College Baseball ‘Way Too Early’ Top 25 Rankings For 2025
Image credit: Chase Shores (Photo by Eddie Kelly / ProLook Photos)
About a month after Tennessee beat Texas A&M to win the 2024 College World Series, a lot has happened to shape college baseball in 2025. The coaching carousel has just about stopped spinning, the transfer portal has slowed significantly and the MLB draft has concluded. There’s still time for surprises on all three fronts, but we now have a pretty good idea of what next season will look like.
So, it’s time to take a first stab at a 2025 Top 25. Records indicated are from 2024.
1. LSU (43-23, 13-17)
The Tigers this spring had to really hustle down the stretch to secure an NCAA Tournament berth, but by the time the season ended, they were playing just about as well as anyone. Coach Jay Johnson took some lessons from that experience and has relentlessly hit the recruiting trail this summer, landing an exceptional haul of both traditional recruits and transfers.
LSU has a lot to replace. All-American slugger Tommy White is gone, as is the 1-2 punch in the rotation of Gage Jump and Luke Holman, plus relief ace Griffin Herring. The Tigers return six players from their starting lineup at the end of the season, including shortstop Michael Braswell, first baseman Jared Jones and Freshman All-American Steven Milam. Righthander Chase Shores, a projected first-round pick, should be healthy after missing 2024 due to Tommy John surgery. The Tigers also landed elite portal commitments from second baseman Daniel Dickinson (Utah Valley) and righthander Anthony Eyanson—who both played for Team USA—and a slew of others, including outfielder Chris Stanfield (Auburn) and righthander Zac Cowan (Wofford). William Schmidt, the top prep righthander in the draft class, opted to come to school, giving LSU the highest ranked pitcher to make it to campus since Jack Leiter.
LSU has as much pure talent as anyone. Now it will be up to Johnson to manage that roster, and he’s proven to be very adept at that part of the job over the last two years.
2. Florida (36-30, 13-17)
The Gators undeniably had a down season for much of 2024, as they flirted with a losing record. And, yet, Florida ended the season as one of the last four teams playing. It took some big losses from that team, as All-American Jac Caglianone and closer Brandon Neely moved on to pro ball. But Florida is set to have another elite roster in 2025.
Shortstop Colby Shelton, catcher/first baseman Luke Heyman and outfielder Ty Evans are all back after being draft eligible in 2024. Second baseman Cade Kurland returns, as do catcher Brody Donay and Tanner Garrison. The Gators have to rebuild their pitching staff a bit, but righthander Liam Peterson is back after spending his entire freshman year in the rotation. Lefthander Pierce Coppola should be closer to full strength after returning in mid-season, while righthander Jake Clemente looks ready to make a jump. Florida also has an exciting group of newcomers, led by outfielders Blake Cyr (Miami) and Kyle Jones (Stetson).
3. Florida State (49-17, 17-12 in ACC)
The Seminoles this spring authored a tremendous turnaround, going from last place in the ACC in 2023 to one of the last four teams standing in 2024. Despite losing a pair of first-rounders in outfielder James Tibbs III and third baseman Cam Smith, they’ll enter 2025 with weighty expectations.
Florida State could boast the top 1-2 pitching punch in the country with All-American lefthander Jamie Arnold and righthander Cam Leiter, the latter of whom was their Opening Day starter but missed the second half of the season due to injury. The Seminoles must replace five starters in their lineup, but with the double-play combination of Drew Farout and Alex Lodise returning, as well as catcher Jaxon West and center fielder Max Williams, they will be strong up the middle. Look for sophomore Cal Fisher and freshmen Hunter Carns and Myles Bailey to step up.
4. Clemson (44-16, 20-10)
Clemson is coming off a super regional appearance and will be looking to make its first trip to Omaha since 2010. The Tigers will be led by center fielder Cam Cannarella, who is one of the favorites to win Player of the Year honors. On the mound, righthander Aidan Knaak and lefthander Ethan Darden return to lead the rotation.
Needing to replace its two leading power threats in Jimmy Obertop and Blake Wright, as well as closer Austin Gordon, Clemson hit the portal for some pop and landed Big Ten freshman of the year Luke Gaffney (Purdue). Erik Bakich’s third year at the program’s helm should be an exciting one.
5. Texas A&M (53-15, 19-11)
No program had a wilder summer than A&M, which lost in the CWS championship series, then saw its coaching staff leave for its archrival only to bring hitting coach Michael Earley back as head coach less than a week later. There are a lot of questions in College Station, as Earley is a first-time head coach and the Aggies must replace seven players who were drafted.
But A&M still has an excellent roster. Outfielder Jace LaViolette, the early favorite to be the Player of the Year, anchors the lineup. Third baseman Gavin Grahovac, the SEC freshman of the year, returns, as do Kaeden Kent, Hayden Schott and Caden Sorrell. Pitching is a bigger question mark, but if lefthander Shane Sdao is back to full health after his injury in super regionals, things start to look quite good for the Aggies.
6. Virginia (46-17, 18-12)
The Cavaliers have been to Omaha in three of the last four seasons, and they could do it again in 2025. They bring back six starters from their Omaha lineup, including leading hitter Henry Godbout, top power threat Harrison Didawick, catcher Jacob Ference and Freshman All-American first baseman Henry Ford.
There are some questions with the pitching staff, but Virginia showed this spring it can work through those. Top starter Evan Blanco returns, as does righthander Jay Woolfolk, who was the team’s best pitcher in the NCAA Tournament. With a bit better injury luck, the Cavs should be solid on the mound.
7. Tennessee (60-13, 22-8)
It’s been a tough go for reigning champs in recent years. Mississippi State and Mississippi missed the NCAA Tournament in each of the two seasons following their titles. LSU had to scramble after a poor start to the SEC season to get in. Can Tennessee avoid a similar hangover in 2025?
The good news is the Volunteers bring back center fielder Hunter Ensley, Freshman All-American shortstop Dean Curley and a couple of key arms in Nate Snead and Dylan Loy. The bad news is they must replace six regulars in the lineup, their entire rotation and the back end of the bullpen. Tennessee has a high-level recruiting class and hit the portal hard, bringing in high-level players like infielders Gavin Kilen (Louisville) and Andrew Fischer (Mississippi). Figuring out how the pieces best fit together will be critical for Tennessee this fall.
8. Arkansas (44-16, 20-10)
While the Razorbacks have disappointed with home regionals losses in each of the last two years, they also won the SEC West in consecutive seasons. Bet against them at your own risk.
Arkansas must replace its entire rotation, led by All-American Hagen Smith. But with Gabe Gaeckle, Will McEntire, Colin Fisher, Gage Wood and more returning, as well as with the additions of Landon Beidelschies (Ohio State) and Zach Root (East Carolina) through the transfer portal, pitching coach Matt Hobbs again figures to have one of the best staffs in the country. Arkansas returns shortstop Wehiwa Aloy to anchor its infield, but much of its lineup will look different in 2025. Thought it needs to find some more thump, the pieces are there for another strong season.
9. Duke (40-20, 16-14)
The Blue Devils return an impressive array of talent in 2025, thanks in no small part to a quietly great draft for them. All-American closer Charlie Beilenson and No. 1 starter Jonathan Santucci must be replaced, but the Blue Devils again set up well on the mound. Starters Andrew Healy and Kyle Johnson return, as does Gabriel Nard, who ranked second on the team to Beilenson in appearances.
Offensively, top hitter Ben Miller returns, as do Wallace Clark and Freshman All-American AJ Gracia. Duke has all the ingredients of a team that can make a lot of noise in 2025.
10. Oregon State (45-16, 19-10)
Conference consolidation left Oregon State and Washington State as the only schools left in the Pac-12 this year. As a result, the Beavers will embark on a new journey in 2025 and play an independent schedule. That has seldom been done in baseball in the 21st century and no one at their level has really tried it since Miami joined the ACC 20 years ago.
Independence is exciting but brings a lot of unknowns for Oregon State. What is clear, however, is that it has a talented roster. No. 1 overall pick Travis Bazzana is gone, as are starters Aidan May and Jacob Kmatz, but Oregon State still has a powerful combination in third baseman Trent Caraway and outfielder Gavin Turley. Pitchers Nelson Keljo, Eric Segura and blue-chip recruit Dax Whitney make for exciting upside on the mound.
11. Georgia (43-17, 17-13)
The Bulldogs’ first season under coach Wes Johnson ended in a home super regional loss to NC State. Georgia lost a lot of firepower from that team, starting with Player of the Year Charlie Condon and All-American Corey Collins. But the Bulldogs have worked as hard as anyone in the transfer portal and have rebuilt a solid roster.
The double-play combination of Kolby Branch and Slate Alford returns, as does Freshman All-American Tre Phelps. Top pitchers Leighton Finley and Kolten Smith are back, as well. If Georgia’s newcomers click, it can build on its momentum from this season, even after losing the best player in the country.
12. North Carolina (48-16, 22-8)
UNC this spring won the ACC and advanced to the College World Series. It has a solid core returning, built around Freshmen All-Americans Jason DeCaro and Luke Stevenson. Third baseman Gavin Gallaher is also back and getting starter Folger Boaz back to full health would be big.
But UNC also has a lot to replace. Vance Honeycutt was arguably the best player in program history and must be replaced. UNC also lost All-American closer Dalton Pence, starter Shea Sprague and outfielder Casey Cook, its leading hitter.
13. NC State (38-23, 18-11)
The Wolfpack rolled through the second half of the 2024 season to reach the CWS for the second time in four years. They now must replace several key pieces of that team, including All-Americans Jacob Cozart and Alec Makarewicz. That duo is just part of six regulars that were lost from the lineup.
While NC State is reloading offensively, it brings back a good bit of its pitching staff. The dynamic relief combination of Jacob Dudan and Derrick Smith is back, as are lefthanders Dominic Fritton and Cooper Consiglio. NC State never lacks for offense and as long as its newcomers click, it should be well positioned for 2025.
14. Oregon (40-20, 19-11)
The Ducks have made super regionals in back-to-back years and, while there’s some uncertainty as they prepare to enter the Big Ten, this is a program on the upswing. The 2025 roster is as good as ever, and Oregon could hit the ground sprinting in its new home.
Oregon returns eight regulars from its lineup, including first baseman and top power bat Jacob Walsh, catcher/DH Chase Meggers and shortstop Maddox Molony. There will be a few more new faces on the mound, but righthander Ryan Featherston and lefthander Grayson Grinsell give the Ducks a pair of exciting young arms to build around.
15. Oklahoma State (42-19, 19-9)
The Cowboys have disappointed in three straight home regionals, but they look like they’ll be in position to host again in 2025. There’s a good bit for Oklahoma State to replace, especially on the mound, where it lost more than 300 innings.
That said, the Cowboys should have one of the better offenses in the country. Outfielder Nolan Schubart is a force and returns to anchor the lineup. Slugger Colin Brueggemann is also back. The Cowboys look like the favorites in the new-look Big 12.
16. Mississippi State (40-23, 17-13)
After two tough seasons, Mississippi State got back on track in 2024. It lost a lot from that team, especially on the mound, where it will have to replace more than 300 innings. But first-year pitching coach Justin Parker did a good job rebuilding the staff in 2024 and has some solid pieces to build around for 2025, including Bradley Loftin, Pico Kohn and Chase Hungate (Virginia).
Offensively, outfielder Dakota Jordan is a big loss. But Mississippi State unexpectedly returns slugger Hunter Hines and also hit the portal hard for reinforcements to its lineup, which needs to produce more thump in 2025.
17. South Carolina (37-25, 13-17)
South Carolina returns a larger than expected group of players from its 2024 roster, as the draft broke its way. That gives new coach Paul Mainieri a big opportunity in his first season in Columbia. All-American catcher Cole Messina must be replaced and that’s no small feat, but there’s a lot to work with.
It starts with Ethan Petry, one of the best sluggers in the country. The Gamecocks get a lot of the pitching staff back, and if Roman Kimball and Eli Jerzembeck are back to full strength, it starts to look pretty exciting, particularly with closer Chris Veach returning. Mainieri has always excelled at getting the most out of a roster, and if he can do that in 2025, it could be a big first year.
18. Vanderbilt (38-23, 13-17)
The Commodores are going to have a new look in 2025. They’re replacing starters Bryce Cunningham and Carter Holton, as well as some program veterans like Alan Espinal and Davis Diaz. Tim Corbin also made a couple changes to his staff, hiring two new assistant coaches.
Vanderbilt returns some key players like starter JD Thompson, shortstop Jonathan Vastine and the versatile RJ Austin. Promising young pitchers Ethan McElvain, Miller Green and Brennen Seiber are also back, and Vanderbilt has an exciting group of newcomers, headlined by righthander Cody Bowker (Georgetown) and second baseman Mike Mancini (James Madison). The key for Vanderbilt will be producing a more impactful offense and rebuilding its rotation.
19. Texas (36-24, 20-10)
There’s a lot new at Disch-Falk Field. Texas is moving from the Big 12 to the SEC, and Jim Schlossnagle was hired away from archrival Texas A&M to lead the program. The Longhorns will have to prove themselves in their new conference, but they have a solid roster to work with.
Shortstop Jalin Flores unexpectedly returned to school after being a draft-eligible sophomore and he joins outfielders Max Belyeu, the Big 12 player of the year, and Will Gasparino at the heart of the lineup. Starters Max Gruggs and Ace Whitehead return on the mound. The pitching staff needs the most work, but new pitching coach Max Weiner last year made a big impact in his first year at A&M. If he can do that again in Austin, Texas has big upside.
20. Arizona (36-23, 20-10)
The Wildcats are coming off a Pac-12 title in 2024, though the season ended with a disappointing 0-2 showing in their home regional. Now, they move into the Big 12, where they should be instant contenders.
Arizona must rebuild its pitching staff after losing its entire rotation. The good news is pitching coach Kevin Vance showed his ability to do that in 2024, his first season with the program. There’s more back offensively and the Wildcats can build around outfielder Brendan Summerhill and shortstop Mason White, both of whom project as top-50 draft picks next summer.
21. Indiana (33-26-1, 15-9)
There will be a lot of attention on the Big Ten’s new West Coast teams in 2025, but the Hoosiers are more than capable of carrying the conference’s banner themselves. Indiana features outfielder Devin Taylor, a projected top-10 pick in next summer’s draft.
It’s not just Taylor, however. The entire infield is back, headlined by shortstop Tyler Cerny. Outfielder Andrew Wiggins, the Big Ten’s best recruit in the 2023 class, is ready to step into a bigger role, too. The pitching staff is not as experienced, but Indiana hit the transfer portal hard for pitching. If those additions pay off, it could be a difference maker.
22. Stanford (22-33, 11-19)
After three straight CWS appearances, Stanford took a significant step back in 2024. It now also must adjust to its new conference, as it joins the ACC. Still, there’s reason to expect a bounce-back spring for the Cardinal.
Stanford was exceptionally young in 2024 and returns just about everyone except catcher Malcolm Moore and second baseman Owen Cobb, both of whome moved on to pro ball. To that group, Stanford adds blue-chip newcomers in shortstop Charlie Bates, a top-100 draft prospect, and first baseman Rintaro Sasaki, the Japanese high school home run record holder. It’s lofty, but Stanford has what it takes to make a 2024 Florida State-like rebound.
23. Kentucky (46-16, 22-8)
The Wildcats are coming off the best season in program history, as they reached the College World Series for the first time. There’s been a ton of roster turnover, as Kentucky was very old, but coach Nick Mingione has proven adept at managing the transfer portal to reload. He also has some key returners to build around in catcher Devin Burkes and righthander Robert Hogan.
Kentucky doesn’t have the most talented roster in this Top 25 and another school with this kind of turnover might not be ranked here. But after hosting back-to-back regionals with similar builds, the Wildcats have earned the benefit of the doubt.
24. Southern Miss (43-20, 20-10)
The Golden Eagles just kept rolling in 2024, as Christian Ostrander took over as head coach after the retirement of Scott Berry. Ostrander’s second season at the program’s helm looks like it could be even better.
The Golden Eagles lost leading hitter Dalton McIntire, slugger Slade Wilks and starters Niko Mazza and Billy Oldham. But they return just about everyone else. After being on the younger end in 2024, Southern Miss has an older roster, and as long as Ostrander can rebuild the rotation—something he’s long shown he’s proficient at doing throughout his tenure as pitching coach—the Golden Eagles look like the Sun Belt favorites.
25. Wake Forest (38-22, 15-15)
This is not as talented of a roster as Wake had in 2024. But the Demon Deacons still are solidly positioned for 2024. Shortstop Marek Houston returns to anchor the infield and slugger Jack Winnay is also back.
Wake this spring wound up playing a lot of younger players due to injuries and that should help them in 2025. If those players can take a step forward and Wake’s newcomers, such as slugger Ethan Conrad (Marist), Freshman All-American first baseman Kade Lewis (Butler) and righthanders Logan Lunceford (Missouri) and Matthew Dallas (Tennessee), make a smooth transition, the Deacs don’t have to miss much of a beat.
