The college baseball regionals kick off this weekend, and we can’t wait to see what happens with a field packed with talent. Wake Forest is the overall No. 1 seed for the first time in the tournament, with the other top seeds being No. 2 Florida, No. 3 Arkansas, and No. 4 Clemson.
Vanderbilt is making its 18th consecutive appearance, the longest active streak in the country, as the SEC had 10 teams qualify, followed by the ACC with 8, the Big 12 with 6 and the Pac-12 with 5.
Our college baseball experts break down the regionals and players they’re most excited to see and provide their bold predictions for the entire tournament.
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Sleepers | Unmissable players | predictions
1. Which regional are you most excited to see?
Chris Burke: This is a tough question. Some that stand out are Lexington, Fayetteville and Clemson. At the end of the day, if I had to buy a ticket to a regional final game in which the two highest seeds made it to the final, it would be the Clemson Regional. The “Orange Bowl” between Tennessee and Clemson would be must-see television.
Kiley McDaniel: I like to follow full regionals where any team has a chance to win. I think the Clemson regional is really deep, with a killer Tigers squad, a strong Tennessee team and two powerful middle-majors who can rack up strikeouts on the mound in Charlotte and Lipscomb. Other candidates are the regionals of Coral Gables, Columbia and Fayetteville.
Ryan McGee: I’m not saying that Lexington Regional is going to produce an eventual MCWS champion or even an MCWS team, but I’m saying that all four teams (UK, West Virginia, Indiana, and Ball State) are border state schools that don’t exactly have a history of being friendly This has a bourbon-scented high school state tournament parking lot wrestling feel to me.
Mike Rooney: Baton Rouge will be electric this weekend. We know that the LSU fan base will pack Alex Box Stadium with record crowds. Paul Skenes, Dylan Crews and Tommy White will provide the star power. Let the fireworks begin.
2. Which regional has the hardest road to Omaha?
Burke: The battle between the Nashville and Stillwater regionals is going to be fascinating. If the chalk holds and it’s Vandy vs. Oklahoma State will be a matchup between two teams that have a lot of recent history (they’ve met the past three years in non-conference play) and played an 11-9 game earlier this year. that was Vandy’s way. That would be fun!
McDaniel: I’ll go with Kentucky narrowly over South Carolina and Indiana State. Kentucky has to win a tough regional over West Virginia, Indiana and Ball State, then hit the road and take two of three at LSU’s Baton Rouge. South Carolina has to beat Campbell and NC State, then go to Gainesville. Indiana State has to beat Iowa and North Carolina, then go take two of three in Fayetteville.
McGee: Stillwater is the first round bunkhouse stampede. Cowboys fans aren’t happy with their guest list and they shouldn’t be. Oral Roberts and Dallas Baptist have long specialized in being NCAA hard outs, and Washington is a team that seems totally dedicated to playing in hostile environments all season long.
Rooney: The Palo Alto regional features two of the scariest lineups in college baseball: Stanford and Texas A&M. Cal State Fullerton is back in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2018. The Titans have earned 18 trips to the Men’s College World Series and won the 2017 and 2018 Palo Alto Regionals. Ignore their pedigree at your peril.
3. What teams should we be aware of?
Burke: Three weeks ago, TCU wasn’t even a lock to make the field. Now the Horned Frogs have won 12 of 13 and are the Big 12 tournament champions. TCU third baseman Brayden Taylor is going to be a big leaguer and he’s red hot. He leads an offense that has topped the Big 12 in stolen bases, so they’re tough to set up. Beware: Kirk Saarloos’s team is dangerous!
McDaniel: Santa Clara is the top 4 seed in the tournament, but unfortunately has to beat Arizona, TCU, and Arkansas, which seems highly unlikely. If I was a Gamecocks fan, I would be very scared of 2-seed Campbell. Clemson is red hot, but third-seeded Charlotte or second-seeded Tennessee could catch fire and take that regional.
McGee: Southern Miss is the nation’s leader in COVID-19 Extended Eligibility Carryovers. Seriously, there are guys on this list who might already be starting in college. Experience matters in the postseason. These guys, who headed to Auburn this weekend along with Samford and Penn, won’t be intimidated by any situation, and the Eagles always bring fans, especially in a ballpark that can certainly get a little sleepy in The Plains. That makes them very dangerous.
Rooney: Penn won a series at Texas A&M in 2022, and the #QuakeShow gave South Carolina everything it wanted earlier this spring. Wright State earned its sixth regional appearance in eight seasons, nearly toppling Tennessee to start the 2021 Knoxville Regional. Ball State earned the “First Four Out” designation two years before winning the MAC regular season crown in 2022 . This is not a surprise.
4. Who are the unmissable players of the tournament?
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Burke: There are so many it’s hard to narrow down, but why not start from the top of the next draft? Dylan Crews, Paul Skenes and Wyatt Langford are the top three prospects in McDaniel’s latest article, so let’s start there. Two potential star bats and the best pitching prospect in the past decade qualify as a must-watch.
McDaniel: I’d refer you to my draft and mock-draft rankings, too, for top pro prospects, but my top picks for pure fun-watching would be (obviously) LSU’s Skenes and Crews, West Virginia’s JJ Wetherholt, Iowa’s Brody Brecht and Enrique Bradfield Jr. of Vanderbilt.
McGee: Matt Shaw from Maryland is a monster. Just the thought of a regional where Big Ten POY, a shortstop who hits .365/20/55, will potentially face Wake Forest’s No. 1 pitching group: Rhett Lowder, Josh Hartle, Sean Sullivan, Seth Keener, Camden Minacci etc. has me pumped and has my truck full of gas to drive north to Winston-Salem.
Rooney: Second baseman Roc Riggio (Oklahoma State) had 17 RBIs in last year’s Stillwater Regional. Brody Brecht (Iowa) is a former scholarship wide receiver on the football team, and the right-hander has racked up 101 strikeouts as Hawkeye’s ace. Joe Vetrano (Boston College) is a physical left-handed bat with light tower power. Finally, the college baseball home run title will be on the line when all four national leaders take the field this weekend: Cam Fisher, Charlotte (30), Jac Caglianone, Florida (29), Shane Lewis, Troy (27), Brock Wilken, Wake Forest (27).
5. Bold tournament predictions
Burke: The MCWS champion will be champion for the first time!
McDaniel: Campbell goes to Omaha. There’s depth in the lineup and in the power arms and she’s been a slow build over the years, from playful mid-career to potential national threat.
McGee: East Carolina, by far the best college baseball program to ever make it to Omaha, finally makes it. Arrr folks, it’s pirates invading the shores of that Missouri River!
Rooney: Over the past five full seasons, 38 of the 40 teams that advanced to the Men’s College World Series have come from one of four leagues: SEC, Pac-12, Big 12, ACC. This feels like an open field. The offense is way up there and quality bullpens are rare. Look out for regional regulars like UConn, East Carolina, DBU, Wright State, and Campbell to make some noise. Five wins in the next two weeks and you’ll find yourself in Omaha.