hot corner. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound lefthanded hitter is skill over strength but the vibe is vintage west coast baseball: grit, savvy, and a winning swagger. Garate made just five errors over 56 starts in 2025.

Best Pitcher: Grayson Grinsell, LHP, Oregon
 

There is exactly one pitcher in college baseball who entered 2025 with two career super regional starts: Grayson Grinsell. The junior lefthander deploys a classic fastball-changeup arsenal, and the cambio is a bona fide out pitch with an outrageous 47.8% whiff rate. Grinsell (9-3, 2.62 ERA) yielded just 65 hits in his 92.2 innings pitched while also punching out 99 hitters. His career record of 18-6 is loud.

Fayetteville Regional Preview

Arkansas, the betting favorite in Vegas to win the national title, is hosting again this season, looking to break a pattern that has seen it lose back-to-back home regionals. Kansas, which set a regular-season program wins record, is a gritty team capable of playing spoiler and knocking the Razorbacks out early once again, while Creighton will look to send retiring head coach Ed Servais out on a high note. North Dakota State is on a Cinderella run that saw it defeat Summit League regular-season champion Oral Roberts for the conference’s automatic bid despite finishing under .500 in league play during the regular season.

1. Arkansas: |
2. Kansas: |
3. Creighton: |
4. North Dakota State: |

Most Exciting Player: Nolan Sailors, OF, Creighton

Sailors has been an excellent catalyst in the Creighton lineup each of the last two seasons, but this season has been his masterpiece for the Bluejays. He’s batting .392/.490/.555 with 16 doubles, 39 RBIs and 27 stolen bases. His seven outfield assists as the everyday left fielder have also made him a value add defensively. There are more talented players in this regional, but none that does as much for his team.

Best Hitter: Wehiwa Aloy, SS, Arkansas

The Hawaiian won SEC player of the year honors and one look at his numbers makes it easy to see why. He’s batting .353/.437/.668 with 17 doubles, 18 home runs and 58 RBIs. When the Arkansas lineup is clicking, it’s arguably the best and the deepest in the country, but Wehiwa Aloy is the clear centerpiece of the operation.

Best Defensive Player: Jake Schaffner, SS, North Dakota State

Schaffner does a lot for the Bison, as he’s the team’s leader in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and stolen bases, but he’s also a standout defender at shortstop who won Summit League defensive player of the year honors this season. He made just five errors at the position all season (good for a .974 fielding percentage) and until committing an error in the championship-clinching game against Oral Roberts over the weekend, he hadn’t made one in nearly six weeks.

Best Pitcher: Zach Root, LHP, Arkansas

The lefthander Root has been everything Arkansas could have hoped for when he transferred from East Carolina. In 79.2 innings, he has a 4.07 ERA, a .239 opponent batting average and 106 strikeouts compared to 28 walks using a five-pitch arsenal made up of a heavy fastball that reaches the mid 90s, a low-80s curveball that has a 39% whiff rate, a mid-80s changeup that has a 36% whiff rate, a mid-to-high-80s cutter that has a 35% whiff rate and a mid-80s slider that has a 48% whiff rate, albeit with the slider being used more sparingly than his other pitches.

Hattiesburg Regional Preview

Southern Miss reeled off 18 straight wins before falling in the Sun Belt tournament title game to earn a home regional for the third time in four years. Counting the 2023 super regional, Hattiesburg has now hosted postseason baseball four years in a row. The atmosphere will be rowdy as the Golden Eagles welcome an Alabama squad that was also in the hosting conversation, a Miami club that rode a strong second half to one of the last at-large spots, and one of the tournament’s most dangerous No. 4 seeds in Columbia.

1. Southern Miss.: |
2. Alabama: |
3. Miami (FL): |
4. Columbia: |

Most Exciting Player:  Jake Cook, CF & Nick Monistere, 2B, Southern Mississippi

For excitement, look no further than the Southern Miss duo of leadoff man/center fielder Jake Cook and second baseman Nick Monistere. Cook is blazing fast, and he’s seemingly on base all the time (.438 percentage). He’s also hitting .350 with 13 doubles, three triples, three homers and a .481 slug. Monistere is hitting .338 with team highs in homers (19), RBIs (68) and slug (.641).

Best Hitter: Daniel Cuvet, 3B, Miami

Miami third baseman Daniel Cuvet is hitting .378 with 17 doubles, one triple, 16 homers and a 1.161 OPS. He also has 76 RBIs in 54 games, often carrying Miami’s offense. He has really heated up in the second half, showing why he was a first-team preseason All-American heading into this year, after his dynamite freshman campaign a year ago.

Best Defensive Player: Michael Torres, CF, Miami

Miami’s Michael Torres, who has struggled on offense, could play center field in the majors right now, according to his coach, J.D. Arteaga. Torres has three assists and just one error this season, but that doesn’t include all his highlight plays. He has made ESPN’s Top 10 Plays twice this year, and he has robbed two would-be home runs. He glides in the outfield, and he has a plus arm.

Best Pitcher: JB Middleton, SP, Southern Mississippi

Southern Miss righthander JB Middleton on Monday was named the winner of the Ferriss Trophy, given to the best player in the state of Mississippi. It is just the fifth time a Southern Miss player has won the award. Middleton is 10-1, 2.01 with 114 strikeouts in 98 1/3 innings. Opponents are hitting just .168 against him. In addition to his first-team All-America-caliber numbers, Middleton is a high-end prospect who maintains his 93-96 mph velocity deep into games and effectively mixes in a quality mid-80s changeup and a hard power slider.

Knoxville Regional Preview

The Tennessee Volunteers are immensely talented and rightly favored to advance. After going 40-4 at Lindsey Nelson on their road to Omaha last year, however, the defending champs have dropped their last four home series down the stretch. Enduring injuries and inconsistent stints, Wake Forest looked like a potential host at times. The Deacs won their last four series before an early exit in the ACC tournament. Cincinnati’s aggressive style of play could be a thorn in the side of a Tennessee team that has struggled to control the run game. MAC champion Miami (OH) is a scrappy, well coached group that could ruin someone’s season.

1. Tennessee: |
2. Wake Forest: |
3. Cincinnati: |
4. Miami (OH): |

Most Exciting Player: Kerrington Cross, 3B, Cincinnati

Bearcats coach Jordan Bischel called Cross one of the most valuable players in college baseball on opening weekend. His conference coaching brethren seems to agree, naming Cross the Big 12 Player of the Year after leading the league in OBP (.525), which is good for eighth in the country. He’s the emotional leader for the UC who can beat you with power (12 HR) or his legs (13 SB).

Best Hitter: Andrew Fischer, 1B, Tennessee

One of the most feared hitters in the country, Fischer is leading the SEC in OBP (.500), OPS (1.253) and home runs (22). His .412 ISO is sixth in the country. He’s equally dangerous against lefties and righties, and 15 of his long balls came in the friendly confines of Lindsey Nelson Stadium. 

Best Defensive Player: Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest

The starting shortstop since arriving in Winston-Salem, Houston’s defense kept him in the lineup early in his career. He’s now developed into an impact bat too (1.032 OPS, 12 HR, 19 SB). Lean and athletic at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, Houston is an instinctual defender with range to either side and a strong enough arm to make throws from deep in the hole.    

Honorable mentions go to Tennessee’s Hunter Ensley and Miami’s Anthony Zarlingo, two center fielders who earned spots on the All-Defensive Teams for their respective conferences.  

Best Pitcher: Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee

The SEC Pitcher of the Year, Doyle is 9-3, 3.04 with 142 strikeouts and 27 walks in 83 innings. Relying heavily on a fastball that’s averaged 95.6 mph (99th percentile) with a 39.7% whiff rate (100th percentile), Doyle is leading the country with a 42.6% strikeout rate. He’s looked human in his last two starts against Arkansas and Texas, but those offenses are more formidable than any he’ll face this weekend. 

Los Angeles Regional Preview

After finishing as Big Ten co-champion in the regular season and runner-up in the conference tournament, UCLA hosts a loaded all-West regional featuring Big West regular-season champion UC Irvine, Big 12 at-large team Arizona State and Mountain West champion Fresno State.

1. UCLA: |
2. UC Irvine: |
3. Arizona State: |
4. Fresno State: |

Most Exciting Player: Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA

Mike Rooney mentioned on the ������Ƶ selection show that the Bruin shortstop could be next year’s 1:1 in the 2026 MLB draft and that’s because he is a human highlight film on the diamond. He’s got five tools and it shows on the stat sheet in the form of his .370 average, his 23 home runs and his having committed just six errors all season. And with Mulivai Levu hitting behind him, he hasn’t stolen a lot of bases but he is 6-for-6 in that department. His 23 yard calls is good for third nationally. As he goes, so go the Bruins. 

Best Hitter: Matt King, SS, Arizona State

I could keep giving Cholowsky the nod here again (and even for the best defensive player, which is up next) but we’ve gotta mix it up here, so I am going with the player who comes into the Los Angeles Regional with the best batting average as King sports a stellar .405 mark. King, a senior transfer from UTSA, was penciled in as the projected shortstop in the preseason and has just taken off in 2025. Not surprisingly, he was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and was also named the No. 22-ranked shortstop by the guys at D1 at the beginning of this month.

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

There is a gaggle of really good infielders in this regional. But Mr. Gray 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 sticks certainly aren’t too shabby either, hitting .330 with 18 home runs, 48 RBIs, but it’s his glove work that is really exemplary as he has committed just three errors in his 58 games this season. By the way, I wrote nearly the same thing for Gray in last year’s Santa Barbara Regional preview when Grey had four errors in 59 games and had hit nine home runs with 48 RBIs. So you can see that his numbers at the dish have improved dramatically. 

Best Pitcher: Ricky Ojeda, LHP, UC Irvine

He’s not in the starting rotation. He’s not a closer. He’s not a midweek starter. He’s not the player sitting behind home plate holding the radar gun and a clipboard. But Ojeda is a Swiss Army knife for the Anteaters and out of his team-high 27 appearances he has notched a nation’s-best 13 wins against just one loss. He does have two starts and two saves, so he can pitch those roles too. Either way the crafty lefty is just plain impressive in everything he does, including showing a low-90s fastball and mixing it up with some wicked secondary stuff that is difficult for batters to find. He’s posted 79 Ks in his 62.0 innings. 

Nashville Regional Preview

Vanderbilt rode one of the better pitching and defense combinations in the entire nation to an SEC Tournament championship, the nation’s best RPI and the No. 1 overall seed. The Commodores are riding an eight-game winning streak into the postseason and have gone 10-3 in the month of May with series wins against Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky. One of the teams to beat them recently is Louisville, although the Cardinals aren’t riding the same momentum into the Nashville Regional, losing each of their final three series followed by an 0-1 showing at the ACC Tournament. East Tennessee State and Wright State took care of business from beginning to end, going 41-15 and 38-19 while capturing each of their respective conference tournament titles in the SoCon and Horizon League.

1. Vanderbilt: |
2. Louisville: |
3. ETSU: |
4. Wright State|

Most Exciting Player: Lucas Moore, CF, Louisville

Moore is a menace at the top of the Louisville order, leading the team in batting (.373), on-base percentage (.470) and stolen bases (46). His 46 steals were second-best in the entire nation and he was caught stealing only once during the 2025 season. Not surprisingly, he also uses his speed well to cover a tremendous amount of ground in center field.

Best Hitter: Cooper Torres, 2B, East Tennessee State

Named the SoCon Player of the Year, Torres posted huge numbers for the powerful Bucs offense. He was also named the SoCon Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, batting 5-for-9 with four runs scored and six RBIs in three games as ETSU captured the conference’s automatic bid. Overall, Torres batted .378 with a 1.260 OPS, 23 home runs and 170 total bases, one of the best single-season performances in program history.

Best Defensive Player: Jonathan Vastine, SS, Vanderbilt

A three-year starter for the Commodores, Vastine is in his fourth season with the program, committing just 17 errors in 209 career games, good for a .971 fielding percentage. This year, he has just two errors and a .986 fielding percentage, a near unheard of rate for a shortstop.

Best Pitcher: JD Thompson, LHP, Vanderbilt

Armed with a four-pitch mix that includes a low-90s fastball, Thompson made 15 starts this year as the Commodores’ Friday ace, going 5-5, 4.06. His most recent start was one of the most impactful of his three-year career, striking out 11 in five innings as Vanderbilt beat Oklahoma, 6-1, in their first game at the SEC Tournament. Thompson’s 110 strikeouts are tied for the 14th-most in the nation.

Oxford Regional Preview

A strong finish with three wins at the SEC Tournament against Florida, Arkansas and LSU helped propel Ole Miss into the hosting conversation. The Rebels very well may have taken the spot from Georgia Tech, the ACC’s regular season champion and an especially dangerous two-seed that won seven of its 10 conference series. Western Kentucky led the nation in ERA for a significant part of the season, finishing third, and earned Conference USA’s automatic bid by winning its 46th game of the season. Murray State enjoyed one of its best seasons in program history, currently one win shy of 40 (39-13) while taking care of business all season long in the Missouri Valley Conference.

1. Ole Miss: |
2. Georgia Tech: |
3. Western Ky.: |
4. Murray State: |

Most Exciting Player: Ryan Wideman, CF, Western Kentucky

At 6-foot-5, 204 pounds, Wideman is a rare five-tool athlete who runs like a deer and offers intriguing overall upside. His setup and swing in the righthanded batter’s box are described as unorthodox, but it works for him, leading to a .398/.467/.661 triple slash line with 20 doubles, six triples, 10 homers and 45 stolen bases. He covers center field from gap to gap and gives off serious old school Dale Murphy vibes as a well-rounded ballplayer with eye-popping athletic talents.

Best Hitter: Drew Burress, CF, Georgia Tech

Named the 2024 Freshman of the Year, Burress hit the ground running a year ago and has followed up a sensational rookie year with yet another All-American caliber campaign. In 115 college games played he has walked (106) more times than he has struck out (76) batting .360 during that time with 43 home runs. His two-home run, four-RBI performance against Cal in the ACC Tournament propelled the Yellow Jackets to a win, as one of the nation’s most dangerous hitters flexed his muscle.

Best Defensive Player: Kyle Lodise, SS, Georgia Tech

Kyle and his cousin Alex Lodise (Florida State) have really done a number against ACC pitching this year. Kyle is currently batting .339 and is second on the team in homers (15), trailing only Burress. After starring at Division II Augusta University, Lodise transferred to Georgia Tech where he not only has anchored the everyday lineup as the No. 3 hitter, but also the infield, routinely displaying a steady glove at shortstop.

Best Pitcher: Hunter Elliott, LHP, Ole Miss

Elliott has plenty of big-game experience dating back to his freshman year in 2022 when he helped guide Ole Miss to a national championship. He missed most of 2023 and all of 2024 after suffering an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery, but has returned strong this season, going 9-3, 3.09, and recently out-dueled flamethrowing Florida ace Liam Peterson in the SEC Tournament. During the 2022 College World Series Elliott received a pair of starts, picking up the win in 6 1/3 innings against Arkansas and allowing just two runs against Oklahoma as part of Ole Miss’ championship-clinching victory.

Tallahassee Regional Preview

Florida State earned the No. 9 national seed after a dominant campaign and now hosts a Tallahassee Regional packed with intrigue — featuring the ACC runner-up Seminoles, red-hot Northeastern riding a 27-game win streak and the nation’s best pitching staff, SEC-tested Mississippi State with explosive offensive firepower, and a power-hitting Bethune-Cookman squad. It’s one of the most balanced and intriguing regionals in the tournament.

1. Florida State: |
2. Northeastern: |
3. Mississippi State: |
4. Bethune-Cookman: |

Most Exciting Player: Alex Lodise, SS, Florida State

The second player in ACC history to earn both Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors in the same season, Lodise has cemented himself as one of the premier shortstops in the country. A true five-tool force, he enters the regionals with a gaudy .415/.473/.760 slash line, 17 home runs, 18 doubles, and 66 RBIs — all while going a perfect 6-for-6 on stolen base attempts and fielding at a .974 clip. He leads all Power Four hitters in batting average and ranks among the nation’s top 15 in hits, total bases, and slugging.

Best Hitter: Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi State

The centerpiece of Mississippi State’s offense, Reese combines advanced bat control with game-changing power. He led the SEC in batting average during conference play, hitting a blistering .400 against league arms, and finished third overall at .371. His power numbers are just as imposing: 21 home runs, 18 doubles, and an SEC-best 161 total bases, good for a .767 slugging percentage. Reese boasts one of the highest wRC+ marks in the country at 166, proving he’s not just putting up volume — he’s producing elite value in every at-bat.

Best Defensive Player: Alex Lodise, SS, Florida State

As aforementioned, Lodise’s glove is as elite as his bat. Lodise earned ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors by pairing steady reliability with elite-level range at one of the game’s most demanding positions. He made just five errors in 195 total chances, good for a .974 fielding percentage, and was tasked with anchoring the Seminole infield against high-octane ACC offenses. According to Synergy’s advanced metrics, Lodise posted 12.71 Defensive Runs Saved, ranking among the national leaders at shortstop. His instincts, quick hands, and arm strength allow him to consistently convert tough plays into outs, making him a true difference-maker in the field.

Best Pitcher: Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State

A projected top-five pick in this year’s MLB Draft, Arnold has only strengthened his reputation as one of college baseball’s elite arms following last year’s All-America sophomore season. The 6-foot-1, 192-pound lefthander enters regionals with a 3.04 ERA, 97 strikeouts, and just 24 walks across 71 innings, commanding one of the most lethal pitch mixes in the country. His fastball sits comfortably in the mid-90s and has touched 98 mph, setting up a devastating slider with a 45.2% whiff rate, and a plus changeup that holds hitters to a .091 average. Opponents are hitting just .208 against him, and his 36.4% whiff rate and 28.2% chase rate rank among the nation’s elite. Arnold’s combination of polish, power, and pitchability makes him one of the most dangerous starters in the postseason field.