Category: College Baseball

Image Courtesy: Ethan Doan

Arkansas Razorback baseball returns to the diamond tomorrow against Oklahoma State in Arlington, TX. But, first let’s recap 2025:

Arkansas entered SEC play with a 16-1 record last spring. The Razorbacks went 5-1 to open conference play with series wins over Ole Miss and South Carolina. Then, the Razorbacks dropped their first midweek game of the season against Missouri State at home, 14-13. They quickly bounced back with a sweep over Vanderbilt in Nashville to wrap up March before starting April on a six-game win streak.

The final victory of the streak was game 1 against a talented Georgia team that defeated Arkansas the last two games of the series. The Razorbacks returned home and dominated Arkansas-Pine Bluff in midweek action before losing a series against Texas A&M.

Back to back wins over Little Rock did not help Arkansas on the road against Florida. The Gators won two of three games against the Razorbacks like the Aggies had done the weekend before.

Arkansas bounced back in a big way by sweeping then No. 1 Texas in Fayetteville to begin May. Then, the Razorbacks dropped two out of three in Baton Rouge against eventual national champion LSU.

Arkansas won two out of three games to close the regular season against former Razorback assistant Tony Vitello and Tennessee. The Razorbacks went out quickly in Hoover in the SEC Tournament but clinched the No. 3 overall seed after a successful regular season in the NCAA Tournament.

Arkansas swept through their home stretch in the NCAA Tournament with victories over North Dakota State and Creighton in the Fayetteville Regional and swept Tennessee in a rematch of their final regular season series in the Fayetteville Super Regional.

A rematch with LSU to open things in Omaha at the College World Series did not end well. Arkansas was forced to win games against Murray State and UCLA to gain another rematch versus the Tigers.

The season ended again with a loss in the national semifinals against LSU.

Now, let’s move onto 2026:

Dave Van Horn and Arkansas baseball are again focused on winning the big one in 2026. But it must start with consistent play in the regular season but the Razorbacks are already used to that.

Arkansas has won 43 or more games, 18 or more SEC games in each complete season since 2018 and have made it to Omaha for the College World Series four times in that time period.

So, the Razorbacks are definitely capable of getting there. That’s the hard part. Then, luck is what rules your chances from there.

Arkansas had 11 players drafted and two more signed as undrafted free agents at the 2025 MLB Draft. Among the roster, the Razorbacks lost their top two arms from 2025, Zach Root and Gage Wood (who threw a no-hitter in the 2025 MCWS against Murray State) in addition to Golden Spikes’ winner Wehiwa Aloy, who leaves a big hole to fill at shortstop. Lead-off man and left fielder Charles Davalan is gone as well so it will be up to Van Horn to find the man to start the Razorbacks’ offensive production with someone new in 2026.

Pitching wise, Gabe Gaeckle will be called upon again to lead the staff as an ace. Gaeckle started 2025 in the role but he was better suited out of the bullpen last spring, prompting Root and Wood to their Friday and Saturday starter roles. Van Horn did not pitch Gaeckle last fall, hoping that would help him prepare for the upcoming season as a permanent starter.

Hunter Dietz, Cole Gibler, and Colin Fisher are options to round out the starting rotation on SEC weekends and Parker Coil, Tate McGuire, and Vanderbilt transfer Ethan McElvain, Steele Eaves, and Jackson Kircher, and Oregon State transfer James DeCremer will be trusted to make up a bullpen full of inexperienced talent.

Catcher Ryder Helfrick, infielders Reese Robinett, Camden Kozeal, Texas Tech transfer TJ Pompey, Nolan Souza, and outfielders Kuhio Aloy, Lamar transfer Damian Ruiz, and Marshall transfer Maika Niu will be trusted to pick up the offense where Aloy and Davalan lead it in 2025.

Arkansas does not face traditional rivals LSU, Tennessee, Texas, or Texas A&M, or Vanderbilt in 2026 but they will still face six D1Baseball pre-season top 25 teams and the normal SEC gauntlet including No. 4 Mississippi State, No. 13 Florida, No. 9 Auburn, No. 15 Georgia, and No. 18 Kentucky.

No matter what happens this spring, Arkansas baseball has one of the top rosters in the country and as long as Dave Van Horn is the head coach in Fayetteville, there’s a chance for the Razorbacks to succeed.

Projected Opening Day Starters
Catcher: Ryder Helfrick, Junior
Pitchers:
Friday: Gabe Gaeckle, Junior
Saturday: Hunter Dietz, Sophomore (RS)
Sunday: Colin Fisher, Junior
Notable Relief Pitchers:
Parker Coil, Senior
Cole Gibler, Sophomore
Tate McGuire, Junior
Ethan McElvain, Junior
James DeCremer, Sophomore (RS)
Steele Eaves, Sophomore
Jackson Kircher, Sophomore
1B: Reese Robinett, Junior (RS)
2B: Camden Kozeal, Junior
SS: TJ Pompey, Junior
3B: Carson Brumbaugh, Freshman
RF: Kuhio Aloy, Junior
CF: Maika Niu, Senior
LF: Damian Ruiz, Junior (RS)
DH: Nolan Souza, Junior

2025 Class (Rankings according to Perfect Game)
68.SS Landon Schaefer Fayetteville, AR Fayetteville High School
73.RHP Jordan Martin Jefferson City, MO Jefferson City High School
75.SS Carson Brumbaugh Edmond, OK Edmond Santa Fe High School
159.RHP Peyton Lee Maumelle, AR Maumelle High School
167.SS Alexander Peck Franklin, TN University School of Tennessee
176.OF Jaison Delamar Fayetteville, AR Fayetteville High School
209.LHP Joey Lorenzini Rocklin, CA Rocklin High School
236.RHP McLane Moody Fort Smith, AR Northside High School
249.LHP Tye Briscoe Abilene, TX Wylie High School
255.3B Luke Cornelison Springdale, AR Har-Ber High School
259.RHP Mark Brissey Fayetteville, AR Fayetteville High School
282.LHP Jack Schwab Overland Park, KS Blue Valley High School
297.RHP Grant Wren Melbourne, AR Melbourne High School
379.OF Christian Turner Haughton, LA Haughton High School
388.3B Cayden Mitchell Arlington, TX Mansfield Timberview High School
440.C Carter Rutenbar Midlothian, TX Midlothian Heritage High School
500.RHP Kevin Landry Farr Proctor, AR North Point Christian High School
500.SS Walt Jones Ashdown, AR Ashdown High School
500.SS Hudson Roberts Ozark, MO Ozark High School

Entered Transfer Portal (New School)
INF Michael Anderson (Penn State)
RHP Tag Andrews (Little Rock)
C Zane Becker (Texas A&M)
LHP Jackson Farrell ()
RHP Ross Felder (Missouri State)
INF Gabe Fraser (Florida State)
C Elliott Peterson (Nebraska)
LHP Luke Williams (Oral Roberts)

Transfer Additions (Old School)
RHP Jackson Wells (Little Rock) (Signed undrafted free agent deal)
LHP Ethan McElvain (Vanderbilt)
INF Dylan Grego (Ball State)
RHP Jackson Kircher (Oklahoma)
OF Zack Stewart (Missouri State)
INF TJ Pompey (Texas Tech)
OF Maika Niu (Marshall)
OF Damian Ruiz (Lamar)
C Brendan Kleiman (Eastern Michigan)
RHP James DeCremer (Oregon State)

JUCO Signees (Old School)
RHP Isaac Godard (McLennan)
INF Sherman Johnson II (McLennan)
LHP Jacob Imoto (Palomar)

Razorbacks selected in 2025 MLB Draft
RHP Gage Wood – Round 1, Pick 26 – Philadelphia Phillies
SS Wehiwa Aloy – Round 1, Pick 31 – Baltimore Orioles
LHP Zach Root – Round 1, Pick 40 – Los Angeles Dodgers
OF Charles Davalan – Round 1, Pick 41 – Los Angeles Dodgers
RHP Christian Foutch – Round 5, Pick 148 – Boston Red Sox
RHP Aiden Jimenez – Round 5, Pick 158 – Kansas City Royals
LHP Landon Beidelschies – Round 6, Pick 187 – Atlanta Braves
3B Brent Iredale – Round 7, Pick 203 – Pittsburgh Pirates
RHP Ben Bybee – Round 8, Pick 236 – San Francisco Giants
OF Justin Thomas Jr. – Round 11, Pick 336 – Houston Astros
RHP Parker Coil Round 16, Pick 485 – Milwaukee Brewers
Signed Free Agent Deal
RHP Dylan Carter – San Francisco Giants
OF Logan Maxwell – New York Yankees

Razorback signees selected in 2025 MLB Draft
SS Dylan Grego – Round 13, Pick 400 – San Diego Padres
RHP McLane Moody – Round 15, Pick 443 – Pittsburgh Pirates
LHP Denton Biller – Round 16, Pick 484 – Baltimore Orioles
SS Landon Schaefer – Round 20, Pick 611 – Philadelphia Phillies
Signed Free Agent Deal
RHP Jackson Wells – Houston Astros

Checkout my recap of the Razorbacks’ 2025 MLB Draft performance back in July here.

2026 Schedule (Rankings below are based on the 2026 D1 Baseball Top 25)
Feb. 13 Oklahoma State (Arlington; Shriners Children‘s College Showdown)
Feb. 14 10.TCU (Arlington; Shriners Children‘s College Showdown)
Feb. 15 Texas Tech (Arlington; Shriners Children‘s College Showdown)
Feb. 16 Tarleton State (Arlington)
Feb. 20-22 Xavier
Feb. 24-25 Arkansas State
Feb. 27-March 1 UT-Arlington
March 3 Oral Roberts
March 6-9 Stetson
March 13-15 4.Mississippi State
March 17-18 Northern Colorado
March 20-22 @ South Carolina
March 24 Central Arkansas
March 27-29 13.Florida
March 31 @ Missouri State
April 2-4 @ 9.Auburn
April 7 Little Rock
April 10-12 @ Alabama
April 14 Arkansas-Pine Bluff (North Little Rock)
April 16-18 15.Georgia
April 21 Missouri State
April 23-25 @ Missouri
April 28-29 Northwestern State
May 1-3 Ole Miss
May 8-10 Oklahoma
May 14-16 @ 18.Kentucky
May 19-24 SEC Tournament (Hoover)

Schedule Thoughts and Projections:

Feb. 13-16
vs. Oklahoma State, 10.TCU, Texas Tech, and Tarleton State
Arkansas will open the 2026 season like they normally do in Arlington, TX against some of the Big 12’s best including Oklahoma State, No. 10 TCU, and Texas Tech before a Monday game against Tarleton State. The Razorbacks have been successful there of late which makes me think they go 3-1 to open the season with the lone loss coming to the Horned Frogs. We will find out how much the Arkansas offense will have to improve after losing some hitting depth and needing Gaeckle, Dietz, and Fisher to step up in place of Root and Wood.

Projected Record: 3-1

Feb. 20-March 9
vs. Xavier, Arkansas State, UT-Arlington, Oral Roberts, Stetson
The Razorbacks normally return to Baum-Walker Stadium to play a long home stand before SEC play begins in mid-March. The 2026 season will be no different. Arkansas will play 13 games at home before welcoming No. 4 Mississippi State to Fayetteville to open conference play. During that stretch, they should win each series but may take a few losses along the way. This part of the schedule will be important for not only freshman Carson Brumbaugh to settle into his shortstop position but for the inexperienced pitching depth to gain experience. Arkansas should go no worse than 11-2 in this stretch.

Projected Record: 14-3

March 13-18
vs. 4.Mississippi State and Northern Colorado
The Bulldogs will come into Baum-Walker Stadium to open SEC play against a Razorback team that would be 14-3 based on the way I have picked these games so far. Mississippi State’s new head coach, Brian O’Connor, was successful for years in the same position at Virginia and as I said in last week’s SEC Baseball Mailbag, O’Connor retained third baseman Ace Reese, who won the conference’s newcomer of the year last spring and added four Cavaliers that contributed for him last season.

Arkansas has been successful against Mississippi State in recent history. The Razorbacks are 10-2 against the Bulldogs in series since 2020. The two teams did not meet in 2025 after divisions were eliminated following the additions of Oklahoma and Texas to the league.

The Razorbacks should not have to worry about another non-conference series until their trip for a single game against Missouri State on March 31, who they lost to at home in 2025. Arkansas should sweep Northern Colorado.

Despite their recent success against Mississippi State, this is a different Arkansas team than those that dominated the Bulldogs. O’Connor’s team will come into Baum-Walker Stadium and grab two out of three from the Razorbacks but they will bounce back in midweek action with a sweep of Northern Colorado.

Projected Record: 17-5 (1-2) SEC

March 20-24
@ South Carolina, vs. Central Arkansas
Next up for Arkansas is a trip to South Carolina, another place where the Razorbacks have had success. The last time they went to Columbia, Hagen Smith’s dominated pitching helped them win two out of three against the Gamecocks. As Arkansas gets going in SEC play, I expect them to do the same thing they did two seasons ago. The Razorbacks will take two of three from South Carolina and win a single game against instate foe Central Arkansas two days later.

Projected Record: 19-6 (3-3) SEC

March 27-31
13.Florida, @ Missouri State
After dropping two of three against Florida in Gainesville last season, Arkansas welcomes the Gators to town to close out conference play in March. After dropping their SEC home opener against Mississippi State, Arkansas will grab another series win against Florida, who they have defeated in series the last two times they’ve welcomed them into Baum-Walker Stadium.

The Razorbacks will close out March with a trip to Springfield to face Missouri State. Last season, the Bears defeated the Razorbacks 14-13 in a high scoring affair that went to ten innings. Also, Arkansas’ return trip to Missouri State that was scheduled for April 29 was cancelled due to bad weather.

Former Bear outfielder Zack Stewart was an important piece in his three seasons there. But could he be a spark plug as Arkansas attempts to avenge their loss to the Bears on March 31? He may be or he may not be but Arkansas needs to take care of business and they should as they enter a tough April stretch of SEC play.

Projected Record: 22-7 (5-4) SEC

April 2-7
@ 9.Auburn, Little Rock
Arkansas returns to “The Plains” to face Auburn for the first time since the spring of 2024. The Razorbacks are 7-2 the last three series they have faced the Tigers but Butch Thompson’s teams always keep it close with Dave Van Horn’s teams.

The Tigers returners include pitchers Ryan Hetzler, Christian Chatterton, and Griffin Graves. Position player Bub Terrell, Chris Rembert, Chase Fralick, and Cade Belyeu anchor one of the SEC’s top teams. As a result, Auburn’s veteran leadership will help them defeat Arkansas and give the Razorbacks their second SEC series loss.

Like they’ve done in previous midweek games, Arkansas should take care of another midweek game against an instate opponent, this time against Little Rock. The Razorbacks will need to come out victorious against the Trojans as they return to Alabama for the second consecutive weekend to face the Crimson Tide the next weekend.

Projected Record: 24-9 (6-6) SEC

April 10-14
@ Alabama, Arkansas-Pine Bluff (North Little Rock)
Arkansas has failed to win many games in Sewell-Thomas Stadium in Tuscaloosa against Alabama of late. The Razorbacks are 2-4 the last two series they have met the Crimson Tide on the road.

Now, Rob Vaughn may have the best team he has coached Alabama since leaving Maryland with one of the best shortstops in the country, Justin LeBron manning the middle of the infield for the Crimson Tide. Arkansas’ offense will outduel LeBron’s and Alabama’s to get their first series win in Tuscaloosa in awhile.

Next up, the Razorbacks will take care of Arkansas-Pine Bluff in North Little Rock, continuing their success against out of conference competition in the Natural State.

Projected Record: 27-10 (8-7) SEC

April 16-21
vs. 15.Georgia, Missouri State
Arkansas returns home for what will be a pivotal series between a two teams that should be ranked in the top 25. Arkansas native Wes Johnson has turned Georgia into a consistent program and his Bulldogs defeated the Razorbacks two games to one in Athens just a season ago.

Arkansas must reverse that this year in front of big Baum-Walker Stadium crowds. If the Razorbacks are only 8-7 in the SEC through 15 games like I have them right now, they will need to win this series at least to clinch another top eight national seed in the NCAA tournament.

After Georgia opens the series with a game one victory over Arkansas, the Razorbacks will send their former pitching coach back to Athens with a series loss with back to back. Then, the Razorbacks will sweep the season series against Missouri State when they make their return trip to Fayetteville and extend their win streak to three games entering the last week of April.

Projected Record: 30-11 (10-8) SEC

April 23-29
@ Missouri, vs. Northwestern State
Arkansas will continue their three game winning streak with a sweep of annual opponent Missouri on the road in Columbia. Kerrick Jackson has the Tiger program improving as they were able to sweep a Texas A&M team that defeated the Razorbacks in a series last season but Arkansas needs to win all three games to get themselves into top eight seed conversations entering May.

The Razorbacks will finish non-conference play with a sweep of Northwestern State, finishing non-conference play with an exclamation point and continue their winning streak to seven games.

Projected Record: 34-11 (13-8) SEC

May 1-3
vs. Ole Miss
Arkansas begins May and a two weekend home stand by hosting their other annual opponent, Ole Miss. The Rebels have struggled to beat the Razorbacks of late with the last time they defeated Arkansas in a series being on Sunday, March 31, 2019 in Baum-Walker Stadium.

That same season, the programs went 1-1 versus each other at the SEC Tournament and the Razorbacks won two out of three games in the Fayetteville Super Regional to advance to Omaha and the College World Series.

Seven years later, Mike Bianco’s team returns to Fayetteville to face Dave Van Horn’s squad in another series. Bianco may have a national championship and Van Horn may not but Arkansas has been the far more impressive program overall.

That being said, the Razorbacks will get a good weekend out of their starting pitching from Gaeckle, Dietz, and Fisher and they will shut down Rebel hitters as they move their focus to Oklahoma.

Record: 36-12 (15-9) SEC

Projected Record:

May 8-10
vs. Oklahoma
Relief pitcher Jackson Kircher will hope to help Arkansas against his former team, Oklahoma to close out regular season play in the 2026 season at Baum-Walker Stadium. On top of losing Kircher, the Sooners lost ace Kyson Witherspoon to the pros and will need expected weekend starters Mason Bixby, Cameron Johnson, and Reid Hensley to step up in his place.

The series versus the Sooners could be the most competitive since their battle versus Georgia for the Razorbacks. Oklahoma has athletes that can match Arkansas’ and even have Cayden Brumbaugh, the brother of Arkansas freshman shortstop Carson Brumbaugh, expected to start at the designated hitter position.

The Razorbacks should handle the Sooners but it will be close all the way through with Arkansas clinching 17 SEC wins, one win away from another 18 conference win season.

Projected Record: 38-13 (17-10) SEC

May 14-16
@ 18.Kentucky
The Razorbacks make the return trip to Lexington over two years after their last one against Kentucky. The Wildcats lost game one to Arkansas with an incredible performance from former ace Hagen Smith before winning the next two games to clinch the series.

Nick Mingione has established a solid program at Kentucky. Back to back series wins over the Razorbacks in Lexington would mean big things for the Wildcats heading into the SEC Tournament the next week.

History will repeat itself and Gabe Gaeckle will pitch an incredible game and lead Arkansas to a game one victory. But Kentucky’s “small ball” offense that is speedy will steal bases consistently in games two and three to finish the series and the Razorbacks will finish regular season play with back to back losses.

Projected Record: 39-15 (18-12) SEC

May 19-24
SEC Tournament (Hoover)
In the second season of the SEC’s new single-elimination style tournament, Arkansas will win a game, unlike they did last season to bounce back after a tough ending to the regular season in Lexington.

But the Razorbacks will want to prepare for the NCAA Tournament so they will take a second round loss and head back to Fayetteville. They will wait to see what their seed and bracket look like on Selection Monday just days later.

Then, a run to Omaha would begin the next weekend either in Fayetteville or another regional depending on Arkansas’ draw.

Projected Record going into the NCAA Tournament: 40-16 (18-12) SEC

Image Courtesy: NCAA.com

The 2026 college baseball season is just a week away and now that I am finally covering the sport, I want to answer some questions about the sports’ best league, the Southeastern Conference. The SEC has won six consecutive national championships and has had countless MLB draft picks. But let’s focus on this upcoming season. First, who will win the SEC? Also, what are the chances that the SEC wins another national championship? Next, how much will Tony Vitello’s exit to the pros impact Tennessee? Finally, will Arkansas finally get it done in Omaha? Here are my answers:

Who will win the Southeastern Conference in 2026?
The SEC has been the best baseball league in America for some time. As I have previously mentioned, a team from the SEC has won the last six national titles. Five different schools have won or shared the regular season title and four different teams have won the tournament title since the spring of 2021.

Here are the favorites:
LSU
The Tigers have won two of the last three national championships and have the likely player of the year in the conference, outfielder Derek Curiel, leading off. LSU does lose its top two arms in Kade Anderson and Anthony Eyanson after they dominated batters from February until they got the final out in Omaha. Anderson and Eyanson are MLB bound but don’t worry there are arms in the wings for Jay Johnson’s program that continues to dominate the diamond.

Texas
Dylan Volantis appeared as the top arm out of the bullpen as a freshman in 2025 as the Longhorns won the SEC regular season title and clinched the number two overall seed in the NCAA Tournament last summer. A regional loss is a tough way to go out for Texas’ first year coach Jim Schlossnagle, especially after he came over after leading the ‘Horns arch rival, Texas A&M, all the way to the championship series the season before.

A more talented roster is in Austin this season for Schlossnagle but the nine expected hitters in his order are expected to have less power than his 2025 team.

Mississippi State
The Bulldogs fired head coach Chris Lemonis to end April last season and replaced him with Brian O’Connor, who served as Virginia’s coach for over 20 years. O’Connor retained last year’s SEC Newcomer of the year Ace Reese returning in the infield and brought four former Cavaliers over to Starkville, including All-ACC freshman team pitcher Tom Valincius. The Bulldogs are national championship contenders with O’Connor coaching them.

Arkansas
The Razorbacks were a top eight national seed for the sixth time in the last seven full seasons in 2025 and had their best offense in the Dave Van Horn era last spring. Golden Spikes winner Wehiwa Aloy, leadoff hitter Charles Davalan, and weekend starters Zach Root and Gage Wood are off to pro baseball.

But transfers Maika Niu, TJ Pompey, and Damian Ruiz join a lineup that already has Camden Kozeal, Kuhio Aloy, and Reese Robinett. Questions will have to be answered with the pitching staff with Root and Wood gone, Gabe Gaeckle will have to step up as the Friday night starter the mound.

Georgia, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Florida could all contend for the league title and it would not surprise me either.

What are the chances the SEC wins their seventh consecutive national championship?
Over the last seven seasons (2019-2025, excluding the COVID shortened 2020 season), the SEC has ruled college baseball with the most teams in the NCAA Tournament, the most teams in Omaha at the Men’s College World Series, and seven consecutive national titles.

The streak could be a year longer if Arkansas was able to finish the job against Oregon State in the MCWS in 2018. Had the Razorbacks caught a foul pop up, they would have the SEC’s streak at seven national championships already.

However, it did not happen that way. A year later, Vanderbilt eliminated Michigan to win the national championship. In 2020, the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021, Mississippi State claimed their first national championship in any sport when they defeated Vanderbilt. The next June, Ole Miss beat Arkansas in the national semifinals before taking down future SEC foe Oklahoma in the championship series.

In 2023, LSU defeated Florida in an exciting championship series in three games. Tennessee defeated Texas A&M in another SEC versus SEC clash, a day before the Aggies’ Jim Schlossnagle left to take the head coaching job at new SEC arrival Texas.

LSU won its second ring in three seasons when they eliminated Coastal Carolina in a sweep last June. The Tigers are the easy favorite to do the same next summer in Omaha with their strong pitching depth.

Arkansas, Florida, LSU, Tennessee, Texas, and Vanderbilt have been in Omaha consistently in the past and it would not shock me if Auburn and Georgia join them with an appearance in the MCWS in summer 2026.

How much will Tennessee be impacted by Tony Vitello’s exit to the MLB?
The Volunteers will definitely miss former head coach Tony Vitello no matter the result of their 2026 season. As I wrote in a post when the San Francisco Giants hired him as their new manager, Vitello led Tennessee to the most amount of success that they have ever had with two Omaha runs and a national championship in 2024.

Associate head coach and hitting coach Josh Elander took over the program from his old boss and did not lose any top players from his roster even though Vitello’s pitching coach Frank Anderson went to San Francisco with him.

The Vols lost top arm Liam Doyle and hitting Andrew Fischer to the pros but a group of returners, transfers, and freshmen are waiting in the wings for Elander and his staff against another tough conference schedule coming up this spring.

Can Arkansas win the program’s first national championship in 2026?
There is no doubt that Razorback baseball will at least have success in the regular season under Dave Van Horn.

Above, I mentioned what’s changing with Arkansas’ roster ahead of the important 2026 season. With many of their top names and impressive hitting depth gone, the Razorbacks will have to hope Gaeckle steps into the Friday role on the mound and a combination of Cole Gibler, Hunter Dietz, and Colin Fisher the rest of the weekend.

The other question is the hitting depth. There was not a better overall lineup in the country last season than Davalan, Aloy, Kozeal, Logan Maxwell, Kuhio Aloy, Ryder Helfrick, Brent Iredale, Justin Thomas, among others. Aloy, Kozeal, and Helfrick return but it will be up to transfer bats Niu, Pompey, Ruiz, and freshman Carson Brumbaugh to make up for the losses.

While Arkansas can and probably will contend for another berth to the Men’s College World Series this season, it will all be dependent on the Razorbacks’ success with a new look lineup and pitching rotation behind Gaeckle if the Razorbacks want to win it all in June.

Image Courtesy: On3

On Oct. 18, The Athletic reported that “Tennessee head baseball coach Tony Vitello [was] closing in on [a] deal to become the San Francisco Giants manager.”

On Wednesday afternoon, the San Francisco Giants formally announced his hiring.

Vitello is not the first college baseball coach to become a manager of a Major League Baseball team. Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy coached at Notre Dame and Arizona State before joining the San Diego Padres’ staff.

However, Vitello’s move is unprecedented — a sitting college baseball coach jumping directly into a major-league managerial position. The last comparable case came when Dick Howser left Florida State in 1979 to manage the New York Yankees in 1980, though he had already been the Yankees’ bench coach and even served as interim manager in 1978.

Before taking over as head coach at Tennessee in 2018, Vitello worked as an assistant at his alma mater Missouri, TCU, and Arkansas.

Vitello has turned Tennessee into an SEC powerhouse since arriving on Rocky Top. He first led the Volunteers to the Omaha in 2023 before winning the College World Series a year later. Vitello has a 341-131 overall record, including a 125-85 mark in SEC play.

The Giants went 81-81 this season before firing manager Bob Melvin. He came over after two seasons with the division rival San Diego Padres. During his tenure, San Francisco went 161-63 and they finished third and fourth in the NL West during that time.

Image Courtesy: Ethan Doan

The 2026 Arkansas Razorbacks baseball schedule was announced today. The slate is headlined by 56 overall games, a trip to the Shriners Children’s College Showdown, an 18-game homestand, and 10 SEC series.

Arkansas enters next spring as the winningest program in the country since 2017 with 383 victories. The Razorbacks ended their 2025 campaign with their 12th consecutive College World Series appearance and eighth of Dave Van Horn’s tenure.

The Diamond Hogs will face 12 teams that made the NCAA Tournament this past season and begin their 2026 slate at Globe Life Field from February 13-15 in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown. They will face three Big 12 teams – Oklahoma State, TCU and Texas Tech over three days at the Texas Rangers’ ballpark.

The next day, Arkansas will play one more game at Globe Life Field against Tarleton State (Feb. 16) before returning to Baum-Walker Stadium for their home opener and a long 18-game homestand. The Razorbacks open with Xavier (Feb. 20-22) before Arkansas State (Feb. 24-25), UT-Arlington (Feb. 27-March 1), Oral Roberts (March 3), Stetson (March 6-9), Mississippi State (March 13-15), and Northern Colorado (March 17-18) all come to town.

The non-conference portion of the season also includes Central Arkansas (March 24), Little Rock (April 7), Missouri State (April 21), and Northwestern State (April 28-29). The Razorbacks will also travel to two professional stadiums for midweek action including another game with Missouri State (March 31) at Hammons Field, home of the St. Louis Cardinals’ Double-A affiliate Springfield Cardinals in addition to UAPB (April 14) at CHI St. Vincent Field at Dickey-Stephens Park, home of the Seattle Mariners’ Double-A affiliate Arkansas Travelers, in North Little Rock, Ark.

Arkansas’ home SEC slate includes the aforementioned Mississippi State series, Florida (March 27-29), Georgia (April 17-19), Ole Miss (May 1-3), and Oklahoma (May 8-10). The Razorbacks’ roadtrips include South Carolina (March 20-22), Auburn (April 2-4), Alabama (April 10-12), Missouri (April 24-26), and Kentucky (May 14-16).

Notably, longtime rivals LSU, Texas, and Texas A&M did not make Arkansas’ 2026 slate. In addition, former Arkansas hitting coach Tony Vitello and Tennessee did not either. The Razorbacks faced LSU and Tennessee a combined ten times last season including the NCAA Tournament. They swept Tennessee in the Fayetteville Super Regional and were defeated by LSU twice at the College World Series.

Arkansas finishes the season again at the SEC Tournament at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium (May 19-24) in Hoover, Ala.

2026 Arkansas Baseball Schedule
Feb. 13-15 Shriners Children’s College Showdown (Arlington)
Feb. 16 Tarleton State (Arlington)
Feb. 20-22 Xavier
Feb. 24-25 Arkansas State
Feb. 27-March 1 UT-Arlington
March 3 Oral Roberts
March 6-9 Stetson
March 13-15 Mississippi State
March 17-18 Northern Colorado
March 20-22 @ South Carolina
March 24 Central Arkansas
March 27-29 Florida
March 31 @ Missouri State
April 2-4 @ Auburn
April 7 Little Rock
April 10-12 @ Alabama
April 14 Arkansas-Pine Bluff (North Little Rock)
April 17-19 Georgia
April 21 Missouri State
April 24-26 @ Missouri
April 28-29 Northwestern State
May 1-3 Ole Miss
May 8-10 Oklahoma
May 14-16 @ Kentucky
May 19-24 SEC Tournament (Hoover)

Image Courtesy: Southwest Times Record

After the first 25 picks of Sunday’s MLB Draft, Arkansas had yet to produce a single selection. Later that night, their fortunes changed, as four Razorbacks came off the board in quick succession. Just one pick later, the Philadelphia Phillies selected right-handed pitcher Gage Wood, who threw only the third no-hitter in Men’s College World Series history three weeks ago against Murray State. Five picks after that, the Baltimore Orioles drafted shortstop Wehiwa Aloy, the winner of the Golden Spikes Award—given to the best amateur baseball player in the country—as the Men’s College World Series wrapped up in June.

Then, at picks 40 and 41, the Los Angeles Dodgers selected Arkansas ace Zach Root and outfielder Charles Davalan with back-to-back picks. Both Root and Davalan earned All-America and All-SEC honors following outstanding 2025 seasons. The four selections bring Arkansas baseball’s all-time total to 14 players chosen on Day 1 of the MLB Draft.

Arkansas tied SEC rival Tennessee with four selections on Day 1 of the 2025 MLB Draft. It also marked the first time multiple Arkansas players were selected in the first round of the same draft.

On Day 2, Dave Van Horn’s club saw several more players drafted. At pick 148, the Boston Red Sox selected right-handed pitcher Christian Foutch. Ten picks later, the Kansas City Royals picked another right-handed pitcher, Aiden Jimenez. Later, with the 187th pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, the Atlanta Braves selected left-handed pitcher Landon Beidelschies. At pick 203, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected third baseman Brent Iredale. Another right-hander, Ben Bybee, went off the board at pick 236 to the San Francisco Giants. Outfielder Justin Thomas was selected with the 336th pick by the Houston Astros.

The Razorbacks had to wait until pick No. 400 for an incoming player to be selected. Ball State transfer shortstop Dylan Grego was taken by the San Diego Padres with that pick. Earlier news that Arkansas’ top incoming freshman recruit, shortstop Landon Schaefer (who was later selected by the Phillies in the 20th round), had withdrawn from the MLB Draft now carries even more significance as Grego weighs his decision between signing with the Padres or heading to the Hill. In the 15th round, Fort Smith Northside right-handed pitcher and Razorback commit McLane Moody was drafted with the 443rd overall pick. Shortly after, Arkansas’ second-ranked incoming freshman and top pitching recruit, Jordan Martin, announced his decision to withdraw from the draft and head to campus.

After Martin’s decision was made, another Hog was drafted in the 16th round, as the Milwaukee Brewers selected right-handed pitcher Parker Coil with the 485th pick. With 11 players drafted following Coil’s selection, the Razorbacks tied the program’s single-season record set originally in 2013 and later matched in 2018. That number tied Florida State for the most in the country. Razorback right-handed pitcher Dylan Carter signed a free agent deal with the San Francisco Giants, while outfielder Logan Maxwell did the same with the New York Yankees. Additionally, according to multiple reports, Little Rock transfer pitcher Jackson Wells has opted to sign a free agent contract with the Houston Astros instead of heading to Fayetteville.

Another successful MLB Draft for Dave Van Horn’s Arkansas Razorbacks means reloading will once again be necessary through the transfer portal and high school ranks—something he’s already been working on. The Razorbacks will set their sights on the program’s first national championship when they open the season in Arlington at the Shriners Children’s College Showdown.

More college baseball content will return to the blog this coming spring.

Image Courtesy: Whole Hog Sports

Arkansas shortstop Wehiwa Aloy won the 2025 Golden Spikes Award on Saturday night in Omaha, Nebraska, recognizing him as the top amateur baseball player in the country. Aloy is the third Razorback ever to win college baseball’s most prestigious award, joining outfielder Andrew Benintendi (2015) and pitcher Kevin Kopps (2021).

Aloy’s selection may have surprised some on the national stage after a late-game decision in the Men’s College World Series semifinal against No. 6 LSU. Instead of turning a potential game-ending double play, he opted to throw to third base. The next play allowed LSU to capitalize, and Arkansas ultimately lost, ending their season.

Still, Aloy earned the award due to his outstanding season. The SEC Player of the Year started all 65 games at shortstop for Arkansas and led the team in nearly every major offensive category, including slugging percentage (.673), OPS (1.107), hits (93), runs scored (81), doubles (19), triples (2), home runs (21), extra-base hits (42), multi-hit games (30), and total bases (179).

Despite another tough ending to the season, Aloy helped lead the Razorbacks to 50 wins and a return trip to the semifinals of the Men’s College World Series in Omaha. He delivered a career-best performance against Creighton on May 31 in the NCAA Fayetteville Regional, matching personal highs with two home runs and five RBIs in a single game. On June 17, he also became the first Arkansas shortstop to homer in the Men’s College World Series, doing so against UCLA.

Wehiwa Aloy is projected by many outlets to be a first-round pick in the upcoming 2025 MLB Draft, scheduled for July 13–14 in Atlanta.

Image Courtesy: FOX 56 News

On Monday afternoon at Charles Schwab Field, Gage Wood delivered one of the greatest pitching performances in the history of college baseball, keeping Arkansas’ national title hopes alive with a no-hitter and a College World Series record 19 strikeouts in a 3–0 win over Murray State.

On Monday afternoon at Charles Schwab Field, Gage Wood delivered one of the greatest pitching performances in the history of college baseball, keeping Arkansas’ national title hopes alive with a no-hitter and a College World Series record 19 strikeouts in a 3–0 win over Murray State.

This was more than just a great outing—it was a once-in-a-generation masterpiece, one that fans, teammates, and opponents alike will be talking about for decades.

Through seven innings, Wood was perfect. In the eighth, with Arkansas leading 3–0, the only blemish came when he hit Murray State’s Dom Decker on the foot with a breaking ball. The perfect game was gone, but the no-hitter remained intact.

Wood’s 19 strikeouts set a new record for a nine-inning College World Series game. His no-hitter was the first in Omaha since 1960, when Oklahoma State’s Jim Wixson accomplished the feat in a 7–0 victory over North Carolina.

The big news for the Razorbacks is that they staved off elimination thanks to Wood’s brilliance and preserved their high-end bullpen arms for their second elimination game, scheduled for tonight against the loser of (6) LSU vs. (15) UCLA at 6 PM CT on ESPN.

Arkansas will need a stronger offensive showing if they want to avoid elimination again and advance to the College World Series Finals this weekend.

But no matter what happens next, Gage Wood has etched his name into Omaha lore.

Image Courtesy: Coastal Carolina University Athletics

The college baseball season culminates once again this weekend with the start of the Men’s College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. Six of the sixteen national seeds remain, including (3) Arkansas, (6) LSU, (8) Oregon State, (13) Coastal Carolina, and (15) UCLA.

Arkansas, Coastal Carolina, and UCLA are undefeated in postseason play, each with a 5–0 record. LSU and Oregon State both suffered one loss in the regional round before sweeping their respective super regionals. Arizona’s super regional trip to Chapel Hill included a blowout loss to (5) North Carolina, but the Wildcats bounced back with two straight wins to earn their first trip to Omaha since 2021. Although five ACC teams reached the super regional round—a conference high—Louisville emerged as the lone representative in the College World Series after defeating league rival Miami two games to one on the road.

Murray State is this year’s “Cinderella story,” having taken two of three from Duke on the road in Durham. The Racers are making their first-ever appearance in Omaha and are the first number four seed to reach the College World Series since Oral Roberts accomplished the feat in 2023.

I believe Coastal Carolina will extend its nation-leading 23-game winning streak with a victory over Arizona to open the College World Series. The Chanticleers also opened their only previous Omaha appearance in 2016 with a win over the Wildcats on their way to a national title. Oregon State will win a close game against Louisville before the Cardinals eliminate Arizona in Bracket One’s first elimination game.

Coastal Carolina will then defeat Oregon State to advance to the semifinals and await the winner of the Beavers–Cardinals rematch. Oregon State will make the most of their second chance, eliminating Louisville and handing Coastal Carolina its first loss since April 22 against the College of Charleston.

After eliminating Coastal Carolina, Oregon State will advance to the College World Series Finals for the first time since 2018, when they won the national championship. They will await the winner of Bracket Two to determine who takes home the title.

In Bracket Two, the UCLA Bruins will edge out the upstart Murray State Racers. In Saturday night’s game, Arkansas will avenge its regular season series loss to LSU and move on in the winner’s bracket. The Tigers will eliminate Murray State and face either the Razorbacks for a fifth time this season or the Bruins.

Arkansas will defeat UCLA, and the Bruins will be eliminated by LSU in the following elimination game. After dropping their opening matchup against the Razorbacks, LSU will bounce back to beat them—but Arkansas will then avenge that loss to earn a spot in the national championship series against Oregon State.

Arkansas will seek redemption for their loss to the Beavers in the 2018 national championship series. The Razorbacks may be the most complete team in the country, and I believe they will get it done in three games. Arkansas would win the first national championship in program history.

(Winner is bolded)

Friday, June 13

Game 1 (2 PM ET, ESPN)
13.Coastal Carolina 53-11 (26-4) Sun Belt
Arizona 44-19 (18-12) Big 12

Game 2 (7 PM ET, ESPN)
8.Oregon State 47-14-1 Independents
Louisville 40-22 (15-15) ACC

Saturday, June 14

Game 3 (2 PM ET, ESPN)
15.UCLA 47-16 (22-8) Big Ten
Murray State 44-13 (17-8) Missouri Valley

Game 4 (7 PM ET, ESPN)
3.Arkansas 48-13 (20-10) SEC
6.LSU48-15 (19-11) SEC

Sunday, June 15

Game 5 (2 PM ET, ESPN)
Louisville
Arizona

Game 6 (7 PM ET, ESPN2)
8.Oregon State
13.Coastal Carolina

Monday, June 16

Game 7 (2 PM ET, ESPN)
6.LSU
Murray State

Game 8 (7 PM ET, ESPN)
3.Arkansas
15.UCLA

Tuesday, June 17

Game 9 (2 PM ET, ESPN)
8.Oregon State
Louisville

Game 10 (7 PM ET, ESPN)
6.LSU
15.UCLA

Wednesday, June 18

Game 11 (2 PM ET, ESPN)
8.Oregon State
13.Coastal Carolina

Game 12 (7 PM ET, ESPN)
3.Arkansas
6.LSU

Thursday, June 19

Game 13 (If Necessary) (TBD)
8.Oregon State
13.Coastal Carolina

Game 14 (If Necessary) (TBD)
3.Arkansas
6.LSU

Championship Series

Saturday, June 21

Game 1 (7 PM ET, ESPN)
3.Arkansas
8.Oregon State

Sunday, June 22

Game 2 (2:30 PM ET, ABC)
3.Arkansas
8.Oregon State

Monday, June 23

Game 3 (If necessary) (7:30 PM ET, ESPN)
3.Arkansas
8.Oregon State

2025 College World Series Champion: 3.Arkansas

Image Courtesy: Whole Hog Sports

2025 Fayetteville Regional (Baum-Walker Stadium)
June 7-9
Teams:
3.Arkansas 46-13 (20-10) SEC
The Arkansas Razorbacks are the highest-seeded team left in the field after SEC counterparts No. 1 Vanderbilt and No. 2 Texas—two teams the Razorbacks swept during the regular season—were eliminated in their respective regionals. Arkansas, meanwhile, dominated the Fayetteville Regional, with their closest game coming in the opener: a 6–2 victory over North Dakota State. The Razorbacks’ potent lineup—led by SEC Player of the Year Wehiwa Aloy, catcher Ryder Helfrick, left fielder Charles Davalan, second baseman Cam Kozeal, and more—came alive against Creighton, outscoring the Blue Jays 20–4 across two games. On the mound, starting pitchers Zach Root and Gage Wood were dominant, with Wood and reliever Gabe Gaeckle combining for a regional-record 20 strikeouts in Sunday’s final. This feels like the season Arkansas could finally break through and win it all for head coach Dave Van Horn, after heartbreak in June of 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022. However, they cannot afford to overlook Tennessee. The Volunteers are a talented team and went toe-to-toe with Arkansas just a few weeks ago. The Razorbacks’ offensive depth and quality starting pitching must come together once again this weekend as they look to win another series against Tennessee at Baum–Walker Stadium—just as they did 18 days ago in a four-run Game 3 victory over the Volunteers.
14.Tennessee 46-17 (16-14) SEC
The Tennessee Volunteers are the reigning national champions and have reached at least the super regionals in each of the past four summers—just as Dave Van Horn’s Razorbacks did from 2018 to 2022. Tony Vitello, the former Razorback hitting coach, has transformed the Volunteers into a perennial SEC powerhouse after his time learning under Van Horn in Fayetteville. Tennessee leans on the star power of ace pitcher Liam Doyle, slugging third baseman Andrew Fischer (24 home runs), and outfielder Hunter Ensley. The Volunteers swept through all three teams that joined them in the Knoxville Regional last weekend—defeating Miami (OH), Cincinnati, and Wake Forest. After the Demon Deacons handed the Vols a loss on Sunday night, Tennessee was forced into a Monday elimination game, where Doyle delivered in a dominant six-run victory to send the Vols to Fayetteville for a super regional rematch against Arkansas. To win the series this time, Tennessee must take Game 1—just as they did on May 15. In that matchup, pitching coach Frank Anderson chose to hold Doyle and instead started Marcus Phillips, who helped the Vols secure a 10–7 Game 1 win over the Razorbacks. Trouble came in Game 2, when Doyle gave up eight runs, leading to a loss. The Volunteers then dropped Game 3 as well, with Arkansas reliever Will McEntire closing out the win in impressive fashion. If Tennessee hopes to eliminate the Razorbacks on the road in Fayetteville this weekend, they must rise to the occasion and prove they’re the better team.

2025 Fayetteville Super Regional Predictions: 
(Winner is bolded)

June 7
Game 1: 14.Tennessee @ 3.Arkansas (4 PM CT, ESPN)

June 8
Game 2: 14.Tennessee @ 3.Arkansas (2 PM CT, ESPN)

June 9 (If necessary)
Game 3: 14.Tennessee @ 3.Arkansas (TBA, TBA)

Winner: 3.Arkansas in 3

Image Courtesy: GoHeels.com

(All game times eastern)

Super Regionals (June 6-8)

Louisville Super Regional (Louisville, KY)
Louisville 38-21 (15-15) ACC
Miami 34-25 (15-14) ACC

Carter’s Pick: Louisville in 3
An all-ACC super regional is coming to Louisville this weekend after national seeds (1) Vanderbilt and (16) Southern Miss were eliminated. The Cardinals handed top overall seed Vanderbilt its first loss of the tournament in the 1–0 game before defeating Wright State in the regional final to advance. Miami, on the other hand, went 3–1 during regional weekend, advancing to the regional final after beating Alabama and Columbia before losing to Southern Miss on Sunday night. They avenged that loss the next day to move on to this weekend. The two former Big East members—now ACC foes—did not meet during the regular season, but the Cardinals and Hurricanes had opposite results against the other two ACC teams still in the NCAA Tournament. Louisville won two out of three games against both (5) North Carolina and (9) Florida State, while Miami lost two out of three to those squads. That suggests Louisville had the better season overall, which alignswith the records: the Cardinals won 38 games compared to the Hurricanes’ 34. But to me, this matchup comes down to home field advantage. If Louisville could go to Nashville and defeat the top-seeded Commodores, they should be able to protect their home diamond—though it may take until Sunday to get it done.

Game 1: June 6, 3 PM ET, ESPN2
Game 2: June 7, 11 AM ET, ESPN
Game 3 (If necessary): June 8

Corvallis Super Regional (Corvallis, OR)
8.Oregon State 45-13-1 Independents
9.Florida State 41-14 (17-10) ACC

Carter’s Pick: 9.Florida State in 3
Oregon State showed that their move to independence after the fall of the Pac-12 has worked out just okay, as they had to battle through the loser’s bracket in their own regional to reach the super regionals. The Beavers defeated former Pac-12 rival USC twice in the regional finals to earn a matchup with the Florida State Seminoles—who would have hosted had the Trojans advanced instead. Florida State swept through the Tallahassee Regional, eliminating Mississippi State on Sunday. Both programs are NCAA Tournament mainstays: Oregon State last won a national championship in 2018, while Florida State remains one of the top programs never to win it all. Oregon State is typically strong at home in the postseason, buoyed by great fan support—as they demonstrated while fighting through the loser’s bracket last weekend. Florida State, however, will have to deal with playing far from home, without the benefit of a local crowd, in the Pacific Northwest. But something tells me this undefeated FSU team in the postseason is destined for Omaha. I think the Seminoles take two out of three from the Beavers to advance.

Game 1: June 6, 6 PM ET, ESPN2
Game 2: June 7, 9 PM ET, ESPN2
Game 3 (If necessary): June 8

Auburn Super Regional (Auburn, AL)
4.Auburn 41-18 (17-13) SEC
13.Coastal Carolina 51-11 (26-4) Sun Belt

Carter’s Pick: 4.Auburn in 3
Two of the best regional performances came from the host teams in Auburn, Alabama, and Conway, South Carolina. The Tigers defeated Central Connecticut State and Stetson on their way to the regional final, where they then blasted NC State. Meanwhile, the Chanticleers dominated Fairfield and beat East Carolina twice to advance and face Auburn this weekend. Auburn is looking to return to Omaha for the first time since 2022, while Coastal Carolina is aiming for its first College World Series appearance since winning it all in 2016. The Tigers must prove they’re the better team, because the Chanticleers are no joke. While Coastal may not have the depth of a typical SEC program, their dominant 26 wins in Sun Belt play show they’re a serious threat. Auburn can’t afford to look past them if they want to make it back to Omaha for the first time in three years. Give me Auburn to win—but it will be a close, competitive three-game series against the Chanticleers.

Game 1: June 6, 9 PM ET, ESPN2
Game 2: June 7, 3 PM ET, ESPN2
Game 3 (If necessary): June 8

Chapel Hill Super Regional (Chapel Hill, NC)
5.North Carolina 45-13 (18-11) ACC
Arizona 42-18 (18-12) Big 12

Carter’s Pick: 5.North Carolina in 3
The Tar Heels’ pitching staff has been outstanding this postseason on their way to the super regionals. After defeating Oklahoma in the 1–0 game on Saturday, they failed to close things out on Sunday, as the Sooners forced a deciding Game 7. On Monday, it was a total team effort for the Tar Heels, who scored 14 runs and gave up only four to eliminate Oklahoma. However, they now face a red-hot Arizona team that swept through the Eugene Regional with wins over Cal Poly, Utah Valley State, and Cal Poly again. While the Wildcats may have benefited from not having to face (12) Oregon on its home field, they could only play the teams that advanced. This matchup will be no easy task for North Carolina as they try to return to Omaha for the first time since 2018. Arizona, meanwhile, is aiming for its first College World Series appearance since 2021—a season that ended with head coach Jay Johnson departing for LSU just days later. Current head coach Chip Hale now looks to lead the Wildcats back, this time through the Chapel Hill Super Regional. Still, I believe Scott Forbes will guide the Tar Heels back to Omaha for the first time in six years, but it will take a tough, hard-fought three-game series to get there.

Game 1: June 6, 12 PM ET, ESPN2
Game 2: June 7, 12 PM ET, ESPN2
Game 3 (If necessary): June 8

Super Regional (June 7-9)

Fayetteville Super Regional (Fayetteville, AR)
3.Arkansas 46-13 (20-10) SEC
14.Tennessee 46-17 (16-14) SEC

Carter’s Pick: 3.Arkansas in 3
With matching 46-win seasons, the (3) Arkansas Razorbacks will host the (14) Tennessee Volunteers in what should be a highly contentious super regional. Since Tony Vitello left Fayetteville—where he served as Arkansas’s hitting coach—to take over the Tennessee program, the Volunteers have become one of the most consistent postseason teams in college baseball. Now, Vitello’s squad returns to Fayetteville after winning the Knoxville Regional by defeating Miami (OH), Cincinnati, and Wake Forest on Monday, following the Demon Deacons’ push to force two games in the regional final. The Volunteers lost their regular season series to Arkansas two games to one just over two weeks ago. Since taking that series, the Razorbacks dropped their only game in the SEC Tournament but bounced back by sweeping the Fayetteville Regional, defeating North Dakota State and Creighton in both the 1–0 game and the regional final. Dave Van Horn deserves to win it all, given the consistent success he’s had throughout the years, and I believe his team will take another step by beating Tennessee again. Their consistent power hitting and improved pitching make me believe this Razorback team can return to Omaha for the first time in three years.

Game 1: June 7, 5 PM ET, ESPN
Game 2: June 8, 3 PM ET, ESPN
Game 3 (If necessary): June 9

Baton Rouge Super Regional (Baton Rouge, LA)
6.LSU 46-15 (19-11) SEC
West Virginia 44-14 (19-9) Big 12

Carter’s Pick: 6.LSU in 3
LSU shut out Little Rock in their regional opener before advancing to the regional final by defeating Dallas Baptist. However, the Little Rock Trojans battled through the loser’s bracket and beat the Tigers in Sunday’s regional final, forcing a winner-take-all game on Monday. After the Trojans jumped out to a 5–1 lead, LSU mounted a comeback and ultimately advanced, earning the right to host a red-hot West Virginia team. The Mountaineers swept through the Clemson Regional with wins over Kentucky, (11) Clemson, and Kentucky again to earn a trip to one of college baseball’s premier environments—Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge. There, they’ll face an LSU pitching staff that is among the best in the country, especially away from their home field. Still, the Tigers need to bounce back after a pair of tough games against Little Rock. I believe they will—advancing to Omaha in a hard-fought three-game series.

Game 1: June 7, 2 PM ET, ESPN
Game 2: June 8, 6 PM ET, ESPN2
Game 3 (If necessary): June 9

Durham Super Regional (Durham, NC)
Duke 40-19 (17-13) ACC
Murray State 42-14 (17-8) Missouri Valley

Carter’s Pick: Duke in 3
Both Duke and Murray State went to tough SEC sites and swept their regionals. The Blue Devils—one of four ACC teams to advance past the regional round—traveled to Athens, where they defeated Oklahoma State twice and took down host (7) Georgia to earn the right to host a super regional, their second appearance in four years. Meanwhile, the Racers became the only No. 4 seed to reach the super regionals, earning wins over (10) Ole Miss and Georgia Tech—two programs that had strong seasons. The Missouri Valley champions are aiming to become the first No. 4 seed to reach the College World Series since Oral Roberts did so in 2023. And I believe they can compete with Duke, even on the road. This series will go the distance, and because the games are in Durham, I believe Duke will ultimately advance to Omaha.

Game 1: June 7, 1 PM ET, ESPNU
Game 2: June 8, 12 PM ET, TBA
Game 3 (If necessary): June 9

Los Angeles Super Regional (Los Angeles, CA)
15.UCLA 45-16 (22-8) Big Ten
UTSA 47-13 (23-4) American

Carter’s Pick: UTSA in 3
If there’s going to be an upset in the super regional round, it could be the UTSA Roadrunners going to Los Angeles and beating UCLA in two out of three games this weekend. It won’t be easy playing on the Pacific coast, but the Roadrunners just beat (2) Texas in back-to-back games—the 1–0 game and the regional final—in the hostile environment of Austin. UCLA did sweep through their regional, defeating all three teams that joined them in Los Angeles last weekend: Fresno State, Arizona State, and UC Irvine. So this is certainly not a team UTSA will overlook. And being as well-coached as they are, the Roadrunners won’t. The Bruins may take Saturday’s opener, but I believe the Roadrunners will rally to win the final two games and advance to the College World Series for the first time in program history.

Game 1: June 7, 7 PM ET, ESPNU
Game 2: June 8, 3 PM ET, TBA
Game 3 (If necessary): June 9

Image Courtesy: Inside Arkansas

2025 Fayetteville Regional (Baum-Walker Stadium)
May 30-June 2
3.Arkansas 43-13 (20-10) SEC
It’s all or nothing this weekend for Arkansas. The Razorbacks are the overall three seed for the third NCAA Tournament in a row and have yet to advance to the super regionals since 2022. Dave Van Horn even said the Razorbacks are much better than they were the previous two seasons when they hosted regionals in 2023 and 2024 and failed to move on. This team swept both of the top overall seeds, first (1) Vanderbilt back in March and (2) Texas to start May. They need to play at the level that they did in those two series if they want to advance to host a super regionals and not look ahead to a potential super regional rematch from a few weeks ago against former Razorback assistant Tony Vitello and reigning national champion (14) Tennessee. The way Arkansas can win this regional is the depth of their offense with SEC Player of the Year (shortstop) Wehiwa Aloy, center fielder Charles Davalan, designated hitter Kuhio Aloy, and more. Razorback ace Zach Root has been up and down this season. He was fantastic in an eight inning outing in a victory against Texas. The bullpen needs to help starters like Root out including sophomore Gabe Gaeckle and veteran Will McEntire. Aidan Jimenez will be the starting pitcher to open things on Friday afternoon against North Dakota State.
(4) North Dakota State 20-32 (13-15) Summit League
North Dakota State won the Summit League Tournament after defeating NCAA Tournament mainstay Oral Roberts, a common opponent for the Razorbacks. The Bison have played a difficult schedule, including three game series against (6) LSU, Alabama, Dallas Baptist, and Oklahoma State. NDSU faced the three seed headed to Fayetteville, Crieghton, and fell to the Bluejays 5-2 back on April 22. They have maybe the worst offense in the tournament but anything can happen if the Bison show up and play well in the regional opener against the Razorbacks on Friday afternoon. Summit League pitcher of the year Noah Johnson, who has turned into a dominant pitcher this spring for the Bison, will be the starter against a deep Razorback lineup who has lit up pitching staffs all season.
(2) Kansas 43-15 (20-11) Big 12
Dan Fitzgerald’s Kansas team is in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014 after being in hosting conversations for much of the year with sweeps over Oklahoma State, Kansas State, and West Virginia. If there’s an offense that is capable of keeping up with the high scoring Razorbacks, it would be the Kansas Jayhawks. Kansas is the next Big 12 team in position to help eliminate Arkansas from their own regional just like TCU (2023) and Kansas State (2024) did when they advanced to at least the super regionals after beating the Razorbacks. The Jayhawks are more than capable of doing the same, matching the Razorbacks with 43 overall wins and 20 conference wins (in the Big 12). But, first they must deal with the Big East champions, the Creighton Blue Jays. Where the Jayhawks are strong on the offense, Creighton has good pitching and defense. So, it will be up to the depth of the Kansas batting order to advance to the 1-0 game versus either Arkansas or North Dakota State. To me, the way Kansas wins this regional is they force it to go to seven games to eliminate the Razorbacks.
(3) Creighton 41-14 (17-4) Big East
Creighton’s pitching staff will need to be what leads it to success in Ed Servais’ last postseason run as head coach. The Bluejays did not play the strongest non-conference slate but defeated Nebraska on the road. They won an impressive 17 games during the regular season in the Big East before being victorious in three more on their way to winning the Big East Tournament championship. Creighton must wait until Friday night to face Kansas in what should be a great game between the Blue Jays’ impressive pitching staff and the Jayhawks’ deep hitting offense at Baum-Walker Stadium. Like Kansas, if Creighton can get through the Jayhawks, forcing the Razorbacks to play an extra game and beating them in a potential regional final on Sunday night. That would force Arkansas to use more pitchers and would give the Bluejays a better shot to win the Fayetteville Regional. The expectation is that Big East pitcher of the year Dominic Cancellari will be first on the mound against the Jayhawks on Friday night.

2025 Fayetteville Regional Predictions:
(Winner is bolded)

May 30
Game 1: (1) Arkansas vs. (4) North Dakota State (2 PM CT, ESPN+)
Game 2: (2) Kansas vs. (3) Creighton (7 PM CT, ESPN+)

May 31
Game 3: (3) Creighton vs. (4) North Dakota State
Game 4: (1) Arkansas vs. (2) Kansas

June 1
Game 5: (2) Kansas vs. (3) Creighton
Game 6: (1) Arkansas vs. (3) Creighton

June 2 (If Necessary)
Game 7: N/A

Winner: (1) Arkansas in 6

Image Courtesy: Texas Longhorns

Regionals (May 30-June 2)

Nashville Regional (Nashville, TN)
1.Vanderbilt 42-16 (19-11) SEC
(4) Wright State 38-19 (25-5) Horizon League
(2) Louisville 35-21 (15-15) ACC
(3) East Tennessee State 41-15 (14-7) Southern

Carter’s Pick: 1.Vanderbilt in 6
Vanderbilt was playing at a two seed level for much of the season but the last few weeks of the season helped them reach the top overall seed over the SEC’s regular season champion Texas. They reached 19 SEC wins after winning conference series against Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky before winning the SEC Tournament Championship in Hoover, Alabama by avenging a series loss to Ole Miss in the championship game. The Commodores lost against Louisville on May 6 on the road. But now the Cardinals must travel to Nashville and prove they’re truly the better team. Louisville went .500 in a top heavy ACC and has victories against national seeds (1) Vanderbilt, (2) Texas, (5) North Carolina, (9) Florida State, (11) Clemson, and victories against fellow tournament teams Arizona, North Carolina State, Kentucky, and Western Kentucky. The Vandy Boys does not just have to worry about a Louisville team that has already beaten them. They also have to worry about a mid-major team instate, the East Tennessee State Buccaneers. The Bucs have won 41 games this season and have upset then number 1 ranked Tennessee on the road have beaten Binghamton, the four seed in the Athens Regional, twice during the regular season. The top overall seed should not have much of a problem dealing with the four seed in their bracket but Wright State’s 38 wins are better than many on their level in the bracket. We only see a few four seeds if that advance to the super regionals every postseason but I’m not sure Wright State can get through the Commodores but they may be able to get a win in an elimination game if it comes to pass. Give me the Commodores to sweep through their regional and set up a potential matchup with Hattiesburg Regional favorites Southern Miss and Alabama.

Hattiesburg Regional (Hattiesburg, MS)
16.Southern Miss 44-14 (24-6) Sun Belt
(4) Columbia 29-17 (16-5) Ivy League
(2) Alabama 41-16 (16-14) SEC
(3) Miami 31-24 (15-14) ACC

Carter’s Pick: Alabama in 7
I projected the Southern Miss Eagles to be the national 15 seed ahead of Monday’s selection show. But, they ended up being 16. Southern Miss has been good this season, winning 44 games and 24 in a weaker Sun Belt, second in the league behind (13) Coastal Carolina during the regular season, and as the runner up in the Sun Belt Tournament after losing to the Chanticleers in just their first opportunity to face off this season. Being the national 16 seed means that you should get a stronger field heading to your home site and they definitely get it with the two seed heading to Hattiesburg this weekend and that is the Alabama Crimson Tide, another team with over 40 wins and an impressive 16-14 mark in the SEC in Rob Vaughn’s second season as the head coach. The Crimson Tide boast a win over (13) Coastal Carolina unlike their regional counterparts as well as wins over other tournament teams North Carolina State, North Dakota State, (14) Tennessee, Oklahoma, (4) Auburn, (6) LSU, (1) Vanderbilt, (7) Georgia, and Florida. Miami was unable to play all 30 ACC games but went 15-14 in the league. The Hurricanes’ 31 wins helped them get to the tournament but they are not on the same level as Southern Miss or Alabama. The Eagles’ opponent on Friday will be four seed Columbia, the champions of the Ivy League. The Lions games against teams that made this year’s NCAA Tournament getting swept by (12) Oregon and (7) Georgia but they have not played a team at the quality of a two or three seed thus far. They will be tested when they play Southern Miss on Friday night. Southern Miss and Alabama should match up three times this weekend and the Crimson Tide will win two of them and advance to set up a rematch with Vanderbilt in Nashville.

Corvallis Regional (Corvallis, OR)
8.Oregon State 41-12-1 Independents
(4) Saint Mary’s 35-24 (15-9) West Coast
(2) TCU 39-18 (19-11) Big 12
(3) USC 35-21 (18-12) Big Ten

Carter’s Pick: TCU in 6
Despite playing its first season as an independent after the destruction of the Pac-12, Oregon State was able to clinch a top eight seed. If the Beavers advance through this weekend, they will be able to host next weekend in the super regionals against the winner of the Tallahassee Regional as the national eight seed. They had to make a schedule that included teams from all over the country as a result and lost games to (4) Auburn and (12) Oregon but defeated former Pac-12 foe (15) UCLA. TCU has a bunch of experience playing spoiler in regionals as the two seed in the bracket. The Horned Frogs might have deserved to host but they will have to travel to the west coast all the way to Corvallis. They went to Fayetteville in 2023 and advanced through (3) Arkansas’ regional on its way to the College World Series but failed to make the NCAA Tournament a year ago. The Horned Frogs are ready to make a run in this year’s tournaments after a strong regular season just one win short of 40 wins. However, they failed to beat (3) Arkansas and Kansas State the second weekend of the season in Arlington and lost two out of three to (16) Southern Miss on their home field. They will face USC, who appears in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a decade. The Trojans were able to score wins over UC-Irvine, (1) Vanderbilt, Arizona State, and even picked up a series win over in-city rival (15) UCLA a few weeks ago. Their 35 wins was good enough for an impressive 18-12 record in their first season in Big Ten. They could potentially see former conference foe Oregon State with a win over TCU on Friday. Saint Mary’s won the West Coast conference tournament, helping the Gaels clinch their first NCAA Tournament bid in school history. It will be a challenge for them when they face Oregon State but it won’t be impossible as the Beavers faced a much less difficult schedule than they normally do as an independent instead of a typical conference schedule in the former Pac-12. Oregon State has a history of protecting Goss Stadium but I think history repeats itself two years later and TCU advances to the super regionals.

Tallahassee Regional (Tallahassee, FL)
9.Florida State 38-14 (18-10) ACC
(4) Bethune-Cookman 37-21 (24-5) SWAC
(2) Northeastern 48-9 (25-2) CAA
(3) Mississippi State 34-21 (15-15) SEC

Carter’s Pick: Northeastern in 7
Florida State has one of the more challenging draws as the number nine national seed. The Seminoles did not play a tough non-conference schedule. They have won series against tournament teams Miami, (11) Clemson, Duke, and a single game over Florida. They were in position to be the highest seeded non-SEC team before dropping a series to (5) North Carolina during the last weekend of the regular season and losing to the Tar Heels again in the ACC Tournament semifinals. Northeastern, maybe the top mid-major team in the country outside of Coastal Carolina and Southern Miss, has won an impressive 27 games in a row entering Friday’s match up against Mississippi State. The Huskies defeated Kansas State twice and beat Central Connecticut State so they definitely have the talent to win the Tallahassee Regional. Their opponent as I mentioned above is Mississippi State, who fired head coach Chris Lemonis about a month ago on April 28. Since that date, the Bulldogs raced out to a 9-2 record that included a series sweep against Kentucky and a series win over instate rival (10) Ole Miss. The winner of Friday’s evening game in Tallahassee between the Huskies and Bulldogs could very well be the team that wins the Tallahassee Regional. The four seed is Bethune-Cookman. The Wildcats have 24 conference wins as well as a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament title. They will be challenged more than they have for much of the season as they travel to face Florida State and potentially Northeastern and Mississippi State. They fell to Florida State on the road back on March 5 and look to avenge that loss on Friday afternoon. It should definitely take the winner of this regional seven games to do it and I believe Northeastern will defeat Mississippi State to open things, be the one to upset Florida State in the 1-0 game, and advance to the super regionals.

Auburn Regional (Auburn, AL)
4.Auburn 38-18 (17-13) SEC
(4) Central Connecticut State 31-15 (23-7) Northeast
(2) North Carolina State 33-19 (17-11) ACC
(3) Stetson 40-20 (24-6) ASUN

Carter’s Pick: 4.Auburn in 6
Most people expect Auburn to be a top eight seed entering Selection Monday but after losing both their final series of the regular season against Ole Miss and going one and done at the SEC Tournament against Texas A&M, the Tigers were not expected to land among the top four seeds. However, they were given the distinction of being the national four seed and were given a pretty good draw as a result. I am not saying Auburn did not have a great regular season. They certainly did with wins series wins over (1) Vanderbilt, (6) LSU (sweep), (14) Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, and Mississippi State but committee might have been justified more if they saw where they were swept by (2) Texas and (7) Georgia. The two seed in Auburn’s regional is the North Carolina State Wolfpack, who have experience making deep runs in the NCAA Tournament, including their trip all the way to the College World Series semifinals in 2021. The Wolfpack have lost three games in a row as they head to “The Plains” but have the talent to win a regional with their series sweep over (11) Clemson the last weekend of April. Atlantic Sun champion Stetson is one of the few teams from a normal “one bid league” to appear in the NCAA Tournament as a three seed. The Hatters’ 40 wins overall and 24 victories in the ASUN suggests that they can definitely complete with the Wolfpack which definitely gives them a chance to advance in the regional. Central Connecticut State will get another shot to head down south to an SEC ballpark after winning the Northeast Conference. The Blue Devils played in the Fayetteville Regional in 2019 and will look to advance in this year’s Auburn Regional. However, the Tigers’ offense should propel them to the super regionals fairly easily in this bracket.

Conway Regional (Conway, SC)
13.Coastal Carolina 48-11 (26-4) Sun Belt
(4) Fairfield 39-17 (21-8) MAAC
(2) Florida 38-20 (15-15) SEC
(3) East Carolina 33-25 (13-14) American

Carter’s Pick: 13.Coastal Carolina in 7
Coastal Carolina’s dominant season did not deserve just the national 13 seed. I, along with many other people involved in college baseball media, believe the Chanticleers deserved a top eight seed, probably over (8) Oregon State, who played a weaker schedule in their first season as an Independent after the Pac-12’s demise and definitely above (11) Clemson, who they swept the season series against. They are on an 18-game win streak but instead of getting a good draw after a dominant regular season, they get the Kevin O’Sullivan-led Florida ball club that has made runs to the College World Series the last two Junes. If it were not for a few injuries, the Gators would’ve probably been in hosting contention with their strength of schedule in the tough SEC. They will look to make their third consecutive appearance in Omaha, and win it all unlike they did in 2023 when they fell to LSU in championship series. Many believe East Carolina is the best program to ever get to Omaha and the College World Series. They underachieved during the regular season but were able to bounce back and win the American Athletic Conference’s tournament and clinch an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. It will be an uphill battle for the Pirates to make it out of Conway to the super regionals but in a regional with Coastal Carolina and Florida, they can definitely pull an upset as a sleeper here. Four seed Fairfield fell just a win short of 40 wins during the regular season but I find it hard to believe they can win the Conway Regional. Because I believe in the season Coastal Carolina has had to this point, I believe it will take them seven games to eliminate Florida from the regional but they will get it done.

Chapel Hill Regional (Chapel Hill, NC)
5.North Carolina 42-12 (18-11) ACC
(4) Holy Cross 31-25 (17-8) Patriot League
(2) Oklahoma 35-20 (14-16) SEC
(3) Nebraska 32-27 (15-15) Big Ten

Carter’s Pick: 5.North Carolina in 6
Like I mentioned above in the Auburn Regional prediction, North Carolina was screwed out of a top four seed. The Tar Heels won the ACC Tournament Championship including wins over national seeds (9) Florida State and (11) Clemson. They are a favorite to make it to Omaha and potentially win the national championship if they can advance through this bracket. Joining North Carolina are two teams from the old Big 8 and later the Big 12. Since Nebraska left the Big 12 for the Big Ten at the beginning of the 2010s, their rivalry with Oklahoma has subsided for the most part outside of a few football match ups in September throughout the last few years. The Sooners won 14 games in their first season in the difficult SEC. They will have a lot of challenges with the Tar Heels if both advance to the 1-0 game but first they must worry about their old rival in Chapel Hill on Friday night. Nebraska beat both Big Ten regular season co-champions (12) Oregon and (15) UCLA on their way to the tournament title for the league. They hope to continue their success against an old rival and then hopefully throughout the weekend. The Tar Heels draw Holy Cross on Friday afternoon. The champions of the Patriot League must be ready to face college baseball’s hottest team not named Coastal Carolina or Northeastern. They should sweep through their regional and advance to host a super regional.

Eugene Regional (Eugene, OR)
12.Oregon 42-14 (22-8) Big Ten
(4) Utah Valley 32-27 (13-11) WAC
(2) Arizona 39-18 (18-12) Big 12
(3) Cal Poly 41-17 (23-7) Big West

Carter’s Pick: 12.Oregon in 7
Oregon’s first season in the Big Ten was impressive. In non-conference play, the Ducks beat their instate rivals Oregon State four times in a row to end the month of April. They also swept USC on the road, and then won two out of three against fellow Big Ten host and fellow regular season conference champion (15) UCLA in the friendly confines of Eugene. Their 22 conference wins and series win against the Bruins helped them get the tiebreaker and get the one seed in the Big Ten Tournament. After beating Michigan State in the quarterfinals, Nebraska upset the Ducks in the semifinals keeping them outside of the top eight and ability to host in the super regionals if chalk holds in this round. Joining them in Eugene as the two seed is Oregon’s former Pac-12 foe Arizona. The Wildcats have a great baseball history and are capable of advancing in this NCAA Tournament. 39 wins overall and 18 in an underrated Big 12 this season will be a quality opponent for Oregon to play potentially in the 1-0 game if both teams advance to play each other on Saturday. Cal Poly is also a terrific team capable of advancing out of Eugene too. They might have gotten swept by (15) UCLA to begin the season but they were able get revenge against conference rival UC-Irvine (who swept them during the regular season) after winning 2 out of 3 against the Anteaters during the conference tournament on their way to a Big West tournament championship. The four seed facing Oregon on Friday night will be Utah Valley, who has just five more wins than they do losses and two more conference wins than losses. But they won the WAC Tournament and have a chance to advance. That being said, it may take Oregon seven games but they will advance to the super regionals.

Baton Rouge Regional (Baton Rouge, LA)
6.LSU 43-14 (19-11) SEC
(4) Little Rock 24-32 (8-16) Ohio Valley
(2) Dallas Baptist 40-16 (21-6) Conference USA
(3) Rhode Island 38-20 (22-8) Atlantic-10

Carter’s Pick: 6.LSU in 6
LSU may have gotten the easiest draw of any of the national seeds in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The 2023 national champions have a dynamic pitching staff and an offense capable of getting them to a national championship at the end of June. The Tigers have series wins over national seeds (3) Arkansas and (14) Tennessee and will look to begin their 2025 regional with a win over Little Rock on Friday afternoon. Dallas Baptist is a regional mainstay out of the Conference USA and their 40 overall wins and 21 wins in the league make them the biggest challenge for the Tigers this weekend. The Patriots shut out Oklahoma early in the season and went to TCU and beat the Horned Frogs so they are capable of pulling an upset off if chalk holds into the 1-0 game on Saturday. DBU will have to beat Rhode Island, the lone Atlantic-10 team in the field. They only beat (12) Oregon once in four opportunities back in their series from February 21-23 but any team that can win 38 games overall and 22 in their league deserves a shot to play postseason baseball. I bet most people in the Little Rock program expected that they would make the short trip up to Fayetteville to face (3) Arkansas in the Fayetteville Regional but instead the Trojans will face the Razorbacks’ SEC rival LSU to begin their weekend. A team that was eight games behind .500 overall and in Ohio Valley play caught fire in Marion, Illinois at the OVC Baseball Tournament and won five straight games to lock up their bid into the NCAA Tournament. It will be an uphill battle for the Trojans to keep up their play against LSU and their awesome pitching staff. The Tigers should easily win this regional as a result.

Clemson Regional (Clemson, SC)
11.Clemson 44-16 (18-12) ACC
(4) South Carolina Upstate 36-23 (19-5) Big South
(2) West Virginia 41-14 (19-9) Big 12
(3) Kentucky 29-24 (13-17) SEC

Carter’s Pick: 11.Clemson in 7
Like I mentioned above in my thoughts on the Conway Regional, the Clemson Tigers do not deserve to be as high as the eleventh national seed after getting swept by (13) Coastal Carolina on the road and at home. Plus, Clemson has hosted regionals the last two seasons and have failed to advance to the super regionals, losing to Charlotte and Florida. The Tigers have played a tough schedule outside of the ACC playing three NCAA Tournament teams the first weekend of the season including Oklahoma State, Arizona, and (10) Ole Miss, winning two of those three games and they also beat (7) Georgia on April 22. In ACC play, the Tigers played okay against fellow NCAA Tournament teams, winning their series against NC State but failing to do so against (9) Florida State, NC State before advancing all the way to the ACC Tournament Championship and falling to (5) North Carolina. The Tigers have another tough two seed in their bracket in the Big 12’s regular season champion West Virginia. The Mountaineers won 41 games (19 in the Big 12) and were in hosting contention for a lot of the season but their resume did not compare to most of the hosts that were selected on Monday. Their opponent on Friday afternoon is the Kentucky Wildcats who lived on the bubble this season with 29 wins and just 13 wins in the SEC. But, thanks to playing in that league, the wildcats were able to have the RPI and strength of schedule to make the field. They are definitely not the number two overall seed they were a season ago that made it to Omaha last June but they still have the same small ball style that Nick Mingione’s teams love to play with in Lexington. The four seed facing Clemson is 36-win South Carolina Upstate, a team that plays the tigers all the time so they will not be nervous. Watch out for a great game on Friday between the Mountaineers and Wildcats but I think the Tigers will finally advance to the super regionals after failing to do so the previous two years.

Fayetteville Regional (Fayetteville, AR)
3.Arkansas 43-13 (20-10) SEC
(4) North Dakota State 20-32 (13-15) Summit League
(2) Kansas 43-15 (20-11) Big 12
(3) Creighton 41-14 (17-4) Big East

Carter’s Pick: 3.Arkansas in 6
I’m going to keep my thoughts on the Fayetteville Regional a bit shorter so I can save my thoughts for my preview coming tomorrow. The Razorbacks have been the national three seed now the last three NCAA Tournaments but the Razorbacks have failed to use their awesome home environment to advance to the super regionals. The last two seasons, a Big 12 team has given Arkansas trouble. First, it was TCU in 2022 and then Kansas State in 2023. When they are playing their best, the Razorbacks may be the best team in the country. Their hitting depth, bullpen, and overall defense would pose challenges for every team in the country. The Kansas Jayhawks, the two seed headed to Fayetteville this weekend, could be the next Big 12 team to eliminate Arkansas from their own regional. Dan Fitzgerald has built up a great program in Lawrence over his years in Lawrence. As a result of the Jayhawks 43 wins overall (matching the Razorbacks) and 20 conference wins (also matching the Razorbacks), they were in hosting contention for most of the season and many believe they are a team of that quality. They will have to face Big East champion Creighton, who is led by Ed Servais, who will finish out his career as the Blue Jays’ head coach this postseason. While Kansas’ offense can challenge the Razorbacks it will be Creighton’s pitching staff that will be the thorn in the Razorbacks’ side if those two squads match up later in the weekend. North Dakota State’s 20-32 record may not be impressive on paper but the fact that the Bison were able to beat NCAA Tournament mainstay Oral Roberts in the Summit League Tournament championship to get a bid. If Arkansas wins this regional and advances to the supers, I believe they will need to do it quickly, in six games. And, I believe the Razorbacks can do it.

Knoxville Regional (Knoxville, TN)
14.Tennessee 43-16 (16-14) SEC
(4) Miami (OH) 35-21 (23-7) MAC
(2) Wake Forest 36-20 (16-14) ACC
(3) Cincinnati 32-24 (16-14) Big 12

Carter’s Pick: 14.Tennessee in 7
Tennessee cannot look ahead to a potential rematch in the super regionals against (3) Arkansas, a team that they lost too just a few weeks ago on the road. Truth be told Tennessee head coach (and former Razorback assistant) Tony Vitello must help his team, to avoid looking ahead, and get through another regional weekend in the friendly confines of Lindsey-Nelson Stadium. The Volunteers are mightily talented but are much more inexperienced than they were when they won the national championship last June. They have committed many errors through the last half of the season as they lost six of their last seven regular series before defeating (2) Texas in the SEC Tournament, helping them lock up a hosting spot. The two seed joining the Volunteers is Wake Forest, who won 36 games overall and 16 in the ACC. The Demon Deacons don’t have former Tennessee pitcher Chase Burns any more but are capable of advancing if they force Tennessee to make defensive errors SEC teams have made them make over the last month and a half or so. Wake Forest will face Cincinnati on Friday afternoon. The Bearcats won 16 games in the Big 12, matching the number of conference wins as the Demon Deacons. It will be interesting to see if the winner of that game can match up with the pitching of Tennessee if the Volunteers advance to Saturday’s 1-0 game. The four seed matching up with Tennessee on Friday night is Miami (OH). The MAC champions won an incredible 23 games in the league and even played Cincinnati already this season, in a 6-4 loss. In my opinion, Tennessee has no reason not to win their regional so I will pick them to win it in seven as I think Wake Forest or Cincinnati may cause Tennessee to make a few mistakes in the field throughout the weekend.

Athens Regional (Athens, GA)
7.Georgia 42-15 (18-12) SEC
(4) Binghamton 29-24 (13-11) America East
(2) Duke 37-19 (17-13) ACC
(3) Oklahoma State 28-23 (15-12) Big 12

Carter’s Pick: 7.Georgia in 6
Georgia has been dominant at home for the entire season and most of Wes Johnson’s two seasons as head coach of the program. The Bulldogs advanced to the super regionals and will look to go even further this season with a shot to host until a potential Omaha trip in a few weeks. The Bulldogs have series wins over (3) Arkansas and (4) Auburn (sweep) but were swept by (2) Texas in Austin. But, they do not need to worry about playing on the road because they can play at home as long as they continue to advance. Joining the Bulldogs in Athens this weekend as the two and three seeds are two teams that have made postseason appearances the last few years in two seed Duke and third seed Oklahoma State. The Blue Devils made it to the super regionals in 2023 but then failed to make it through the Normal Regional just a year ago in 2024. Their 37 wins overall and 17 in the ACC must make the other three teams in this regional make sure to focus on not letting them get hot. The Cowboys have hosted the last three seasons but have failed to advance every time. Their 28 wins suggest their roster is much worse than any of the previous three seasons but the chance to play somewhere other than O’Brate Stadium in Stillwater may help them focus in and potentially upset Duke or Georgia and advance to the super regionals since 2019. America East champion Binghamton will attempt to challenge Georgia on Friday afternoon. It will be tough with the Bulldogs’ strength of playing on Foley Field in Athens but they deserve to be in the tournament after winning their conference title. As a result, Georgia should advance to host a super regional next weekend.

Oxford Regional (Oxford, MS)
10.Ole Miss 40-19 (16-14) SEC
(4) Murray State 39-13 (17-8) Missouri Valley
(2) Georgia Tech 40-17 (19-11) ACC
(3) Western Kentucky 46-12 (18-9) Conference USA

Carter’s Pick: Georgia Tech in 7
Ole Miss’ late season push vaulted them back into hosting contention all the way up to the number ten national seed. Their overall resume includes 40 overall wins and turning their 16 SEC wins in the regular season into 19 after advancing all the way to the SEC Tournament Championship and falling to (1) Vanderbilt. The Rebels will be joined by two seed Georgia Tech, another 40-win team that expected to be a host after winning the ACC regular season title. Despite winning that regular season title, the Yellow Jackets lost regular season series to (11) Clemson and single games to (4) Auburn and (7) Georgia. Then, they failed to back up their regular season championship with a tournament title after losing to Clemson again in the ACC Tournament semifinals. Conference USA champion Western Kentucky makes its way to Oxford as the three seed after winning 46 games during the regular season and at the CUSA Tournament. The Hilltoppers failed to beat (1) Vanderbilt and Louisville but beat Kentucky during the regular season. They will get another shot against NCAA Tournament level competition this weekend when they face Georgia Tech on Friday afternoon. Another team from the state of Kentucky heading south for this weekend’s action is Ole Miss’ opponent on Friday night, Murray State. The Racers fell by just a run against the Rebels back when they faced off on March 5th but defeated Kentucky two weeks later on March 5th before winning the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. I anticipate it will be Ole Miss and Georgia Tech advancing onto the 1-0 game on Saturday and the Yellow Jackets upsetting the Rebels on their way to the super regionals.

Austin Regional (Austin, TX)
2.Texas 42-12 (22-8) SEC
(4) Houston Christian 32-23 (17-13) Southland
(2) UTSA 44-13 (23-4) American
(3) Kansas State 31-24 (17-13) Big 12

Carter’s Pick: 2.Texas in 7
The Texas Longhorns were the best team in college baseball for the first eleven weeks of the season. Much of their success was at the friendly confines UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin but they did beat (10) Ole Miss and Oklahoma State in Arlington the first weekend of the regular season before winning series against (4) Auburn (sweep), (6) LSU, (7) Georgia, and Mississippi State. Then, the first weekend in May, Texas went to Fayetteville and got swept by (3) Arkansas, who played their best baseball of the season that weekend. The Longhorns lost a series to Florida the following weekend before bouncing back and winning a series against Oklahoma to finish the regular season. They were an early exit from the SEC Tournament after losing to Tennessee in the quarterfinals but that will give them rest as they prepare for Houston Christian on Friday afternoon. UTSA dominated the American Athletic conference during the regular season, winning 23 games in the American before failing to win the conference tournament. The Roadrunners beat the Longhorns back on March 18th in Austin and won one of three games against Dallas Baptist too. This proves they definitely have a shot at advancing through this regional and if they match up with Texas at some point later in the weekend, the Longhorns will definitely be challenged. Texas’ former Big 12 conference foe Kansas State advanced to the super regionals after winning the Fayetteville Regional a year ago. The Wildcats fell to (5) North Carolina the first weekend of the regular season but then went to Arlington the next weekend and defeated (3) Arkansas and TCU. The Wildcats also won 17 games in the Big 12, winning series against West Virginia but failed to win against fellow tournament teams Oklahoma State and Kansas. The Longhorns’ opponent on Friday will be the Southland champions Houston Christian. The Huskies did not play much competition throughout the season but have an opportunity to play college baseball’s best in the Texas Longhorns. The Longhorns will win this regional and advance on.

Los Angeles Regional (Los Angeles, CA)
15.UCLA 42-16 (22-8) Big Ten 
(4) Fresno State 31-27 (18-12) Mountain West
(2) UC-Irvine 41-15 (24-6) Big West
(3) Arizona State 35-22 (18-12) Big 12

Carter’s Pick: UC-Irvine in 7
UCLA got the overall 15 seed after sharing the Big Ten regular season title with fellow former Pac-12 member (12) Oregon after both won 22 games in conference play. The Bruins lost to (1) Vanderbilt on their home field before defeating the two seed headed to Los Angeles this weekend, UC-Irvine on March 18th but then losing to the Anteaters on the road in Irvine. The Bruins swept Nebraska the middle of March (before falling to the Cornhuskers in the Big Ten tournament title game) but lost their series to (12) Oregon on the road in Eugene. The Anteaters are definitely a quality two seed, winning 41 games and 24 in the Big West. UC-Irvine swept to Cal Poly during the regular season before losing to them in Big West Tournament championship game. UCLA’s former Pac-12 conference foe Arizona State heads to LA as the three seed. The Sun Devils won 18 games in their first season in the Big 12. They split with the Bruins in Los Angeles back at the end of February before winning series against TCU and Kansas and losing series to Arizona and Oklahoma State. The four seed Fresno State is just four games above .500 but won 18 games in the Mountain West. The Bulldogs won the MWC Conference Tournament Championship and will head to face UCLA winners of six of their last seven games. I do anticipate the top three seeds in this bracket fighting it out for the Los Angeles Regional with UC-Irvine advancing to the super regionals, setting up a potential matchup in Austin versus Texas.

Image Courtesy: Southwest Times Record

It is Dave Van Horn’s 23rd season on the Hill and the Diamond Hogs are again ready to compete for the program’s first national championship. Having already accomplished eight SEC Western Division championships, three overall SEC titles, one SEC tournament title, 20 NCAA Tournament berths, seven College World Series appearances, four top five finishes (2009, 2012, 2018, 2022), and one memorable runner-up finish. Dave Van Horn knows his baseball team can win it all this season and he has been confident about his team throughout the pre-season. No season in the SEC is easy as Arkansas plays nine D1 Baseball pre-season top 25 teams including eight in the league (1.Texas A&M, 3.LSU, 4.Tennessee, 8.Georgia, 10.Florida, 16.Vanderbilt, and 19.Texas). With the SEC getting rid of divisions and Texas and Oklahoma playing their first season in the ball park in the conference, Van Horn’s team will see many familiar faces in and out of conference play. After opening the season on Valentine’s weekend with Washington State (February 14-17) at Baum-Walker Stadium, they travel again to Arlington to face three high profile teams, including Kansas State (February 21), who eliminated the Razorbacks from the 2024 Fayetteville Regional last June. They also face fellow Big 12 opponent 23.TCU (on February 22), who eliminated the Razorbacks from the 2023 Fayetteville Regional, meaning two Big 12 teams have eliminated the Razorbacks from their own regional the last two seasons. Former Horned Frog outfielder Logan Maxwell will have a homecoming of sorts in that match up, playing his former team TCU in the Dallas area. After getting through the first two weeks of March in non-conference play, a trip to Swayze Field awaits against rival Ole Miss (March 14-16), one of their two permanent opponents in the new look SEC, and the team that eliminated the Razorbacks from the College World Series semifinals in 2022. Midweek dates with 2023 College World Series team Oral Roberts (March 18-19) and familiar opponent Missouri State (March 25) sandwich a weekend series with South Carolina (March 21-23). A trip to Nashville to face Vanderbilt (March 28-30) to end the month of March comes next, where new hog infielder Cameron Kozeal makes his return to face his former team. After facing UAPB to open April in North Little Rock and then again in Fayetteville (April 15), the Razorbacks face their other permanent rival, Missouri (March 4-6) before continuing their home stand against Arkansas State (April 8). A trip to Athens to face former Razorback pitching coach Wes Johnson, who has turned Georgia (April 11-13) into a quality program with a Super Regional appearance last summer. The last two nonconference teams the Diamond Hogs will play this spring will be against Little Rock (April 22-23) and a rematch against Missouri State (April 29), this time on the road in Springfield. Games against the Trojans and Bears are in between a trip to Gainesville, that would begin the Razorbacks’ four consecutive SEC series against four pre-season top 19 teams. The season will end with SEC series against 10.Florida on the road (April 25-27), back home against old rival 19.Texas (May 2-4), a trip to Alex Box Stadium to face 3.LSU (May 9-11), and finally facing former hitting coach Tony Vitello and 4.Tennessee (May 15-17) to wrap up the regular season at Baum-Walker Stadium. Can Dave Van Horn’s new look offense and new star pitcher Gabe Gaeckle overcome the loss of Hagen Smith and back to back seasons of being eliminated in their own regional against the aforementioned Horned Frogs in 2023 and Southeastern Missouri State 2024? We will find out as the season begins tomorrow with game one of a four game series against Washington State.

Projected Opening Day Starters
Catcher: Ryder Helfrick, Sophomore
Starting Pitchers:
Friday: Gabe Gaeckle, Sophomore
Saturday: Zach Root, Junior
Sunday: Landon Beidelschies, Junior
1B: Rocco Peppi, Senior (RS)
2B: Nolan Souza, Sophomore
SS: Wehiwa Aloy, Junior
3B: Brent Iredale, Junior
RF: Kendall Diggs, Senior
CF: Charles Davlan, Sophomore
LF: Justin Thomas Jr., Junior
DH: Logan Maxwell, Senior

2024 Class (Rankings according to Perfect Game):
(Players not selected in 2024 MLB Draft)
56.RHP Carson Wiggins Roland, OK Roland High School
109.LHP Cole Gibler Blue Springs, MO Blue Springs High School
144.SS Gabe Fraser Westminster, CA Orange Lutheran High School
194.RHP Lance Davis Jonesboro, AR Valley View High School
334.RHP Wade Mountz Morgan Hill, CA Bellarmine College Preparatory School
376.OF Brenton Clark Texarkana, TX Pleasant Grove High School
377.RHP Tag Andrews Maumelle, AR Maumelle High School
428.C Zane Becker Flowermound, TX Flowermound High School
452.C Carson Willis Lexington, SC P27 Academy
500.RHP Kel Busby Little Rock, AR Pulaski Academy
500.RHP Eli Crecelius Jonesboro, AR Valley View High School
500.LHP Jackson Farrell Jenks, OK Owasso High School
500.RHP Ross Felder Springdale, AR Har-ber High School
500.SS Tyler Holland Mission Viejo, CA Mission Viejo High School
500.LHP Luke Williams Owasso, OK Owasso High School

Entered Transfer Portal (New School):
OF Will Edmunson (Oral Roberts)
OF Hunter Grimes
LHP Adam Hachman (Kentucky)
OF Jayson Jones (Oklahoma State)
OF Kade Smith (Harding)
INF/OF Ty Waid (McLennan C.C.)

Transfer Additions:
DH/1B/OF Kuhio Aloy Former School: BYU
OF/INF Charles Davlan Former School: Florida Gulf Coast
OF Logan Maxwell Former School: TCU
LHP Landon Beidelschies Former School: Ohio State
OF Rocco Peppi Former School: Fresno State
RHP Aiden Jimenez Former School: Oregon State
OF Carson Boles Former School: Lincoln Memorial
1B Michael Anderson Former School: Rhode Island
LHP Michael Root Former School: East Carolina
INF Cameron Kozeal Former School: Vanderbilt

JUCO Signees
INF Brent Iredale Former School: New Mexico J.C.
C Elliott Peterson Former School: Southeast C.C.
OF Kolton Reynolds Former School: Crowder C.C.
INF Trenton Rowan Former School: Seward County C.C.
INF Carson Schrack Former School: Edgerton, Kan. Coffeyville C.C.
OF Justin Thomas Former Schools: Georgia / Florida Southwestern State C.C.

Razorbacks selected in 2024 MLB Draft:
LHP Hagen Smith – Round 1, Pick 5 – Chicago White Sox
2B Peyton Stovall – Round 4, Pick 77 – Cincinnati Reds
LHP Mason Molina – Round 7, Pick 215 – Milwaukee Brewers
3B Jared Sprague-Lott – Round 9, Pick 256 – Oakland Athletics
C Hudson White – Round 9, Pick 267 – Boston Red Sox
1B Ben McLaughlin – Round 9, Pick 284 – Arizona Diamondbacks
RHP Jake Faherty – Round 11, Pick 334 – Miami Marlins
RHP Brady Tygart – Round 12, Pick 357 – Boston Red Sox

Razorback signees selected in 2024 MLB Draft:
SS Tyson Lewis – Round 2, Pick 51 – Cincinnati Reds
OF Eli Lovich – Round 11, Pick 332 – Chicago Cubs

2025 Schedule Predictions (Rankings below are based on the D1 Baseball 2025 Pre-Season Top 25)
2/14-17 Washington State
Projected Record: 3-1
2/21 Kansas State (Arlington; College Baseball Series)
2/22 23.TCU (Arlington; College Baseball Series)
2/23 Michigan (Arlington; College Baseball Series)
Projected Record: 5-2
The hogs head to Arlington to face three teams that are commonly in the NCAA Tournament, two of whom knocked them out of the tournament the previous two seasons. They should split the games against the Big 12 teams and defeat Michigan for a second consecutive season in Texas.
2/25 Grambling
Projected Record: 6-2
2/28-3/2 Charlotte
Projected Record: 9-2
3/4-5 ULM
Projected Record: 11-2
3/7-9 Portland
Projected Record: 13-2
3/11 Central Arkansas
Projected Record: 15-2
3/14-16 @ Ole Miss
Arkansas swept Ole Miss a season ago at home inside Baum-Walker Stadium and took two out of three from the Rebels the last time they matched up at Swayze in Oxford. I expect the same thing to happen this season when the Razorbacks travel to Mississippi.
Projected Record: 17-3 (2-1) SEC
3/18-19 Oral Roberts
Projected Record: 19-4
3/21-23 South Carolina
The Gamecocks return to Fayetteville for the first time since 2023. They only were able to win one game last time they were there and the atmosphere at Baum-Walker will help the Razorbacks will help them keep South Carolina from winning the series again.
Projected Record: 21-5 (4-2) SEC
3/25 Missouri State
Projected Record: 22-5
3/28-30 @ 16.Vanderbilt
The last time Arkansas was on the west end, they lost the series to the Commodores, keeping them from winning an outright SEC championship in 2023. Dave Van Horn should have his best offense since the 2021 team that was the number one overall seed so the Razorbacks should take two of three from the Vandy boys.
Projected Record: 24-6 (6-3) SEC
4/1 UAPB (North Little Rock)
Projected Record: 25-6
4/4-6 Missouri
Not to say that Arkansas’ now annual series with Missouri will be three free wins every season but the talent level of the Razorbacks compared to the Tigers should help them get the sweep. Having Missouri on the schedule every season will certainly help the hogs get a few wins every season now that they are a permanent opponent.
Projected Record: 28-6 (9-3) SEC
4/8 Arkansas State
Projected Record: 29-6
4/11-13 @ 8.Georgia
Former Arkansas pitching coach Wes Johnson and the Bulldogs may not have Golden Spikes winner Charlie Condon any more but they did backload with transfers good enough to defeat the Razorbacks. The Razorbacks lost their first SEC series when they traveled to Athens in 2023. They will fall for the first time in a series in the SEC in 2025 when they face Georgia.
Projected Record: 30-8 (10-5) SEC
4/15 UAPB
Projected Record: 32-8
4/17-19 1.Texas A&M
Hitting coach Michael Earley took over the nation’s top ranked Aggies after watching his boss Jim Schlossnagle head across the state to his team’s biggest rival, Texas, who just joined the SEC 2024. Van Horn’s team clinched the final SEC West title with just one win over A&M in the final regular season series of 2024. Texas A&M boasts outfielder Jace LaViolette, a national player of the year frontrunner, and someone that gave Arkansas many problems last season. Arkansas loses back to back series after winning their first four.
Projected Record: 33-10 (11-7) SEC
4/22-23 Little Rock
Projected Record: 35-10
4/25-27 @ 10.Florida
Dave Van Horn’s Razorbacks know Kevin O’Sullivan’s Florida Gators very well and they have gone into Gainesville and won there before. Arkansas gets a major bounce back series as they win their first weekend series in three weeks.
Projected Record: 36-12 (12-9) SEC
4/29 @ Missouri State
Projected Record: 36-13
5/2-4 19.Texas
Arkansas renews its old rivalry against Jim Schlossnagle and Texas. Schlossnagle came over to Austin after leading Texas A&M to the College World Series Finals in 2024. Dave Van Horn’s Razorbacks have seen him as TCU’s head coach when they eliminated the Horned Frogs in the 2019 Fayetteville Regional and again four years later when TCU eliminated Arkansas from the 2023 Fayetteville Regional. Arkansas should take two of three from the Longhorns.
Projected Record: 38-14 (14-10) SEC
5/9-11 @ 3.LSU
Before losing to the Tigers on the road in Baton Rouge in 2023, the Razorbacks won the previous two series on the road against LSU. They look for their third series win inside Alex Box Stadium in their previous four attempts. I expect Jay Johnson’s team to not allow them to do this.
Projected Record: 39-16 (15-12) SEC
5/15-17 4.Tennessee
Dave Van Horn’s Arkansas team faces his former hitting coach Tony Vitello and the reigning national champion Tennessee to finish out the regular season. The Volunteers lost a lot of production offensively and on the pitching staff but like his mentor Van Horn, Vitello reloads too. A second consecutive series (last in 2023) win over Tony V’s Vols in Baum-Walker Stadium for the Razorbacks would be sweet and I think the Razorbacks can do it, helping themselves get to 17 wins in the SEC season.
Projected Record: 41-17 (17-13) SEC
5/20-25 SEC Tournament (Hoover)
A few wins in Hoover at the SEC Tournament will help the Razorbacks clinch another top eight seed in the NCAA Tournament for Dave Van Horn’s team.