After relying on predominantly freshmen and sophomores in 2019, the growing pains were overcome and the payoff was eminent in 2020 for the Miami Hurricanes. At 12-4, Miami had worked its way to the eighth spot in College Baseball Nation’s Top 25 by week five and looked poised to make an Omaha run. The COVID-19 pandemic ended those aspirations, but only temporarily. “The bottom line is, if we’re going to be the program like I expect us to be, we need to be right there again in the mix.” Third-year Head Coach Gino DiMare was forwarded-looking when he spoke with College Baseball Nation. In 2020, everything centered around the rotation, which DiMare rightfully claims was “arguably one of the top rotations in the country.” The weekend rotation of Brian Van Belle, Chris McMahon, and Slade Cecconi marked a 1.72 ERA across 73.1 innings pitched. The trio’s production was noticed by scouts as Cecconi and McMahon were selected in the first two rounds of the MLB Draft, and Van Belle, along with reliever Tyler Keysor, signed a free agent deal. “Losing those four guys is a big blow,” DiMare acknowledged. However, he was quick to refocus on the future. “We can’t be rebuilding if we are going to have a program like I'd like to have at Miami. I’d like to try to get it to where we were at one point, consistently at the top.” Junior LHP Spencer Bodanza was one of the standouts of the fall. Not only did he serve as a team captain in Miami’s fall world series, he pitched five scoreless innings and was named the pitching MVP. DiMare emphasized that while the rotation from 2020 has all moved on to professional baseball, the depth of his pitching staff has improved over a year ago. While DiMare is confident in his pitching staff, the identity of his 2021 squad is built around a versatile offense. “We’ve got basically our whole offense back, so high expectations again for us.” A key departure from the 2020 Miami squad is SS Freddy Zamora who was picked in the second round of the MLB Draft. However, his departure is slightly less notable for the Hurricanes because he missed the 2020 season with an injury. Returning to the Hurricanes is sophomore Adrian Del Castillo, who is currently ranked sixth on College Baseball Nation’s Top 50 College Prospects. While Del Castillo is already the best draft-eligible pure hitter, he is still working on his defense behind the plate. “He’s developed a lot in a short period of time,” said DiMare. “His arm has gotten better. There’s a jump in terms of him getting the ball out, getting down to second quicker. He’s gotten a lot better. His blocking, which has been pretty solid all along, has gotten better. And his receiving has gotten better." “We’ve got basically our whole offense back, so high expectations again for us.” -Gino DiMare, Miami Head Coach Alongside Del Castillo, Alex Toral represents one of the most dangerous bats in the Hurricane lineup. “Alex is one of the better power hitting guys in the country,” said DiMare. “He’s a veteran guy. We’re very fortunate. He most likely would not have come back if the draft was a normal draft.” Both Del Castillo and Toral figure to be in the heart of the lineup in 2021. While there are several impact bats returning from the 2020 squad, DiMare is also excited about new faces on campus. “We have a lot of veteran guys coming back, certainly on the offensive end, but I think some freshmen are going to have a good chance of playing in the lineup.” DiMare has previously called his incoming recruiting class one of the most coachable classes he has ever had, and he doubled-down on that assessment when he spoke with College Baseball Nation. “The guys are all very high character guys that want to be good, that want to be coached, that work hard. Those are all good signs—that you have a talented player and guys that have good work ethics and character traits that allow them to get better. The sky's the limit.” Chad Born was one of the standout freshmen from the fall. “Born was our MVP in the fall, not only in the World Series but he had the best fall of any of the hitters overall,” began DiMare. “His offensive approach was just excellent. He hit balls all over the field, got better as the fall went on, and was not easy to strike out. He’s going to be a very, very good player for us when it’s all said and done.” The combination of talented returning and incoming position players has made for increased competition for playing time. “We’ve got depth in the infield—multiple guys are battling for the shortstop position. You got battles really everywhere—at third base, all throughout the outfield. The one position that is pretty locked in is Del Castillo behind the plate.” So far Anthony Vilar, Yohamdy Morales, and Dominic Pitelli are battling to replace Zamora at shortstop. Raymond Gil, who was out for the fall due to a broken shin, and Luis Espinal also will compete for infield positions. The ACC recently decided on a 50-game schedule, including 36 conference games, up from the usual 30. DiMare is up for the challenge of additional conference games and is bullish on the quality of the ACC. “It might be a year like we had in ‘16 when we had ten teams in the NCAA Tournament. I don’t see why that can’t happen again.” Regardless of what teams are on the schedule, a dynamic offense, talented position players, and a deep pitching staff will have Miami in contention with every team across the country. Miami exits the fall ranked number 24 in College Baseball Nation’s Fall Top 25. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

Arkansas is one of the most successful programs in the country over the last half-decade with College World Series appearances in 2015, 2018, and 2019, which includes a CWS runner-up finish in 2018. After being so close to ending 2018 on top of the college baseball world, Arkansas is itching to get back to Omaha. Dave Van Horn’s group has the talent to compete at the highest levels, but this year’s team might not be bashing home run after home run every game like years past. The offense will still be solid, but it is the pitching staff that should have Razorback fans excited this year. With the MLB Draft in 2020 only having five rounds, college teams will return most of their players from 2020, only losing the most talented players from their team. Arkansas was no different, only having lost Heston Kjerstad (2nd overall pick, Baltimore) and Casey Martin (3rd round pick, Philadelphia) to the draft. While their talent and leadership will be missed, the Razorbacks certainly have players to fill their spots. Arkansas Head Coach Dave Van Horn is satisfied with the work his team has put in in the fall. “I think it was due to the shortened season, and guys were gung-ho, and they wanted to be out there, so it made fall better. That’s why I feel like it was one of the best falls we’ve ever had, if not the best.” Van Horn relayed this positivity in an end-of-fall press conference. Even after losing Kjerstad, Arkansas boasts a top outfielder in Christian Franklin, who is number 13 in our Top 50 Prospects. Reports out of Fayetteville say that Franklin had a great fall camp. “Obviously Franklin has power,” shared Van Horn. “He has power to all fields. This fall, he hit five or six home runs and two or three the other way, one on top of that building just about. He can hit them anywhere. He had a really good fall. He had some games he didn’t feel good about, but as far as the overall fall, I thought it was outstanding.” The double-play combo of Jalen Battles (SS) and Robert Moore (2B) could prove to be one of the best middle infields in the conference for the Hogs. Dave Van Horn on the infielders: “100%, that’s our middle infield. They’re both really good shortstops. I don’t think there’s a better 2nd baseman in the country turning double plays than Robert Moore.” “There’s a lot of competition here to get on the mound. We feel good about our pitching,” -Dave Van Horn, Arkansas Head Coach Depth is the word of the year in college baseball due to the shortened MLB draft, and Arkansas’ pitching staff should benefit greatly from that depth. Arkansas returns all three members of its starting rotation from 2020: Patrick Wicklander, Connor Noland, and Kole Ramage. Anytime you can return your entire weekend rotation and inject more high-end talent from a top 10 recruiting class, it bodes well for your season. “There’s a lot of competition here to get on the mound. We feel good about our pitching,” says Van Horn. There will likely be some returning bullpen pitchers and a transfer pitcher from 2020’s team who will push for a weekend starting role, including Houston graduate transfer and former Friday night starter, Lael Lockhart. Incoming freshman and highly touted recruit, Nick Griffin, was expected to make a push for a rotation spot or maybe a closer role, but he had Tommy John surgery and will be out of commission for at least a year. Another arm to keep an eye on is 6-foot-6, 215 pounder, Jaxon Wiggins, who coach Van Horn feels great about. “I feel like that, if he stays healthy and he wants it, he could be as good as he wants to be. . . . He could be special.” Arkansas is currently ranked sixth in College Baseball Nation’s Top 25 with one player in the College Top 50 prospects. As of now, the Razorbacks 2021 schedule has not been announced by the SEC. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

On Tuesday, Nevada became the third division one baseball program to release their 2021 schedule. The Wolf Pack's schedule features 46 games including 36 Mountain West games and ten non-conference games. The 46 games are ten games fewer than Nevada's typical schedule, a reflection of changes dictated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevada starts the season on the road at Cal Poly with a four-game series before beginning their Mountain West schedule. Nevada kicks off conference play the second weekend of the season at UNLV, part of a 13-game road stretch to start the season. The Wolf Pack follow the trip to UNLV with a visit to San Jose State before the return to non-conference play. In addition to Cal Poly, three other non-conference opponents are featured on Nevada's schedule. The Wolf Pack travel to USC the second weekend of March for a three-game series. Nevada will also visit Texas and host Grand Canyon to round out their non-conference schedule. Earlier this year, the Mountain West Conference announced a 36-game conference schedule, a deviation from the typical 30 games. Included in the change is a switch to a Saturday doubleheader followed by a single Sunday game. This shortening of weekends is an effort to reduce travel costs for teams. Nevada finished the 2020 season at 2-12 but won two of their last four games. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

On Friday, Abilene Christian University released their 2021 Southland Conference schedule. The schedule reveals that the Southland Conference is moving forward with their season schedule in a business as usual fashion. Similar to recent years, the schedule features ten weekends of three-game series for a total of 30 conference games. Sources from other conferences, including the SEC and American, have indicated that conference-only schedules are a possibility for the 2021 season. One proposed plan in the SEC is 14 weeks of four-game series, totaling the typical 56 games. No official plans have been announced yet, and as of now most conferences (besides the Big Ten) are proceeding with scheduling non-conference games. Mid-major conferences, like the Southland Conference, are particularly dependent upon non-conference matchups as a means of boosting RPI. Without non-conferences games, the RPI would be a meaningless metric, and it is unclear how teams would be selected for the NCAA Tournament. Earlier this week, the Wildcats released their midweek schedule, highlighted by matchups with SEC and Big 12 opponents. Abilene Christian finished the shortened 2020 season at 7-8 (1-2). Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

In 2019, a year removed from reaching the College World Series behind the bat of Kody Clemens, the Texas baseball team missed the Big 12 tournament, finishing dead last in the conference standings. The Longhorns were the only Big 12 baseball program sitting at home while the rest battled in Oklahoma City. The 2020 season was filled with obvious hurdles of its own. Texas never played a conference game in the spring due to COVID, which cancelled the season after just 17 games. “The thing that was most impressive with the group last year was that they did that. They focused one game at a time. We got better, had some setbacks in a couple of games, but we learned from those games. -David Pierce, Texas Head Coach “I was really pleased with the start of our season last year, we were 14-3,” Texas head coach David Pierce said in an interview with College Baseball Nation. “The thing that was most impressive with the group last year was that they did that. They focused one game at a time. We got better, had some setbacks in a couple of games, but we learned from those games. If we had started poorly, I think you could utilize [the idea of treating every game like it could be your last], but since we started well, I think our players understand how to do it, take it one game at a time and not take anything for granted.” In 2021, three years after their last postseason berth, the Texas Longhorns will look to build on the progress they made in 2020. The success Pierce and his squad seek this coming season starts with the high number of returnees from last year’s ball club. Perhaps the most important of those returnees is first baseman Zach Zubia, who has been the team’s cleanup hitter for much of the past two seasons. In a shortened 2020 campaign, Zubia posted strong numbers: .288 batting average, three homers, 21 RBI and a .492 slugging percentage. Another standout at the plate is outfielder Eric Kennedy, a player that Pierce believes could step into a role as a consistent hitter for his team. Kennedy saw the field more often than most freshmen in 2019, starting 46 games, batting .310 on the season. “He creates havoc for a defense because he puts pressure on them,” said Pierce when talking about Kennedy. “His swing has gotten better. He’s got another year of experience of understanding plate discipline, knowing what he handles well, what he needs to lay off of.” When it comes to leadership on this squad, there’s no question who most of the team will look to: catcher DJ Petrinksy. Petrinksy is entering his sixth season of college baseball and his fourth behind the plate at Texas. Injuries have kept the Magnolia, Texas, native from seeing much playing time recently, though he did look strong as he belted a home run in Houston’s Minute Maid Park this past February at the Shriners College Classic. “He’s exceptional,” said Texas head coach David Pierce of Petrinsky. “Another guy who shows great leadership, understands the program, the philosophy. He’s got a calm demeanor about him. He’s a great leader for the other catchers like Silas Ardoin, who will play a lot as well.” His presence will play no small role in the expected success on the mound for this Texas ball club. While the bullpen is slightly depleted due to the departures of four relievers, UTSA graduate transfer Palmer Wenzel will help out in relief. The starting rotation has captured national attention, headlined by sophomore Ty Madden and freshman Pete Hansen. Both made tremendous strides this fall and are two of College Baseball Nation’s Top 50 prospects heading into the 2021 season. Hansen emerged as a go-to reliever early on last season, finishing the abbreviated campaign with a 2-0 record and zero earned runs in 17 innings of work. Collegiate Baseball even included the 6’2 lefty on its list of freshman all-Americans. “Pete is versatile,” said Pierce. “He was going to get his first start the weekend after COVID, when we were shut down. The first thing you think about with Pete is presence and command. He has a great mound presence, but he commands the baseball. He throws hard—he’s not an exceptionally hard thrower—but he commands the ball with three or four pitches.” Every season now, grad transfers are the big names on the market. They have experience, talent, and are often looking for new opportunities to conclude their college career. This upcoming season, Texas has one of the best grad transfers on the market in outfielder Mike Antico, a former standout at St. John’s who was named the 2020 Big East Preseason Player of the Year. With starting centerfielder Duke Ellis gone to the MLB, Antico will be asked to make an immediate impact, and he will have some big shoes to fill. Ellis was well known on the Forty Acres, characterized by his aggressive play, ability to reach nearly every fly ball and a lightheartedness that could be seen even in the heat of a crucial moment. Antico closely resembles Ellis, especially in his base stealing abilities. Antico stole 10 bases in 13 starts this past season, and in 2019, finished second in the conference in that stat category, swiping 20 bases. “When we lost Duke and added Mike, it brought a big boost into our lineup,” said Pierce. “He’s experienced. He’s played in the Big East for four years, so he’s pretty excited about being here. He’s not overwhelmed. I think he’ll be a good fit in our lineup.” Regardless of who is out in the field, the big question heading into the season surrounds the schedule. As every coach in the country will tell you, playing a conference-only schedule versus a regular schedule is a world of difference. For Texas, playing in the Big 12 conference, it does appear that the spring will look very similar to schedules’ in years past. On Tuesday, Nevada released its complete schedule for 2021, with a road trip to Austin on April 13-14 highlighting the non-conference slate. There’s still a lot of unknown right now. We feel pretty confident in the Big 12 administration as well as college baseball, that they're going to give us the best opportunity to play. -David Pierce Pierce was tight-lipped when it came to details of the schedule but did express his confidence in both the university and the Big 12 in their goal to play a typical schedule this spring. “Right now, we’re moving ahead as planned from the previous years in scheduling the 2021 season,” said Pierce. “There’s still a lot of unknown right now. We feel pretty confident in the Big 12 administration as well as college baseball, that they're going to give us the best opportunity to play. The exact part of that? Couldn’t tell you. I can tell you right now, we’re in discussions weekly and the goal is to move forward as planned and adjust from there.” The idea of “moving ahead” despite the unknowns is one that can be attributed to the culture within Pierce’s program. Rather than focusing on what is going on around them, the various reports regarding the schedule coming out, and other distractions, the team looks within. The upperclassmen lead the way, with the freshmen following close behind. “When you talk about the younger players moving into their second, third years, I think of the word culture,” said Pierce. “Culture is a big buzzword right now. Culture is about being an extension of our staff, being an extension of our leadership. You can see it with these guys of how they’re going about the day-to-day and how the younger players are seeing how the older players work. When you create that culture, that message gets passed down. There’s a message that every one of them feel responsible for.” The bottom line for this Texas team, playing in a conference known for great pitching? Finding ways to push runs across the plate. “The thing that you have to understand with the offense is that results come and go. It is much more about having the right approach, the right mentality finding ways to score than what your batting average is. I think we have some guys that can put pressure on defenses to put the ball in play, or steal bases, and then there’s some punch in the lineup. “In the Big 12, the kind of ball that we play, you can score a runner from first base whether it's a ball over the wall or a ball hit to the gap. . . . Your goal needs to be to have the ability to score multiple ways. If you're only definite of the three-run homer, you’re going to lose some ball games. If you're only definite of the speed guys, you’re going to lose some ball games. Our goal is to be as balanced 1-9 as possible and be able to score multiple ways.” Texas exits the fall ranked twelfth in College Baseball Nation's Top 25. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

“I like our ball club. We’re athletic. We have a lot of the right pieces.” Louisiana Head Coach Matt Deggs is excited for his second season with the Ragin’ Cajuns. After his first season was cut short due to the COIVD-19 pandemic, Deggs heads into 2021 with several new faces, as the Ragin’ Cajuns bring in a whopping 22 recruits. Among the 22 are three transfers from four-year schools, who will all be eligible for the 2021 season: CJ Willis (LSU), Brett Borgogno (Cal State Fullerton), and Drake Osborn (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi). The trio will provide much needed infield and catching experience, as the three have 258 division one games played among them. Added infield depth is especially important for Louisiana after SS Hayden Cantrelle was selected in the fifth round of the 2020 MLB Draft. Across the infield, the Ragin’ Cajuns only return a total of 15 starts from a season ago. Beyond the three four-year transfers, Deggs has been impressed with a pair of junior college transfers. OF Tyler Robertson had a “tremendous” fall according to Deggs, and IF Kevin Fitzgerald had the “best fall of any of the JuCo kids.” To go along with Robertson in the outfield, freshmen Carson Roccarforte and Conor Higgs also impressed. Deggs will need his position players to step up after the team only batted .207 in the shortened 2020 season. While the lineup will largely be new-look, the pitching staff should provide stability for the Ragin’ Cajuns in 2021. “The backbone of this team is on the mound,” said Deggs, and there is reason to believe that the arms will help carry the team next season. Friday night starter from 2020, Conor Angel, is back and better than ever. Deggs noted that Angel, like several of Louisiana’s pitchers, have made velocity jumps in the offseason. Angel is up to 98 mph on his fastball with a reliable changeup to turn to. While Deggs is unsure if it is the added rest this offseason has offered or the additional time for development, many of his pitchers have returned to campus better than when they left. The Ragin’ Cajuns also return Senior Jack Burk and Junior Austin Perrin, who have pitched a combined 279.1 innings in their time at Louisiana. Both nursed injuries in the 2020 season, with Perrin’s lat injury enough to keep him out of the season altogether. However, each returns healthy for the 2021 season and will look to play key roles. Joining Burk and Perrin, Jason Nelson is also expected to return from Tommy John surgery for the 2021 season. Additionally, Deggs had high praises for Sophomore RHP Connor Cooke who was stretched out some in the short 2020 season. “He has three plus-plus pitches, a 90-95 mph fastball, an 85/86 mph sliders, and a changeup.” Cooke struck out nine batters in a six-inning relief effort against Sam Houston State (Coach Matt Deggs's previous school) in 2020. The Ragin’ Cajuns also add quality arm, Hayden Durke, a freshman who throws 94-96 mph. Deggs recognizes that the shortened draft possibly helped get Durke to campus, and Deggs is excited for the impact that Durke, along with the rest of his staff will have. “Any time you can pitch, that’s a strength,” said Deggs. “The world revolves around pitching. Any time you have quality arms, it’s an advantage.” As of yet, Louisiana has not released its 2021 schedule, but they have appeared on Louisiana Tech’s schedule in non-conference play. Additionally, Troy (a fellow Sun Belt member) has released a schedule with 24 conference games (down from the typical 30). Louisiana will end the season hosting the Troy Trojans. Said Deggs, “Our league is committed to playing. Our league is really invested in baseball.” Louisiana ranks among College Baseball Nation's top 76 programs to watch heading into the 2021 season. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

The University of Virginia is one of college baseball’s marquee programs, making it to the College Baseball World Series in Omaha four times during the past 11 full seasons, including winning the whole thing in 2015. Despite this sterling pedigree, the program has fallen on lean times recently, including 2018-19 when the Cavaliers went 12-18 then 14-16 in ACC play, respectively. However, with a roster chock full of blue chip prospects, Coach Brian O’Connor’s squad appears poised for a comeback in 2021. Any conversation about the top prospect in Charlottesville must start with 2022 draft eligible CF Chris Newell. A native Pennsylvanian and left-handed hitter, Newell was regarded as a 5-tool stud out of high school but with some rawness to his hit tool—not uncommon for kids from cold weather states. That said, he’s done nothing but rake since making it to school and put up an Atari-like .407/.545/.729 slash line with 4 HR and 10 XBHs in just 78 PAs prior to the pandemic. The highlight of Newell’s brief season came on March 7th, when he homered and doubled off NC State junior southpaw Nick Swiney. Swiney and his microscopic 0.7 WHIP and imposing 13.5 K/9 would later be drafted in the 2nd round by the Giants. Newell’s more than just a one-trick pony. His speed grades out as a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale, and he swiped eight bags in the same number of attempts last year. He boasts the range to remain in CF well into his pro career and his arm is easily a plus tool. By all accounts he’s a hard worker who’s receptive to coaching. Newell is already firmly entrenched in most Top-10 draft lists for 2022 and if he continues to improve his contact rates he could jump even higher. The Cavaliers boast another premium 2022 talent in 6-03 lefty Nate Savino. A native of Sterling, VA, Savino made waves when he matriculated early and earned a spot on UVA’s weekend rotation as a freshman. Savino pitched like a seasoned veteran, giving up just 8 hits and striking out 10 in 10.2 IP. Although Savino’s future looks promising, it’s a point of contention between old school scouts and the modern analytics crowd. Savino showcases a hearty fastball that creeps into the mid-90’s, as well as impressive secondary stuff; however, the spin rate on all his offerings leaves something to be desired and has him trailing Alabama’s Connor Prielipp and Florida’s Hunter Barco as the top college lefthander for 2022. Still, he’ll be uncommonly young on Draft Day 2022, he has an ideal pitcher’s build, and his slider has some interesting qualities to it—all which still point to Savino hearing his name called no later than the middle of the 1st round. 3B Zack Gelof is the 2021 draft eligible Cavalier with the best chance of hearing his name called in the 1st round next June. Much like Newell, Gelof has torched the ball since arriving on campus, posting a .321 average and .871 OPS in 346 PAs. He also slashed .349/.426/.490 as a rising sophomore in the vaunted Northwoods League, which he backed up with a .363/.442/.636 showing in a 44 AB cameo this past summer in the Coastal Plains League. Like many young hitters, Gelof still must iron out some swing-and-miss issues, but his strong BB rate and exit velocities point to a high ceiling. Gelof has been error prone in the past; however, O’Connor believes Gelof’s athleticism will ultimately prevail and he’ll be able to remain at the hot corner. “I definitely think he projects long-term at 3B. He’s such an athletic guy that I’m confident I could put him out in CF and he’d play well,” said O’Connor. When Gelof glances to his left this spring, he’ll see SS Nic Kent and 2B Max Cotier, one of the strongest double play combos in the nation. The 2021 draft eligible Kent, is a physical SS, who, like Gelof, has done nothing but hit as a collegiate. He put up a .337/.417/.455 slash line as a freshman in 2019 and followed that up with a sparkling .373 average in the Northwoods League. Kent has a short, simple stroke that’s currently geared more to hitting line drives, but as he matures some of those doubles could start flying over the fence. What Kent does have already is an excellent idea of the strike zone, as evidenced by his 25/23 BB/K rate in over 250 PAs between the Northwoods League and this year’s abbreviated season. On defense, Kent has good hands, but a lack of range and strong arm will likely push him across the keystone to 2B in pro ball. At this juncture, Kent is expected to come off the board in Rounds 3-5. Cotier is an interesting player, who debuted with the Cavaliers last spring. He offers excellent defense at 2B and is particularly adept at turning the double play. His left-handed swing is flat, but he’s exceptionally quick to the ball and has no problems catching up to good velocity. He also has a good eye and should hit in the top third of the UVA order in the spring. “We thought he was a second or third-round type of guy and with the way the draft went, we got him back. It was a shot in the arm having him back,” -Brian O'Connor, UVA Head Coach on Andrew Abbott Shifting to Virginia’s rotation, O’Connor and his staff have to be thrilled that Griff McGarry and Andrew Abbott “escaped” the 2020 draft to return for another season. McGarry, a righthander, has an explosive arm, and his profile is enhanced by modern analytics. The California native can run his heater well into the mid-90’s and complements it with a vicious slider and curve. The spin rates on all his pitches border on elite; however, the aspect of his game he’ll need to work on is control—in 127 IP for UVA and assorted summer ball teams, McGarry has issued a staggering 113 free passes (versus an equally mind-boggling 180 strikeouts!). McGarry is a good candidate to transition into a bullpen role as a pro. O’Connor is thrilled to have the southpaw Abbott back. “We thought he was a second or third-round type of guy and with the way the draft went, we got him back. It was a shot in the arm having him back,” remarked the 17-year coach. Although Abbott has almost exclusively been a reliever while pitching for the Cavaliers, it looks like he’ll try his hand at starting in 2021. “We stretched him out in the fall, and we expect him to play a role in our rotation in 2021,” revealed O’Connor. Regardless which role he fills next spring, Abbott will bolster UVA’s pitching corps. Not overly imposing at 6-00/180, Abbott’s best pitch is a high-spin curveball that he’s able to tunnel with a low-90’s heater. His changeup is still a work in progress. O’Connor has said that 2021 draft eligible Mike Vasil will also be in the running for a slot in the starting rotation. A possible 2018 1st rounder as a prep star in Boston, Vasil has been a work-in-progress since arriving in Charlottesville. Of primary concern is his drop in fastball velocity—from the mid-90’s to barely 90—and the regression of his breaking stuff. Built like a prototypical workhorse at 6-04/225, Vasil will need a big 2021 to propel him back to Day 1 consideration. Otherwise, he’d be a great candidate to once again bypass the pros and return to the Cavaliers in 2022. As usual, Virginia in 2021 will reap the benefits of a bumper crop of freshmen, which already has O’Connor excited. He said he expects C Kyle Teel and IF Jake Gelof, Zack’s brother, to play “prominent” roles in 2021. O’Connor cited Teel’s strong summer in the Northwoods League (.740 OPS with 3 HR as an 18-year-old) as a factor that could accelerate his development. “I put a lot of stock into him playing in the Northwoods League. He did that on his own. It advances his development; it fast-forwards it a little bit. He will have opportunities behind the plate for us in 2021,” said O’Connor. Thanks for stopping by! 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The ACC is moving ahead with a 50-game schedule for the 2021 college baseball season. The schedule will be highlighted by an increase in conference games (36 up from the usual 30), and 14 non-conference games that can be played over the weekend or as midweeks. Kendall Rogers broke the news via Twitter on Friday. Multiple sources within the ACC have also corroborated the news. One source expressed some concern about making decisions too early and cited January as an appropriate time to make decisions about conference scheduling. However, this was not the prevailing attitude in the conference. Another source shared with College Baseball Nation the difficulties of last-minute scheduling in college baseball. "You have to make travel arrangements and other factors that are more challenging for baseball than they are for basketball and football. Our sport from a finance perspective is quite a bit more challenging, and there comes the pressure of figuring it out earlier than later." The ACC joins the Mountain West and Conference USA in conferences who have made official changes to their 2021 conference slate. Unlike the ACC, these two conferences decreased their number of conference games, a cost-cutting strategy. The ACC, on the other hand, is seeking to ensure as many games as possible by increasing the conference slate to 36 games. The ACC season is scheduled to begin on February 19, the earliest allowable start date for the 2021 season. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

On Tuesday, Troy became the fourth division one baseball program to release its 2021 college baseball schedule. The Trojan's schedule features 50 games including 24 Sun Belt Conference games and 26 non-conference games. The 50 games are six games fewer than Troy's typical schedule, a change caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Trojans are actively seeking one additional non-conference weekend series. The 24 conference games mark a reduction from the Sun Belt's typical 30 conference games, presumably to save travel costs. However, it is rumored that the scheduling situation in the Sun Belt is still fluid, and Troy may update their schedule in January. Of note on the Trojan's schedule is the hosting of two American powers: UCF and Tulane. Both the Knights and Green Wave will visit Troy for a three-game weekend. Troy also has home-and-home midweek games scheduled with Alabama and a midweek game on the road at Florida State. Said Troy Head Coach Mark Smartt of the 2021 season: "Everyone involved in college baseball has a strong desire to play a complete 2021 season, but we have learned from the sports that are playing now, we must show patience, flexibility and coordination to play. The 2021 college baseball season is set up to be one of the most competitive and exciting season in its history, and I am confident our players are excited and will be thankful for the opportunities available this season." Troy finished the 2020 season at 9-8. Their season was highlighted by a series win over Louisiana Tech. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

Editor’s note: College Baseball Nation is joined by guest writer, Owen Surett. Owen Surett is a college student who resides in North Carolina. Owen covers College Baseball for his media outlet, College Baseball USA (@ColBaseUSA on Twitter), which was founded in Fall of 2019. He is passionate about various aspects of the game, including analytics, player development, and player evaluation. After having one of the best drafts of any program from a ‘getting guys back’ perspective, Florida heads into 2021 with the highest expectations of any team in America as they prepare to open their brand-new state-of-the-art ballpark. “I think our expectations are the same every year,” Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan said in a media appearance. “That’s to get back to Omaha and put ourselves into position to win a national championship, SEC Championship. That’s our goal every year.” The lineup will be headlined by young superstar OF Jud Fabian who will be repeating his sophomore year in 2021. The Ocala native should provide elite production both in center field and at the plate. The industry expects Fabian to come off the board in the top 5 picks of the 2021 Draft (maybe even at number one, which is where College Baseball Nation has him ranked). Sophomore Jacob Young is just as good of an athlete as Fabian if not better. Young hit an impressive .450 in the brief 2020 campaign (60 AB’s) and will be in the mix at one of the up-the-middle positions if O’Sullivan opts to move him out of right field. Behind the plate the Gators are in good shape as well, with both repeating-Freshman Nathan Hickey and veteran Cal Greenfield as options. Hickey started the bulk of games at catcher in his freshman year, but Greenfield has plenty of big-game experience. A large portion of the thump in the middle of the order should come from Kirby McMullen and Kris Armstrong. “Kirby Barrels” began his Gators career on the mound but has transitioned into primarily a position player. The graduate student had some clutch hits in the Miami series early on in 2020. Armstrong, a 6-4 230 lbs. switch-hitter, is expected to play first and provides a dangerous bat for the Gators. Earlier this fall, a Florida scrimmage was featured on the SEC Network, offering a chance to see the team in action. The scrimmage was dominated by the Gators' wealth of pitching talent, but let’s start with the offensive highlights. Infielder Josh Rivera, a player out of IMG Academy who impressed in his brief freshman season, was one of the standouts of the night. Left-handed hitting second baseman Cory Acton is a solid bat as well who the Gators hope to get significant production out of in a full version of his sophomore year. Newcomer SS out of American Heritage HS Jordan Carrion has impressed this fall, especially with the glove. There could be some competition in the infield, especially when you factor in other potential impact newcomers Sterlin Thompson and Colby Halter. As always Florida has a glut of talent that will be fighting for playing time this spring. The weekend rotation seems set in stone, and it very well could be the best in college baseball. Veteran RHPs Tommy Mace and Jack Leftwich return for what would be their senior years to lead the rotation. Big lefty Hunter Barco is on pace to get the Sunday spot once again after spending most of his abbreviated freshman season in that role. Mace is 6-6 with a full arsenal of pitches. In the broadcasted scrimmage, he pounded the zone with strikes while locating well and generating quick outs. Leftwich also looked comfortable, hitting 95-96 mph with good feel for the slider. Hunter Barco was a bit spotty with command in his first inning but bounced back in his second inning. O’Sullivan recognizes the importance of experience for his team. “We talked about the depth in our pitching and our bullpen, but I think the one thing that kind of gets lost is the amount of experience on our team. Getting back (senior) Kirby McMullen and some of these older guys, Cal Greenfield (catcher), Tommy Mace (Friday starter), Jack Leftwich (Saturday starter) and the list goes on and on. We’ve got a lot of experience on our team and hopefully that will help us in the spring.” The Florida bullpen will be loaded as well. Flamethrowers Christian Scott, Nick Pogue, Brandon Sproat, and closer Ben Specht will be the leaders. Keep an eye on incoming freshman lefty Timmy Manning who I could see carving up hitters late in games with his hammer curveball. Sully also brings in 6-6 junior college righty, Franco Aleman, who looks to work a significant role on the Florida staff. Currently, three Florida pitchers are ranked in College Baseball Nation’s College Top 50 (24. Mace, 43. Specht, and 50. Leftwich). The Gators exceeded expectations before the season was shut down, finishing 16-1 and winning their first 16 games before losing what ended up being the season finale to Florida State on March 10. However, O’Sullivan is not hanging his hat on past laurels. “Last year is last year. Obviously, it was difficult because we were off to such a good start, but it was a circumstance that everybody had to deal with. We’re just looking forward to having a successful spring.” The Florida Gators are on track to be one of the top teams in the country, once again. Kevin O’Sullivan’s 2021 squad has a chance to rival all of the great teams he has fielded over the years, which sure is saying something. If one thing is certain, no team in the country is going to feel comfortable looking over and seeing orange and blue in the opposite dugout and especially not on the mound. Florida exits the fall ranked at number one in College Baseball Nation’s Top 25 and with four players ranked in the College Baseball Top 50. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

Since the inception of the American Athletic Conference, no team has won more conference championships than the University of Houston with five. A founding member of the American, Houston has won at least 11 conference games each year, a feat matched by no other team in the conference. In that same span, Houston also has four Regional appearances and one trip to a Super Regional. So why suggest that Houston is looking to reestablish its conference dominance in 2021? The short answer is their ever-improving conference foes. In the inaugural season of the American, two teams made the NCAA Tournament: Houston and Louisville. Louisville promptly left the conference dealing a blow to the conference's baseball prowess. However the addition of ECU and Tulane in 2014 and Wichita State in 2017 once again bolstered the depth of the conference, elevating the American to "power" conference status in college baseball. Since being a two-bid league in its first year, the American has averaged 3.4 Regional bids per season. If the shortened 2020 season is any sort of harbinger of what is to come, the best is still ahead for the American. Three teams finished in the top 20 of College Baseball Nation's final poll of the year, and two teams are currently ranked in the preseason top 25 (#20 ECU and #25 UCF). University of Houston head coach Todd Whitting knows what he's up against. "The American is a three to four bid league. Every team in this league is committed in terms of facilities." Whitting told College Baseball Nation. Houston has more than kept up with the facilities arms race. Don Sanders Field at Darryl and Lori Schroeder Park, home of the Houston Cougars, has seen multiple renovations in the last decade alone. Upgrades to the clubhouse occurred in 2011, and a 1,500 square foot video board (second in size only to Arkansas) was added in 2015, along with improved turf. The field was voted as the eighth best ballpark in the country by fans. For Whitting and the Cougars, success has always started on the mound. The Houston pitching staff has notched a 3.14 team ERA over the past six complete seasons, but the 15-game 2020 season marked a more than one run increase over that average. "We have some holes in the weekend rotation," said Whitting. To that end, the Cougars have welcomed 29 new faces in the fall, including 20 transfers. Whitting noted two standout arms from the transfer class: Jaycob Deese and Ben Sears. Deese averaged over a strikeout per inning for Galveston College in 2020, and Sears fanned an impressive 23 over 11.1 innings, without allowing a walk. Whitting believes both will play a key role in his 2021 pitching staff which is looking to reestablish itself as one of the premier staffs in the country. Whitting likes what he sees at the plate, as well. Ryan Hernandez exploded onto the national stage this summer during his stint with the Texas Collegiate League. Hernandez was named to College Baseball Nation's All-Texas Collegiate League team and was picked by the league as their player of the year. Whitting had high praises for the righty power bat. "We internally knew how good he is, and now everyone around the country is seeing it." Whitting projects Hernandez along with lefty slugger Steven Rivas to fill the three and four spots in the lineup. The 2021 Houston Cougars have a chance to be disruptive on the bases in Whitting's reckoning. "This is the most physical team we've ever had. It's the fastest, most physical team. Seven guys can all steal bases." Combined with power in the middle of the lineup, the Cougars offense may be able to take some pressure off of the pitching staff. What is the goal for Houston in the American for the 2021 season? The same as it always is says Whitting: "win a championship." With the influx of talent, particularly on the mound, and the balance of the offense, it is easy to believe in the 2021 Houston Cougars. College Baseball Nation has already put the Cougars amongst the 76 teams we think will compete at the top of Division I baseball in 2021, and we fully expect Houston to be in the running for a Regional bid. If the pitching staff shores up to the degree we expect, Houston will be knocking on the door of the top 25. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

“The challenge has been to come back, to be a better player, to be a better draft pick. I always challenge them, I think one of the coolest things about being a player here is getting your degree at home plate. We’re trying to turn a negative into a positive.” Mississippi State head coach Chris Lemonis was spot on when he outlined this season’s goals for his players at a September press conference. Following a year in which COVID-19 cut the college baseball season short and limited the MLB Draft to just five rounds, Lemonis has something on his team this year that he rarely has had during his last two years in Starkville: seniors with MLB potential. Typically, with the draft spanning 40 rounds, Lemonis’ roster is depleted of experienced starters the next season. With the flood of talent returning to Mississippi State, this very well could be the year that the Bulldogs capture that long awaited national title. “For me, knowing that Tanner Allen, Rowdey Jordan, and Josh Hatcher are back, and they wouldn’t have been back in a normal year—it’s been nice having guys that know how we do things,” -Chris Lemonis, Mississippi State Head Coach “For me, knowing that Tanner Allen, Rowdey Jordan, and Josh Hatcher are back, and they wouldn’t have been back in a normal year—it’s been nice having guys that know how we do things,” said Lemonis. Allen, Jordan, and Hatcher form a trio that will be foundational to the team’s success. Allen, a senior outfielder, hit .500 in Mississippi State’s three-game fall world series last month. Hatcher had four hits and two RBI this fall, and Jordan, who played in just one game, was an impressive 5-for-5, with two runs scored. With more depth than normal on the bench due to the expanded roster sizes for the 2021 season, Lemonis has plenty of talent at his disposal. Newcomers like JUCO transfer Brayland Skinner, who flashed signs of a strong power hitter this fall, may not start immediately. The Bulldogs brought in a talented freshmen class that was ranked No. 17 in the country by Collegiate Baseball and have hardly any weak spots, at any position in the field. I feel like we have one of the better pitching staffs in the country. I just need more innings and more balls to hand out.” -Chris Lemonis, Mississippi State Head Coach “We have bigger rosters than normal; we’re trying to figure out our guys,” said Lemonis. “We have a lot of newcomers. And the competition is hard because, in our world, I feel like we have one of the better pitching staffs in the country. I just need more innings and more balls to hand out.” RELATED: "No Better Place for College Baseball": A Look at the Tradition of College Baseball in Mississippi It is hard to say whether the hitting or pitching is stronger this year for the Bulldogs. Lefty Christian MacLeod, who very well could be the next first-round draft pick out of Starkville, will be one of the top starters on the pitching staff heading into 2021. With the departure of JT Ginn, MacLeod is In line to be the team’s Friday night starter, as the Huntsville, Alabama, native, posted a 4-0 record with a 0.86 ERA during the COVID-shortened 2020 season. In a media availability last month, MacLeod said he was “very impressed” with the arms the Bulldogs bring back this spring. SPONSORED: Get your Mississippi State Baseball gear from Fanatics “Just based off the pitching I’ve seen this fall, the guys that are coming in and the guys that are back, I’m really impressed with the arms we have here,” said MacLeaod. “We have a ton of guys who have been 95-plus (velocity), a lot of guys that are 90-plus. It’s been extremely impressive to see, whether guys are starting or guys in relief, it’s been really impressive to watch. [I] can’t help but be excited about what's going to be on the mound this year.” One of those “guys in relief” is fifth-year senior Riley Self, who is sixth in Mississippi State history in career appearances. A proven veteran on the mound, Self is versatile, with an ability to close out games or keep runners off the basepaths in a mid-game appearance. He did not pitch more than two innings in an outing in 2020, but was frequently called out of the bullpen, making seven appearances, and throwing 7.2 innings of work. The main challenge for Lemonis and his staff has not been the on-field play. That has been phenomenal. It has been building the team chemistry that has kept the “Diamond Dawgs” in the fight for the College World Series title in recent seasons that has been hardest to construct. “One of the hardest parts for us this fall is building a team,” continued Lemonis, “guys that get along, guys that understand each other. And shoot, everyone has to be six feet apart, wear a mask, they can’t do anything after they leave. These things as we’re building a team, and a family-like atmosphere, make our staff a huge part of that.” At a program such as Mississippi State, where players are constantly leaving for the MLB, success is not solely found in the players on the field. It is the coaching staff, led by Lemonis, who is 64-19 at Mississippi State, that has continued to put together top-notch teams year after year. In fact, Lemonis has not had to replace a single assistant coach while in Starkville. “Our group is very close. Going through COVID, it’s been stressful. The continuity is huge for our kids. I think that comfort level [is key].” -Chris Lemonis, Mississippi State Head Coach “It’s been huge,” said Lemonis, when asked at a recent press conference about the value of his coaching staff having been the same since 2018. “Our group is very close. Going through COVID, it’s been stressful. The continuity is huge for our kids. I think that comfort level [is key].” The Bulldogs exit the fall at number eight in College Baseball Nation’s Post-Fall Top 25. With the team solid from top to bottom, the coaching staff the same, and a tough schedule to prepare for, Mississippi State is ready to roll into the 2021 season. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!