2024 CAA College Baseball Preview

Player of the Year: Mike Sirota, OF, Northeastern

Sirota last year was an all-CAA first-team selection after hitting .346/.427/.678. He set new career-highs in almost every statistical category and established himself as a household name. Sirota then proceeded to enjoy a quality eight-game stretch on the Cape, in which he hit .304/.515/.522 with three extra-base hits and three RBIs. He is one of the toolsiest players in this year’s draft class and has legitimate five-tool upside. Sirota has thunderous hand speed at the plate and a professional-like approach. It’s a very twitchy and explosive operation, and he is comfortable driving the ball to all fields. Sirota is also an excellent athlete and plus runner, which are two tools that translate really well to the outfield. He has an advanced feel for the game and gets great off-the-bat reads. Sirota’s speed allows him to cover plenty of ground to both gaps, and he figures to stick in center field professionally. It is not out of the question that he hears his name called in the first five picks of this year’s draft.

Pitcher of the Year: Derek Vartanian, RHP, Campbell

Vartanian came to Campbell by way of Gaston College (N.C.), where last season he pitched his way to a 3.08 ERA with an impressive strikeout-to-walk ratio of 76-to-9 across 76 innings. Vartanian has a short, quick arm stroke and attacks from a high–three quarters slot. His fastball will sit in the 93-96 range, but this fall he topped out at 98. It features big-time carry through the zone with upwards of 24″ of induced vertical break. Vartanian features two distinct breaking balls with a slider and curveball. His high-80s gyro slider is still a bit of a work in progress, but at times it flashes effective late, lateral movement, while his low-80s curveball boasts big-time depth with some teeth and almost true 12-6 break. Vartanian’s best secondary pitch is his splitter. It plays really well off his fastball as it sits 80-82, and it features big-time fade to the arm side with some tumble. Vartanian does an excellent job of killing spin, and the spin rate on his split-change will get as low as 800 RPMs. Vartanian this spring will anchor Campbell’s rotation and has the chance to be a top five–round draft choice this July.

Freshman of the Year: Tyler August, RHP, Delaware

August was named the 2023 Gatorade Delaware Baseball Player of the Year after an excellent senior season, in which he worked a 6-1 record with a 1.29 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 49 innings. He has a strong, physical build at 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, and features a three-pitch mix. August has a drop-and-drive delivery and attacks from a three-quarters slot. His fastball flashes plenty of life through the zone and has been up to 93 and 94. August also throws a mid-70s curveball that is slurvy in shape, but it has serious depth with a bit of sweep and plus potential. August is still gaining feel for his low-80s changeup, but at times it flashes fade to the arm side. He performed well this fall and earned a spot in the weekend rotation.

CAA Team-By-Team Breakdowns

1. Northeastern (44-16, 20-10)

2023 was one of the best seasons in program history for the “Howling Huskies,” who won a program-record 44 games and appeared in a regional for the second time in three seasons. They went out in somewhat disappointing fashion in Winston-Salem. After a 7-2 loss to Big Ten–champion Maryland, they were eliminated with an 11-3 loss to George Mason. Prior to regionals, Northeastern swept eventual host Indiana State and notched impressive midweek wins over Duke, Boston College, Connecticut and Maryland. 

From last year’s squad, head coach Mike Glavine returns five of his six leading hitters, including potential top-10 pick Mike Sirota (.346/.472/.678). Both Alex Lane and Tyler MacGregor, who led the team in RBIs and home runs, respectively, are also back and so is 2023 CAA rookie of the year Cam Maldonado (.354/.434/.642). The loss of 2023 CAA defensive player of the year Spenser Smith (.236/.347/.323) will be felt especially on the dirt, but Pepperdine transfer Jack Goodman (.192/.243/.263) packs a solid glove himself.

The Huskies also have a bevy of weapons on the mound. They return two-thirds of their weekend rotation from last year, with 17th-round pick Eric Yost (6-1, 4.23 ERA) now in professional baseball. Sophomore Aiven Cabral (9-4, 2.58 ERA), who was a first-team all-CAA selection as a true freshman, will anchor the rotation and senior strike-thrower Wyatt Scotti (6-4, 3.91 ERA) will follow him. Jake Gigliotti (8-0, 3.24 ERA) rounds out the rotation, and he is fresh off an impressive summer on the Cape, in which he was named an all-star. Northeastern’s bullpen gets a huge boost with the return of Dennis Colleran (out for 2023), who boasts a lethal sinker-slider combination. With loads of talent on both sides of the baseball, the Huskies are not only the team to beat in the CAA, but also a dark horse to make a run to the College World Series.

2. UNCW (34-23, 20-8)

The Seahawks last year notched 20 conference wins—their most in a single season since 2012—en route to both their first CAA regular-season and Tournament championships. In their first tournament appearance since 2019, UNCW went 0-2 in the Conway Regional and was outscored by a combined margin of 24-5. It was certainly a disappointing end to an otherwise great season, but the Seahawks head into 2024 with another deep roster.

On offense, they return seven regulars from last year’s team that was second in the CAA with a .296 average. Leading hitter and first-team all-CAA selection Jac Croom (.361/.427/.521) will anchor the lineup and be surrounded by the powerful bats of Trevor Marsh (.319/.388/.556) and Tanner Thach (.290/.356/.544). Thach (15) and Marsh (12) were first and second on the team in home runs, and Marsh last year was a first-team all-CAA selection. Thach has some of the rawest power in the conference, and on top of being a big-time bat, he is also expected to pitch in the weekend rotation, where he flashes a low-90s fastball and quality curveball. On top of providing some thump at the plate, catcher Bryan Arendt (.261/.359/.420) has a strong defensive skill set and should keep the running game in check.

The Seahawks have one of the best rotations in the conference. 6-foot-8 righthander Jacob Shafer (7-5, 4.62 ERA) returns after receiving some draft interest, and first-team all-CAA selection Zane Taylor (7-3, 3.72 ERA) will now be deployed as the team’s midweek starter. Headlining the rotation is righthander RJ Sales, who missed all of 2023 due to an injury but in 2022 was a first-team all-CAA selection. The righthander looked great this fall, flashing a fastball up to 95 and two quality secondaries in a curveball and changeup. Sophomore righthander Connor Kane (4-1, 4.76 ERA) may have the best pure stuff on the staff, and he is the perfect arm to anchor the bullpen. Head coach Randy Hood this year has as good a roster, at least on paper, as he’s had during his now five-year tenure at UNCW, and he will look to guide the Seahawks to consecutive tournament appearances.

3. Campbell (46-15, 22-5 Big South)

Campbell is fresh off yet another excellent season, in which it won its fifth straight regular-season Big South championship and fourth Big South Tournament title in the last five seasons. It returned to the tournament for the fifth straight season and had an impressive showing in the Columbia Regional, in which it notched wins over Central Connecticut State and N.C. State before being eliminated by host South Carolina.

The Camels on offense are tasked with replacing three key pieces—Bryce Arnold (.321/.412/.638), Jarrod Belbin (.327/.426/.661) and Tyler Halstead (.376/.455/.523)—from last year’s lineup that led the Big South in virtually every major statistical category. It won’t be easy, but getting 2023 Big South player of the year Lawson Harrill back is a huge bonus. Harrill last year hit .371/.475/.761 and led the team in both home runs (22) and RBIs (69). 

Another key returner is Max Weller, who had a strong season of his own to the tune of a .331/.471/.504 slash line with 13 extra-base hits. Catcher Grant Knipp (.278/.414/.572) has both double-plus arm strength and above-average raw power, which will help him be a significant contributor both defensively and offensively.

The biggest question mark for this year’s Campbell team is without a doubt its pitching. It loses from last year’s team the vast majority of starts and innings, with the biggest loss being second-round pick Cade Kuehler (8-1, 2.71 ERA). The lone returner from the weekend rotation is Chance Daquila (9-1, 4.85 ERA), but he will miss the beginning of the season due to an injury. The good news is that leading the rotation is Gaston College (JC) transfer and potential CAA pitcher of the year Derek Vartanian. Vartanian last year had a great year at Gaston College, in which he pitched his way to a 3.08 ERA with 76 strikeouts to just nine walks in 76 innings. He had an excellent fall for the Camels and certainly looks the part of a Friday ace. 

Holding down the bullpen will be sophomore Jackson Roberts, who had an excellent 2023 season, in which he pitched his way to a 2.16 ERA with 35 strikeouts across 33.1 innings. Outside of the Daquila, Roberts, Vartanian trio, head coach Justin Haire will look for a handful of newcomers to be key contributors. Even with the amount of talent it lost from the 2023 team, Campbell will again be extremely competitive and squarely in the mix at the top of the CAA.

4. Elon (33-22, 19-9)

The Phoenix enjoyed a strong 2023 season, in which it won 19 conference games, which is tied for the most in a single season since 2012. Additionally, it notched a series win over Northeastern and impressive midweek wins over N.C. State and eventual No. 1-seed Wake Forest. In the CAA Tournament, it sandwiched two losses to Northeastern with a nice 10-5 win over College of Charleston.

Elon will be without tons of offensive firepower from last year’s team. Leading hitter Parker Haskin (.365/.455/.588), Justin Cassella (.345/.404/.719), Cole Reynolds (.309/.411/.484) and Luke Stephenson (.268/.332/.485) all transferred, which leaves a gaping hole in the middle of the order. Two-way player Ryan Sprock (.313/.418/.551) and first baseman Connor Offshack (.310/.376/.496) are two welcome returners, but a number of hitters around them will need to step up. Duke transfer Vincent Fattore is one to keep an eye on, and he will provide power from the right side while manning center field.

Sophomore righthander Justin Mitrovich (7-4, 3.68 ERA) will headline the rotation after an impressive freshman campaign, but two transfers in Nolan Straniero (11-4, 3.91 ERA) and Henry Cone will also be weekend starters with Shea Sprague (7-3, 2.69 ERA) transferring and Ryan Sprock (3-3, 5.40 ERA) now being deployed in a closer role. Lefthander Liam Dabagian (5-1, 3.16 ERA) provides the bullpen with much-needed depth.

Elon heads into the 2024 season with unknowns on both sides of the baseball. It has two big-time returning pieces in Ryan Sprock and Justin Mitrovich, but how it performs will come down to how many newcomers and otherwise inexperienced players step up around them.

5. College of Charleston (36-22, 18-12)

Charleston in 2023 won 35 or more games for the second year in a row, en route to a fourth-place finish in the conference standings. The Cougars made some noise in the conference tournament and collected wins over William & Mary and Delaware before being eliminated by second-seeded Elon.

The centerpiece of the roster is two-way star Cole Mathis. Mathis last year hit .330/.439/.575 with 30 extra-base hits (20 doubles), while also working a 3.45 ERA with 52 strikeouts to 17 walks on the mound. He then proceeded to have an all-star summer on the Cape, where he hit .318/.381/.667 with 10 doubles, 11 home runs and 42 RBIs across 38 games. His stats on the mound—1-1, 5.31 ERA—were a bit more modest, but he averaged over 10 strikeouts per nine innings and walked only five hitters in 20.1 innings. Mathis has thunderous bat speed with quick hands and plus raw power, while also flashing a fastball up to 96 and a big curveball. Outside of Mike Sirota, he is the top draft prospect in the conference and could be a top-100 pick.

The team’s X-factor is outfielder Dariyan Pendergrass. The Spartanburg Methodist (JC) transfer last year hit .348/.419/.488 with 10 doubles, five triples, 41 stolen bases and more walks (18) than strikeouts (11). He enjoyed an excellent summer in the Coastal Plain League, in which he hit .354/.438/.520 with 14 extra-base hits and 35 stolen bases. Pendergrass has quick hands at the plate and is a “slash-and-dash” hitter. He is one of the fastest players in all of college baseball, and his tool set allows him to impact the game in myriad ways.

In addition to Mathis and Pendergrass, Luke Wood (.302/.373/.517), Trotter Harlan (.290/.381/.487) and Will Baumhofer (.291/.398/.378) are three key pieces who provide the lineup with both depth and experience. The Cougars on the mound will be without 2023 CAA pitcher of the year Ty Good (7-4, 4.26 ERA) and Trey Pooser (7-3, 3.65 ERA), who transferred to South Carolina and Kentucky, respectively. The two combined for 30 of the team’s 58 starts and were the only two arms on last year’s pitching staff that pitched exclusively in a starting role.

Cole Mathis (5-1, 3.45 ERA) seems like a natural fit to get the ball on Fridays, while lefthander Connor Campbell (4-2, 4.23 ERA) also figures to make the jump to the rotation full time after making eight starts in 2023. The bullpen will now be without 13th-round pick and CAA saves leader Will Privette (2-2, 2.36 ERA), so look for Aidan Hunter (4-3, 4.19 ERA) to be one of the team’s go-to relief arms. His numbers were modest in 2023, but keep an eye on righthander Jake Brink (2-2, 6.35 ERA) as one arm who could step up in 2024. Brink’s stuff has taken a step forward since last season, and he had an impressive fall.

How Charleston does this season will all come down to its pitching. There is little doubt that this year’s team will be able to really hit, but the pitching will need to find a way to consistently turn in quality starts. If the rotation fills in nicely, the Cougars in 2024 could be a dark horse to win the conference. 

6. William & Mary (32-25, 15-15)

2023 was a strong season for the Tribe under second-year head coach Mike McRae, who won their most games in a single season since 2019 and their most conference games since 2017. In addition to a series win over Northeastern, they also picked up big-time midweek victories over Campbell and Virginia.

The strength of this year’s team is undoudtedly its pitching. The rotation will be headlined by likely top 10–round draft pick and CAA pitcher of the year candidate Nate Knowles, who last year pitched his way to a 3.43 ERA with 70 strikeouts across 65.2 innings. Fellow weekend starter Owen Pierce (4-5, 6.19 ERA) is also back, and look for Carter Lovasz (5-1, 2.96 ERA) as a potential candidate to slide into the weekend rotation after a strong 2023 season. He is an advanced strike-thrower, who last year punched out 54 across 54.2 innings. Lovasz then enjoyed a strong summer on the Cape, in which he sported a 3.24 ERA across 16.2 innings. 

Noah Hertzler (0-0, 0.90 ERA) will likely take on a more hefty workload after logging 10 innings as a freshman, while Nick Lottchea (1-0, 3.00 ERA) will be another key piece. Replacing the services of eighth-round pick Cory Wall (4-5, 3.98 ERA) and Rojo Prarie (3-0, 1.11 ERA) won’t be easy, but this staff will be up to the challenge.

The Tribe on offense will be without 2023 CAA player of the year and second-round pick Ben Williamson (.391/.513/.662) and outfielder Tank Yaghoubi (.364/.459/.411), who transferred to conference rival Elon. However, the outfield will be plenty deep with Lucas Carmichael (.296/.466/.376) and Joe Delossantos (.271/.373/.462) both back. Delossantos last year was the team’s most productive hitter outside of Williamson, and his eight home runs and 44 RBIs were both second on the team. Carmichael has a big-league body with an exciting toolset and could be in line for a breakout sophomore year.

Its pitching will be enough to keep it in most games, and if the offense as a whole takes a step forward from last season, William & Mary will again be one of the more competitive teams in the conference.

7. Delaware (30-29, 17-13)

The Blue Hens last year won 30 games for the first time since 2018 and their 17 CAA wins were the most since 2012. They earned the No. 5 seed in the CAA Tournament, and after a win over fourth-seeded Charleston, would go on to lose to UNCW and the Cougars. Delaware’s 74 home runs last year were the second most in the conference, but it will need to replace 21 of them with the departures of J.J. Freeman (.319/.379/.527, 11 home runs) and Dan Covino (.283/.439/.484, 10 home runs). However, outside of those two, head coach Greg Mamula returns virtually every major contributor from last year.

The three most vital pieces to this year’s offense are Joey Loynd, Aaron Graeber and two-way player Bryce Greenly. Loynd last year was a first-team all-CAA selection after hitting .392/.454/.692 with 17 doubles, 14 home runs and 80 RBIs. A transfer from Rowan-Gloucester JC, Graeber is a powerful 6-foot-4 lefthanded bat, who last year put up video game–like numbers and hit .500/.566/.897 with 18 home runs and 102 RBIs. Greenly will again be a regular member of the lineup and the weekend rotation. Last year, he hit .322/.397/.514 with 20 extra-base hits, while pitching his way to a 4.50 ERA. 

True freshman Tyler August will be a weekend starter right out of the gate and key reliever Anthony Gubitosi (1-0, 4.94 ERA) will again handle the closer role. Delaware has an intriguing offense, but its upside depends on how well its pitching staff performs.

8. Hofstra (26-26, 13-15)

Hofstra enjoyed a solid season under second-year head coach Frank Catalanotto, in which the team won 25-plus games for the second year in a row and led the CAA with a .305 average. From that team, it returns more than half of the lineup, including its three leading hitters in Dylan Palmer (.369/.441/.458), Steve Harrington (.350/.458/.589) and Will Kennedy (.337/.417/.452). Michael Florides (.266/.299/.302) returns at shortstop, and he is one of the most sure-handed defenders in the conference. 

The departures of first-team All-CAA catcher Kevin Bruggerman (.325/.399/.515) and Anthony D’Onorfio (.330/.429/.420) certainly sting, but the Pride in 2024 will again have a formidable lineup. The pitching is without a doubt the biggest question mark of this year’s team, and from last year it lost two weekend starters in Mark Faello (6-7, 5.22 ERA) and Brad Camarda (6-3, 5.47 ERA). After spending all of last season pitching out of the bullpen, Michael O’Hanlon will now be pushed to the front of the rotation. He showed well last year and sported a 3.62 ERA with 38 strikeouts across 27.1 innings, but being thrust into the rotation could come with growing pains. The back of the baseball card numbers aren’t too loud, but Brian Hart (1-0, 9.53 ERA) has intriguing stuff and could be a key contributor in the back end of the bullpen.

Hofstra will hit, but its lack of depth on the mound could keep it from finishing in the top half of the conference standings.

9. Stony Brook (23-29, 14-16)

It was a respectable first season in the CAA for Stony Brook, which finished just one game out of a top-half finish in the conference. The Seawolves will look to build off of last year, and they have the returning core to do exactly that. While they lost their leading and most productive hitter in Evan Giordano (.346/.406/.622), they return Evan Fox (.333/.429/.534), Brett Paulsen (.323/.358/.424) and Matt Brown-Eiring (.297/.364/.487). The 34 RBIs of Matt Miceli (18) and Ryan Micheli (16) also return, which makes for a potentially productive lineup.

The pitching staff struggled last season, but they have two viable options in Eddie Smink (3-6, 5.25 ERA) and JT Raab (2-2, 6.12 ERA). Stony Brook has the pieces to be a competitive offense, though its pitching could hold it back from finishing ahead of where it did last year. 

10. N.C. A&T (19-28, 11-17)

It was a nice bounceback year for the Aggies, who increased their conference win total from three to 11 games. They most notably swept William & Mary, but also played Northeastern and College of Charleston tough. They could be in line for another step in the right direction, since they return their two leading hitters in Tre Williams (.316/.350/.500) and Camden Jackson (.309/.358/.443). A&T also returns its most productive hitter, catcher Canyon Brown, who hit .275/.362/.449 with 18 extra-base hits and a team-leading 31 RBIs. Its offense will look to improve upon last year, as it finished last in the CAA in both batting average (.265) and runs per game (5.40).

On the mound, the Aggies lose 10th-round pick Xavier Meachem (2-1, 5.59 ERA) but return a solid duo of Connor Blantz (1-2, 5.63 ERA) and Trent Simmons (2-2, 5.91 ERA), who struck out 38 across 35 innings. A&T has a solid core offensively, and while its pitching staff lacks depth, it will look to continue to take positive strides.

11. Towson (19-37, 7-23)

Towson last year struggled mightily and did not win its first CAA series until the last day of the regular season when it beat Stony Brook. From last year, it loses a trio of second-team all-CAA selections in leading hitter Reyce Curnane (.376/.475/.697), James Moses (.316/.430/.431) and John Cristino (.309/.384/.699). However, the team returns its most productive hitter and most prolific power bat in Bryce Frederick (.299/.380/.550), who last year led the team in both home runs (14) and RBIs (56). Casey Bishop enjoyed a strong sophomore season, in which he hit .325/.396/.469 and will again hold down shortstop, while Elijah Dickerson (.313/.374/.429)—who led the team last year with 15 doubles—is another key returner.

The pitching staff takes a little bit of a hit with the departure of sixth-round draft pick Ethan Pecko (2-2, 3.41 ERA), but it does have two-thrids of its weekend rotation back in Nate Nabholz (3-1, 3.46 ERA) and Max Simpson (1-2, 4.40 ERA). Between a quality core on offense and a now-experienced rotation, the Tigers should be in line this year to win more than seven conference games.

12. Monmouth (16-30, 6-22)

It was a rough year for Monmouth, which won its lowest total of games in a single season since 1995. Most of its struggles stemmed from the mound, as it finished with a CAA-worst 8.82 team ERA and allowed 9.85 runs per game. It could again struggle on the mound, but Hartford transfer Alec Couture (1-6, 6.85 ERA) features a low-90s fastball with solid command, and he will look to breathe new life into the rotation.

On the bright side, the team does return its three leading hitters from last year in Phil Stahl (.346/.430/.469), Eric Sabato (.310/.398/.431) and Austin Denlinger (.290/.340/.394). Stahl led the team with 38 RBIs, while Denlinger and Sabato led the team with 12 and 10 doubles apiece. After a difficult 2023, Monmouth could face similar struggles in 2024 and will rely heavily on its offense to win games.

2024 Top 100 Prospects

See the full Top 100 entering the 2024 season headlined by Orioles SS Jackson Holliday.

CLICK HERE

Top 10 Draft Prospects For 2024

1. Mike Sirota, OF, Northeastern
2. Cole Mathis, 1B/RHP, College of Charleston
3. Derek Vartanian, RHP, Campbell
4. Nate Knowles, RHP, William & Mary
5. Dariyan Pendergrass, OF, College of Charleston
6. Dennis Colleran, RHP, Northeastern
7. RJ Sales, RHP, UNCW
8. Brock Wills, 2B, UNCW
9. Aaron Graeber, OF, Delaware
10. Jacob Shafer, RHP, UNCW

Top 5 Draft Prospects For 2025

1. Tanner Thach, 1B/LHP, UNCW
2. Cam Maldonado, OF, Northeastern
3. Justin Mitrovich, RHP, Elon
4. Connor Kane, RHP, UNCW
5. Aiven Cabral, RHP, Northeastern

Top Newcomers

1. Derek Vartianian, RHP, Campbell
2. Dariyan Pendergrass, OF, College of Charleston
3. Aaron Graeber, OF, Delaware
4. Tyler August, RHP, Delaware
5. Cooper Clark, RHP, Campbell

Best Tools

Best pure hitter: Mike Sirota, OF, Northeastern
Best power hitter: Cole Mathis, RHP, College of Charleston
Best strike-zone discipline: Mike Sirota, OF, Northeastern
Best athlete: Mike Sirota, OF, Northeastern
Fastest runner: Dariyan Pendergrass, OF, College of Charleston
Best baserunner: Dariyan Pendergrass, OF, College of Charleston
Best defensive catcher: Bryan Arendt, C, UNCW
Best defensive infielder: Michael Florides, SS, Hofstra
Best infield arm: Trenton Harris, SS, Campbell
Best defensive outfielder: Mike Sirota, OF, Northeastern
Best outfield arm: Cam Maldonado, OF, Northeastern
Best fastball: Derek Vartanian, RHP, Campbell
Best breaking ball: Dennis Colleran, RHP, Northeastern (slider)
Best changeup: Derek Vartanian, RHP, Campbell (splitter)
Best control: Aiven Cabral, RHP, Northeastern