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College  | Story  | 6/16/2017

2017 College World Series Preview

Patrick Ebert      Mike Rooney     
Photo: Tim Casey



Perfect Game College Baseball on SiriusXM

SiriusXM will be providing exclusive coverage for the first four days of the 2017 College World Series. Braden Gall of SiriusXM College Sports will be joined by Baseball America’s John Manuel, with Mike Rooney expected to jump in from time to time, breaking down all of the action from Omaha. There will be several programs broadcast during this time, including the day before to preview the event, all of which can be access by tuning in to SiriusXM College Sports, channel 84.

Here’s the schedule of the programming (all times Central):

Friday, June 16: 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 17: 11:00 a.m. - 1:40 p.m. and 5:00-6:40 p.m.
Sunday, June 18: 11:00 a.m. - 12:40 p.m. and 4:00-5:40 p.m.
Monday, June 19: 11:00 a.m. - 12:40 p.m. and 4:00-5:40 p.m.
Tuesday, June 20: 4:00-5:40 p.m.


CWS Set, Super Regional Recap | McKay Leads ’17 College Awards
2017 College All-Americans | 2017 Freshman All-Americans


Bracket 1

Oregon State vs. Cal State Fullerton
Saturday, June 17, 2:00 p.m. CT

Louisiana State vs. Florida State
Saturday, June 17, 7:00 p.m. CT

• The winners of the two games will play on Monday, June 19 at 6:00 p.m. CT.
• The losers of the two games will play in an elimination game on Monday, June 19 at 1:00 p.m. CT.

Preseason/Pre-Postseason rank in parenthesis


Oregon State (7/1)

Preseason Prognostication:
After being left out of Regionals a year ago Pat Casey has the luxury of a 2017 roster that is both very talented and highly motivated. This group possesses the rare combination of currently productive and highly projectable, led by junior K.J. Harrison, who is one of the nation’s most dangerous hitters. Sophomore Nick Madrigal could be making the move to shortstop and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see either he or Harrison win Pac-12 Player of the Year.

How They Got To Omaha:
Won Corvallis Regional (3-0)
Won Corvallis Super Regional (2-0)

Synopsis:
The Beavers are the most complete team in the nation in 2017 and their offense was particularly impressive in the Corvallis Super Regional. Jake Thompson is now 14-0 and Bryce Fehmel outpitched first rounder Kyle Wright in the clinching game two. The offense is led by star second baseman Nick Madrigal but three-year middle-of-the-order stalwart K.J. Harrison has been super hot in the postseason. The No. 8 through leadoff spots in the order are surprisingly explosive as Christian Donohue, Cadyn Grenier and Steven Kwan provide very difficult at-bats ahead of the Beavers’ headliners. This team is 54-4 which is both remarkable and one of the best seasons in the history of college baseball to this point.

Draft Impact:
Players taken in the 2017 MLB Draft (round, team)

• Drew Rasmussen (1, Rays)
• K.J. Harrison (3, Brewers)
• Jake Thompson (4, Red Sox)
• Michael Gretler (39, Pirates)
• Max Engelbrekt (40, Nationals)


Cal State Fullerton (15/15)

Preseason Prognostication:
The Titans’ Big Three of Colton Eastman, Connor Seabold and John Gavin is arguably the most dominant weekend staff West of the Mississippi River for a program that has always been built on pitching and defense. Continued steps forward by that trio, and an offense led by senior shortstop Timmy Richards, could be more than enough for Fullerton to make a return trip to the College World Series.

How They Got To Omaha:
Won Stanford Regional (3-0)
Won Long Beach Super Regional (2-1)

Synopsis:
The Titans may very held had been a No. 1 seed had Chris Hudgins, Timmy Richards and Colton Eastman stayed healthy all season. Rick Vanderhook’s troops took out very strong Stanford and Long Beach State clubs on their way to Omaha and they appear to be playing their best baseball of the season right now. Eastman was projected to be the Friday night starter early on so having him pitch in game three gives Fullerton incredible rotation depth behind Connor Seabold and John Gavin. The Titans’ offensive approach stands out with the classic West Coast middle-of-the-field approach that should play well at TD Ameritrade Park. Dillon Persinger and Scott Hurst are two of the better hitters at the CWS in 2017 and Brett Conine is arguably the most underrated closer among a field of some very good ones.

Draft Impact:
Players taken in the 2017 MLB Draft (round, team)

• Connor Seabold (3, Phillies)
• Scott Hurst (3, Cardinals)
• John Gavin (8, Giants)
• Chris Hudgins (16, Royals)
• Dillon Persinger (18, Indians)
• Timmy Richards (24, Nationals)
• Taylor Bryant (33, Cardinals)


Louisiana State (2/3)

Preseason Prognostication:
LSU will bring back their top two starters from a season ago including likely first rounder Alex Lange who possesses an explosive fastball to go along with a hammer curveball. Jared Poche' is an experienced SEC arm who returns for his senior year. They return their up-the-middle combo in Kramer Robertson and Cole Freeman, three of their top four hitters and almost their entire lineup from a season ago.

How They Got To Omaha:
Won Baton Rouge Regional (3-0)
Won Baton Rouge Super Regional (2-0)

Synopsis:
Of the entire CWS field in Omaha, no team may be clicking on all cylinders as well as the LSU Tigers. They arrive riding a 16-game win streak, which includes sweeping the field at the SEC Tournament – made up of four different teams that all spent time ranked within the Top 25 during the 2017 season – and four different teams among their Regional and Super Regional opponents. Alex Lange and Jared Poche’ give the team quality innings while allowing their lineup – led by their top five hitters, Kramer Robertson, Cole Freeman, Antoine Duplantis, Greg Deichmann and Zach Watson – to put runs on the board. The development of freshman Eric Walker gives the team something they didn’t have two years ago while in Omaha, a quality third starter, while the defense, especially up the middle, has been airtight.

Draft Impact:
Players taken in the 2017 MLB Draft (round, team)

• Alex Lange (1, Cubs)
• Greg Deichmann (2, Athletics)
• Kramer Robertson (4, Cardinals)
• Cole Freeman (4, Nationals)
• Jared Poche’ (9, Athletics)
• Hunter Kiel (18, White Sox)
• Doug Norman (25, Reds)


Florida State – (3/20)

Preseason Prognostication:
Just one win away from advancing to the College World Series last June, the Seminoles return a very key core of position players with Taylor Walls, Dylan Busby and Cal Raleigh, and in the process has added a couple of the conference’s most hyped freshmen. The pitching will be an area to monitor but if history serves as any indication we’ll see the Seminoles fighting to the very end.

How They Got To Omaha:
Won Tallahassee Regional (4-1)
Won Tallahassee Super Regional (2-0)

Synopsis:
Florida State picked a good time to start clicking after losing five of their 10 regular season ACC weekend series. They beat Louisville twice on the road prior to winning the ACC Tournament in dramatic fashion. Overall they have won 12 of their last 13 games, their last being a 19-0 blowout of Sam Houston State to advance to Omaha for the first time since 2012. Mike Martin has yet to bring home a National Championship in his 15 previous CWS appearances but he brings with him a potent offense with few hotter hitters than outfielder Jackson Lueck and first baseman Dylan Busby. Lefthanded starter Tyler Holton has been rock solid all season long while righthander Drew Carlton is a versatile closer that can go several innings deep to lock up a win.

Draft Impact:
Players taken in the 2017 MLB Draft (round, team)

• Taylor Walls (3, Rays)
• Dylan Busby (3, Pirates)
• Quincy Nieporte (26, Phillies)
• Cobi Johnson (29, Angels)
• Drew Carlton (32, Tigers)
• Alec Byrd (33, Rockies)
• Andrew Karp (34, Cubs)
• Tyler Holton (35, Marlins)
• Jim Voyles (38, Cardinals)


Bracket 2

Louisville vs. Texas A&M
Sunday, June 18, 1:00 p.m. CT

Florida vs. Texas Christian
Sunday, June 18, 6:00 p.m. CT

• The winners of the two games will play on Tuesday, June 20 at 6:00 p.m. CT.
• The losers of the two games will play in an elimination game on Tuesday, June 20 at 1:00 p.m. CT.

Preseason/Pre-Postseason rank in parenthesis


Louisville (6/6)

Preseason Prognostication:
The Cardinals have a two-for-one in McKay as he’s not only a middle-of-the-order presence but also one of the most polished arms in the country. A model of consistency both on the mound and with the bat over his first two seasons, the coaching staff will need McKay to be at his best this season as he’ll anchor the weekend rotation as well as be a big component to the offense.

How They Got To Omaha:
Won Louisville Regional (3-0)
Won Louisville Super Regional (2-0)

Synopsis:
Dan McDonnell’s club, like Texas A&M, also exorcised Super Regional demons to reach Omaha after losing home Super Regionals to Big West teams in back-to-back seasons. PG National Player of the Year Brendan McKay has put together a historic career and it is only fitting that it will end in Omaha. Drew Ellis is one of the great redshirt stories of all time as he hit 20 bombs this year and went 44th overall to the Diamondbacks. Shortstop Devin Hairston is an elite defender and he made just three errors all season. The Cards’ rotation doesn’t have its usual depth but the bullpen more than makes up for it. Sam Bordner, Adam Wolf and Lincoln Henzman in particular have put together outstanding seasons so don’t expect Louisville to get beat late in games.

Draft Impact:
Players taken in the 2017 MLB Draft (round, team)

• Brendan McKay (1, Rays)
• Drew Ellis (2, Diamondbacks)
• Lincoln Henzman (4, White Sox)
• Devin Hairston (6, Brewers)
• Kade McClure (6, White Sox)
• Colby Fitch (13, Phillies)
• Logan Taylor (16, White Sox)
• Riley Thompson (25, Yankees)


Texas A&M (26/NR)

Preseason Prognostication:
Texas A&M is extremely deep on the mound, led by ace Brigham Hill and closer Corbin Martin. However, they will have to count on either newcomers or inexperienced veterans to replace most of the starting lineup from 2016. Pitching is far from everything in college baseball, but it certainly can carry you well into the postseason.

How They Got To Omaha:
Won Houston Regional (3-0)
Won College Station Super Regional (2-0)

Synopsis:
Rob Childress and his excellent coaching staff deserve great credit for leading this team to Omaha. Remember, the Aggies had 13 players drafted last season (which led the nation) and suffered back-to-back Super Regional heartbreaks to TCU over the last two years. This club is led by its pitching and defense and Brigham Hill is one of the more underrated aces in this CWS field. The bullpen of Cason Sherrod, Mitchell Kilkenny and Kaylor Chafin is exceptional and has already provided significant postseason innings. Second baseman Braden Shewmake was the Perfect Game National Freshman of the Year and he anchors the middle of this lineup.

Draft Impact:
Players taken in the 2017 MLB Draft (round, team)

• Corbin Martin (2, Astros)
• Brigham Hill (5, Nationals)
• Cason Sherrod (13, Royals)
• Nick Choruby (18, Nationals)
• Turner Larkins (21, Blue Jays)
• Kaylor Chafin (32, Mets)


Florida (4/5)

Preseason Prognostication:
There may not be a coach in college baseball capable of managing expectations and performing on the field quite like Kevin O'Sullivan as the Gators look to return to Omaha for the third consecutive year. He's armed with another likely high pick to deploy on Friday nights in Alex Faedo and a pair of sophomore arms in Brady Singer and Jackson Kowar, which creates a formidable weekend starting trio that could be the best in the nation.

How They Got To Omaha:
Won Gainesville Regional (3-1)
Won Gainesville Super Regional (2-1)

Synopsis:
While the Gators have been loaded with impressive drat-eligible talent each of the last two years during their CWS appearances, this year’s team has a lot more hard-fought wins under their belts, as it has taken a lot more than sheer talent for this team to advance this far. The starting three is still very good with now CWS-veteran Alex Faedo to go along with Brady Singer and Alex Faedo, as well as closer Michael Byrne, who has been dominant during the postseason. The offense hasn’t been as lethal as expected but they are showing signs of life, especially considering that only now are they starting to get healthy and back to full strength.

Draft Impact:
Players taken in the 2017 MLB Draft (round, team)

• Alex Faedo (1, Tigers)
• Dalton Guthrie (6, Phillies)
• Mike Rivera (6, Indians)
• Mark Kolozsvary (7, Reds)
• David Lee (27, Pirates)
• Frank Rubio (29, Giants)
• Deacon Liput (29, Dodgers)
• J.J. Schwarz (38, Rays)


Texas Christian (1/8)

Preseason Prognostication:
TCU boasts 22 players that were on last year's College World Series team that are returning for the 2017 season. The most significant player they lost was Dane Steinhagen, but they get a huge boost with the return of Nolan Brown, who missed the 2016 due to injury and will serve as the team's leadoff catalyst and center fielder. Brown along with Friday ace Brian Howard, projected Sunday starter Mitchell Traver and the entire infield alignment are seniors giving this team an incredible amount of experience in addition to production.

How They Got To Omaha:
Won Fort Worth Regional (3-0)
Won Fort Worth Super Regional (2-0)

Synopsis:
The Horned Frogs entered the season as the consensus No. 1 team in the nation, and while they haven’t quite lived up to that lofty billing they are playing really good baseball as of late, and could be considered somewhat of a sleeper to anyone overlooking just how good they are. Jared Janczak and Brian Howard have both been pitching extremely well during the postseason and Mitchell Traver has had two key starts. There is plenty of more depth in the bullpen, anchored by primary setup man Sean Wymer and closer Durbin Feltman. Even without Luken Baker the offense can put up a crooked number in a hurry, as Austen Wade, Nolan Brown and Cam Warner have all done a nice job setting the table for their veteran run-producing catcher, Evan Skoug.

Draft Impact:
Players taken in the 2017 MLB Draft (round, team)

• Austen Wade (5, Indians)
• Evan Skoug (7, White Sox)
• Brian Howard (8, Athletics)
• Mitchell Traver (20, Angels)
• Cam Warner (28, Tigers)
• Elliott Barzilli (32, Marlins)


2017 College World Series Prediction

Mike Rooney’s pick: Florida over Louisiana State
Patrick Ebert’s pick: Louisiana State over Louisville

Both Rooney and Ebert agree that LSU will be difficult to stop from making the CWS Finals this year, and they’ll have to take down the No. 1 overall seed, Oregon State, at some point to do so. Rooney has LSU getting beat at the hands of the Gators, who would win their first College World Series ever in the process, while Ebert sees the Tigers just too good to slow down at this point in time.

The full 2017 College World Series bracket can be viewed here.
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