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College  | Story  | 2/14/2018

2018 College Ball: Staff Picks

Patrick Ebert      Mike Rooney      Vincent Cervino      Jheremy Brown      Greg Gerard     
Photo: Brian Hennessy



2018 Perfect Game College Baseball Preview Index

With the 2018 college baseball season set to begin on Friday, Patrick Ebert, Mike Rooney, Vinnie Cervino, Jheremy Brown, Brian Sakowski and Greg Gerard take their turns making predictions on several different categories. Those categories as listed below are split between individual player honors and achievements, both in relationship to the college baseball season and the MLB Draft, as well as team prognostications on how things may shake out over the next several months.


Impact Freshman
Freshmen have always played a big role in their teams' overall success, although their initial production isn't easy to predict. Look no further than Tyler Dyson, who took the mound to start Florida's final game of the 2017 season and picked up the win in their championship-clinching victory over LSU.

Brady McConnell, Florida
True freshman and 2016 PG All-American Brady McConnell is poised to be the opening day shortstop for the Gators and has a chance for a tremendous season. One of the top draft-eligble prospects coming out of high school a year ago in the state of Florida, McConnell’s skill-set is well known with a slick glove, potential plus run tool, and a loose, projectable swing path. He could be a special player for the Gators much like Dalton Guthrie was the past three years. – VC
Brady McConnell (Alex de la Osa)
Daniel Cabrera, Louisiana State
Cabrera is expected to make an immediate impact for the Tigers as the team’s No. 3 hitter. He has game-changing speed and a big arm from the outfield, which also could allow him to make an impact out of the bullpen as a lefthanded pitcher. The biggest impact he should have will come at the plate as part of an already dynamic offense, and arguably the best outfield in college baseball with Zach Watson and Antoine Duplantis. – PE

Kyle Jacobsen, South Carolina
Jacobsen has the skill-set, especially with the bat, to jump right into the thick of things and transform into a go-to bat for the Gamecocks in the SEC. Jacobsen is a physical built righthanded hitter who can drive the ball both to the gaps and over the fence while making a defensive impact in center field. A former Perfect Game All-American, the Georgia native heads into the 2018 campaign as a premier freshman talent. – JB

Heston Kjerstad, Arkansas
Kjerstad is the projected left fielder for the Razorbacks and he is an athletic lefthanded hitter with size at 6-foot-3 and 203-pounds. Kjerstad, who dominated Arkansas’ fall season, grew into his physicality later in high school so he developed excellent bat-to-ball skills as a smaller player. He will also be the beneficiary of hitting in one of the nation’s most explosive lineups. – MR

Willie Escala, Miami
With an incredibly young Miami team, especially on the infield, it was hard to choose just one from the group that could make an immediate impact. Out of South Dade Senior High School, Escala is projected to be the Hurricanes starting shortstop from day one. With high contact skills and outstanding speed, the Miami native can make an immediate impact on the diamond for his hometown Canes. – GG

Alejandro Toral, Miami
Any time a freshman gets to campus, be it in a Power 5 conference or not, and immediately inserts himself into the middle of the lineup and is expected to produce right away, you have a pretty special player on your hands. One of the more interesting bats in the 2017 draft class, Alejandro Toral made it to campus at Miami and, not surprisingly, is immediately expected to hit in the middle of the lineup and hit for both average and power. – BS


Impact Transfer
Similar to freshmen, transfers are a tricky group of players to evaluate, and in addition to the "traditional" school-to-school transfers and junior college students, graduate students are making a bigger impact on the college game.

Zack Haake, Kentucky
A junior college transfer, Haake is slated to open the season as the Cats’ closer, and while others in this category may serve in an everyday capacity, the 6-foot-6 righthander’s presence at the back end of games could prove pivotal for a deep run. Not only does he have the size, Haake has the arsenal to make for an uncomfortable at-bat, living in the mid-90s with his heater which he complements with advanced secondary stuff. – JB
Hunter Feduccia (LSU-Eunice Athletics)
J.J. Montgomery, UCF
A transfer from Northwest Florida State Junior College, Montgomery can run his fastball up to 97 mph and is expected to be the Knights’ starter every Friday night. In 2016 Montgomery was drafted by the Giants in the 33rd round, but opted to attend Northwest Florida State rather than signing. Heading into 2018 he is one of the American Athletic Conference’s top prospects and could be a huge asset to an already very talented UCF squad. – GG

Zach Neff, Mississippi State
The Bulldogs will be looking for pitchers to step up after closer Spencer Price was lost to injury for the 2018 season and gradate transfer Zach Neff should be able to provide quality innings. He doesn’t have overpowering stuff but he shows good pitchability and command and is at his best when he works the corners. Neff figures to be a key cog in the early season strategy for coach Cannizaro his 25th-ranked Bulldogs. – VC

Hunter Feduccia, Louisiana State
College coaches are pretty unified when talking about the importance of the catcher position, and while it’s always helpful when you can bring in a freshman and develop him, any time you can get a catcher transfer of the talent and polish of Hunter Feduccia, you have to do it. He brings impact tools both defensively and offensively and shouldn’t miss a beat managing the LSU pitching staff, and as such has a chance to be a high draft choice in June. – BS

Danny Reyes, Miami
A big reason why we went all in on Miami to open the 2018 season is because we believe the offense is going to be dramatically improved. Reyes’ presence is a big reason for that, a PG All-American in 2014 that began his college career at Florida before moving on to Broward College, where he hit .335-7-43 a year ago. He along with Romy Gonzalez, Hunter Tackett, Michael Amditis and an impressive freshman class could form a lethal lineup. – PE

A.J. Balta, Texas Christian
Balta is a Southern California native who made 138 starts in his three years at Oregon. The lefthanded hitter combines outstanding instincts with a well-rounded game (career stats of 45 extra-base hits, 88 RBI, and 14 stolen bases) and he should be perfect for Bill Mosiello’s offensive system. – MR


Impact Senior
So much of a team's projected success has to do with the productive players they return from the previous season, and the seniors especially are pointed to not only for their production on the field but their leadership qualities both on and off.

Jack Labosky, Duke
Picture if you will a righthanded and oversized (6-foot-3, 235-pounds) version of Mark Kotsay. Labosky brings a wealth of experience to the table: 58 appearances on the mound and over 600 plate appearances in his Duke career. This is a middle-of-the-order bat who will also close out games for the Blue Devils and if this club makes a deep postseason run Labosky will be right in the middle of it. – MR
Luis Alvarado (Nebraska Athletics)
Luke Bonfield, Arkansas
Bonfield has hit 17 home runs combined the last two seasons, driving in nearly 90 runs during that time. He is a bat-first player expected to serve as Arkansas’ designated hitter this year in the middle of one of the nation’s most lethal lineups 1-9. Bonfield has a knack for squaring up the ball and hitting hit hard with an aggressive righthanded swing, and a big senior campaign could help make up for some of the productivity lost from Chad Spanberger. – PE

Luis Alvarado, Nebraska
Nebraska’s season outlook took a hit when Chad Luensmann went down with an injured elbow that required surgery, so the Huskers will now lean on Alvarado, their two-way star, to pitch on Friday nights while also hitting in the middle of the lineup. He’s been impactful out of the bullpen in the past, and while a transition from the ‘pen to the rotation is always tough, the senior has the stuff and the moxie to make it work. – BS

Trey Harris, Missouri
Outfielder Trey Harris underwent an offensive transformation in 2017 with a big boost in walks (32, more than he had had in his career prior to 2018) and a power spike, launching 12 home runs. He has a good combination of speed (25 career stolen bases), plate discipline and newfound power to be one of the premier run producers in the SEC for 2018. – VC

Keegan McGovern, Georgia
If the Georgia Bulldogs are going to be a contender in the SEC this year McGovern is going to have to be a team leader to a group of young and now experienced players. 2018 will be McGovern’s fourth season as a starter for the Bulldogs and has posted a career average of .274. With a big year from McGovern, Georgia could surprise a lot of people this season. – GG

Chris Williams, Clemson
While eyes will be on the Clemson pitching staff as the spring opens up, the offense returns nearly intact and will have a healthy Williams behind the dish after he missed time last season with a couple of injuries. A sound defender who elected to put his professional career on the backburner for another season, Williams finished second on the team last season with 14 home runs despite having more than 50 less at-bats than his Clemson teammates. – JB



Sleeping Giant
This group of players are already well-known commodities, both in the sense of the college game and the MLB Draft, but we're predicting even bigger and better things for them this season which could push their names even further up draft boards.

Isaiah Campbell, Arkansas
Heading into the 2017 season Arkansas expected Campbell and Blaine Knight to be a dynamic 1-2 punch atop their rotation. That didn’t happen, as Campbell missed 2017 with an injury, but is now back healthy and looks every bit like an early draft pick. With great size, power stuff and full health, he and Knight atop that rotation (along with the rest of their extremely talented team), make Arkansas a legitimate title contender in 2018. – BS
Joey Bart (Danny Karnik/GT Athletics)
Zach Linginfelter, Tennessee
2016 Perfect Game First Team All-American Zach Linginfelter has the frame and mid-90s fastball that the Yankees loved in 2016 when they took him in the 16th round of the draft. As a draft-eligible sophomore the big righthander should build off of a solid freshman campaign in which he tossed 56 1/3 inning and posted a 3.67 ERA. After a short but strong summer season on the Cape, the Tennessee Volunteer could rise up draft boards quickly. – GG

Joe Davis, Houston
The 6-foot, 230-pound Davis is an immensely strong righthanded hitter with surprising bat-to-ball skills for a player his size. That rare combination of contact and raw power is yet to be seen in its full splendor as Davis has battled through multiple injuries in his first two seasons. If Davis can put together a healthy 2018 the upside is 40 extra-base hits and an AAC Player of the Year award. – MR

Jake McCarthy, Virginia
If the McCarthy name sounds familiar at Virginia it’s because Jake’s older brother Joe also played outfield for the Cavaliers, hitting a big home run early at the 2015 College World Series for the eventual champions. Jake is a more toolsed-up version whose game is highlighted by his game-changing speed, stealing 27 bases in 29 attempts a year ago. Overall he slashed .338/.425/.506 and is poised to have an even bigger season. – PE

Joey Bart, Georgia Tech
Bart isn’t much of a sleeper as he hit .293-13-43 last season as a sophomore backstop in the ACC, but with a similar spring there’s a strong chance he vaults himself securely into a first-round selection. He’s a well-rounded prospect who should stick behind the dish at the next level with loose actions and big arm strength, only enhancing the value he brings to the plate with an all-fields approach and power that has proven to play against the best arms in the country. – JB

Carlos Cortes, South Carolina
With one of the loudest hit tools in the conference, Cortes has always done one thing very well: mash. The position is a little bit of a question mark but Cortes has shown above average power and launched 12 home runs in 2017. The 2015 PG All-American has a patient approach in the batter’s box and had a very strong fall showing, and when the dust settles come June Cortes may be one of the most polished hitters available as a draft-eligible sophomore. – VC



Golden Spikes Award
Some players transcend the game, and this group in particular has what it takes to win college baseball's most prestigious award.

Braden Shewmake, Texas A&M
Perfect Game’s 2017 Freshman of the Year, Shewmake returns to the Aggies poised to lead a potent team. He will be transitioning to shortstop this season, which he has the athleticism and arm strength to play, and has some of the best barrel feel in the country. Shewmake also slugged .529 last year and stole 11 bases as one of the most important players to his team who is poised for an absolutely dominant season. – VC
Nick Madrigal (Scobel Wiggins)
Griffin Conine, Duke
There wasn’t a hotter name last summer than Conine’s who lit the Cape Cod League on fire. Each of the last two summers Conine has outperformed his spring numbers, both in the Cape and the Northwoods League, and if his fall performance was any indication, Blue Devil fans have a treat coming to them this spring. He possesses the quintessential right field profile with a power arm and big strength to all fields, but also impresses with his speed and overall athleticism. – JB

Nick Madrigal, Oregon State
We’ve been enamored with Madrigal since his high school days when he played with the prestigious CBA travel team, and he’s done nothing but be the best player on the field ever since those youth days. Now into his draft year and expected to be a first round pick come June, Madrigal has all the components when looking for a Golden Spikes winner. He should put up gaudy numbers while playing premium defense and leading a potential title-winning club. – BS

Nick Madrigal, Oregon State
During his first two years at Oregon State Madrigal has made quite the name for himself, finishing 2016 as the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and finishing last year as the Pac-12 Player of the Year. Given that career progression the next logical step for the dynamic middle infielder is the Golden Spikes Award, a more than fitting honor for the best players on ones of the nation’s best teams. – PE

Seth Beer, Clemson
What happens when you combine a naturally gifted lefthanded swing with size (6-foot-3, 195-pounds), elite command of the strike zone (126 walks in two seasons) and plus make-up? You get Seth Beer becoming the first freshman in the history of the league to win ACC Player of the Year. Then you get Beer backing that up with a “down” sophomore season that included 16 home runs and 53 RBI. While he is certainly a divisive prospect there is no question that Seth Beer is one of the most productive players in America. – MR

Seth Beer, Clemson
A season in which a college player bats .298-16-53 and it is considered a down year is a unique scenario and that’s the case Seth Beer made after his dominant freshman year. As a freshman in 2016, Beer had an incredible year (.369-18-70), unlike any other freshman season in history en route to being a Golden Spikes Award finalist. This is the year Beer breaks through and gets the Golden Spikes award leading the Clemson Tigers. – GG



College World Series Sleeper
These teams open the year with a chip on their shoulder after being shunned from the initial Top 25 but certainly have what it takes to reach the promised land.

UCF
If the pieces come together for the Knights 2018 could be a very big year for them. The biggest question mark going into the 2018 season is how well a number of junior college transfers fare making the transition to the Division I level in the highly competitive American Athletic Conference. Sophomore slugger Rylan Thomas is expected to build off of his freshman season in which he led the team in homers (14) and RBI (53) and Bryce Tucker is one of the nation’s stingiest closers. – PE
Rylan Thomas (UCF Athletics)
Vanderbilt
There’s no doubt that the Vanderbilt coaching staff knows how to recruit and develop their talent once on campus, as their history of first round talent has proven. The 2017 recruiting class is nothing short of exceptional and how they mesh with the existing roster is going to be the key factor. Patrick Raby will go toe-to-toe with any Friday night arm, and Julian Infante had a huge sophomore season at the plate. How the rest of the pieces fall into place remains to be seen, but the talent is there. – JB

Auburn
With a chip on their shoulder after losing to Florida State in the Regionals last season the Tigers are hungry for the 2018 season. With National Pitcher of the Year candidate Casey Mize taking the mound every Friday night, the Tigers also put together a talented lineup headed by middle infielder Luke Jarvis, versatile athlete Conor Davis and outfielder Jay Estes. With a strong offensive showing day in and day out for Auburn, the Tigers have the pieces in place to make a run at Omaha. – GG

Cal Poly
Over the last six seasons the Mustangs have 210 victories (35 per season) which is the third highest total among the 24 Division I programs in the state of California. Larry Lee’s 2017 club got off to a terrible 3-11 start but still recovered to finish all alone in second place of the Big West at 16-8. And the Big West has placed a team in Omaha in four consecutive seasons. Much of Cal Poly’s 2017 team returns and this program has recent Regional experience (2009, 2013, 2014). – MR

Dallas Baptist
The Patriots have made it to Regional play in six of the last seven years as well as four years in a row out of the Missouri Valley Conference, and have some of the top players and overall prospects in college baseball. Catcher Matt Duce, third baseman Devlin Granberg and outfielder Jameson Hannah give the preseason 32nd-ranked team elite talent near the top of the lineup. The rotation will also have a very high ceiling led by pitchers MD Johnson and Ray Gaither. – VC

West Virginia
A team that has to replace a good bit of production from a year ago, West Virginia has several extremely intriguing pieces in place that, if developed as expected, could make some serious noise coming out of the Big 12. Alek Manoah leads the way on the mound and should be able to go toe-to-toe with anyone else in the conference on Fridays while Darius Hill in the outfield has legitimate star-level tools and should be a high draft choice. – BS



Sleeping Giant, Among Giants
Here are a handful of teams listed within the Top 25, but outside of the Top 10, that have serious upside and could be eyeing a National Championship come June.

Indiana
The lone Big Ten team ranked in the preseason Top 25, Indiana looks to be the class of the conference heading into 2018. With a legitimate ace in Jonathan Stiever atop their rotation and followed by several very good arms, with two-way sensation Matt Lloyd closing out games, the pitching staff should be very good. They should be able to hit too, led by Logan Sowers, Luke Miller and Lloyd. – BS
Braden Shewmake (Texas A&M Athletics)
Oklahoma
A rising tide lifts all ships and Oklahoma should benefit from playing in a Big 12 Conference that is on a roll. Skip Johnson, while in his first year as the head coach at Oklahoma, is a college baseball veteran who knows what winning at the highest level looks like. This team has an intriguing combination of veteran pitching (38 returning starts), high-end hitters (Steele Walker, Brylie Ware) and impact freshmen (Tyler Hardman). – MR

Texas A&M
The raw talent on paper is overwhelming for the Aggies and if it all comes together this is a team that could be a shoo-in for Omaha. Shewmake is a legit superstar and the pitching depth should be a huge strength as senior Kaylor Chafin returns along with draft prospects Stephen Kolek and Mitchell Kilkenny. Asa Lacy and Jack Conlon had huge falls and figure to see important innings as true freshmen. – VC

Cal State Fullerton
The Titans have some upside to make a repeat Omaha run after starting 19th in the Perfect Game Preseason Top 25. After an unfortunate 0-2 exit at TD Ameritrade Park a season ago, the Sleeping ‘Titans’ Among Giants are reloaded and are the favorites in the Big West. Returning high-end pitching prospect Colton Eastman and switch-hitting infielder Sahid Valenzuela after a big-time freshman season, Fullerton is in a good position to return to Omaha in 2018. – GG

Louisiana State
Lots of pivotal pieces from last season’s CWS runner-up club have moved on to the professional ranks, leaving holes throughout the lineup as well as on the mound. That said, head coach Paul Mainieri also returns some exceptional talent while welcoming in one of the premier freshmen classes in the entire country. High energy righthander Zack Hess transitions to the rotation while the outfield is one of the more exciting ones in the nation with the trio of Zach Watson, Antoine Duplantis and star freshman Daniel Cabrera. – JB

Louisville
It didn’t feel right ranking the Cardinals outside of the top 10 (14th) to open the year, but they did lose a lot of significant pieces, including 2017 Golden Spikes Award winner Brendan McKay. However, no team reloads as efficiently as Louisville does with impressive depth and star talent ready to carry them through their always-difficult ACC schedule. Speaking of which, since moving to the Atlantic Coast Conference the Cardinals under head coach Dan McDonnell have only lost four conference series in three seasons. – PE



Super Regional Cinderella
What teams that aren't ranked among the preseason Top 25 and Top 40 have the highest chance of advancing to a Super Regional? We have your answer here:

Saint Mary's 
Skipper Eric Valenzuela has changed the way business is done in the West Coast Conference and Saint Mary’s is operating at a very high level right now. The Gaels went to a Regional in 2016 and lost in the WCC Championship game last year. Saint Mary’s returns seven starters in their lineup and sophomore righthander Kevin Milam is one of the best two-way players in the country. – MR

Nick Sprengel (Brock Scott)
Georgia
The Bulldogs return pieces at almost every position and that year of experience could bode well for the team from Athens. With the likes of shortstop Cam Shepard, power hitting Michael Curry and senior outfielder Keegan McGovern, Georgia has experienced young weapons that could make strides this season. If those pieces come together in the gauntlet that is the SEC, the Bulldogs could return to postseason play for the first time in the Scott Stricklin era. – GG

San Diego
Despite losing some impact pieces from their 2017 squad, especially on offense, the Toreros should be a fun team to watch this year, and they get their three weekend starters back in Nick Sprengel, Paul Richan and Chris Murphy. Live-armed sophomore righthander Louie Crow had a big fall and is poised to step in as the team’s closer, while versatile do-it-all junior Jay Schuyler could have an even bigger season after hitting .352-6-32 last year. – PE

St. John’s
They say pitching is key, and more important is pitching depth, two things the current St. John’s roster boasts from Friday night starter and reigning Big East Pitcher of the Year Sean Mooney to senior Kevin Magee and hard-throwing lefty Jeff Belge, among others. The Johnnies have a handful of Big East Player of the Year favorites on offense as well, giving head coach Ed Blankmeyer a well-rounded squad that could make noise on the national landscape. – JB

Iowa
Seemingly overlooked in the Big Ten, Iowa has consistently been very good under head coach Rick Heller since he got there and they look like they have a chance at a Super in 2018. Led by our preseason conference player of the year pick Robert Neustrom, they have a chance to have a dynamic offense, though they do have to replace both Jake Adams and Mason McCoy. On the mound, JC transfer Brady Schanuel has inarguable upside, giving them a potential ace for conference play. – BS

Mercer
The Bears haven’t been to the postseason in the past two years, however, the combination of returning offensive talent and high ceiling arms makes them dangerous out of the Southern Conference. J.T. Thomas had an outstanding season as a junior while senior Trey Truitt returns after being hampered by injuries in 2017. Austin Cox and Nick Spear give the Bears two arms that get into the mid-90s who could be poised for huge seasons. – VC



2018 CWS Champion?
Florida opens the 2018 season as the No. 1 team after finishing 2017 as the National Champion. So this topic is pretty straight forward: who is the pick to win it all?

Florida State
The Seminoles hope that the stars are aligned for Eleven’s first CWS championship given their returning talent and star power for the 2018 season. Lefthander Tyler Holton is one of the most consistent starters in the sport while Cole Sands could be poised for a breakout season. Jackson Lueck is arguably the team’s top hitter, slugging junior Cal Raleigh also returns behind the dish and Drew Mendoza looks poised for a breakout year following a strong freshman campaign. – VC
Sean Wymer (TCU Athletics)
Kentucky
There’s a new colonel in Kentucky as Nick Mingione made a big splash in Lexington during his rookie year at the helm. The entire weekend rotation remains intact, which includes reigning SEC Pitcher of the Year Sean Hjelle. Outfielder Tristan Pompey has first-round potential and he’s just one of several hitters who can make opposing pitchers pay. As an offense the Wildcats hit .316 a year ago while holding the opposition to a .230 batting average, two key numbers that helped them go 43-23. – JB

Arkansas
Arkansas is absolutely loaded, with a big time 1-2 punch atop their staff in Blaine Knight and Isaiah Campbell. Their offense is loaded as well, though they’ll have to replace Chad Spanberger, with Dom Fletcher, Jax Biggers, Grant Koch, Carson Shaddy and Luke Bonfield being joined by immediate impact freshman Heston Kjerstad. If they stay healthy and the young guys come along as expected, they have every chance to win it all in Omaha. – BS

Texas Christian
Outside of Coastal Carolina’s miraculous 2016 run it seems that recent national champions have had to pay their dues in Omaha before finally breaking through to a title. TCU fits that mold beautifully as they will vie for their fifth straight trip to the CWS in 2018. This program starts with arguably the best player development coaching staff in the country, and if you’re looking for a benchmark, righthander Sean Wymer was one of the most dominant pitchers in Omaha last June, and he is the projected Sunday starter. – MR

Oregon State
Last season the Beavers had a historical run through the Pac-12, losing only three games and finishing the conference schedule 27-3. Nick Madrigal returns as the team’s offensive leader and Luke Heimlich returns as the team’s leader on the mound. Beaver Nation has the weapons to contend strongly for a repeat Pac-12 title as well as a return to Omaha with the ultimate hope of a College World Series Championship. – GG

Oregon State
The Beavers arrived in Omaha last year with a remarkable 54-4 record, and after rolling over LSU in their second game with a 13-1 win, the Tigers rebounded well and eliminated Oregon State with back-to-back wins. The pitching staff once again looks especially deep in Corvallis, particularly in the bullpen, and the starting lineup will mostly be the same. There is star power and depth at key positions not to mention one of the nation’s best coaching staffs fronted by skipper Pat Casey. – PE
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