No. 6 Florida State Baseball 2025 College Top 25 Preview

Image credit: Jamie Arnold (Photo Courtesy of Florida State Athletics)

Last season: 49-17 (17-12 ACC); reached College World Series
Final 2024 ranking: No. 5
Coach (record at school): Link Jarrett (72-48, 3rd season)

You can find our complete 2025 preseason Top 25 ranking here.

The Good News

Florida State head coach Link Jarrett orchestrated a staggering turnaround in Tallahassee in 2024, taking the Seminoles from last place in the ACC in his first year at the helm to the final four teams standing in Omaha, a run that was largely the byproduct of elite offensive play and a top 50 pitching staff. Florida State returned several key lineup pieces from that team, including infielders Drew Faurot, Cal Fisher and Alex Lodise, catcher Jaxson West and outfielder Max Williams, among others, and added to the group with several big-swinging freshmen. Florida State’s most noticeable improvement is most likely to occur on the mound, though, as Jarrett said his 2025 pitching staff challenges for the deepest he’s ever coached. It all starts with one of the top starting pitchers in college baseball, lefty Jamie Arnold, who should take some stress off the Seminoles’ pitching staff by providing early-series stability. The Seminoles are bullish on South Florida transfer Joey Volini, who is expected to occupy the second spot in their rotation.

The Bad News

With first-round picks James Tibbs and Cam Smith no longer a part of their lineup, the Seminoles might not pack the same punch at the plate as they did a year ago. If they do, it would be because multiple players emerge as high-level contributors. What’s more likely is that the Seminoles rely more heavily on the depth of their pitching staff to get them through outings. Jarrett told Baseball America in mid-January that his team’s defense would need to “be better” in order for this refreshed identity to work.

Player To Know

Jarrett stressed several times the importance of having players who can set the tone for the teammates and be catalysts for success. Tibbs, Smith, Jaime Ferrer and Marco Dinges, among others, provided that in 2024. This year, Jarrett is confident that Arnold will be able to carry the torch. A first-team all-American as a sophomore last season, Arnold posted a masterful 2.98 ERA with 159 strikeouts and just 26 walks over 105.2 innings and became the first Seminole pitcher to strike out 17 batters in a game since 1987. Arnold is an early College Player of the Year contender and will vie to be the first pitcher—if not player—off the board in this year’s draft.

Path To Omaha

While Florida State’s lineup certainly has the potential to produce impressively, a lot is riding on its pitching when it comes to driving this team toward its goal of hoisting a trophy. Expectations are high for a staff that has what Jarrett said are 14-16 players who are capable of making meaningful contributions. If that comes to fruition, Florida State could be as dangerous as any top 10 team. Without elite pitching, though, the Seminoles could be exposed to falling short.

Projected 2025 Lineup

Pos	Player	Year	AVG	OBP	SLG	AB	HR	RBI	Note
C	Jaxson West	Jr.	.274	.398	.404	146	3	29
1B	Myles Bailey	Fr.							Lincoln HS – Tallahasee, Fla.
2B	Drew Faurot	Jr.	.286	.348	.465	217	6	29
3B	Cal Fisher	So.	.273	.402	.515	66	5	13
SS	Alex Lodise	Jr.	.281	.363	.470	217	9	44
OF	Max Williams	Jr.	.311	.384	.582	225	14	46
OF	Chase Williams*	So.	.379	.473	.460	198	2	32	Northwest Florida State College
OF	Gage Harrelson*	Jr.	.245	.411	.311	106	1	11	Texas Tech
DH	Blaydon Plain*	Jr.	.370	.491	.642	165	9	47	Pensacola State College
Pos	Player	Year	GS	IP	ERA	WHIP	SO	BB	Note
SP	Jamie Arnold	Jr.	18	105.2	2.98	1.10	159	26
SP	Joey Volini*	R-Jr.	3	28.2	4.40	1.43	26	14	South Florida
SP	Evan Chrest*	Jr.	15	68.2	6.82	1.75	74	25	Jacksonville
RP	John Abraham	So.	3	34.1	4.72	1.49	42	31
RP	Ben Barrett	Jr.	0	13.2	5.27	1.54	12	4