In the shortened 2020 season, few teams can claim a bigger statement series win than UCF. The Knights traveled to Plainsman Park and swept Auburn in dominant fashion, outscoring the Tigers 22-6 in three games. The sweep marked the first time Auburn Baseball had been swept at home in a non-conference series in their 116 year history and launched the Knights into the top 25 before they ultimately rose to number 11 in the final rankings from 2020. But 2020 is history and the 2021 season is nearly upon us. Does UCF Head Coach Greg Lovelady buy into the idea of momentum? Not necessarily. “I believe in confidence.” Lovelady told College Baseball Nation. “[Sweeping Auburn] gave our guys a lot of confidence. They could say ‘hey, I just did that against a first-rounder.’” The Knights scored three runs in 5.1 innings against Tanner Burns, the 36th pick in the 2020 MLB Draft. Looking ahead to 2021, UCF returns most of their 2020 roster with a few notable exceptions. Two right-handed pitchers, Jeff Hakanson and Trevor Holloway, have moved on to professional baseball. Hakanson finished the 2020 season tied for the most saves in the country (6) and was drafted in the fifth round by the Tampa Bay Rays. “Losing Hakanson is huge,” said Lovelady. “He was the best closer in the country. We need guys to step up.” To that end, UCF brings in 12 new players to the 2021 roster, including two graduate transfers. SIU Edwardsville alumnus Kenny Serwa brings experience to the pitching staff. “He’s been that Friday night guy,” Lovelady relayed. Serwa was 4-0 at SIU-Edwardsville with a 1.33 ERA in 27 innings as the top arm. “If you want to be great, you have to go out and prove it every single day.” -Greg Lovelady, UCF Head Coach Two younger arms have also impressed this fall. Lovelady identified Nolan Lepkoske and Hunter Patteson as guys whose raw stuff suggests weekend rotation. Ultimately, Lovelady is looking for ten reliable arms in 2021 as pitching depth may play an even greater role in 2021 if weekend series move to four games. UCF returns four starters who hit over .300 in 2020 from an offense that hit .278 as a team, and Lovelady thinks the 2021 offense has the potential to be even better. “Each game, one or two guys stepped up, but we didn’t feel like we had hit our stride.” Lovelady identified 1B Nick Romano as the best hitter from the fall and noted production from OF Gephry Pena. Said Lovelady of Pena, “he’s a super athlete and an unbelievable kid.” Pena hit .314 and stole 13 bases in 18 games for the Knights in 2020. “I truly believed this team had the ability to make a College World Series run, and it felt like that was stripped from us out of nowhere." Jordan Rathbone, Senior UCF Jordan Rathbone is a second-time senior in 2021 and will play a key leadership role for the squad. After batting a lackluster .190 in 2019, Rathbone hit .313 with three homeruns for the Knights in 2020. Lovelady commended Rathbone for his huge improvement. “Heading into last year, he was a different person in terms of taking care of business.” Rathbone announced he would return for another year with an emphatic statement: “I truly believed this team had the ability to make a College World Series run, and it felt like that was stripped from us out of nowhere. We were all hurt by this, but at the end of the day we all know we still have the chance to be that team that puts UCF on the map and get the respect we deserve. I want to be part of that more than anything, I want to be able to look back on my college experience and know I helped lead the Knights to a historic season.” What are Lovelady’s goals for UCF 2021? “Omaha gets talked about more and more from the guys. We want to be hosting and winning Regionals.” The Knights enter 2021 at number 25 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!

“This is the most talented team we’ve ever had, top to bottom.” East Carolina Head Coach Cliff Godwin had high praises for his 2021 squad when he spoke with College Baseball Nation this week. Even after seeing seven players drafted in the 2019 MLB Draft (a program record) and an additional pick in the five-round 2020 MLB Draft, consistent recruiting and player development has left ECU with a talented team. Another luxury for the Pirates—experienced leaders. Matt Bridges, Cam Colmore, and Tyler Smith make up a trio of sixth and fifth year seniors. “They’re basically assistant coaches,” said Godwin. “They have been with us so long that we have great relationships.” The three pitchers do more than just offer leadership. Combined, they threw 40.2 innings to the tune of a 1.55 ERA in 2020. Tyler Smith has already thrown a whopping 196.2 innings in his four seasons pitching for East Carolina. Godwin had further praise for his pitching staff. “The guys have stuff, but they can also pitch.” That’s true for more than just the Pirates’ seniors. Junior Gavin Williams was up to 100 mph in the fall and freshman Carson Whisenhunt touched 95 mph, according to Godwin. Of course this is all without mentioning junior Jake Kuchmaner who threw a perfect game for the Pirates in 2019 and notched a 0.60 ERA over 15.0 innings in 2020. With experience and depth, the ECU pitching staff is well-positioned for potential four-game weekends, or whatever the 2021 season might entail. On the offensive side of things, Connor Norby highlights a lineup that will pressure opposing pitchers. Norby hit .403 in the shortened 2020 season deeper in the lineup, and will likely move up in the batting order for the 2021 season. Norby’s contribution extends beyond the plate. The sophomore has a career .989 fielding percentage at second base. Said Godwin of Norby, “he has all-American talent. It is a luxury to have him at the top of the lineup.” “East Carolina is really special to me. I’d work on a one-day contact if I had to. I’m very blessed to have the opportunity.” -Cliff Godwin, ECU Head Coach While losing cleanup hitter and two-way player, Alec Burleson, to the draft will be tough to overcome for the Pirates, junior Byrson Worrell will serve as an anchor in the middle of the order in 2021. Worrell hit five home runs and marked a 1.194 OPS in 2020. He represents one of the most projectable bats in the East Carolina lineup. True to form, East Carolina once again has another physically imposing slugger. Godwin compared 6’ 4” freshman Josh Moylan to former ECU sluggers Spencer Brickhouse and Bryant Packard. Said Godwin of Moylan, “he’s a mature hitter. He is disciplined at the plate.” Any competitor needs a solid middle infield, and Ryder Giles (in tandem with the aforementioned Norby) helps fill that role. Giles recorded an errorless 2020 season, and Godwin appreciates his efforts. “He’s the best defensive shortstop in the country. I don’t know who’s better.” Godwin also said that Giles would be considered for the closer role in 2021, reflective of how Godwin excels at extracting the most out of his players. Perhaps what East Carolina has most benefited from in recent years is consistent, high-quality coaching. As recognition of that, ECU offered Godwin a contract extension through the 2025 season. While Godwin mentioned that it is useful to emphasize coaching stability on the recruiting trail, his job is about more than a contact. “East Carolina is really special to me. I’d work on a one-day contract if I had to. I’m very blessed to have the opportunity.” East Carolina exits the fall at number 19 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!

The academic year has kicked off around the country, and the 2021 college baseball season grows ever closer. With the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is unclear exactly how college baseball will be affected. No matter what happens, College Baseball Nation will be here for all of your college baseball coverage needs. We have gathered all of our 2021 college baseball preseason articles in one place for you. So far in the offseason we have: Analyzed the efflux and influx of talent for college baseball's top teams via the MLB Draft and recruiting. Seen the NCAA label college baseball a "medium-contact risk sport" and seen how one power conference will handle COVID testing in the fall with the ACC providing COVID-19 testing requirements for the college baseball season. Witnessed a changing of the guard for the Beavers as Oregon State shook up their coaching staff. Offered the weekend series that we want to see in 2021 (keeping in mind that long-distance travel may not be possible). Narrowed down from 302 teams to the 76 teams we think will compete at the top of college baseball in 2021 and released our way-too-early top 25. Learned the MLB Draft will be pushed back to July in 2021. Seen Northern Colorado hire Jeff Bannister, the former American League Manager of the Year. Been wowed by Garrett Crochet, the first call-up from them 2020 MLB Draft class. Weighed in on who will be the next first-time College World Series champion. Taken a deep dive into college baseball in the state of Mississippi. Gotten the first look at the 2021 college baseball season as Louisiana Tech released their schedule. Update: Illinois has cancelled their Opening Weekend matchup with Louisiana Tech. Sat down with University of Houston Head Coach Todd Whitting to learn why the Cougars are going to be a dangerous team in 2021. Learned that the Ivy League will delay their season start until at least March 1. Speculated what a 72-team college baseball season might look like. Learned that the Big Ten is forgoing non-conference play in 2021. Gotten a glance at Abilene Christian's University's midweek schedule and learned that the Southland Conference is proceeding with a normal conference schedule. Taken a closer look at why 2021 may be the breakthrough year for Mississippi State. Broken down all of the announced changes to the 2021 season (so far). Heard from UCF Head Coach Greg Lovelady on how the Knights will build on a successful 2020 season. Released the top 50 college baseball prospects and identified the best prospect on each Top 25 team. Chatted with East Carolina Head Coach Cliff Godwin about the depth of his pitching staff. Seen our first modified 2021 schedule (from Nevada). Learned for Tulane Head Coach Travis Jewett how the Green Wave are building something special in New Orleans. Sat down with Southern Miss Head Coach Scott Berry to learn about the success the Golden Eagles have had in the fall. Updated our Top 25 to reflect post-fall practice movement. Still to come are more team previews and much more as we count down the days till February 19 (or whenever the 2021 college baseball season may start). Have an idea for a story? Let us know on Twitter, Instagram, or at contact@collegebaseball.info. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

You can never have too much depth, especially heading into a season in which obstacles may be prevalent. Southern Miss head coach Scott Berry knows this, and has his team in a good position to not only reclaim the C-USA title, but go deep into the NCAA tournament as well. “We’re very athletic, and on this team, there are a lot of guys that displayed the ability to move, which is exciting for us, which gives us different options throughout the course of the game to make those moves—where before, maybe we didn’t have that luxury,” said Berry of the depth on this year’s squad. The Golden Eagles enter the 2021 campaign with a pitching staff of 21 pitchers, including four seniors, and a group of position players whose versatility cannot be overstated. Berry feels confident in the guys he has, a good mix of young talent, and upperclassmen with experience. That “young talent” is led by a trio of freshmen, outfielders Slade Wilks and Carson Paetow and infielder Cade Crosby. “We have several guys, such as Will McGillis, that are able to play different positions,” said Berry as he continued to emphasize the depth of his team. “You’ve got Reed Trimble, who can move from the outfield to the infield. A young man that caught everybody’s eye was a true freshman named Cade Crosby. We used him primarily at shortstop but he can play the corners, play the middle, very gifted athlete, hits from the left side. Another guy is Christopher Sargent, who can swing between first and catcher if we needed him to. There’s a lot of flexibility that we have in our position players.” When talking specifically about Wilks and Paetow, Berry had nothing but good things to say about the strides each made throughout fall camp. “Certainly both those guys have shown the ability to hit the field this spring by what they did this fall. I thought Slade Wilks, as we got deeper into the fall, continued to improve. Certainly his mark was felt all the way until the last scrimmage game we had. Carson started out really hot, but I think over time, he had some struggles which is not a bad thing if you learn from them. Failure is not a bad thing. I think both of their upside to get better in this game and continue to develop is very high.” As good as Southern Miss might be at the plate, it will be on the mound where Southern Miss will look to dominate. Four seniors from last year’s club returned, all pitchers, and freshmen Ben Ethridge and Chandler Best, a 2020 College Baseball Nation All-Texas Collegiate League (TCL) starter, will be consistent forces on the hill as well. “I think so,” Berry responded when asked if his pitching staff was going to be this team’s centerpiece. “Based on what I saw this fall, our pitchers threw pretty well and seemed to be pretty consistent.” Best exploded in 2020, finding his way into the starting rotation as a true freshman, though he showed room to improve after an 0-2 record and 11.12 ERA. Following a summer in the TCL in which he posted a 1.99 ERA and a solid fall, he appears to be even stronger. Ethridge showed much of the same, though his stats were significantly better, with a 3-0 record and 2.29 ERA, striking out 26 in 19.2 innings pitched on his way to Collegiate Baseball freshman all-American honors. Heading into this spring, Ethridge will look to be one of Berry’s go-to relievers out of the bullpen, thanks to the consistency he showed, despite inexperience. “He was a freshman all-American last year in a short season,” said Berry. “He was very consistent, really put up some outstanding numbers for us last year for us as a true freshman. I really see him as somebody that will work out of the bullpen this spring, whether it be in short relief or even long relief.” On top of the players out on the field, the Golden Eagles also developed an invaluable level of team chemistry and experience through an unusually high number of scrimmages this fall, as Berry changed up the way fall camp ran. “We were able to have more intersquads this year than we ever had in 21 years now that I've been here,” said Berry. “We actually logged in 21 scrimmage games. It seems like through a fall we only get in 12 to 13, so certainly we were able to get a lot more evaluation time in, which is live time, where pitchers are facing live hitters and hitters are facing live pitchers.” That “live time” is important in fall practice every season, but more so this fall, considering that COVID-19 shut down several summer leagues and limited the opportunities for players to keep playing throughout the summer. “There were some who did play in the summertime, but the majority of them didn’t,” Berry told College Baseball Nation. “One good thing about that, they were fresh both physically and mentally, and obviously hungry on the mental side to get back out there and compete. It took a little bit, it seems like, for the hitters to get back in their rhythm, but the fall proved to be really good for us, as I’m sure it did for everybody else across the country.” Southern Miss has always had a slogan that the program lives by, “anybody, anytime, anywhere”. In years past, the Golden Eagles have always assembled a tough non-conference slate and received their fair share of tests in conference action as well. From Berry’s perspective, this season will be no different, even with other conferences such as the Big Ten opting to play a conference-only slate in order to minimize the effects of COVID-19. “Nobody has told us any different, so we’re planning, as scheduled, to open up February 19 with a 55- game schedule which obviously includes both conference and non-conference,” Berry told College Baseball Nation. “I think that is what everybody in college baseball was kind of awaiting the word on. Is there going to be any adjustments schedule-wise? Because we’re all trying to make plans but nobody is telling us anything.” “I’ve got 55 games scheduled with a very sound non-conference schedule as well as our Conference USA, pretty much a normal schedule.” As Southern Miss (and all programs across the country) prepares for the 2021 campaign, there are still a variety of unknowns regarding the way the season and the schedule will look. Even with those outside distractions, Berry does not feel his team has been affected, or lost any amount of focus on the year ahead. “I think the mere fact that they’ve been without baseball and without one another, which would have normally happened in any other year prior, the focus was taken off all those outside things,” said Berry. “We talk a lot about worrying about the stuff that you can control and don’t try to worry about the things you can’t. Those are things we can’t control, so I think the focus from our guys was really good throughout the fall. . . .” Southern Miss enters the spring "under consideration" for 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!

When you think about the strength of the Tulane Baseball team in recent years, you think of talented hitters—Kody Hoese, Hudson Haskin—and to go with that, sometimes shaky pitching. But take a closer look at the 2020 season, and you’ll see a team bucking that trend. “What’s gotten us back in the fold is that dirt circle in the middle of the field; it’s the pitching.” Tulane Head Coach Travis Jewett was effusive with praise for his pitching staff when he spoke with College Baseball Nation this week. “In a ballgame, you want to be in range. Good pitching keeps you in range. We’re longer—we have guys who can start and guys you can pass the ball to.” In 2021, Tulane will return all of the key contributors from a pitching staff that last season helped lead them to a 15-2 start and the number 18 ranking in College Baseball Nation’s final top 25. A year ago, Tulane’s pitchers silenced opponents’ bats and notched a 3.06 team ERA (over two and a half runs better than the previous year). Tulane’s pitching identity is set by their elite starters. Junior RHP Braden Olthoff proved himself to be a bonafide ace in his four 2020 starts. Olthoff averaged 7.0 innings pitched per start and gave up just a single earned run across those four starts, finishing with a 0.32 ERA. “He’s a man with a vision,” said Jewett of Olthoff. “He’s very invested when he has a ball in his hand and when he doesn’t.” Olthoff fanned a staggering 47 hitters in his 28.0 innings and allowed just three walks. Junior LHP Jack Aldrich also played a key role in the Green Wave’s 2020 rotation and will likely do so again in 2021. A player Jewett described as “every coach’s dream,” Aldrich posted a sub-2 ERA in his four 2020 starts. Junior RHP Donovan Benoit is another key contributor from a year ago. While Benoit struggled some with control, giving up 15 walks in his 19.1 innings pitched, Jewett noted that the right hander has made substantial gains in the offseason. “He’s had a huge jump. He’s in the mid-90s,” relayed Jewett. Closer and graduate student Keagan Gillies has also found success in the offseason and has touched 97 mph, according to Jewett. The converted starter was held in high regards by Jewett who complimented his “whatever it takes” attitude. More importantly, Gillies serves as an experienced, steady presence at the back end of the bullpen. At the same time Tulane’s pitching was seeing massive improvement in 2020, the offense still shined. The Green Wave batted to the tune of a .303 team average. However, the 2021 offense will be missing the 39th overall pick from the 2020 MLB Draft, Hudson Haskin. Also gone are Grant Matthews, Ty Johnson, and Jonathon Artigues, who along with Haskin were four of the top producers for the Green Wave offense. The good news for Tulane is that they won't be without offensive weapons in 2021. Returning players Trevor Minder, Luis Aviles, Frankie Niemann, Ethan Groff, and Collin Burns were among the names mentioned by Jewett as guys he can rely on. Trevor Minder was tied for the team lead in extra base hits in 2020 (nine) and boasted a 1.066 OPS. Combined with his solid glove at third base, Minder has the eyes of MLB scouts. Despite the losses in the lineup, Jewett has a positive outlook on his 2021 offense. “Pitching is going to allow us to be more trying and willing.” Jewett is looking forward to playing a more disruptive style of offense with guys on base, more base stealing, and the constant pressure of a big rally. After the longest ever offseason in college baseball, Jewett is ready to get back on the field. “I’m excited. I’m optimistic. We’ve endured. We’ve come a long way. We’re ready to compete.” With the momentum Tulane is carrying with them into 2021, we’re optimistic for them too. Tulane enters the spring “under consideration” for a spot in the Top 25. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

Stars win. Nowhere is this more evident than college baseball, where seven of the top eight ranked teams boast players who are among the top 20 draft prospects for 2021 as determined by College Baseball Nation. And we should probably mention that Florida, Vanderbilt, and Louisville employ an additional eight players combined from our 2021 Top 50 Draft Prospects list. That prospect palette still not satiated? Well, then, consider Texas Tech, the only team within the “great eight” not to have a top 20 2021 draft prospect on its roster. Its most promising player will likely be a 1st rounder next year. We could continue, but we’ll let you see for yourselves how prospect heavy the best teams in our sport are. 1. Florida Jud Fabian, OF (draft eligible in 2021): The Gators are loaded, but Fabian’s 5-tool mix, relative youth, and established track record rocket him past his teammates. 2. UCLA Matt McClain, 2B/SS (2021): After a rough freshman campaign, McClain’s strong performance last season and monster summer with the Santa Barbara Foresters have him back on track. 3. Texas Tech Jace Jung, 3B/2B (2022): Jung also had a productive summer in Santa Barbara, where his compact swing produced line drive after line drive to all fields. 4. Vanderbilt Jack Leiter, RHP (2021): Of course many people would like to see Kumar Rocker here, but Leiter’s superior command and better fastball metrics give him the nod . . . by a nose. 5. Ole Miss Gunnar Hoglund, RHP (2021): A 1st round pick out of high school, Hoglund’s a model darling with exceptional command and still has plenty of room to fill out his 6-05/205 frame. 6. Arkansas Christian Franklin, OF (2021): Though a bit undersized, Franklin is a high-voltage athlete coming off a strong fall. His hit and power tools have improved drastically. 7. Louisville Alex Binelas, 3B (2021): Binelas shows no signs of the broken hamate bone he sustained in February and if he’s able to prove he can stick at 3B, he’ll be a top-10 pick. 8. Mississippi State Eric Cerantola, RHP (2021): Cerantola, a native Canadian who has a fastball that approaches 100 MPH and a wipeout curveball, and lefty Christian MacLeod will form the backbone of the Bulldogs’ dominant pitching corps. 9. TCU Riley Cornelio, RHP (2021): Cornelio was a consensus top-100 prospect out of a Colorado high school two years ago. A draft eligible sophomore in 2021, he could hear his name called on the first night of the festivities. 10. Florida State Robby Martin, OF (2021): Martin started hitting the day he arrived in Tallahassee and hasn’t stopped. If the changes he made to his body during the pandemic prove sustainable, he may play himself into the 1st round. 11. Virginia Chris Newell, OF (2022): Get used to hearing Newell’s name. He’s a 5-tool stud who was putting up video game numbers prior to the cancellation of last season. 12. Texas Ty Madden, RHP (2021): Madden currently has more helium than any other pitcher in the country. He hit 99 MPH in the fall and displayed solid command of his other offerings. 13. LSU Jaden Hill, RHP (2021): While it was tempting to list freshman slugger Dylan Crews here, Hill’s durable frame and electric arm have many calling him the 3rd best college pitching prospect. 14. Arizona Ryan Holgate, OF (2021): Holgate and his immense power will be the fulcrum of a Wildcat lineup that will no longer be with slugger Austin Wells. Keep an eye on freshman OF Chase Davis. 15. Georgia Tech Kevin Parada, C (2022): Varitek, Wieters, Bart . . . Parada. The Californian would have been a surefire 2nd round pick this year but instead will head to Atlanta where he’s poised to be the next in a long line of premium backstops. Parada will be draft eligible as a sophomore in 2022. 16. Duke Ethan Murray, SS (2021): Murray is an old-school, no-frills shortstop who catches everything and makes good contact. 17. Wake Forest Ryan Cusick, RHP (2021): Wake Forest is quickly developing a reputation as one of the nation’s most progressive pitching schools (see Shuster, Jared), and the strapping Cusick may very well be the next success story with his mid-90’s, metric-friendly fastball. 18. Georgia Jonathan Cannon, RHP (2021): Cannon is still a blank canvas, but if he’s able to harness his atomic arsenal he’s a future front-of-the-rotation big league starter. 19. ECU Bryson Worrell, OF (2021): DH Thomas Francisco has the club’s best hit tool, 1B Josh Moylan has power oozing out of his pores, and 2B Connor Norby is the heart and soul of the lineup; however, Worrell’s 5-tool potential is tantalizing. 20. Arizona State Tyler Thornton, RHP (2021): The loss of Spencer Torkelson, Alika Williams, and Gage Workman to the pros robbed ASU of most of its star power, but expect the mature Thornton to anchor a deep Sun Devils pitching staff. 21. LBSU Alfredo Ruiz, LHP (2021): Ruiz and his pinpoint control, Adam Seminaris, and Luis Ramirez will form the nucleus of the most underrated pitching staff on the West Coast. 22. UCSB Rodney Boone, LHP (2021): Though Boone doesn’t boast the premium velocity of other pitchers on this list, his pitch metrics are exceptional and should catapult him ahead of guys with better radar gun readings. 23. NC State Jose Torres, SS (2021): Torres is a gem defensively, and if his bat catches up to his glove, he’ll be a slam-dunk 1st rounder in July. 24. Miami Adrian Del Castillo, C/OF (2021): Next to Leiter, Del Castillo, by virtue of his polished bat, is probably closest of all 2021 college draftees to the bigs, but he’ll probably have to change positions first. 25. UCF Alex Freeland, SS (2022): As a rising freshman, Freeland hit nearly .400 with a sterling 18/10 BB/K ratio in the Florida Collegiate Summer League. He’ll be a draft eligible sophomore in 2022. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

Once again, the talent level in the college ranks for the 2021 First Year Player Draft is impressive. The draft landscape at the college level is littered with power pitchers who boast both strong command and solid pitch metrics. Here is College Baseball Nation’s inaugural ranking of next year’s college draft class based on in-game performance, discussions with scouts, and first-hand observations. 1. Jud Fabian, OF, Florida: Simply put, Fabian checks all the boxes—he’s uncommonly young for his class, posted a .290/.350/.500 slash line in 137 PAs as an 18-year-old in the Cape Cod League, and doesn’t have a tool under 55. Comps range from Mitch Haniger to a young Kevin McReynolds to Ryan Braun. 2. Jack Leiter, RHP, Vanderbilt: A draft eligible sophomore whose freshman season was interrupted by COVID-19, Leiter won’t be able to equal the lengthy track record of many of his peers, but that won’t matter. He has superb command of five plus pitches, including a fastball that can reach 97 MPH, and flawless mechanics. 3. Kumar Rocker, RHP, Vanderbilt: A 6-04, 255-pound man-child, Rocker has been on scouts’ radar since his early high school days. As impressive as Rocker’s mid-90’s fastball is, it’s his high-80’s slider and its gyro-like qualities that have scouts excited. 4. Alex Binelas, 3B, Louisville: A Wisconsin native, Binelas burst upon the scene as a freshman when he belted 14 HR and posted exceptional exit velocities. He has improved markedly at the hot corner and multiple scouts believe he’ll remain there as a pro. 5. Ethan Wilson, OF, South Alabama: Wilson’s high exit velocities and loft in his swing combine to give him at least 60 power; however, high swing-and-miss rates on breaking stuff translate into a best-case average hit tool. He’s an adept fielder in LF and might even play some CF next spring. 6. Adrian Del Castillo, C/OF, Miami (FL): Del Castillo is the consensus top pure hitter on this list as he combines a great feel for the barrel and discerning eye. His receiving lags far behind his offense and he’ll most likely have to shift to 1B or LF at the next level. 7. Matt McClain, 2B/SS, UCLA: Though former Oregon State star Nick Madrigal is the en vogue comp for McClain, McClain’s substantial edge in physicality and power evoke memories of a young Brian Dozier. Scouts are split on whether McClain will have the defensive chops to stick at SS long-term. 8. Ty Madden, RHP, Texas: College has paid off for Madden. In his time in Austin he’s put on 35 pounds of good weight, added 5 MPH to his heater, and improved command of his entire 4-pitch repertoire. 9. Jaden Hill, RHP, LSU: Hill is the popular preseason sleeper pick for 1-01 as he was unhittable last season before the onset of COVID-19 and his fastball pushes triple digits. But his checkered medical past (just 22 total college IP) and pedestrian spin rates mitigate some of that enthusiasm. 10. Colton Cowser, OF, Sam Houston State: Cowser’s profile is interesting, if not a throwback. He’s a hit-over-power guy with strong contact metrics who plays a decent CF. If he’s able to add more loft to his swing and enhance his power, the team that selects him in July would hit paydirt. 11. Jonathan Cannon, RHP, Georgia 12. Levi Usher, OF, Louisville 13. Christian Franklin, OF, Arkansas 14. Steven Hajjar, LHP, Michigan 15. Sam Bachman, RHP, Miami (OH) 16. Zack Gelof, 3B, Virginia 17. Gunnar Hoglund, RHP, Ole Miss 18. Mason Black, RHP, Lehigh 19. Eric Cerantola, RHP, Mississippi State 20. Robby Martin, OF, Florida State 21. Jack Perkins, RHP, Louisville 22. Henry Davis, C, Louisville 23. Jordan Wicks, LHP, Kansas State 24. Tommy Mace, RHP, Florida 25. Cody Morissette, 3B, Boston College 26. Ryan Cusick, RHP, Wake Forest: 27. Hunter Goodman, C/OF, Memphis 28. Kevin Abel, RHP, Oregon State 29. Pete Hansen, LHP, Texas 30. Wyatt Olds, RHP, Oklahoma 31. Jose Torres, SS, NC State 32. Christian MacLeod, LHP, Mississippi State 33. Noah Cardenas, C, UCLA 34. Hugh Fisher, LHP, Vanderbilt 35. Jerrion Ealy, OF, Ole Miss 36. Seth Lonsway, LHP, Ohio State 37. Dominic Hamel, RHP, Dallas Baptist 38. Sal Frelick, OF, Boston College 39. Nick Nastrini, RHP, UCLA 40. Griff McGarry, RHP, Virginia 41. Max Ferguson, 2B, Tennessee 42. J.T. Schwartz, 1B, UCLA 43. Ben Specht, RHP, Florida 44. Jonathan Childress, LHP, Texas A&M 45. Doug Nikhazy, LHP, Ole Miss 46. Nic Kent, SS, Virginia 47. Mason Pelio, RHP, Boston College 48. Andrew Abbott, LHP, Virginia 49. Ryan Holgate, OF, Arizona 50. Jack Leftwich, RHP, Florida Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

While it is safe to say we still haven't fully recovered from the cancellation of the 2020 college baseball season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are ready to look ahead to the 2021 season. The start date of the 2021 season (February 19) is under a hundred days away, and we are beginning to get the first hints as to what the season will look like. RELATED: 2021 Season Preview Let's start with the bad news. There are already signs that the 2021 college baseball season won't be totally normal, but it is fair to say that most people probably aren't expecting normal. The Ivy League, the first conference to cancel its 2020 baseball season, recently announced a delay to the start of the 2021 season until March 1. The reality is that this announcement doesn't mean much in the bigger picture. Ivy League teams typically do not play a full 56-game schedule, and many teams wait until a few weeks into the season to start playing games anyway. A combination of the academic focus and cold weather prevents Ivy League teams from starting in the middle of February like the rest of the country. In addition, multiple source have confirmed that the Big Ten Conference is opting out of non-conference play for the 2021 season. This news has broader impacts than the Ivy League news. Many teams were scheduled to play non-conference series against Big Ten teams, including Louisiana Tech and LSU. On top of that, Big Ten teams were scheduled to play in premier early season tournaments like the Round Rock Classic and Frisco Classic. Reducing the import of this news, the Big Ten currently has no teams ranked in College Baseball Nation's Top 25. At this juncture, the announcement of no conference play puts Big Ten teams at risk of being left out of the NCAA Tournament more than it affects the larger college baseball landscape. However, with that said, sources suggest that other major conferences are considering turning to a predominantly conference play schedule. The SEC, American, Pac 12, and Big West are among the conferences discussing what an enhanced conference schedule would look like. Per one head coach, "anything and everything is on the table." Many conferences are considering four-game weekend series with a double header on one day. This type of weekend scheduling allows for more games at a similar cost to a three-game weekend series. While cost-savings is always on the mind of most college baseball coaches, that will be even more the case in 2021. The Mountain West Conference has already made some adjustments to their conference schedule. All conference series will be three game series played over Saturday and Sunday, with a doubleheader on Saturday. Additionally, the Mountain West Conference will forgo their usual conference tournament and will rely upon regular season standings to determine an automatic qualifier. Now let's switch to the good news! Conference USA and the Southland Conference are both moving full steam ahead in terms of conference and non-conference scheduling. Louisiana Tech from Conference USA and Abilene Christian from the Southland Conference have both released schedules that show no aberrations from a normal schedule. While normal is good, it is worth noting that the mid-major conferences are most incentivized to proceed with normal scheduling. Teams from these conferences rely on non-conference games to get an RPI boost. These schedules are also useful in revealing how other conferences are proceeding with 2021 scheduling. Several teams from other conferences have shown up on Louisiana Tech's and Abilene Christian's schedules, including Arkansas, Ole Miss, TCU, Tulane, and UT Arlington. This suggests that the SEC, Big 12, American, and Sun Belt are all on-pace to have non-conference play. Of course, there is still time for that to change before the season starts. More good news is that as of the week of November 16, many schools were still actively pursuing non-conference games, including Oregon State, Texas Tech, LSU, South Alabama, Dallas Baptist, Virginia, and more, per sources. So for now, non-conference play as a whole is safe, with conference-only scheduling a backup option. One source shared with College Baseball Nation the importance of the college basketball season. As a money maker for many colleges and the NCAA, basketball has a major influence on collegiate athletic budgets. Keep your eyes on college basketball and your fingers crossed that the season can proceed safely and effectively. Cash-strapped athletic departments are much more likely to reduce travel, decrease games, and cut college baseball programs. In summary, we have signs of what is to come in the 2021 college baseball season, and generally speaking, there is reason for hope. We'll keep you updated as things develop over the next few weeks and months. Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content!

We received hundreds of thousands of votes in our online polls to find the top stadiums in the country before finally crowning Mississippi State's Dudy Noble as the champion. Affectionately called "The Dude," Dudy Noble amassed 53,054 votes in the final round. Mississippi State has invested over $60 million dollars to have the best facilities in the country. The final round of voting pitted Egg Bowl rivals, Mississippi State and Ole Miss, against each other. Ole Miss's Swayze Field finished second, just ahead of Arkansas's Baum-Walker Stadium. Clark-LeClair Stadium on the campus of ECU was the only stadium outside of the SEC to reach the Final Four. Clark-LeClair stadium is famous for the "Jungle," a crew of raucous fans in left field. Olsen Field in College Station, Texas marks one of three stadiums from the state to make the top ten. Houston's Schroeder Park (8) and Texas's Disch-Falk Field (9) also join Olsen Field in the top ten. We have since polled almost 100 D1 college baseball players and asked them their favorite places to play. Be sure to check out the players' top stadiums. Many familiar stadiums and a few surprises made the cut. Thanks for checking out our College Baseball Stadium Rankings! We appreciate you stopping by. Want to chat college baseball and more? Head over to our forum. Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content! If you like what you are seeing from us and want to support us, consider becoming a Patreon supporter. We depend upon the support of our amazing fans! #rankings #collegebaseball

With all of collegiate athletics in flux due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems likely that college baseball will face scheduling adjustments in the 2021 season. Cross-country travel may be reduced, especially for smaller budget teams. NC State, not thought of as a smaller budget team, has already pulled out of the Round Rock College Classic in an effort to cut costs. Additionally it is unclear how schools will respond to the NCAA labeling college baseball a "medium contact risk" sport. Uncertainty in long-distance travel potentially opens the door for more local weekend series. With that said, we have gathered the driving-distance series that we most want to see in 2021. Texas A&M vs University of Texas (107 miles) This one is a no-brainer. Texas A&M and Texas haven't met up for a full weekend series since 2012, when Texas A&M left the Big XII to join the SEC. Since then, Texas A&M has seven Regional appearances, three Super Regional appearances, and one trip to Omaha. Texas has four Regional appearances and two visits to the College World Series in the same timespan. The quality of the product on the field and the intensity of the games would be worthy of the postseason. ECU vs NC State (84 miles) The state of North Carolina is a powerhouse in college baseball. The fact that ECU doesn't play annual series with NC State or UNC is a travesty. This series would give both schools a nice RPI boost, making it a win-win regardless of outcome. Especially with the departure of UConn from the American, ECU could use an additional series against a likely tournament team. UCF vs Auburn (418 miles) This matchup is the farthest distance of the bunch, but there needs to be a sequel to the 2020 series. UCF was one of our biggest winners of the shortened 2020 season, and that was in large part to their road sweep of Auburn. The Knights ended the season at #11 in College Baseball Nation's Top 25. Part II of UCF vs Auburn is needed to prove whether the first series was an anomaly or if UCF is really announcing itself on a national stage. Oklahoma State vs Arkansas (173 miles) Imagine it. It's Opening Weekend 2021. Oklahoma State's brand new O'Brate Stadium sees action for the first time. Omaha regular Arkansas comes to town to face off against a ranked Oklahoma State team that will compete for a Big XII title. What more could you want? This series would be full of next-level talent and would preview the potential of these two teams making it to Omaha. UCSB vs Pepperdine (67 miles) Both of these teams finished the shortened 2020 season in College Baseball Nation's Top 25, with UCSB checking in at #16 and Pepperdine at #23. UCSB is consistently one of the best squads in the Big West, while Pepperdine is one of the West Coast Conference's best teams. In a region of the country where RPI-boosting series can be hard to come by, this series would help both teams bolster their postseason resumes. Vanderbilt vs Louisville (173 miles) What's not to like about this series? The defending National Champions versus one of the teams most likely to break through and win a title in the next few years. Kumar Rocker versus Luke Smith on Friday night with Jack Leiter following up on Saturday for the Commodores. This series would be worthy of the National Championship series. Have a better idea for a weekend series that needs to happen in 2021? Comment below or tag us on social media! Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content! If you like what you are seeing from us and want to support us, consider becoming a Patreon supporter. We depend upon the support of our amazing fans! #collegebaseball

Played in Hoover, Alabama every year since 1998, the SEC Tournament has given SEC teams one last chance to jockey for NCAA Tournament hosting position. Just last year, a run to the tournament championship game secured Ole Miss a spot as a Regional host (and possibly knocked Texas A&M out). In the four plus decades since the SEC has played a conference tournament, LSU leads the way with 12 tournament championships. Winning six of the last twelve tournaments has solidified the Tigers' lead. The current SEC Tournament format was adopted in 2013 with 12 of 14 teams participating. A single elimination game between the 5-12 seeds narrows the tournament to eight teams before double elimination shortens the list of competitors to four. The last four teams compete in single-elimination games to determine a champion. The 90s were an interesting time for the SEC as conference expansion forced changes in the tournament. From 1993-1995, the SEC held separate tournaments for the East and West divisions. Tennessee was the largest benefactor of this format, winning the East's tournament all three years. In 1990, LSU shared the tournament championship with Mississippi State after weather issues forced the finals to be abandoned. LSU led 6-0 in the third inning when the game was cancelled. Prior to 1977, a best-of-three series between the top team in each division determined the champion. During this era, Mississippi State led with six championships, followed by Ole Miss (5) and Alabama (4). Thanks for checking out College Baseball Nation! We appreciate you stopping by. Want to chat college baseball and more? Head over to our forum. Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content! If you like what you are seeing from us and want to support us, consider becoming a Patreon supporter. We depend upon the support of our amazing fans! #collegebaseball

Mississippi State's Dudy Noble Field has emerged victorious in College Baseball Nation's 2020 Best Stadium Tournament! After receiving 53,054 votes in the Finals, Dudy Noble Field dispatched Ole Miss's Swayze Field. The Tournament ignited a Twitter rendition of the Egg Bowl rivalry, as the two schools hit nearly 100,000 votes in the Finals in just 48 hours. Tallying over 75,000 votes in the tournament, The Dude emerged as a frontrunner early on despite a lack of support from official social media accounts. Aid came from unlikely sources like Central Michigan's Baseball team and a host of other accounts including Mississippi State's Barstool affiliate. Bulldogs legend Jake Mangum tweeted his support of The Dude. Former Mississippi State standout, Elijah MacNamee echoed Mangum's support. Dudy Noble eliminated several iconic ballparks, including Beaver Field, which is set in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains, and Miller Park, which is nestled into the Rockies. The Dude defeated ECU's Clark-LeClair Stadium in the Final Four, despite a fervent effort by Pirates fans. Thanks for reading! Message us on Twitter (@CollegeBallNat) or email us at collegeballnat@gmail.com. Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram to keep up with all of our content! If you like what you are seeing from us and want to support us, consider becoming a Patron. We depend upon the support of our amazing fans!