The postseason is finally here in college baseball. Let’s look at all 64 teams that survived the gauntlet from February to May.

Group 1: Los Angeles Regional

#1 UCLA

The regular season #1 and the Big 10 champions were the obvious pick for the #1 overall seed. It wasn’t exactly easy for the Bruins, needing back to back walkoffs from Mulivai Levu, then a controversial HBP to end it against Oregon in the championship, but the important thing is the outcome. 51 wins, including a 27 game winning streak that stretched from late February, through the entirety of March, until April 14th where UC Santa Barbara ended the streak. The team wins, and that makes them a serious threat. Staff ace Logan Reddemann being limited to a bullpen role hurts, but his absence hasn’t stopped UCLA’s dominance.

#2 Virginia Tech

The Hokies put together a solid season this year, ending with a 30-24 record and top 50 in RPI. Their offense is solid, not placing high in any major statistics, but they’ve produced well enough to get here.The Hokies major problem is pitching. They have a -3 run differential. A 6.51 staff ERA, 338 earned runs, and 67 homers is going to hurt them in LA.

#3 Cal Poly

The Big West champions will take the short trip from San Luis Obispo to Westwood. Their .304 team AVG and .851 OPS lead to a strong offense, with the 8th most hits in baseball, led by Alejandro Garza with 86. The pitching staff falls in the top 40 when it comes to strikeouts. The lack of power is what hurts them the most. Only 42 homers on the year, with 16 of them coming from Ryan Tayman. 

#4 Saint Mary’s

This isn’t March? Basketball jokes aside, this Gaels team is very good. Specifically at getting on. They have the 3rd highest team average in division 1 (.332), and the 2nd most hits in baseball with 692. The pitching staff isn’t extraordinary outside of John Damozonio and his 2.71 ERA, but they’ll do the job. Their 34-25 record has led to them flying under the radar, but teams that just play strong baseball do well in the postseason.

Winner:UCLA

Cal Poly and St Mary’s are both strong, but the Bruins have crushed almost every challenge so far and I don’t see them stopping now.

Group 2: Atlanta Regional

#1 Georgia Tech

Well, that overrated pick didn’t turn out well. The Yellow Jackets tout a lineup that will go down in college baseball history if they go far enough. Do you want to know what stats they place first in? Sit down, it’s gonna take a minute. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are first in division one baseball in team AVG,OBP,SLG,OPS, hits, runs, and RBIs. In other words, they are the best in baseball at almost every major offensive statistic outside of homers and walks, where they are 4th and 2nd. The pitching staff literally just has to be alive on the mound. Well, they’re a little more than that. Top 40 in D1 in ERA, WHIP, K/9, and strikeouts. One of the strongest title contenders in this tournament, bested only by UCLA in my opinion.

#2 Oklahoma

I have a hard time seeing the Sooners doing anything interesting here. They struggled against their SEC schedule outside of a series win vs Texas A&M. They’re ranked 24th in RPI on the season, which is the reason they got in. Other than that, they don’t stand out in any offensive statistics. Their pitching stands in the top 50 in WHIP (48th), K/9 (13th) and strikeouts (40), with LJ Mercurius’s team leading 82 k’s and Cameron Johnson’s 4.02 ERA doing work for the Sooners. 

#3 The Citadel

The SoCon champs make their first regional appearance in 16 years. Led by a solid pitching staff led by Will Holmes and his SoCon leading 112 strikeouts, and an offense with the 16th most steals in the nation, this Bulldogs squad is somewhat interesting as a runner up contender.

#4 UIC

The Missouri Valley champions ended off their season strong after a difficult early schedule. Jake Busson leads the team and conference in homers with 20, and Mason Lei shines in the pitching staff with the 4th lowest ERA (3.51) and the 2nd most strikeouts (85) in the Missouri Valley. This is their first tournament appearance since 2019, coming off their first conference title since 2008 when they were still in the Horizon conference.

Winner:Georgia Tech

Group 3: Athens Regional

#1 Georgia

The Dawgs dominated the SEC this year, winning both the tournament and regular season title. They led arguably the best conference in baseball in team AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS, hits, runs scored, homers, and RBIs. They fall in the top 5 nationally in all of these stats but hits, where they are 6th. The pitching staff isn’t as outstanding, but they had the 13th most strikeouts in the country, good for the 10th best K/9 nationally. These numbers are led by the duo of Caden Aoki and Joey Volchko sat down 172 batters this season. Daniel Jackson finished the season top 10 in homers, RBIs, SLG, OPS, and runs scored as the standout player on an already strong offense. This team is tested and ready to go to Omaha.

#2 Boston College

Go Birds. Series wins against Miami, Virginia and Virginia Tech ease the damage an early ACC tournament exit would usually do on a team’s resume. The Golden Eagles have been a nightmare for catchers, recording 139 stolen bases, standing at the 2nd best in the ACC. Pitching doesn’t stand out, with the team outside the top 50 in major statistics. They also lack in power, finishing dead last in the ACC with only 40 homers. Nick Wang is the only major contributor, hitting 16 out of the park (10th most in the ACC). Pulling the next team I’ll talk about in group play won’t help either.

#3 Liberty

The CUSA’s 2nd finest put up 41 wins this year, with wins over West Virginia, NC State, Virginia Tech, and Dallas Baptist standing out. The Hawks showed their plate discipline this season, finishing 1st in the CUSA and 20th in the nation with 309 walks. This might sound dumb, but Liberty’s biggest strength is this simple. They win games. 41 of them, as I mentioned earlier

#4 Long Island 

The coolest logo in sports is back after getting smoked by Arizona in March Madness. The Sharks put up 22 runs in the NEC championship game, which is a perfect representative of what this offense can do. Not saying they’ll be putting up double digits this postseason, but the offense is strong nonetheless. As a team, LIU bats .301/.432/.483, placing 12th in the country in OBP. A staff ERA at nearly 7 is concerning, especially against a team like Georgia, but if that offense shows, LIU might be able to pull off an upset or two.

Winner:Georgia

Liberty can fight, but the Dawgs are just too powerful.

Group 4: Auburn Regional

#1 Auburn

The hardest schedule in baseball was nothing to the Tigers. Their resume features wins over 13 tournament teams, including series wins over Nebraska, Arkansas, Kentucky, Florida, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and Mississippi State. No team is more battle tested than this one. One of the nastiest pitching staffs in baseball leads the way to Omaha, placing 3rd in the country in ERA, 1st in WHIP, and top 25 in strikeouts on the season. Both Andreas Alvarez and Jake Marciano racked up over 100 K’s, and Ryan Hetzler’s presence as a reliever shows the power that this staff has. The Tigers are just as prepared for this tournament as any other squad, and I feel good about their Omaha chances.

#2 UCF

Another strong pitching staff making its way to western Alabama. UCF has the 2nd lowest ERA in the Big 12, only led by West Virginia, who is preparing to host right now. Camden Wicker stood out as one of the conference’s best arms, finishing top 5 in WHIP with 61 strikeouts on the season. The offense doesn’t jump off the page in any major stat, but they’ve produced enough to get them here. This was shown in their series sweep of Oklahoma State back in March, outsourcing the Cowboys in some close games. This shows us that they can win the tight matchups with strong opponents, a skill needed for any kind of contention in the postseason.

#3 NC State

If you’re a bubble team that wants to play postseason baseball, the Wolfpack have just the trick for you! Have your coach announce his retirement! You’ll be included, while more qualified teams get left out. Their coaches will have plenty of chances in the future! If we look at NC State, we see an offense that is top 25 in AVG,OBP, and OPS and a pitching staff that isn’t too special outside of Ryan Marohn and Jacob Dudan. Sorry to be harsh, but this team shouldn’t be here.

#4 Milwaukee

The conference that ruined Vanderbilt hopes to do the same to another SEC juggernaut. Joey Spence’s walk off homer made sure that Wright State stayed out of the dance, but the Panthers hope to emulate what we saw from the Raiders last regionals. Milwaukee ends a 16 year tournament drought this season, but why stop here? Despite their -64 run differential, and a losing record on the year, the Panthers have ripped off 7 straight wins to end their season off on a high note. They probably do nothing, but wouldn’t it be awesome if they pulled an upset off.

Winner: Auburn

A relatively weak pool is nothing for the battle tested Tigers.

Group 5: Chapel Hill Regional

#1 North Carolina

UNC stands at 46-11-1 entering this tournament, and probably would’ve been a higher seed if not for their ACC championship loss to Georgia Tech. They did win a series against the Yellow Jackets earlier this season, so it’s not like that was an impossible task. As for the roster itself, the pitching staff stands out with the 9th lowest era in division 1 at 3.94. Freshman Caden Glauber specifically stands out, with an ACC best 1.93 ERA through 70 innings pitched. Combine that with the offense that has scored the 14th most runs in the nation, and you have a team that can contend for an Omaha appearance.

#2 Tennessee

The Vols had hosted a regional in three of the last four seasons heading into the year, but some strong competition from other SEC schools forced them to do some traveling this time around. The Vols biggest strength is power. Tennessee hit 111 this season, the 3rd most in the SEC, and the 8th most in D1 baseball. Henry Ford led the way with 19 homers, while also having a .300 average. This combination of power and contact, while also founding a car company over 100 years ago is incredibly impressive. The Vols making a 6th consecutive super regional appearance seems very possible, even if they aren’t favored over the Tarheels.

#3 East Carolina

I’ve never gotten the chance to talk about this, but I love ECU’s logo. Relating to the actual sport, the Pirates have sneakily accumulated a nice tournament streak. They’ve made 9 of the last 10 tournaments, currently holding the 7th longest streak in division 1 with 8 consecutive appearances. The problem? They’ve only advanced to supers 4 times and haven’t made it to Omaha. Regardless, Cliff Godwin has experience in these situations, and I trust him to get the AAC champs over the hump. The pitching staff is strong, falling top 25 in ERA and top 50 in K’s, led by Ethan Norby. He’s struck out 120 batters this season, placing him 7th in the nation statistically. The solid group that they have on offense can get them places this tournament. I want to see them in Omaha for Pee Dee’s sake.

#4 VCU

The A10 champions had the best pitching staff in the conference by far. They led the A10 in ERA,WHIP, and innings pitched, while finishing 2nd in K’s and K per 9. The offense is solid, with Jacob Lee slashing .342/.475/.640 and a 1.110 OPS. My biggest concern comes with the Rams’s 1-8 record against tournament teams. One of those teams was North Carolina, who they face in their first postseason game. Good squad, but unless they pull off an unlikely upset, they won’t do much.

Winner:Tennessee

This is a brutal pool, and all of these teams have strong cases to advance. I can’t help but favor Tennessee’s experience here. What can I say, those 6 straight super regional appearances move me.

Group 6: Austin Regional

#1 Texas

After last year’s exit at home, Texas had to earn back the trust of the Longhorn faithful. 40 wins is a good start, but Texas fans desire something more. Omaha. The pitching staff will definitely pull their weight in helping them get there. A top 3 K/9 in the country brought them 601 strikeouts on the year, with 109 of them coming from Baseball America’s 2025 freshman of the year Dylan Volantis. The 4th best ERA in D1 baseball, paired with the 9th best WHIP should make him a National Pitcher of the Year contender, while also providing Texas with the ace every staff needs. The offense excels at getting on base, landing inside the top 25 in OBP and OPS, while being top 10 in walks. If the Longhorn bats can drive those runners in, Texas might be back, for real this time.

#2 UC Santa Barbara

The team that ended UCLA’s winning streak back in April boasts one of the most impressive pitching staffs in this tournament. I already mentioned pitching as Texas’s strong point, but Santa Barbara’s is even stronger. The 6th best team ERA and 7th best WHIP make for a difficult staff for any opponent to face, especially UCSB’s crown jewel. Jackson Flora was college baseball’s best pitcher this year, with his 1.05 ERA being the lowest among starting pitchers, and his 124 strikeouts landing in the country’s top 5. He’ll be the most important part of the Gauchos Omaha hopes.

#3 Tarleton State

Welcome to regional Texans! 21 runs in the WAC championship game clinched the school’s first ever NCAA tournament appearance as a D1 school. They’re probably just happy to be here, but this team is solid enough to compete. Their strong bullpen leads division 1 in saves, with arms like Anthony Treto and Tai Phetluangsy racking up strikeouts primarily in closer roles. Rayner Heinrich stands out on offense, slashing .375/.441/.692 with a 1.133 OPS. Hopefully this appearance will just be the beginning for Tarleton State’s program going forward.

#4 Holy Cross

A high scoring 14-11 win over Bucknell clinched back to back Patriot League championships and regional appearances for the Crusaders. They had a solid 2nd half of the year, but was somehow not enough for them to reach .500. That -38 run differential is definitely not great. Neither is falling outside of the top 100 in every major pitching statistic. I have a feeling the Crusaders won’t be going far here.

Winner:Texas

Provided both teams win, we could get a Volantis-Flora matchup, in which I would favor Santa Barbara. It seems inevitable that we’ll see the Longhorns and Gauchos matchup multiple times. To be completely honest I would prefer to see UC advance, but I feel like Texas’s offense gives them the edge when Flora isn’t on the mound. Unless we see Flora go 9 in every matchup, Texas has this one.

Group 7: Tuscaloosa Regional

#1 Alabama

Justin Lebron, Brady Neal, and Bryce Fowler are like the other LeBron, Wade, and Bosh. As a team, the Tide falls outside of the top tier offenses, but those three are some of the bigger stars in the SEC. The pitching staff is top 20 in ERA nationwide, and Tyler Fay leads the team with his 104 K’s. The Tide have shown plenty of experience against strong opponents, with sweeps of their fellow hosts Florida and Auburn showing that this team can hang with the best schools in baseball.

#2 Oklahoma State

If you asked me to sum up the Cowboys in one word it would be easy. Power. This squad lives and dies by the long ball. They’ve put up the 2nd most homers in baseball along with the 5th highest slugging percentage and 10th highest OPS, while scoring the 11th most runs across division 1 baseball. However, they fall outside the top 100 in batting average, and lead all of division one in strikeouts. Kollin Ritchie represents the ideal outcome for this roster, where they can cut down the strikeouts, while keeping the power. He’s hit 29 out of the park, good for 3rd best in baseball, while also maintaining a .335 batting average. The pitching is a concern, with the staff ERA falling over 6. Even their strikeout leader Ethan Lund’s ERA stands at 5.26 despite his 217 K’s. Luckily, the Cowboys can slug with anyone, giving them some real hopes to advance out of Tuscaloosa. 

#3 South Carolina Upstate

You might not know anything about the Big South champions like I did, but this team is strong. Their offense stands out especially, standing top 25 in hits, runs scored, RBIs, and walks nationally. Henry Zenor’s 92 hits lead the conference, and sit him at 7th on the hits leaders leaderboard. Max Kaplan and Chris Torres both have 60+ strikeouts despite their high ERAs, and the Spartans still have a positive run differential on the year. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this squad put up a fight, but the power of OSU might send them to the elimination bracket early.

#4 Alabama State

After breaking the Tide’s bullpen door back in March in a game that got overshadowed by a college basketball instant classic going down across the street, the SWAC champs are back for revenge. The offense and pitching staff don’t have any numbers that jump off the page outside of an above average team OPS. Miguel Oropeza’s .366/.477/.620/1.097 slash line shows off some of this roster’s talent, along with Trey Callaway’s SWAC leading 16 homers. James Peterson and Jorhan LaBoy are both quality arms that will have to perform if this team wants to pull off an upset over their in-state rival.

Winner: Oklahoma State

I can’t resist the power that this team has. Sorry Lebron.

Group 8: Gainesville Regional

#1 Florida

After Vandy failed to qualify, the Gators now have the longest streak of tournament appearances in division one baseball. Florida’s pitching staff is top 10 in K’s, led by the duo of Aidan King (89) and Liam Peterson (107). The staff also is top 15 in WHIP, ERA, and K/9. The offense features 4 players with an OPS above 1, which showed up big with their 7 RPG average. Sweeps of Miami and Arkansas, in addition to series wins over Georgia, Oklahoma, and Kentucky show this roster’s capability to win games, a capability that will have to be shown if this team wants to go places.

#2 Miami

The Canes best the rival Gators offensively off of team numbers, landing top 25 in hits, runs, and RBIs in the nation, while slashing .305/.410/.499/.909 as a team. Their big 3 of Alex Sosa, Derek Williams, and Daniel Cuvet was broken up due to injuries, but Sosa and Williams have slashed well despite the loss. Sosa batted .327/.450/.668/1.118 throughout his 211 at bats, and Williams .374/.480/.665/1.145 over his 206. Miami has picked up some wins over tournament teams, but has struggled overall, struggles that they will need to sort out sooner rather than later.

#3 Troy

I’m so proud of my underrated pick. After back to back bubble outs, the Troy Trojans qualify for the tournament as the last team in. How did they do it? A gritty Sun Belt tournament performance and overall strong 2nd half of the season brought this team into the national field. The main reason for this team’s bid was a monster of a non conference schedule, that featured wins over Georgia and Alabama. The numbers aren’t out of this world, but this team is red hot, giving them a strong case as a sleeper team. Go Trojans!

#4 Rider

The MAAC regular season and tournament champs make their third NCAA tournament appearance of the decade. Rider’s ace is PJ Craig, who pitched the 8th most innings in baseball, while picking up 88 strikeouts and 9 wins. The Broncs are definitely underdogs in Gainesville, but maybe they can pull off some magic.

Winner:Miami

Sorry Troy.

Group 9: Hattiesburg Regional

#1 Southern Miss

The winners of the never ending Sun Belt tournament take the spot usually reserved for Coastal Carolina. Despite the hatred the Golden Eagle fans have for Coastal, they definitely are hoping for an outcome similar to the Chanticleers 2025 campaign. The Southern Miss staff is one of the best in the nation numbers wise, landing in the top 10 in ERA and WHIP, with the 11th most K’s in the nation as well. They have 4 outstanding starters in Grayden Harris, Camden Clark, Colby Allen, and Camden Sunstrom, all posting 70+ strikeouts and all but Harris posting sub 3 ERAs. All the offense has to do is provide some run support, and the Golden Eagles will be strong Omaha contenders.

#2 Virginia

Virginia doesn’t pose as much of a power threat as Oklahoma State or Georgia Tech, but this team can hit them out too. They’ve gone deep 95 times as a team, the 20th most in baseball. Pairing that with the 15th most walks in division 1 makes for a team that has the potential for lots of runs. They were top 30 in runs scored, but they’ll have to take it to another level to make it out of Hattiesburg. That includes strikeout leader Henry Zatkowski and wins leader Lucas Hartman bringing their best stuff to provide run support.

#3 Jacksonville State

Remember how I called Liberty the CUSA’s second finest? Here’s number 1. Jacksonville State seems to be the college baseball community’s favorite underdog pick, and there’s plenty of merit to that hype. Two wins over Auburn, with one being by double digits, show the potential that this roster has against big time opponents. The 8th lowest staff ERA and 14th most strikeouts nationwide show this squad’s ability to shut down opponents. Steven Cash is the staff ace, with a CUSA lowest 2.94 ERA and 93 strikeouts. As for the bullpen, Skyler Hutto picked up 12 saves this season with just a 2.15 ERA. This team can compete with high level teams, and have a great opportunity to show it here.

#4 Little Rock

Many a college baseball fan will remember how this team almost took out the eventual national champions last year. Well, the Trojans are back! There’s no LSU this time around, but Southern Miss is yellow enough right? Little Rock touts the 10th most hits in division one, led by Kade Smith’s 76. Brandon Westmoreland is the staff’s finest, with a 3.00 ERA and 76 strikeouts over 93 innings pitched. Who knows, maybe Little Rock will give another host a run for their money. Southern Miss would probably welcome it, considering what it did for LSU.

Winner:Southern Miss

I’m not fully buying into the Jacksonville State hype. Give me the Golden Eagles and their dominant rotation.

Group 10: Tallahassee Regional

#1 Florida State

The Noles make their 3rd straight regional appearance despite an early exit in the ACC tournament. They’ve lost just 2 series on the year with one of them coming in an embarrassing sweep at the hands of Georgia Tech. Outside of that and the Stanford series, FSU has played great baseball this season. Their pitching staff, led by Wes Mendes and his sub 3 ERA and 117 strikeouts, has the 11th lowest ERA and 8th highest K/9 in baseball, in addition to 580 strikeouts. The Seminole offense has a minor strikeout problem, striking out more than any other ACC team. Regardless, this offense is strong, and I have no doubts that they can advance with home field.

#2 Coastal Carolina

Last year’s runner ups were damaged by the loss of Cameron Flukey (Just like my NPOTY pick). Guess what America? He’s back. Egg Harbor’s finest has picked up 21 K’s since his return, acting as a much needed boost to the Coastal roster. Darin Horn did a good job holding down the ship with 8 wins and 90 strikeouts, and now with Flukey back, they make a great ½ punch. The bats haven’t been outstanding, but they’ve done it before under Coach Schnall, so I still feel confident in their abilities. 

#3 Northern Illinois

One of this tournament’s best stories. NIU won their first ever MAC championship, just 3 seasons after only winning 10 games. Star pitcher Max Vaisvila closed out the championship game to clinch the program’s first tournament appearance in 54 YEARS. Vaisvila put up a sub 3 ERA with 90 strikeouts on the year, leading not just the pitching staff, but the whole team. If any mid major is going to go on a magical run, it’s these guys.

#4 St John’s

The Big East’s representatives in this tournament make their second appearance of the decade coming with 33 wins and something to prove. A strong performance in the Big East tournament gives them some momentum heading down to Tallahassee. Liam O’Leary is the staff ace, throwing 100 innings, while having an ERA under 3.00. Go make the Big East proud and show we can play baseball in the Northeast.

Winner:Florida State

I’m not settled between the Noles and Chanticleers, but Coastal’s offense gives me some concerns.

Group 11: Eugene Regional

#1 Oregon

The PAC 12 lives. The Ducks will host 2 of their former PAC 12 enemies in Eugene coming off of a controversial BIG 10 championship loss to UCLA. Oregon hit a Big 10 leading 102 homers this season, and they’ll need every one of them this regional. The big question is how they can get over losing a Big 10 championship that many in Eugene thought they were robbed of. If they can bounce back, we could see them advancing. If not? We get a repeat of 2024-2025 Oregon football in Pasadena.

#2 Oregon State

The one true PAC 12 school. Stayed for football, and went independent in baseball instead of joining another conference. That loyalty alone is enough for me to support them here, but this Beavers team is just as strong as their predecessors. That pitching staff is one of baseball’s best, with the 2nd lowest staff ERA in Division one, while also being top 5 in WHIP, K/9, and strikeouts. The bats just need to do their part, and the Beavers will be rewarded for their PAC 12 loyalty. 

#3 Washington State

The Cougars joined the Mountain West as an associate after the fall of the PAC 12, and they won the thing this season. It’s fun to see them starting rivalries with some of their future rivals once the new PAC 12 begins play. As for the roster, the pitching staff is rough to the point where their run differential is only at +17. Nick Lewis’s 3.07 ERA and 65 K’s are leading the way, but is he enough for the Cougars to make a run?

#4 Yale

3 former arch rivals and some nerds from Connecticut. The Bulldogs won their first Ivy League tournament this year, which feels wrong for a team that played their first game 4 months after the end of the civil war, but apparently it’s true. Yale’s top arms, Tate Evans and Jack Ohman put up 78 and 83 strikeouts respectively, although Ohman’s 5.23 ERA is reason for concern. The bats don’t stand out statistically, but they can put up runs. They’ll have to perform to make a run, but crazier things have happened.

Winner:Oregon State

The Beavers crush those who betrayed the PAC 12

Group 12: College Station Regional

#1 Texas A&M

What a bounceback from the Aggies after the embarrassment that 2025 was. I can’t imagine how sweet that sweep of Schlossnagle and Texas must’ve felt. A&M posted the 5th highest OPS and 6th most home runs across division one baseball. Caden Sorrell, Gavin Grahovac, Nico Partida, Bear Harrison, and Jorian Wilson all put up double digit homers and OPS’s above 1, showing the power behind this lineup. Combining this with a solid pitching staff is a perfect recipe for a contender.

#2 USC

USC started off this season 19-0 before a loss to Northwestern, and were pretty widely hyped as a strong contender. Then they got swept by UCLA and everyone forgot about them. I consider that to be unfair, especially with the pitching numbers they’ve put up. The 5th best ERA and 4th best WHIP in division one, while also striking out 577 batters show what this rotation can do. Mason Edwards is in a league with himself and Jackson Flora. A perfect 8-0 record, the second lowest ERA among starters, and a D1 leading 160 strikeouts put Edwards firmly above any other pitcher in this group. I don’t see the Trojans being beaten with him on the mound.

#3 Texas State

Another product of the “Fun Belt”, this offense draws some similarities to Oklahoma State in their power. Top 25 in slugging percentage and 7th in homers, while also being top 10 in strikeouts. Jaquae Stewart leads the way with 16 homers, followed by Manny Salas’s 15. The pitching staff places 33rd in strikeouts with 542 on the season, making this a very all or nothing roster. Let’s see what the Bobcats can do.

#4 Lamar

I can’t believe they named a college after Lamar Jackson! The Southland Conference champs upset Kansas back in February, and have put up 34 wins on the year. Senior Chris Oliver stands out as the staff ace, striking out 103 batters with just a 2.66 ERA. The biggest flaw of the Cardinals is their lack of power. They hit just 38 homers as a team, with their SLG and OPS well below average. Unless the pitching staff completely takes over, Lamar is probably going home, just like the quarterback they share a name with.

Winner:USC

The Trojans are definitely being overlooked in this tournament. I won’t make that mistake.

Group 13: Lincoln Regional

#1 Nebraska

We saw Nebrasketball in March, and now we have Nebaseball. This team excels in hitting for average, picking up 621 hits on the year with a .312 team average. If the Cornhuskers can drive these runners in, they can score with the best of them. Carson Jasa leads the rotation with 109 strikeouts over 81.1 innings thrown, and the rest of the staff will have to follow his example. 

#2 Ole Miss

Did you guys know that Ole Miss’s school name is actually the University of Mississippi? Why do we all just go along calling them their nickname? I’m over 5000 words in and running out of original ways to present information in case you didn’t notice. The Rebels, which is a name and mascot I’m surprised is still around, put up 36 wins against a strong SEC schedule. Their pitching staff put up the second most strikeouts in the SEC, led by Hunter Elliott’s 96. When it comes to the offense, Tristan Bissetta and Judd Utermark both put up OPS’s about 1 and 20 homers each as the strong points of the Ole Miss offense.

#3 Arizona State

One of the best offenses in baseball is seriously underranked here. They rank 5th in batting average, 22nd in OBP, 6th in slugging, and 7th in OPS nationwide, while having the 9th most hits and 10th most homers. This team can hit like few others. Pairing that with a pitching staff that has recorded the 7th most strikeouts in division 1 makes for a serious threat to anyone who stands against them.

#4 South Dakota State

The unlikely Summit champs are 8 games under .500 with a -22 run differential. I’d love to see them make me look stupid for this being all I say about them.

Winner:Arizona State

This offense is too good. 

Group 14: Starkville Regional

#1 Mississippi State

State put up 40 wins this season with a very difficult SEC schedule. Their biggest series win came when they swept Ole Miss in the Egg Series back in late March. Has anyone ever called Mississippi State-Ole Miss that? Why does football get all the cool rivalry names? Anyways, The Bulldogs are top 10 in Average, slugging percentage, and RBIs, while falling in the top 15 in OPS, hits, runs, and homers. The pitching staff is towards the top as well, with the 23rd lowest ERA, 19th lowest WHIP, 6th highest K/9, and 627 strikeouts (8th in division 1). This combination makes Mississippi State a very well rounded force that can go far if they play up to potential.

#2 Cincinnati

The Bearcats’s resume features wins over Jacksonville State (2), Auburn, Kansas, and UCF (2). Quinton Coats is the clear leader of the offense, slashing .346/.434/.764/1.198 with 28 homers. As a team, they fall top 50 in AVG/OBP/SLG/OPS, as well as homers and total hits. Cincinnati could be an interesting squad if they play up to potential.

#3 Louisiana

Another bid for the FUN Belt! The Ragin Cajuns won series against Southern Miss and Coastal Carolina, along with out of conference wins over LSU and Dallas Baptists, two teams with long standing tournament streaks that were snapped this year. Andrew Herrmann and his 108 strikeouts in addition to Cody Brasch’s 2.04 ERA make them key factors in this team’s success. If they can give their offense a postseason boost, this team has a pretty high ceiling.

#4 Lipscomb

The ASUN champions make their first tournament appearance since 2023 and their 4th overall. The two things stopping the Bison from being a potential sleeper are their pitching and power. They’ve allowed 361 runs this season, and have only scored 320, hitting just 32 homers on the year. This team isn’t at the level they need to be at to contend as an underdog this season.

Winner:Mississippi State

This team is the perfect mix between offense and pitching that gives them the edge over the other three.

Group 15:Lawrence Regional

#1 Kansas

Every JUCO player in America needs to be ride or die for the Jayhawks this tournament. They feature 23 former JUCO players, and that energy got them to where they are now. This squad of JUCO Bandits is top 25 in slugging percentage, homers, RBIs, walks, as well as strikeouts on the pitching side. One of their best JUCO additions is Tyson LeBlanc, who serves as their leadoff hitter. Slashing .339/.429/.678/1.107, LeBlanc has been the type of player the Jayhawks need. I don’t know how you couldn’t root for the Big 12 champs with the way they’ve been built.

#2 Arkansas

After their heartbreaking 2025 Omaha defeat, the Razorbacks are back and looking for revenge. They played well in the SEC tournament, making a run to the finals before falling to Georgia in the final. The Arkansas staff has been the star of the show, landing in the top 25 nationally when it comes to WHIP, K/9, walks per 9, and strikeouts. Hunter Dietz is a huge factor in those strikeout numbers, putting up 117 over his 79.1 innings thrown. The bats haven’t been as outstanding as you would expect, but they are good enough to give the Hogs a strong fight against Kansas.

#3 Missouri State

Always fun to see the Bears making a postseason appearance, if nothing else for their very underrated logo. Missouri State brings some serious power, placing top 15 in SLG,OPS, and homers. They averaged 8.3 runs per game this year, clearly making them an offensive threat for any team they face. The pitching staff, however, isn’t as threatening. If the offense is a grizzly bear, the pitchers are closer to a teddy bear. A 6.08 ERA has allowed for a run differential under 100 despite the power displayed by the offense. The arms will have to catch fire in order to make a run.

#4 Northeastern

On the 60th anniversary of their 1966 Omaha appearance, The Huskies look to make an underdog run. The nation’s leaders in stolen bases will need to continue putting runners on base to thrive, something that Harrison Feinberg has been stellar at. Slashing .330/.451/.599/1.050 with 16 homers and 42 stolen bases, he’s been exactly what this team needs to be. On the pitching side of things, Luc Rising has been great for the Huskies with his 3.24 ERA and 80 strikeouts. This is a solid squad that could pull off an upset if they can execute to the best of their abilities.

Winner:Kansas

God bless Dan Fitzgerald and his crew of JUCO Bandits.

Group 16: Morgantown Regional

#1 West Virginia

Country Roads, take me to Omaha. The Mountaineers extended their tournament streak to 4 consecutive appearances, this time hosting in Morgantown. A strong pitching staff and a solid group of bats have brought WVU to this position. They’re hunting more than their third straight super regional appearance, this time the Mountaineer faithful want to see their boys in Omaha. Maxx Yehl and his 2.16 ERA and 95 strikeouts will be useful in their hunt, along with Gavin Kelly’s .379/.486/.680/1.166 slash line. I’m definitely intrigued by this roster and their potential for an Omaha run, I’ll just have to see them in action before I buy in.

#2 Wake Forest

The Deacons pitching staff is a strikeout machine that has ran all season long. The best K/9 in division 1 baseball, along with 650 strikeouts, the 2nd best in the nation. The bats have shown potential for power, with top 25 positions in OPS, homers, and RBIs, along with a top 30 slugging percentage. I’m interested to see what the battles between them and the Jayhawks will look like this weekend.

#3 Kentucky

This team doesn’t belong over Mercer.

#4 Binghampton

I think I have a new team to support. Not gonna look into them at all so I don’t get immediately let down. Go win it all for aBINGton!

Winner:West Virginia

Home field advantage along with their strong pitching staff gives the Mountaineers a slight edge over Wake Forest.

Is that all of them? Finally! If you actually read this whole thing, thank you! Enjoy a full weekend of college baseball!