Category: Baseball

Where does The Athletic place Florida baseball in their preseason top 25?

Taking a look at where the Gators stack up in The Athletic’s college baseball preseason top 25 rankings.

The Florida baseball team has been ranked sixth in The Athletic’s preseason top 25, signaling high expectations for the upcoming 2025 season. Despite losing standout two-way player Jac Caglianone to MLB, the Gators boast a roster brimming with talent and potential.

Florida bolstered their roster with talented newcomers like outfielders Blake Cyr and Kyle Jones, enhancing both their defensive and offensive capabilities. However, challenges remain as Florida must revamp a struggling pitching staff and fill the leadership void left by last year’s seniors.

But, the Gators have an impressive lineup featuring infielders Colby Shelton and Cade Kurland, who together slammed 34 homers last season.

Florida baseball head coach Kevin O’Sullivan and his squad have a lot to look forward to this season and the Gators aim to compete as a contender in the SEC, but there are still some questions with the pitching staff.

The Athletic sports writer Teddy Cahill placed Florida at No. 6 in his preseason top 25 rankings. This is what he had to say as well as what an opposing coach said about the Gators.

What The Athletic said about Florida

Why they’re ranked here: “Florida lost two-way sensation Jac Caglianone to pro ball but is not short on talent in 2025. It returns its powerful double-play combination of shortstop Colby Shelton and second baseman Cade Kurland, who combined for 34 home runs. Right-hander Liam Peterson took his lumps as a freshman in the rotation last season but is primed for a step forward. Florida supplemented its returners with a strong group of newcomers, including outfielders Blake Cyr (Miami) and Kyle Jones (Stetson).”

Why there’s room for improvement: “Florida last season was uncharacteristically bad on the mound and now must replace five of the six pitchers who threw more than 40 innings in 2024. The Gators also lost some key leaders and must replace their presence.”

Opposing coach: “They really added to their lineup and kept (Colby) Shelton. That seems like a pretty powerful lineup. I don’t know who’s going to pitch for Florida though.”

Where The Athletic ranked SEC teams

21. Mississippi State Bulldogs

18. Texas Longhorns

16. Vanderbilt Commodores

12. Georgia Bulldogs

6. Florida Gators

5. Tennessee Volunteers

4. LSU Tigers

2. Arkansas Razorbacks

1. Texas A&M Aggies

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Drayk Bowen makes a big decision about his Notre Dame future

This move makes plenty of sense for Bowen

There is a pretty long history with Notre Dame athletes playing more than one sport during their time in South Bend.

Currently, there are a few on the football team, who double-dip in other sports, as linebacker [autotag]Drayk Bowen[/autotag] is one of them. He has been part of the Irish baseball team his first two years on campus, but according to Matt Freeman, the junior won’t be on the diamond during the spring and summer.

It makes plenty of sense, as Bowen didn’t play as a freshman and saw time in just three games last year. By putting all of his focus towards football, it hypothetically increases his ceiling for Notre Dame and the next level.

The Saint John native broke out on the gridiron this fall, with 78 tackles, a sack and three forced fumbles. Bowen has all the tools to succeed at the next level, and with a big season in the fall, he could have a very hard decision in front of him.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Drayk Bowen (34) knocks the ball away from Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) for a fumble in the fourth quarter during the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025.

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Florida earns highest preseason ranking from Baseball America

The 2025 baseball season is just around the corner, and one major publication has Florida ranked No. 7 ahead of Opening Day.

College baseball begins in just over two weeks, and the Florida Gators are once again ranked among the top teams in the country at No. 7 by Baseball America.

“Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said he learned valuable lessons in 2024 when the Gators were one of the last teams included in the Field of 64 and reached Omaha despite finishing the regular season ranked last in the SEC in ERA,” reads Florida’s blurb in the rankings.

“It led him to lean more heavily on the transfer portal, where he added center fielder and leadoff hitter Kyle Jones from Stetson and Miami transfer Blake Cyr (BA’s No. 10 transfer), among others.

“Between transfers and key offensive returners, Florida should be a force at the plate. How well it can pitch with mostly returners and freshmen will likely determine whether or not the Gators can return to regular-season dominance.”

All preseason rankings are blind stabs to some degree, but Florida has consistently near the bottom of the top 10 ahead of the 2025 campaign. D1Baseball had the Gators at No. 10 and UF was ranked No. 11 overall by Perfect Game earlier this month.

Florida was one of the final four teams remaining in the College World Series ago, but the loss of Jac Caglianone has many wondering how the Gators will perform.

A returning core of juniors needs to step up on offense, led by shortstop Colby Shelton. As mentioned above, the transfers need to fill in the obvious gaps from 2024, and last year’s freshmen need to take the sophomore step forward every coach hopes for.

Florida’s schedule features 21 games against opponents ranked in the preseason by Baseball America.

Baseball America Preseason Top 25

Rank Team 2024 Record Final 2024 Rank
1 Texas A&M 53-15 2
2 LSU 43-23 NR
3 Tennessee 60-13 1
4 Arkansas 44-16 15
5 Virginia 46-17 8
6 Florida State 49-17 5
7 Florida 36-30 6
8 Clemson 44-16 11
9 Oregon State 45-16 9
10 Duke 40-20 24
11 Georgia 43-17 10
12 North Carolina 48-16 10
13 Oklahoma State 42-19 18
14 Texas 36-24 NR
15 Vanderbilt 38-23 NR
16 NC State 38-23 7
17 Wake Forest 38-22 NR
18 Mississippi State 40-23 17
19 Oregon 40-20 12
20 Kentucky 46-16 3
21 Dallas Baptist 45-15 NR
22 Arizona 36-23 21
23 UC Santa Barbara 44-14 20
24 UC Irvine 45-14 25
25 Indiana 33-26-1 NR

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2025 Tennessee baseball preview: Reese Chapman

2025 Tennessee baseball preview: Outfielder Reese Chapman

Tennessee will open its 2025 baseball season on Feb. 14 against Hofstra for a three-game series at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

The Vols will also host UNC Asheville, Samford (three-game series) and North Alabama before playing away from Lindsey Nelson Stadium in 2025.

Tennessee will compete in the 25th annual Astros Foundation College Classic at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas.

The Vols will join Texas A&M, Arizona, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State and Rice in the Astros Foundation College Classic field between Feb. 28-March 2.

Tennessee will play Oklahoma State on Feb. 28, while facing Rice on March 1 and Arizona on March 2.

Reese Chapman enters his third season at Tennessee in 2025. The 6-foot-1, 212-pound junior outfielder appeared in 50 games, including 32 starts, for the Vols in 2024.

He recorded a .274 batting average, .519 slugging percentage, .398 on-base percentage, seven home runs, 31 RBIs, 22 runs, 29 hits, five doubles, 17 walks, 38 strikeouts and two stolen bases in 106 at-bats.

Chapman also totaled three sacrifice flies, one sacrifice hit, grounded out in three double plays and was hit by seven pitches.

He totaled 33 put-outs, one error and a .971 fielding percentage defensively.

Tennessee enters its upcoming season after winning the College World Series, SEC Tournament and the SEC regular-season championship in 2024.

READ: 2025 SEC baseball week-by-week schedule

Reese Chapman. Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Two former Tigers sign with the same MLB team

Two Tigers land with the Rockies.

Two former Clemson baseball players have officially joined the professional ranks, as Jacob Hinderleider and Jimmy Obertop signed free-agent contracts with the Colorado Rockies, Clemson Baseball announced this weekend.

Hinderleider, a Kaneohe, Hawaii, native, spent four years at Davidson before transferring to Clemson for the 2024 season. Known for his versatility, he stepped in as Clemson’s first baseman before transitioning to shortstop after Andrew Ciufo’s injury. A co-winner of Clemson’s Defensive MVP Award, Hinderleider had an impressive 2024 campaign, hitting .336 with 13 home runs, 17 doubles, 60 RBIs, and a .580 slugging percentage in 59 games. Over his collegiate career, he was a consistent performer, tallying a .291 average, 38 homers, and 193 RBIs across 229 games.

Obertop, a Saint Louis, Mo., native, joined Clemson as a graduate transfer from Michigan for the 2024 season. The Tigers’ Offensive MVP, he shined in his final college campaign, posting a .303 batting average with 22 home runs, 11 doubles, and 56 RBIs in 57 games. Primarily a catcher, Obertop also played at first base and as a designated hitter. Over his college career, he recorded 51 home runs, 153 RBIs, and a .544 slugging percentage in 191 games.

Lucky Paul Skenes card finder turns down offer, sends card to auction

The Paul Skenes debut card was found, but the the finder is turning down a big offer from the Pirates and Livvy Du

A lucky 11-year-old found the only [autotag]Paul Skenes[/autotag] debut rookie card featuring a jersey patch and a Skenes autograph. He’ll be putting the card up for option, declining an offer from the Pittsburgh Pirates that included season tickets for 30 years behind home plate, a meet and greet with Paul Skenes, and two signed jerseys.

Along with the Pirates’ offer, Skenes’ girlfriend and LSU gymnast [autotag]Olivia Dunne[/autotag] offered to take in a Pirates game in her suite.

Topps shared a journal entry written by the finder. He called finding the card “a dream come true.”

The proceeds from the sale will be donated to Los Angeles fire relief funds.

Skenes made his MLB debut last spring, less than a year after being drafted. In 133 innings, Skenes posted a 1.96 ERA with 170 strikeouts. He won NL Rookie of the Year while finishing third in NL Cy Young voting. He finished No. 19 in the MVP race.

Three UNC baseball stars make preseason history with All-America honors

The Diamond Heels have a trio of All-Americans heading into the 2025 college baseball season.

The 2024 college baseball season was a magical ride for the North Carolina Tar Heels, who continued to show why they’re one of the sport’s best.

UNC compiled a 48-16 record, won its first regular season ACC Championship since 2013 and, to one-up those achievements, reached its first College World Series in six years.

The Diamond Heels won so much because everyone stepped up. North Carolina dealt with injuries, particularly to its pitching staff, but reserves rose to the occasion.

That’s why it shouldn’t come as a surprise that a few of those UNC stars earned preseason honors.

Starting pitcher Jason DeCaro, relief pitcher Matthew Matthijs and catcher Luke Stevenson each earned D1Baseball Preseason All-America honors.

DeCaro didn’t start 2024 as the Diamond Heels’ ace, but unofficially earned that title after Folger Boaz’ injury. DeCaro ended his freshman season with a 6-1 win-loss record, 3.81 earned run average and North Carolina-best 78 strikeouts.

At one point, Matthijs led all of Division-I in wins. Matthijs blossomed to become UNC’s top middle reliever, ending his year with a team-best 12 wins. Matthijs finished fourth amongst D-I pitchers in victories, while adding 49 strikeouts and allowing just 49 hits.

Stevenson emerged as one of the top catchers in college baseball during 2024, starting all but one of the Diamond Heels’ 64 games. While Stevenson is a solid defensive catcher, he really made his impact at the dish, compiling a .284 batting average with 14 home runs and 58 RBIs.

With all North Carolina’s departures in the offseason, headlined by MLB first round draftee Vance Honeycutt, its above trio of DeCaro, Matthijs and Stevenson will be heavily counted on for 2025 success.

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Chase Utley missed the Hall of Fame this year but has better odds for the future

Chase Utley didn’t make the Baseball Hall of Fame this year, but his percentage of votes increased, which points to a likely selection in the future.

The Baseball Hall of Fame announced its 2025 Class on Tuesday. Former UCLA Bruin Chase Utley did not receive the 75% vote threshold he needed to reach the Hall, but that doesn’t mean it’s all bad news. 

There are very few players who earn the 75% in their opening years on the ballot. It took 2025 inductee Billy Wagner until his tenth year on the ballot to finally get the call. Utley earned 39.8% of votes in his second year on the ballot, up from 28.8% in 2024, placing already over halfway to the threshold. That puts him on a good pace to finally reach Cooperstown. 

Utley, the longtime Philadelphia Phillies second baseman, received the sixth most votes of everyone on the ballot. Utley won the World Series with the Phillies in 2008 and had two more World Series appearances with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2017 and 2018. 

ESPN baseball writer Buster Olney expressed his belief that Utley will someday be inducted.

“Advanced metrics help the case for some players who don’t have gaudy counting stats, and after two years of voting, it’s pretty clear that Chase Utley is going to be one of those guys.” Olney wrote. 

While he’s still waiting on the Baseball Hall of Fame, Utley has been in the UCLA Hall of Fame since 2010. Utley set the freshman record for home runs with 15 back in 1998 before being named an All-American his sophomore and junior seasons before getting picked in the first round of the MLB draft by Philadelphia. 

2025 Tennessee baseball preview: Cannon Peebles

2025 Tennessee Vols baseball preview: Catcher Cannon Peebles

Tennessee’s 2025 baseball season will begin on Feb. 14. The Vols will host Hofstra for a three-game nonconference series at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Tennessee enters the upcoming campaign after winning the College World Series, SEC Tournament and the SEC regular-season championship in 2024.

Junior Cannon Peebles enters his second season at Tennessee. The 5-foot-11, 194-pound catcher appeared in 54 games, including 30 starts, for the Vols in 2024.

He recorded a .216 batting average, .328 slugging percentage, .379 on-base percentage, two home runs, 24 RBIs, 30 runs, 25 hits, seven doubles, 30 walks, 34 strikeouts and two stolen bases in 116 at-bats.

Peebles also totaled four sacrifice flies, grounded out in two double plays and was hit by three pitches.

He totaled 200 put-outs, eight assists, zero errors and a .1000 fielding percentage defensively.

Cannon Peebles. Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Peebles transferred to Tennessee from North Carolina State ahead of the 2024 season.

He started 39 games in 2023 for North Carolina State as a freshman, recording a .352 batting average, 12 home runs, 50 hits, 50 RBIs, 30 runs and 27 walks. 30 starts for Peebles came as the Wolfpack’s designated hitter and nine as a catcher.

Peebles led all North Carolina State hitters with a .348 batting average and a .742 slugging percentage in ACC play, while tying for first with seven home runs.

READ: 2025 SEC baseball week-by-week schedule

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Texas A&M DH Hayden Schott explains what becoming baseball team’s 12th Man means to him

“It was one of the cooler responses I’ve seen from anything in my life. It was bringing people into the A&M world that aren’t a part of it.”

Last Friday, the Texas A&M baseball program formally announced that designated hitter Hayden Schott would be the next player to don the sacred No. 12 jersey.

Schott sat down for an exclusive interview with TexAgs earlier this week, sharing his reaction to the news being released.

“I’d say a few months back, I got a call from coach Earley and he told me,” Schott said Monday. “I knew for a while but I guess it’s hard to understand the weight of something like that when you’re in it. So I kinda was just like, we’ll release something whenever, I didn’t really think much of it. And then a couple of days (ago), whenever it got released to the public, it was one of the cooler responses I’ve seen from anything in my life. It was so cool.

“The fan base, like old friends who don’t know a lot about A&M, who were like, ‘Hey man, I just read about the 12th Man and that’s so cool.’ It was bringing people into the A&M world that aren’t really a part of it, which was really cool too.”

The top-ranked Aggies start the campaign against Elon at Blue Bell Park on Valentine’s Day at 6 p.m.

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