2020 NCAA Baseball Crystal Ball Predictions

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Before the first pitch of the season is thrown, Teddy Cahill and Joe Healy look into the crystal ball to make a few predictions for the 2020 season.

Looking for other parts of our annual college baseball preview? Find them below. 

Preseason Top 25 | All-Americans | Top 25 Previews | Conference Previews | BA 200 Draft Rankings | Preseason Field Of 64 Projection

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National Champion

Teddy Cahill: Vanderbilt. The Commodores have the talent to repeat as national champions in 2020, starting with the dynamic Austin Martin and Kumar Rocker headlining the nation’s best group of frontline arms.

Joe Healy: Louisville. After going as deep in Omaha as ever in 2019, a veteran team led by co-aces Reid Detmers and Bobby Miller returns poised to take the next step. 

Omaha Sleeper

Teddy Cahill: Coastal Carolina. The Chanticleers are lurking just off the radar as the season begins, but if their premium arms click, they have the potential to compete with anyone in the country.

Joe Healy: Texas Christian. After dealing with a ton of injuries, but still sneaking into a regional, TCU is healthy headed into 2020 and just welcomed a top-five recruiting class.

Player of the Year

Teddy Cahill: Spencer Torkelson, 1B, Arizona State. No one has more power than Torkelson and he’s been an absolute force at the heart of the lineup. If ASU ends up in the mix in Omaha, he will be a big reason why.

Joe Healy: Austin Martin, 3B, Vanderbilt. Martin hits for average, hits for power and steals bases, all while possessing the ability to play just about anywhere on the field.

Pitcher Of The Year

Teddy Cahill: Kumar Rocker, RHP, Vanderbilt. Rocker showed how dominant he can be during the 2019 NCAA Tournament. Pitching at that level all year may be impossible, but I don’t want to put it past him.

Joe Healy: Emerson Hancock, RHP, Georgia. It takes a special pitcher to dominate SEC hitters, and Hancock did so in 2019, putting up a 1.69 ERA and .157 opponent average in league play.

Freshman Of The Year

Teddy Cahill: Jack Leiter, RHP, Vanderbilt. Leiter was the most talented player to get to college in the 2019 prep class and he’s advanced enough to get innings right away, even on a deep Vanderbilt staff.

Joe Healy: Bryce Osmond, RHP, Oklahoma State. Osmond, a top-50 draft prospect who chose OSU over pro baseball, will be thrown into the deep end right away as a member of the Cowboys’ rotation.