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The road to Omaha has reached its final destination, as the 2025 Men’s College World Series is set to get underway on Friday at Charles Schwab Field.
This year’s College World Series field includes teams from six different conferences—the SEC (Arkansas and LSU), ACC (Louisville), Big 12 (Arizona), Big Ten (UCLA), Sun Belt (Coastal Carolina) and Missouri Valley (Murray State)—as well as the first independent team (Oregon State) to reach the field since Miami in 2004.
This year marks the first time since 1957 that none of the teams in the College World Series are making back-to-back appearances. It’s also just the fourth time that a four-seed reached the field.
You can read Baseball America’s in-depth preview of the field here.
Below is a look at where each Omaha-bound squad ranked before the season in an effort to lay out their respective paths to college baseball’s highest peak. Teams are listed alphabetically.
Arizona
- BA Preseason Top 25: No. 22
- BA Preseason Big 12 Projected Standing: No. 2
- Big 12 Preseason Coaches Poll: No. 2
- In-Season Top 25 Peak: No. 16
What We Wrote
Arizona ranked fifth in the Pac-12 in scoring and returned all of the key contributors from that group for its first season in the Big-12, including first baseman Tommy Splaine, second baseman Garen Caulfield, third baseman Maddox Mihalakis, shortstop Mason White, outfielders Easton Breyfogle and Brendan Summerhill and designated hitter Andrew Cain. The Wildcats also brought in Samford transfer outfielder Aaron Walton, who slashed .286/.396/.492 with nine home runs and 15 stolen bases. Another year of maturity should suit the Wildcats well at the plate
So much hinges on whether or not the Wildcats can quickly settle into a rhythm on the mound this year. They were incredibly efficient in the category a year ago but didn’t return any of that production, putting the pressure on newcomers to step up. The Wildcats’ offense should be able to do enough damage to keep this team in games but a trip to Omaha requires excellence on the mound, too.
Analysis
Arizona was unable to host regionals in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history, but it did win its second conference tournament in a row and entered the NCAA postseason as one of the nation’s more formidable two seeds. How the Wildcats got there defied expectations to a certain degree, as their pitching ranked excellently while their offense, which seemingly had strong building blocks, was much more lackluster. This Arizona team isn’t lacking for grit, an immeasurable quality that helped to carry it to Omaha.
Arkansas
- BA Preseason Top 25: No. 4
- BA Preseason SEC Projected Standing: No. 4
- SEC Preseason Coaches Poll: No. 3
- In-Season Top 25 Peak: No. 1
What We Wrote
Entering his 23rd season atop the Arkansas baseball program, head coach Dave Van Horn was hopeful that the offseason allowed him to reestablish balance in his roster after the Razorbacks ranked among the nation’s elite on the mound but struggled to consistently create offense, which contributed to their elimination in their home regional. To fix it, Arkansas returned All-SEC shortstop Wehiwa Aloy and surrounded him with transfer additions, including outfielders Charles Davalan (Florida Gulf Coast) and Logan Maxwell (TCU) and first baseman Rocco Peppi (Fresno State). The Razorbacks should be elite again on the mound with Preseason SEC Pitcher of the Year Gabe Gaeckle, East Carolina transfer southpaw Zach Root and returnee Gage Wood likely making up their rotation.
Arkansas is more than talented enough to avoid just its second postseason miss of the Dave Van Horn era thanks in large part to a spoil of riches on the mound, where it has multiple all-conference or even all-American candidates. Avoiding a third-straight first-round exit will require help on the offensive side, where the Razorbacks will need multiple players to emerge alongside Aloy.
Analysis
The Razorbacks have performed true to expectations: dominant, well-balanced and powerful on both sides of the ball. Arkansas entered the NCAA Tournament ranked seventh in runs allowed per game, 16th in team ERA, third in K-BB% and eighth in WHIP. At the plate, it checked in at No. 14 in runs scored per game, seventh in home runs, 16th in batting average, eighth in slugging and 19th in on-base percentage.
Arkansas was picked to reach the College World Series in every single one of our Eight for Omaha projections, making its appearance in this year’s field no surprise at all.
Coastal Carolina
- BA Preseason Top 25: NR
- BA Preseason Sun Belt Projected Standing: No. 3
- Sun Belt Preseason Coaches Poll: No. 4
- In-Season Top 25 Peak: No. 8
What We Wrote
For the first time in 29 years, there will be a new head coach in Conway. Legendary Coastal Carolina head coach Gary Gilmore retired at the end of last season after a storied run in which he guided the Chanticleers to 18 regionals, three super regionals and the program’s first—and only—national championship. His shoes were never not going to be impossible to fill, but former associate head coach Kevin Schnall is a dynamite “next man up.” Schnall was a catcher for Coastal Carolina from 1995-1999 and took home conference player of the year honors in 1999. His first coaching stint in Conway lasted from 2001-2012 and after a three-year run at Central Florida from 2013-2015, he has been with the Chanticleers ever since. Schnall knows the program inside and out, and is poised to carry on the winning tradition established by Gilmore.
Analysis
We had a feeling Coastal could be good this year. The Chanticleers appeared to have a well-stocked offense and solid pitching talent, creating enough balance to compete for an at-large bid out of the Sun Belt.
But Coastal wasn’t just good—it was great. And, oddly enough, it’s almost entirely the pitching that’s to thank. The Chanticleers boast arguably the nation’s top rotation, which powered them to one of the best seasons in program history. Their offense has been light at times but come to life in the postseason.
We included Coastal in the majority of our Eight for Omaha projections, which points to its surging late stock. As Schnall said, this is no Cinderella run.
Louisville
- BA Preseason Top 25: NR
- BA Preseason ACC Projected Standing: No. 10
- ACC Preseason Coaches Poll: No. 9
- In-Season Top 25 Peak: No. 11
What We Wrote
Louisville didn’t appear in our preseason rankings or receive a write-up heading into the year, largely because the Cardinals weren’t on anyone’s radar. We picked them to finish 10th in the ACC, while the league’s own coaches had them one spot higher at ninth. There wasn’t much preseason buzz—and certainly no Omaha chatter—but that only makes their run all the more remarkable.
Analysis
Louisville’s preseason outlook made it something of an afterthought, as the squad was projected as a likely bubble team with nine ACC programs viewed in more positive light. There was little preseason buzz surrounding the Cardinals, and few saw them as a serious contender in a loaded league.
But they’ve steadily exceeded those expectations with each passing week. Louisville entered the rankings for the first time in Week 5 and climbed as high as No. 11 in Week 9, success that fueled conversation about whether or not it could ultimately host for the first time since 2022. The Cardinals wet 15-15 in ACC action and enter the College World Series with a 40-22 record, their best since 2022.
If righty Patrick Forbes can be around the zone and the Cardinals’ lineup continues to punish mistakes like it did in the regional and super regional rounds, it has the potential to make a deep push in Omaha.
LSU
- BA Preseason Top 25: 2
- BA Preseason SEC Projected Standing: No. 2
- SEC Preseason Coaches Poll: No. 4
- In-Season Top 25 Peak: No. 1
What We Wrote
History seems to favor LSU teams coming off super-regional misses. Since 2009, the Tigers have only failed to reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back years once (2010 and 2011). The Tigers were eliminated in the first round of the tournament last year due to what coach Jay Johnson described as a lack of depth, especially on the mound. If they can stay healthy this year, the Tigers appear better positioned for a deep run with ample talent around the diamond, though it should be noted that several arms will need to step up with three of their top four players in 2024 starts made no longer a part of the program.
Analysis
LSU’s return to Omaha comes as no surprise—not to us, not to the SEC, and certainly not to anyone who followed its offseason. The Tigers were ranked No. 2 in the preseason and projected to finish near the top of the league, and they’ve largely lived up to that billing. Jay Johnson’s club reloaded aggressively through the transfer portal, bringing in one of the country’s most impactful hauls. That group included several key pieces of the current core, particularly on the mound, where pitching was a preseason question mark.
With so much turnover from last year’s staff, it was fair to wonder whether LSU would have enough arms to sustain a postseason run. That concern faded quickly as Kade Anderson and Anthony Eyanson emerged as one of the nation’s most dominant tandems, helping stabilize the Tigers’ staff and give LSU the kind of frontline presence that wins in June. The Tigers open against Arkansas in Omaha in what feels like a de facto championship setup. The winner of that game may well be the favorite to leave with a trophy.
Murray State
- BA Preseason Top 25: NR
- BA Preseason Missouri Valley Projected Standing: NR
- Missouri Valley Preseason Coaches Poll: No. 3
- In-Season Top 25 Peak: NR
What We Wrote
We didn’t write about Murray State in the preseason—and there was little reason to. As a mid-major without much shine, the Racers entered 2025 picked to finish third in the 10-team Missouri Valley Conference, a projection that wouldn’t have put them anywhere near the at-large conversation. Nothing about their profile suggested an Omaha-caliber team. But that’s what makes this run so magical.
Analysis
Murray State has made a habit of defying logic. The Racers don’t overwhelm with star power or pedigree, but they’ve gotten to Omaha through sheer grit, timely hitting and an unrelenting belief in themselves. Over the last three weeks, they’ve knocked off bigger, deeper and more decorated opponents by playing with a chip on their shoulder and leaning into the chaos of postseason baseball.
From overlooked to Omaha, this group has flown from under the radar to soaring heights. It’s been an improbable surge that now demands serious respect. At this point, there’s no reason to doubt them.
Oregon State
- BA Preseason Top 25: No. 9
- In-Season Top 25 Peak: No. 6
What We Wrote
Oregon State is entering a unique era as it is no longer affiliated with a conference, making it the first true independent national title contender since Miami in 2004. The Beavers return southpaw Nelson Keljo, who will transition from bullpen standout to rotation frontman, and brought in touted freshman Dax Whitney and junior-college standout Ethan Kleinschmit to round out their weekend rotation and put together a lineup with elite transfers, like shortstop Aiva Arquette (BA No. 5), and returners, including third baseman Trent Caraway. Eighth-year head coach Mitch Canham’s team should once again be a force.
Analysis
Oregon State entered 2025 with high expectations, and it has delivered on nearly all of them. Despite operating as a rare independent in the sport’s modern era, the Beavers navigated their schedule with poise and consistency, validating their preseason top 10 billing. Their rotation, which features Whitney and Kleinschmit, has stabilized into one of the most reliable in the country.
Offensively, a blend of key returners and impact transfers has produced a balanced, competitive lineup. Mitch Canham’s eighth team hasn’t just survived a year without a conference—it’s thrived. The Beavers arrive in Omaha looking the part of a national title contender, and given how complete this roster has become, they absolutely are.
UCLA
- BA Preseason Top 25: NR
- BA Preseason Big Ten Projected Standing: No. 10
- Big Ten Preseason Coaches Poll: No. 4
- In-Season Top 25 Peak: No. 14
What We Wrote
In lieu of what we wrote here, this felt like a great opportunity to share what head coach John Savage told Baseball America in late December. It was prophetic:
“Listen, we’ve just been really young these last few years and it’s hurt us, there’s no other way to put it. But I really think this is going to be a good year for UCLA baseball and we’re going to play more like the teams that we had that made runs to Omaha. We’ll have to see what happens, of course, but I fell really good about this group of guys.”
Analysis
Nearly six months later, Savage’s words ring with undeniable clarity. Back in December, he told Baseball America he believed this UCLA team would look more like the ones that made regular trips to Omaha. And that’s exactly how the season has unfolded.
The Bruins have reestablished their identity with precision: a balanced and versatile offense, a pitching staff built on command and pitchability and the kind of disciplined play that defined their early 2010s dominance. This group doesn’t overwhelm with flash, but it suffocates with execution. UCLA has returned to form by doing the little things right—pounding the zone, moving runners, winning at the margins. Savage said he felt good about this team. He was right.
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