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Aiva Arquette (Mike Janes/Four Seam Images)
The 2025 NCAA baseball tournament is set to get underway on Friday, May 30, with teams opening regional play across the nation.
To get ready, Baseball America presents the ultimate tournament guide with stat-focused break downs of all 64 teams. Check out the full list of regional previews here.
1. Oregon State
Oregon State enters as a high-upside national seed, though not without questions. The Beavers are one of just a few hosts without a single conference game played due to their unique independent status this year, meaning they’re not as battle-tested as others in the field. But the potential is unmistakable.
Offensively, Oregon State has a deep, patient and powerful lineup. It ranks seventh nationally in walk rate (14.8%), 38th in home runs and top 55 in OBP, SLG and wRC+. Aiva Arquette (.348/.473/.676, 17 HR), Gavin Turley (.338/.470/.622, 15 HR) and Wilson Weber (.332/.415/.576) headline a core that does damage and rarely chases. They’re balanced too—eight of nine starters own on-base percentages above .400.
The pitching staff doesn’t have a dominant ace but it’s deep and efficient. Starters Ethan Kleinschmit and Dax Whitney have identical 89-strikeout seasons and sub-3.90 ERAs, while swingman Laif Palmer (1.35 ERA) gives the Beavers an elite high-leverage option. Oregon State ranks top 30 nationally in strikeout rate, ERA and FIP, and its K-BB% (15.7%) sits among the nation’s best.
There may be questions about strength of schedule, but the numbers suggest this is one of the most complete rosters in the tournament. If the Beavers find rhythm early, they’ll be a tough out in their own regional.
2. TCU
TCU has pieced together one of the most balanced resumes in the field and enters as a dangerous two-seed with the metrics to back up a deep postseason run. Eight offensive starters have on-base percentages north of .390, with Sawyer Strosnider (.354/.427/.646), Cole Cramer (.326/.449/.423) and Noah Franco (.325/.412/.569) supplying power from the heart of the order. TCU’s team average (.299) ranks 52nd, and its wRC+ of 108 is solidly above average.
The pitching staff doesn’t boast overpowering strikeout totals but has been effective at suppressing damage. Ace Tommy LaPour is one of the best starters in the regional round, entering with a 2.89 ERA and 1.12 WHIP across 87.1 innings and the distinct ability to throw very deep into games with sustained high-90s velocity. The Frogs’ 4.26 team ERA ranks 19th nationally, and their 14.6% K-BB% reflects a staff that avoids big innings by limiting walks.
This is a high-floor team with few true weaknesses and the kind that tends to play deep into June.
3. Southern California
USC enters the regional with solid metrics that suggest a competitive baseline, especially on the mound. The Trojans rank top 40 nationally in ERA (4.57), WHIP (1.34) and FIP (5.24), thanks in part to reliable strike-throwing (9.6 BB%) and a deep, if unspectacular, staff. Ethan Hedges, Jude Favela, Brodie Purcell and Ben Cushnie have all been excellent in relief, giving the team some functional depth.
But on offense, the numbers taper off. USC ranks outside the top 100 in home runs, on-base percentage, slugging and wRC+, and has only two players— Hedges and Adrian Lopez—slugging above .575. This is a capable group, but one that will need its pitching to carry the weight.
4. Saint Mary’s
Saint Mary’s enters with respectable offensive marks, including a .301 team batting average (45th nationally), .395 on base percentage (98th) and .483 slugging percentage (59th), contributing to a top-60 scoring average at 7.7 runs per game. The Gaels don’t walk much (250th in walk rate) but strike out at the fourth-lowest rate in the country.
On the mound, their 6.7 runs allowed per game, 6.27 earned run average and 6.28 fielding independent pitching all rank outside the top 160.
