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College  | Story | 7/8/2020

8 For Omaha

Photo: Doug Nikhazy (Ole Miss Athletics)

Let’s be frank: it feels incredible to be thinking about the 2021 College World Series right now!  These way too early predictions are precarious at best but anything that gets us visualizing Omaha is a win right now.  So let’s take our annual run at predicting next year’s Eight for Omaha.

Arkansas



The lineup screams strength up the middle with centerfielder Christian Franklin, middle infielder Robert Moore, and catcher Casey Opitz.  Braydon Webb and Matt Goodheart make for an excellent “tier two” in this position player group.  On paper, this pitching staff offers tremendous depth yet the rotation is unsettled.  Connor Noland appeared to be making a jump but missed his final start due to a mild oblique strain.  Lefthander Patrick Wicklander struggled in 2020 and his rebound will be a key.  Newcomer Nate Wolgemuth is a righthander who probably wouldn’t make it to campus in a normal draft year.  His upper 90s fastball should make an immediate impact.  

Florida

The Gators utterly demolished the draft this year and they were already the reigning No. 1 ranked team in the country.  A rotation of Tommy Mace, Jack Leftwich, and Hunter Barco grabs the headlines but the depth on this pitching staff is obscene.  Returning freshmen Josh Rivera (shortstop) and Nathan Hickey (catcher) established themselves in short order in 2020 and centerfielder Jud Fabian is a five-tool athlete with first round upside.  On paper, this roster has no holes.  

Louisville

It seems crazy that the Cardinals could lose two first rounders on the mound (Reid Detmers, Bobby Miller) and still have pitching be a strength of this club.  But that is the case because Luke Smith has returned along with bullpen aces Adam Elliott and Michael Kirian.  Smith has a Friday night mentality if not quite the usual stuff for that role and the rest of the rotation is a question mark.  The position player group looks like an Olympic Decathlon team as it might be the most athletic group in the country.  Alex Binelas adds a pure and proven middle of the order bat.  


Ole Miss

The Rebels made a loud statement in 2020 and that team had Omaha written all over them.  Anthony Servideo and Tyler Keenan are huge losses but the entire rest of the roster returns.  The rotation matches up with anyone.  Lefthanded gunslinger Doug Nikhazy is a proven commodity and vastly improved righthander Gunnar Hogland might be the best Saturday guy in the SEC in 2021.  What the lineup lacks in star power, it makes up for with depth and versatility.  Returning freshman Peyton Chatagnier and Hayden Dunhurst are middle of the field defenders who could emerge as top of the league offensive pieces.

Texas Tech

It is amazing to observe the frequency with which the Red Raiders have made this list under Tim Tadlock.  It is easy to forget that Texas Tech’s first ever CWS appearance occurred in 2014.  This club returns the makings of an elite pitching staff starting with Micah Dallas, Hunter Dobbins, Mason Montgomery, and Jakob Brustoski.  The position player group will be typically athletic and tough-minded led by Jace Jung, Dylan Neuse, and Cal Conley.  Returning freshman Nate Rombach is the most unique player in this lineup as he offers 20 plus homerun potential.

UCLA

Ace Zach Pettway’s stuff made a jump in 2020 and he already offers elite pitchability.  The bullpen remains a huge strength despite the loss of Holden Powell to the draft as veterans Kyle Mora and Michael Townsend bring over 130 career appearances to the party.  Matt McLain shows signs of becoming the star his pedigree suggests and this is a deep position player group.  In fact, this may be the deepest roster in College Baseball.

Vanderbilt

Never before have two college teammates gone first and second overall in the MLB Draft.  Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter could conceivably change that in 2021, thus forming the Commodores’ Omaha case for next season.  The pitching staff also shows great depth as Ethan Smith, Thomas Schultz, Michael Doolin, and Sam Hliboki all turned in outstanding performances in 2020.  While this should be one of the nation’s best run prevention outfits, the offense is a real concern with no proven middle of the order bats returning.  

Virginia

After a very brief departure, the Cavaliers are back to being a national factor in College Baseball.  The returning sophomore duo of Nic Kent and Zack Gelof play with the competitiveness of the old school Virginia teams that frequented Omaha.  Getting high leverage reliever Andrew Abbott back was a surprise that changes the equation.  And the rest of the roster is littered with high end talents like centerfielder Chris Newell and lefthander Nate Savino.  Rotation arms Griff McGarry and Mike Vasil appear to be right on the verge of making a big jump.  

8 for the Supers

Arizona: The Wildcats are a trifecta of a draft gone well, a returning pitching staff on the rise, and their signature explosive offense.  

Georgia Tech: Luke Waddell started for the 2019 College National Team and Kevin Parada might be the best true freshman hitter in America next year.

Mississippi State: Rowdey Jordan and Tanner Allen are the signature lineup pieces here while Christian MacLeod has solidified himself as a bona fide Friday night arm.

South Carolina: The draft literally could not have gone any better for the Gamecocks and returning freshman third baseman Brennan Milone is a star in the making.

TCU: The Horned Frogs return an outrageously experienced club as both the entire lineup and rotation are back.  Lefthander Russell Smith broke out in 2020 and righthander Charles King has excelled in a variety of roles.  

Texas: Veteran middle of the order bat Austin Todd will lead a young but very talented position player group while Ty Madden and Pete Hansen front a pitching staff with a depth of premium arms.  

Tulane: The Green Wave ran out to a 15-2 record in 2020 and the majority of that squad is back.  This is a high-scoring, veteran offense and ace Braden Olthoff posted an astounding 47:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio.  

UCSB: The Gauchos went 13-2 in 2020 and return the entire roster including a weekend rotation (Rodney Boone, Michael McGreevy, and Zach Torra) that pitched to a combined ERA of 1.22.

 

College | Story | 12/12/2025

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Nebraska Cornhuskers 2025 Highlights: The Cornhuskers were a difficult team to figure in ’25 as they finished with 33 wins, played just .500 (15-15) in the Big Ten but had some big wins at various times during the season and got hot at the right time. They knocked off then #16 Vanderbilt in the second game of the year, beat #5 Oregon State 2-out-of-3 at home in late March and then got hot at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha to win the Big Ten Tournament. They beat Michigan State in a 10-inning thriller before taking care of #4 Oregon, knocking off Penn State and then shutout #13 UCLA to punch their ticket to the Chapel Hill Regional. Head coach Will Bolt has now led his alma mater to three conference titles and three NCAA Regional appearances during his six years in Lincoln. No different than when he was a player, Bolt’s teams play with passion and toughness, this was never more...
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Finest in the Field: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 | Class of 2028 These guys might just be entering high school, but they've certainly already made a name for themselves on the national circuit, especially with their abilities on the defensive side of things.  C: Xavier Rodriguez (Logansville, GA) Rodriguez is a polished defender with real arm strength behind the dish, while showcasing the ability to impact the baseball with authority to all fields evident by thirty of his sixty-five hits going for extra-bases including seven bombs. He handles high-level pitching extremely well, commands his staff and his offensive prowess makes him a true two-way asset. 1B: Cooper Knight (Buda, TX) Knight is a smooth operator at first base with plenty of range, fluidity and agility in his footwork around the bag. Add-in a rocket for an arm, the ability to change slots and to...
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AJ Denny
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Best Game I Saw: The Dream NTL 18U vs. MBA Scout Team Murphy Jupiter always brings out the best, and we got fireworks from the jump. Turner Marshall gave The Dream an outstanding 4+ innings of work on the mound, holding a lethal MBA team at bay with Chance Dixon, Derrick Carter, and Ellis Appling providing an offensive spark out of the gate for the Georgia based boys. However, it was only a matter of time before the talent on the other side got going, as MBA erased a 3-run deficit in the 5th to take a 4-3 lead led by a Parker Loew HR. The Dream then took command again in the Top of the 6th, before MBA punched right back with a huge 5-run inning in the bottom half capped off by a clutch RBI single from Matthew Kerrigan, ending a wild sequence with tons of notable performances from two very competitive rosters. Best Tournament Performance I Saw: Surely someone has already brought this...
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Troy Sutherland
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Finest in the Field: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 You like athletes? You like defenders who can impact a game at any given point? Look not further than this class as it's loaded from coast-to-coast with elite defenders all over the diamond.  C: Brogan Witcher, Bakersfield, CA Our scouting staff got several strong looks at Witcher whether that was at the Summer Kickoff, Sophomore National or the Underclass All American Games where he showcased his strong overall skillset and especially his advanced ability behind the plate. His 6-foot-3,180 pound build looks like one that will fill in quite nicely and be that big and physical catcher’s frame. His arm talent is undeniable where he gets it out quick and runs it up to 79 mph on throwdowns to 2nd (1.84 pop). Besides the standout catch/throw ability, we’ve seen him frame/receive strong arms and block it well during...
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Dave Durbala
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Press Release | Press Release | 12/11/2025

PG Believe In Baseball Announces Awards Dinner

Perfect Game Staff
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Tyler Henninger
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Youth Baseball Exec. DeDonatis III Joins PG

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Youth Baseball Executive Don DeDonatis III Joins PG By Jim Salisbury  It’s free-agent season in baseball and Perfect Game has landed a big one. Don DeDonatis III joined PG as a consultant in November. The DeDonatis name is synonymous with youth baseball and softball. Along with his dad, Don Jr., DeDonatis helped build USSSA into a big hitter in the game. He brings decades of experience and knowledge to PG. “We all acknowledge that Donny has moved on from USSSA,” PG CEO Rob Ponger said. “This is a new chapter for him and we hope both sides take advantage of it to help youth sports in general. “The DeDonatis name has a legacy attached to it and we’re hoping that Donny is going to help us. PG is a growing brand and he’s on board to help.” DeDonatis was CEO at USSSA from 2018 until his exit from the company two years ago. “I’m...
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