8 College World Series Sleeper Teams For 2025

Image credit: Kyson Witherspoon (Photo by Eddie Kelly / ProLook Photos)

On the heels of our preseason Top 25 college baseball rankings, Baseball America presents the first edition of our “Omaha sleepers,” which provides a look at eight programs with eyes on a College World Series berth in 2025. This is not a ranking, and the eight teams below are listed in alphabetical order.

Connecticut

Under the guide of head coach Jim Penders and his staff, UConn has established itself as the premier program in the Northeast. The Huskies have made the tournament in each of the last six seasons and have captured a regional championship in two of the last three. While they lost their fair share of firepower from the 2024 team, they do return a strong core on both sides of the baseball. Veteran spark plug outfielder Caleb Shpur (.265/.372/.383) will be the straw that stirs the drink atop the lineup, and last year he collected 17 extra-base hits along with 26 stolen bases. Backstop Matt Garbowski (.285/.387/.399) will again handle the catching duties, while shortstop Bryan Padilla (.278/.376/.444) will man the six-hole.

If you’re looking for a pick to click, sophomore infielder Tyler Minick (.266/.304/.525) might be your guy. He swatted nine home runs last season and is fresh off an impressive summer in the NECBL in which he hit .304/.380/.609 with seven long balls. Fellow corner infielder Maddix Dalena (.242/.358/.511) figures to again provide plenty of thump to the middle of the lineup after clubbing 25 extra-base hits—including 13 home runs—last season.

There are more unknowns on the pitching staff, but senior righty Ian Cooke (5-2, 4.81 ERA) will anchor the rotation after putting together a career year in 2024 in which he notched 85 strikeouts. Fellow senior righthander Brady Afthim (2-3, 2.84 ERA) will hold down the back of the bullpen. Not a whole lot is set in stone outside of the aforementioned duo, but another projected rotation arm is Brown transfer Paxton Meyers. An all-Ivy League selection last year, Meyers posted a 4.43 ERA and collected 57 strikeouts across 65 innings. Though its roster might not jump off the page right now, UConn has proven that it plays its best baseball when it matters most. This year, it will look to break down the door to Omaha for the first time since 1979.

Northeastern

Speaking of premier New England programs—and also teams whose mascot is a husky—Northeastern will again be a dangerous group this spring. The Huskies last year missed the tournament, but they have made a regional in two of the last four seasons and always seem to find themselves at or near the top of the CAA standings. This year’s group will be led by dynamic junior outfielder Cam Maldonado (.265/.411/.469), who, after an up-and-down season, earned all-star honors in the Cape Cod League and made plenty of noise this fall. Another valuable returner—and potential CAA player of the year candidate—is senior Alex Lane (.375/.474/.685). Lane has plenty of thump in his bat, and last year blasted 18 home runs and a team-best 80 RBIs. In addition to Lane and Maldonado, Northeastern also returns shortstop Jack Goodman (.320/.387/.523), who blossomed last spring and notched 22 extra-base hits, drove in 42 runs and swiped 18 bags. Joining him on the dirt is Carmelo Musacchia (.254/.345/.370), who could be in for another uptick in production after driving in 24 runs last spring. Rounding out the group of returners on offense are infielder Jack Doyle (.280/.380/.520) and catcher Greg Bozzo (.270/.338/.518).

The rotation will be led by junior righty Aiven Cabral (2-4, 7.07 ERA). After an outstanding 2023 season, Cabral got hit around a little bit last spring but enjoyed a bounce-back summer on the Cape to the tune of a 2.81 ERA with 22 strikeouts to just four walks across 16 innings. Two lefties—Jack Bowery (4-1, 4.96 ERA) and Will Jones (3-2, 5.23 ERA)—could slot in directly behind Cabral. Jones is an outstanding strike-thrower, and after posting a 45-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio last spring, he pitched his way to a minuscule 0.76 ERA with 37 strikeouts to just three walks in 35.1 NECBL innings. While flame-thrower Dennis Colleran will surely be missed in the back of the bullpen, Jack Cropper has run his fastball into the mid 90s and returns to the mound after missing all of last season. Both Cropper and Charlie Walker (4-0, 4.98 ERA) are in line to log plenty of innings this spring. With a mighty deep starting nine and a pitching staff that has intriguing upside, the same remains true about the Huskies this year as in years past: Nobody will want to see them in the postseason.

Oklahoma

It was another successful season in Norman for the Sooners, who made the tournament for the third-straight season after making it to the College World Series final in 2022. They went 40-21 (23-7 Big 12) and hosted a regional, though they were bounced by UConn. While the SEC will provide a sizable challenge, the Sooners again have the ingredients for a deep postseason run. I’m a particular fan of their rotation, which is headlined by potential first-round pick Kyson Witherspoon (8-3, 3.71 ERA). On the heels of an impressive sophomore season, Witherspoon had an equally impressive summer that was split between the Cape League and team USA.

Joining Kyson will be his twin brother, Malachi Witherspoon (2-2, 5.64 ERA), and lefthander Cade Crossland (9-2, 2.37 ERA). Crossland starred at Weatherford College in 2024 and possesses a fastball that has been up to 95 mph, a breaking ball that has flashed above-average and a comfortably-plus changeup that is one of the best of its kind—at least in the college ranks—in this year’s draft. LSU transfer Cam Johnson (0-0, 12.00 ERA) is in line for consistent innings, while head coach Skip Johnson has a litany of bullpen arms at his disposal.

The offense will again be led by catcher Easton Carmichael, who hit an impressive .366/.406/.563 with 31 extra-base hits, 64 RBIs and 12 stolen bases last spring. Senior Scott Mudler (.279/.367/.401) will provide maturity and a slow heartbeat that is synonymous with most veterans, while sophomore outfielder Jason Walk (.281/.376/.414) has a chance to break out. A high-level athlete and plus runner, Walk will man center field, and his skillset allows him to impact the game in myriad ways. The Sooners will have to rise to the occasion offensively and face a daunting SEC schedule, but their pitching staff could be the root of a deep postseason run.

Stanford

I have to admit, it feels weird listing a team that has made it to the College World Series in three of the last four seasons—including three-straight years from 2021-2023—as an Omaha “sleeper.” Yet, Stanford fits the billing after a disappointing 2024 in which it failed to make a regional for the first time since 2016. The Cardinal were a young group in 2024, and it showed. However, they return the vast majority of their production on either side of the baseball. The biggest strength of this year’s team is undoubtedly the pitching, and the starting rotation—in no order—of Joey Volchko (2-1, 5.70 ERA), Matt Scott (4-10, 5.96 ERA) and Christian Lim (4-6, 4.32 ERA) might be the best on the West Coast. Scott is a potential first-round pick this July, while Volchko is perhaps the best sophomore arm in the country. The 6-foot-4 righthander is armed with a thunderous arsenal, headlined by an upper-90s fastball. While Lim might not have the same type of loud stuff as Scott or Volchko, he provides a different look from the left side and is an advanced strike-thrower.

The bullpen has a bevy of reliable options, too. After splitting time between the bullpen and rotation last spring, Nick Dugan (3-4, 6.49 ERA) was most effective in relief. Whether it’s as the team’s mid-week starter or out of the bullpen, expect Ryan Speshyock (0-4, 7.93 ERA) to log his fair share of innings after an outstanding summer in the Northwoods League in which he compiled a 1.91 ERA with 55 strikeouts to 18 walks across 33 innings. In a similar breath of excellent summers, Trevor Moore (3-1, 6.00 ERA) appears destined for the closer role. After notching 57 strikeouts in as many innings last spring, Moore on the Cape this summer struck out 28 and did not allow an earned run across 14.1 innings. Toran O’Harran (2-4, 5.26 ERA) is another viable back-end option, and last spring he showed positive flashes to the tune of 50 strikeouts in 39.1 innings.

Arguably the largest determining factor in whether or not the Cardinal will reach their ceiling is how much they will be able to hit. Four of the top five leading hitters from last year’s team are back in Cort MacDonald (.325/.397/.412), Jimmy Nati (.308/.372/.533), Temo Becerra (.298/.357/.351) and Ethan Hott (.294/.372/.360). Another valuable returner, especially on the dirt, is shortstop Trevor Haskins (.278/.330/.459) who had an up-and-down year offensively. The biggest x-factor, however, is freshman Rintaro Sasaki. A Japanese high school phenom, Sasaki this spring will make his long-awaited collegiate debut and has national freshman of the year upside. There are still questions to be answered, but this year’s group looks much similar to the early 2020s Stanford rosters and has the ingredients for yet another run to the College World Series.

TCU

TCU is a lot like Stanford in that, after making it to the College World Series in 2023, it didn’t make the tournament last season. However, like Stanford, it also returns a wealth of firepower. The Horned Frogs’ pitching staff has a chance to be one of the best in the Big 12. It will be led by junior lefthander Ben Abeldt (3-0, 1.83 ERA), who makes the jump to the rotation after a pair of dominant seasons in relief. In addition to Abeldt, the rotation will include righthander Kole Klecker (1-3, 5.96 ERA), who will look to return to his 2023 self after a bit of a down 2024.

While he was drafted in the 11th round last July, righty Caedmon Parker (3-1, 4.11 ERA) opted to return to campus and could round out the rotation. Another candidate to start is highly touted Wichita State transfer, Tommy LaPour (6-3, 4.23 ERA). LaPour is a physical, strong-bodied righthander with big-time arm strength whose calling card is a mid-to-upper-90s fastball. A couple of other arms—Louis Rodriguez (4-3, 4.13 ERA) and Braeden Sloan (4-4, 5.93 ERA)—are also in line to pitch meaningful innings, while the freshman duo of Trever Baumler and Mason Brassfield fit into a similar bucket.

There are a couple more “what ifs” on offense, but the Horned Frogs certainly have upside in that facet of the game, as well. Following an outstanding freshman season, outfielder Sam Myers (.353/.405/.491) returns atop the lineup and consistently puts together quality at-bats. Joining him in the outfield is sophomore Chase Brunson (.291/.390/.426), who has a chance to take a major step forward after a strong freshman campaign. A pair of returners in Karson Bowen (.235/.326/.372) and Anthony Silva (.268/.369/.384) provide both depth in the lineup and defensive stability up the middle at catcher and shortstop, respectively. Freshman two-way player Noah Franco had an excellent fall, and his bat also figures to factor into the lineup somewhere.

Troy

Under the direction of head coach Skylar Meade, Troy has quickly evolved into one of the top teams in the ever-competitive Sun Belt Conference. While they didn’t make the tournament last year, the Trojans collected 37 wins—their third-highest single-season total since 2013. The nucleus of this year’s team is catcher Brooks Bryan (.279/.381/.589), who earned an invitation to compete for Team USA’s Collegiate National team after hammering 18 home runs to go along with 85 RBIs. Two transfers will also take on sizable roles in the offense. Australian first baseman Blake Cavill (.313/.443/.527) last year collected 27 extra-base hits and walked (43) more than he struck out (31), while 6-foot-4 outfielder Gavin Schrader (.312/.413/.518) is one of the top incoming Sun Belt transfers. Both project to hit in the middle of the order. Two returners who will also be in the mix are outfielder Mike Bello (.253/.347/.345) and shortstop Peyton Watts (.227/.312/.360). Watts is more “prospect-y” than Bello, though both will be regulars this spring.

Troy has the luxury that a lot of teams don’t, which is that it returns plenty of innings on the mound. A quartet of righthanders in Garrett Gainous (2-4, 5.40 ERA), Luke Lyon (8-3, 4.40 ERA) Grayson Stewart (4-2, 6.67 ERA) and Jay Dill (1-3, 5.63 ERA) will again log a boatload of innings across a variety of roles, but my personal “pick to click” is lefthander Connor Burt (0-1, 6.91 ERA). After a modest freshman season, Burt had a fantastic summer in the Valley League to the tune of a 0.98 ERA with 27 strikeouts to seven walks across 18.1 innings. Look for transfer righthander Noah Edders (5-7, 6.27 ERA) to factor into the rotation in some capacity, as well. Meade has done an excellent job of getting the most out of his roster year in and year out, and 2025 figures to be more of the same.

UC Irvine

The Anteaters in 2023 were one of the biggest snubs from the field of 64, but they left no doubt last season, going 45-14—including 22-8 in the Big West—en route to their second tournament appearance in the last five seasons. The pillar of Irvine’s offense this season will again be first baseman Anthony Martinez (.316/.422/.492). Martinez last year drove in 74 runs and earned an invitation to Team USA’s Collegiate National Team for the second time in as many summers. Will Bermudez (.301/.420/.447) and Chase Call (.261/.398/.500) are two more experienced returners, while transfers Jacob McCombs (.333/.438/.593) and Colin Yeaman (.443/.591/.900, College of the Canyons) will also slot into the Anteaters’ starting nine.

On the mound, Trevor Hansen (6-4, 5.69 ERA) has the most experience of any returner and collected 74 strikeouts in as many innings pitched as a freshman. After excelling in relief last spring to the tune of 74 strikeouts across 52 innings, sophomore southpaw Ricky Ojeda (6-1, 3.46 ERA) will make the jump to the weekend rotation. Rounding out the rotation is Danny Suarez (0-0, 3.18 ERA), who returned from Tommy John surgery last May and struck out 10 across 5.2 innings. The biggest x-factor on the staff is Riley Kelly (3-0, 5.29 ERA). He has the loudest stuff of any arm, though command has been a particular bugaboo for him up to this point. If he can up his competitive pitch percentage, Kelly could provide a real boost in the back end of the bullpen.

UC Santa Barbara

2024 was a historic season in Santa Barbara. Not only did the Gauchos capture their second Big West title in the last three seasons, they also hosted a regional for the first time in school history. In what was also the case last year, UCSB boasts one of the more formidable rotations out West. It is led by potential top 10 overall pick and national pitcher of the year candidate, Tyler Bremner (11-1, 2.54 ERA), who is armed with a thunderous three-pitch mix that includes a double-plus changeup that is one of the best of its kind in this year’s draft class. The talent doesn’t stop with Bremner, though, as sophomore Jackson Flora (3-2, 3.83 ERA) will make the jump to the rotation full-time and is a potential top-two round pick in 2026. One of my personal favorite arms on the staff—outside of Bremner, of course—is lefthander Cole Tryba (3-2, 3.64 ERA). An advanced strike-thrower with intriguing stuff to boot, Tryba last year compiled a 65-to-14 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 47 innings. He will again log major innings in relief and is a candidate to pitch for Team USA this summer.

In what has been the case in recent years, much of UCSB’s upside hinges upon how much it will hit. Scoring enough runs and easing the burden on its pitching staff has always been a challenge, and the majority of this year’s lineup are transfers. The most impressive returner is 6-foot-4 outfielder LeTrey McCollum, who hit .320/.400/.383 last season with 10 stolen bases. Transfer Isaac Kim (.438/.493/.835, Pomona-Pitzer) is a physical righthanded hitter who collected 34 extra-base hits—including 17 home runs— with 82 RBIs last season, and he figures to slide into the middle of the order. UCLA transfer Jack Holman (.223/.365/.398) will anchor the right side of the infield, and he’ll look to build off his impressive summer in the California Collegiate League in which he hit .381/.495/.571 with 24 RBIs in 25 games.