4 MLB prospects to watch during the 2025 Men’s College World Series
4 MLB prospects The Montgomery Advertiser’s Adam Cole and The Southwest Times Record’s Jackson Fuller are watching during the 2025 Men’s College World Series
The No. 8 Oregon State Beavers (47-14-1) will face off with Louisville (40-22) to kick off College World Series play June 13 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m. PT (ESPN).
Mitch Canham’s OSU squad reached this point by making an unlikely run through the loser’s bracket of the Corvallis Regional. After dropping their opening postseason game to TCU, the Beavers uncorked four wins in three days to secure a spot in the Corvallis Super Regional. There, the Beavers took down No. 9 Florida State in a decisive Game 3 on June 8.
Louisville, meanwhile, won three straight games at the Nashville Regional, then beat Miami 3-2 in the third game of the Lexington Super Regional to earn the sixth College World Series appearance in program history.
Right-hander Dax Whitney will get the starting nod for the Beavers against the Cardinals. The superstar freshman was named a freshman All-American earlier this week after posting a 6-3 record and 3.66 earned-run average during his debut season with OSU. Whitney has struck out 111 batters in 71 ⅓ innings.
Louisville will counter with right-hander Patrick Forbes. In his first season as a full-time starter, the standout junior holds a 4-2 record and 4.36 ERA with 107 strikeouts in 66 innings.
Oregon State baseball vs. Louisville in College World Series
The Beavers and Cardinals have met one other time in the NCAA baseball tournament. That came at the 2013 College World Series, with Oregon State winning 11-4 in an elimination game.
Oregon State baseball news
Oregon State baseball vs. Louisville prediction in College World Series
The Cardinals are a dangerous offensive team — particularly on the basepaths.
Louisville ranks seventh nationally with 155 stolen bases on the year, including 51 from center fielder Lucas Moore. Cleanup man Eddie King Jr., who is slashing .362/.437/.770 in the 2025 season, leads a lineup that features plenty of pop.
But Oregon State, led by blue-chip MLB prospects Aiva Arquette, Gavin Turley and Trent Caraway, is the more talented team on paper. The Beavers also have the luxury of leaning on freshman ace Dax Whitney. The right-handed freshman has emerged as a true frontline starter in recent weeks.
Whitney and his vaunted four-pitch mix could prove to be a difficult matchup for Louisville, and OSU has a talented bullpen available on full rest if Whitney runs into trouble.
Louisville starter Patrick Forbes is having an outstanding season of his own. But, OSU has traditionally hit right-handers much better than lefties in 2025. After facing three consecutive Florida State left-handed starters in the super regionals, the Beavers will be happy to face a righty in their CWS opener.
If Oregon State is able to throw some early runs on the board, look for the Beavers to win comfortably.
Prediction: Oregon State 7, Louisville 3
Where to watch College World Series
College World Series schedule
Opening round
All times Pacific
Friday, June 13
- Arizona vs. No. 13 Coastal Carolina, 11 a.m.
- No. 8 Oregon State vs. Louisville, 4 p.m.
Saturday, June 14
- No. 15 UCLA vs. Murray State, 11 a.m.
- No. 6 LSU vs. No. 3 Arkansas, 4 p.m.
Jarrid Denney covers high school sports and Oregon State for the Statesman Journal. He can be reached at JDenney@salem.gannett.com or on X @jarrid_denney.
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