College Baseball What To Watch For: Week 3

Image credit: Cam Cannarella (Tom Priddy/Four Seam Images)

The biggest story last week in the college baseball world was the clash between No. 3 Arkansas and No. 4 Oregon State, but most notably the magnificent performance by lefthander Hagen Smith, who notched a ridiculous 17 strikeouts across six shutout innings. Elsewhere, the Wake Forest bats came alive to the tune of 32 runs on 34 hits, No. 15 East Carolina won a wild, hard-fought series over rival No. 17 North Carolina and No. 6 TCU continued its winning ways with a sweep of previously ranked UCLA. Looking at this weekend, it is one that I have had circled on my calendar since the 2024 schedule was released. Not only are there a handful of high-quality in-season tournaments, but also a pair of high-profile rivalry series.

Additionally, here are some helpful links to aid your college baseball consumption this weekend…

Astros Foundation College Classic

The state of Texas this weekend will again be the epicenter of the college baseball universe. On top of Texas State, Louisiana and Houston—all of whom are talented clubs—this year’s College Classic features three powerhouses in No. 2 LSU, No. 9 Vanderbilt and No. 14 Texas. The field itself is stacked, but there are two matchups that stand out among the rest. The first is tomorrow night, which will see the Tigers and Longhorns square off in prime time. My recency bias may be contributing to this take, but this matchup has a similar feel to last week’s instant classic between Arkansas and Oregon State. Texas last weekend did not give up a single run across three games against Cal Poly, while LSU won its series with Stony Brook after being upset on Friday.

I am most curious to see who Coach Johnson decides to send to the mound tomorrow. Thatcher Hurd this season has gotten the ball on each of the first two Fridays, but he has struggled and is yet to spin a quality start. Conversely, Luke Holman has been outstanding to the tune of a 2-0 record and has not allowed a run while collecting 18 strikeouts across 12.1 innings. Lefthander Gage Jump is also a potential candidate to get the nod tomorrow, but he is still ramping up after missing the entire 2023 season. The Tigers offense is headlined by Tommy White (.333/.432/.467), but freshmen Steven Milam (11-for-27) and Jake Brown (7-for-20) have established themselves as key contributors in the early going. Sophomore outfielder Paxton Kling (9-for-22) is also off to a strong start, while fellow sophomore Jared Jones (9-for-30) has routinely flashed his plus power and leads the team in both home runs (4) and RBIs (11).

Texas will turn to reigning Big 12 pitcher of the week LeBarron Johnson Jr., who in his last start fired eight shutout innings in which he struck out eight. Johnson Jr. this season has pitched his way to a 1.38 ERA across two starts, and has relied heavily on his fastball that has been up to 97. He pairs it with an effective high-80s slider that so far has served as his go-to out pitch. The Texas pitching staff as a whole has been nothing short of fantastic, and through eight games it has compiled a total ERA of just 1.82 while holding opposing hitters to a .230 average. Outside of Johnson Jr., head coach David Pierce has a bevy of weapons at his disposal and many figure to log an appearance this weekend. The Longhorns’ lineup has also been productive, and as a team it is hitting .329 with 35 extra-base hits. Jared Thomas (18-for-31) and Peyton Powell (15-for-34, 18 RBIs) have led the charge, but the most notable development has been the resurgence of shortstop Jalin Flores. After struggling in his true freshman season, Flores this spring is hitting .344 (11-for-32) and has already matched his 2023 extra-base hit total (6). Finally, blue chip freshman Will Gasparino has hit the ground running and is 9-for-25 (.360) with seven RBIs.

The Longhorns this year are off to a 7-1 start with their only blemish being an 11-inning loss to San Diego. This weekend will be their biggest test yet and will be a good barometer for how they stack up against some of the nation’s best. They by far have the toughest weekend of any team in the field as they take on both LSU and Vanderbilt, but if they come out of this weekend with 2 (or more) wins it will be quite the statement.

Vanderbilt this weekend takes on Louisiana-Lafayette and Houston on Friday and Saturday before a Sunday showdown with Texas. It has been a bit of a slow start for the Commodores who have notched two series wins of Florida Atlantic and Gonzaga, but it was far from easy. They were on their way to a sweep of the ‘Zags, but surrendered eight runs in the seventh inning to end the weekend on a low note. However, Vanderbilt this week has built up some momentum thanks to a pair of midweek wins over previously-undefeated Indiana State and a quality Evansville team. There are no doubt some question marks surrounding the Commodores in the early going. Their lineup has been inconsistent at times, but has started to find its groove. A 20-run outburst against a pitching-centric Indiana State is an encouraging sign, and a number of hitters have established themselves as key contributors. Samford transfer Jayden Davis (.383/.462/.647) is the team’s leading hitter, while sophomore RJ Austin leads the team with 11 RBIs.

I am optimistic this weekend that the Vanderbilt offense will continue to produce at a respectable clip, but I wonder about the pitching. Devin Futrell (1.64 ERA) has turned in two solid starts and sophomore Andrew Dutkanych (0.00 ERA, 10 strikeouts) has looked excellent, but the staff as a whole has struggled to get outs. Prized lefthander Carter Holton (7.88 ERA) is continuing to return to form after an injury and Bryce Cunningham has been solid (5.14 ERA), but the bullpen has been really shaky. There is an exciting blend of pure talent and raw stuff, but the performance early on has been lackluster. The Commodores this weekend have a golden opportunity to continue to right the ship, especially with a win on Sunday over Texas.

Elsewhere, two players to watch closely are Louisiana-Lafayette shortstop Kyle DeBarge and Texas State outfielder Ryne Farber. DeBarge is off to a slow start but is an excellent athlete with advanced contact skills, while Farber—a true freshman—is 15-for-27 (.556) and has flashed a keen feel for the barrel while spraying line drives all over the field.

How To Stream

The tournament can be streamed on the Houston Astros Youtube channel free of charge.

Frisco College Baseball Classic

This year’s installment of the Frisco College Baseball Classic features a compact—yet loaded—four team field of No. 21 Indiana, No. 23 Dallas Baptist, No. 24 Alabama and Arizona. This weekend poses a formidable challenge for each team, and there is not a single easy matchup on the docket for anyone. Starting with the Hoosiers, they this weekend are looking to bounce back following a stunning midweek loss at the hands of Purdue-Fort Wayne, who last year went just 13-43. Offensively, they are led by the dynamic one-two punch of 2023 Big 10 freshman of the year Devin Taylor (17-for-34) and shortstop Tyler Cerny (14-for-37). Taylor and Cerny are the team’s two leading hitters, but the Hoosiers have gotten key contributions from a handful of other offensive pieces.

Righthander Brayden Risedorph struggled last Friday, but on opening day he held a high-powered Duke lineup to just one run across 4.2 innings. He’ll have his work cut out for him tomorrow against Alabama, but he has the ability to quiet the Crimson Tide bats. Following Risedorph will be fellow righthander Connor Foley, who this spring has rapidly ascended up draft boards. He has yet to allow a run and has struck out 14 across 10 innings pitched. Foley pairs his plus, mid-90s heater with a budding slider and moves extremely well on the mound. The key for Indiana this weekend will be how their bullpen holds up and whether or not the lineup will be able to produce enough against three quality pitching staffs.

In his first year as the head coach of the Crimson Tide, Rob Vaughn and his squad are off to a perfect 9-0 start. They have picked up two sweeps of Manhattan and Valparaiso, respectively, and most recently on Tuesday took down in-state rival Alabama-Birmingham in 11 innings. It’s been a balanced attack to this point for the Tide, who as a team is hitting .363 and averaging over four extra-base hits per game. Slick-fielding freshman Justin Lebron (11-for-22) is off to a fast start at the plate on top of playing a quality shortstop, while a pair of transfers in TJ McCants (14-for-35, six home runs) and Gage Miller (16-for-35, five home runs) have combined for 11 of the team’s 19 home runs.

The pitching staff has been just as solid, and to this point they have compiled a minuscule total ERA of 1.63. Ben Hess is the headliner, and so far he has pitched his way to a 2.25 ERA with 14 strikeouts across eight innings. Louisville transfer Greg Farone (1.35 ERA) and freshman Zane Adams (1.13 ERA) have also shown particularly well, while the electric Alton Davis II has anchored the bullpen. Alabama to this point has not had the most difficult schedule, but this weekend it will have the chance to add multiple high-quality wins to its resume.

Dallas Baptist also comes into the Frisco Classic undefeated, standing at a perfect 8-0. It already has a pair of quality wins over Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, but the Patriots this weekend will look to stay hot. The strength of this year’s team is undoubtedly the offense, but especially the power prowess. DBU this year has slugged 45 extra-base hits, and five regulars already have multiple home runs to their name. The team’s leading hitter is the contact-oriented Michael Dattalo (12-for-27), while Miguel Santos (12-for-29, five home runs) Grant Jay (13-for-31, four home runs) provide big-time power in the middle of the order.

Towering righthander Ryan Johnson (3.65 ERA) is the anchor of the rotation, and he features a high-90s fastball with a plus sweeping slider. The X-factor of the pitching staff in the early going, and the arm who will toe the rubber in Sunday’s massive tilt against Alabama, is true freshman James Ellwanger (2.00 ERA). Ellwanger has the look of a future ace and is an exceptional athlete on the mound. His heater last week was up to 100 and he has perhaps the best pure stuff and most upside of anyone on the pitching staff. DBU this weekend is more than likely going to hit—if it doesn’t, it’s probably in real trouble—but the key will be how the pitching—especially its bullpen arms—holds up.

Rounding out the field is Arizona, who is off to a modest 4-4 start but has remained competitive in every game to this point. The Wildcats started their season with a series win over previously-ranked Northeastern before dropping two-of-three at San Diego. Jackson Kent (3.00 ERA) and Clark Candiotti (3.60 ERA) have shown well in each of their first two starts, but Dallas Baptist and Alabama are two serious challenges. Garen Caulfield (15-for-30) and Brendan Summerhill (15-for-36) are both off to scorching starts to pace the offense, and shortstop Mason White (9-for-33) could be the next star hitter to come out of Tucson. His contact ability and approach will need to improve, but White has the offensive skill set and tools to be a potential day one draft pick in 2025. I think the Cats will come out of this weekend with at least one win, but they have the ability to remain competitive in each of their three games.

How To Stream

The tournament schedule can be found here and games will be streamed here.

Top 25 Matchup

No. 10 Clemson at/vs. No. 12 South Carolina

Clemson-South Carolina is one of, if not the best rivalry in college baseball. It takes on a similar format to last weekend’s East Carolina-North Carolina series with each team getting a game at their home field with Saturday’s contest being at a neutral site. The environment at all three games will be incredible, and the series itself should be a great one.

This sounds strange to say about the No. 12 team in the country, but the Gamecocks almost feel slept on coming into this weekend. Sure, they haven’t played the best schedule, but they have taken care of business in dominant fashion outside of last Saturday’s hiccup against Belmont. This weekend is a perfect opportunity to not only earn a huge series win over a rival, but to potentially thrust themselves into the top 10. They have a bonafide star in sophomore outfielder Ethan Petry, who this year is 10-for-28 with three home runs. Petry is an intimidating physical presence in the box who has thunderous bat speed and double-plus raw power to boot. Veteran Dylan Brewer is red-hot, and is currently 14-for-27 (.519) with a team-leading 10 RBIs. They have a number of other weapons, namely Cole Messina and Gavin Casas, but the best could be yet to come for this offense who has yet to really hit its stride.

The Gamecocks’ pitching staff has been nothing short of outstanding. Eli Jones (1.00 ERA) has been excellent, but I have been most impressed by fiery righthander Roman Kimball (1.50 ERA). Kimball missed all of 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he is off to a strong start this spring. His mound presence is fantastic and brings an infectious, fiery energy to the team. Kimball has a unique, riding fastball that explodes out of his low release height and his slider is his best offspeed offering. There is a lot to like with Kimball, and he gives the Gamecocks a serious weapon on Sundays. The bullpen has also been great, especially veteran righthander Ty Good who has yielded just one hit across 5.2 shutout innings. Southpaw Matthew Becker (0.00 ERA) has notched 10 strikeouts across five innings while flashing impressive stuff, and this weekend he projects to be a factor.

Clemson is 7-1, but it has gotten there in somewhat modest fashion. Last Friday the Tigers suffered a jaw-dropping 18-1 loss at the hands of Kennesaw State, and although they bounced back nicely to win the series, they were on the ropes on Saturday. The Tigers trailed 6-5 in the eighth inning, but a Jacob Hinderleider home run—his second of the game—sparked a three-run rally that propelled Clemson to a win.

Clemson has a big-time star of its own in sophomore outfielder and 2023 ACC freshman of the year, Cam Cannarella. Cannarella hasn’t missed a beat since last spring, and so far is 15-for-29 (.517) with two home runs and a team-leading 10 RBIs. He oozes tools and is an exceptional athlete who is a plus runner and defender, while possessing plus bat-to-ball skills and a highly advanced feel for the barrel. Cannarella is the straw that stirs the drink, but Alden Mathes (9-for-22), Nolan Nawrocki (8-for-22) and Jacob Hinderleider (7-for-20) have all established themselves as key contributors. Outfielder Will Taylor is off to a slow start after an impressive 2023 campaign, but on Tuesday he went 3-for-3 with three home runs and will look to continue his hot hitting both this weekend and beyond.

The Tigers’ pitching has been iffy at times, but it has three quality options in their rotation in Austin Gordon (3.60 ERA), Tristan Smith (3.12 ERA) and true freshman Aidan Knaak (5.00 ERA). Gordon is the “steady Eddie” of the bunch, but Smith might have the most live arm on the staff while Knaak has the look of a future Friday starter. Ethan Darden (0.00 ERA) and sidewinder Lucas Mahlstedt (1.80 ERA) have both been nails in relief. The question both this week and going forward, is who else on the pitching staff will emerge as a reliable weapon. It is hard to envision this series not coming down to an all-important game three, and a series win for either team would go a long way.

How To Stream

All three games will be streamed on either SEC Network+ or ACC Network+, and both can be found here.

Battle For The Peach State

Georgia at/vs. Georgia Tech

This series will be a blast for a few reasons. On top of it being a huge rivalry, Georgia and Georgia Tech are both off to strong starts at 8-1 and 7-1, respectively. However, everyone will have their eyes on outfielders Charlie Condon and Drew Burress. Condon this year is off to arguably the best start of any hitter in the country, and is currently a ridiculous 23-for-36 (.639) with five doubles, seven home runs and 13 RBIs. Not only does he boast a gaudy stat line, but Condon has generated the highest quality impact of any hitter in the country with numerous exit velocities of 110 mph or higher. He has routinely flashed his borderline double-plus raw power, while also showing a highly advanced feel for the barrel and plus hit tool. Carlos Collazo dove deeper into Condon’s torrid start, but he has thrust himself into the 1:1 discussion.

In the opposite dugout, Drew Burress is currently off to the best start of any true freshman in the country—and it isn’t particularly close. The toolsy outfielder is currently slashing an absurd .441/.512/1.382 with a nation-leading nine home runs and 20 RBIs. Most impressively, of his 15 hits 14 have gone for extra bases. On Tuesday, Burress turned in a performance for the ages and went 4-for-4 with four home runs and six RBIs. He has a compact frame at just 5-foot-9, but he has plus power, a plus arm with an above-average defensive skill set in the outfield and tremendous bat speed with an advanced approach to boot. It will be interesting to see how he does and what his production looks like as the competition continues to stiffen, but so far Burress has exceeded his already-high preseason expectations.

Outside of Condon and Burress, both teams have gotten valuable contributions from other members of their respective lineup. For the Yellow Jackets, Mike Becchetti (10-for-25) and shortstop Payton Green (11-for-29) are both off to hot starts with four home runs and 10 RBIs apiece, while for the Bulldogs transfers Slate Alford (.325/.438/.600) and Dylan Goldstein (.292/.500/.833) have each made their presence felt. What I’ve been most impressed with—outside of Condon and Burress, of course—has been how well Georgia Tech has pitched. The Yellow Jackets are typically an offense-oriented club and while it’s still early and their schedule has been light, the pitching staff so far has compiled a 3.75 ERA which is a huge initial step in the right direction. There figures to be plenty of fireworks this weekend in the Peach State and come Sunday, one team will have both bragging rights and a big series win to its name.

How To Stream

Friday and Saturday’s games will be streamed via ACC Network+ and SEC Network+, respectively, while it is yet to be determined where Sunday’s finale will be broadcast.

Other Notable Matchups

Las Vegas College Baseball Classic (California, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh)
Keith LeClair Classic (Cal State Fullerton, East Carolina, Purdue, Southeastern Louisiana)
Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic (Michigan, San Diego, UC Irvine, UCLA)
No. 5 Florida at Miami
Connecticut at No. 19 Auburn
UC Santa Barbara at Oregon