In 2024, several thousand Division I players entered college baseball’s version of free agency, a trend that’s allowed some of the nation’s top teams—including LSU, Auburn, Georgia, Texas and Oregon—to rebuild rosters and vault into national seed contention.

The portal is open to all players and will remain that way until July 1.

Baseball America will be tracking notable entrants and their commitments—or, in the case of draft-eligible players, decisions to sign professional contracts. This is not an all-inclusive or ranked list, but a running log of key player movement throughout the offseason.

Stony Brook

While non-graduate transfers are broadly required to wait until June 2 to officially enter the portal, exception is given to athlete who play for teams undergoing coaching changes. It’s the case at Stony Brook and Incarnate Word, which have seen over a dozen players enter their names. A pair from Stony Brook pop immediately in terms of their potential to impact the high-major transfer scene, namely designated hitter Nico Azpilcueta and two-way player Erik Paulsen, who led the team in home runs (18) and batting average (.352), respectively.

Matt Barr, RHP, Suny Niagara

Tennessee earned another big portal win this evening (May 27) when Matt Barr announced on Instagram his commitment to the Volunteers. A lanky and projectable righthander, Barr has been on a rocket ship this spring. He pitched his way to a perfect 10-0 record with a 1.74 ERA and 94 strikeouts across 57 innings. Barr has massive stuff to dream on and while there’s some low-hanging fruit to clean up in his delivery, his fastball has been up to 98 to go along with a distinct curveball and slider—both of which he can spin in the 3,000 rpm range. There’s a strong chance he’s drafted and sings, but Barr is still a huge get for head Coach Tony Vitello and his staff.

Mason Estrada, RHP, MIT

Tennessee has won huge in the transfer portal in recent years, landing a handful of roster headliners such as former Ole Miss lefty Liam Doyle, who is now arguably college baseball’s most dominant active arm, former Ole Miss slugger Andrew Fischer and former Louisville middle infielder Gavin Kilen, among many others. The Volunteers are hopeful that they’ve struck gold again after earning a commitment from former MIT righty Mason Estrada, whose fastball sits in the mid-to-high 90s with carry through the zone. He also offers a big, sweeping slider out of a low three-quarter slot, which helped to produce an impressive 2.21 ERA and 66 strikeouts to 23 walks in 40.2 innings this year. Estrada is eligible for this summer’s draft, making his collegiate future somewhat murky.

Max Jensen, 1B/3B, Cornell

Vanderbilt set out to add experience to its infield this offseason and got on the board very early when it earned a pledge from former Cornell corner infielder Max Jensen, who has one season of remaining eligibility after making just 17 appearances in 2025 due to injury. Jensen batted .284 with three doubles, one triple, five home runs and 15 RBIs while producing a 90.6 mph average exit velocity and 106 mph 90th percentile exit velocity in his limited sample size.

Jacob Faulkner, RHP, Princeton

The Commodores’ first transfer pickup of the year came from former Ivy Leaguer Jacob Faulkner, a sidewinder who pitched to the tune of a 4.14 ERA with 55 strikeouts to 17 walks in 67.1 innings as a junior in 2025. Faulkner relies on two pitches, a fastball and slider, and neither produce overwhelming velocity or sharp movement, his extremely low release height and deceptiveness make each offering unique.

Temo Becerra, SS, Stanford

Becerra entered the portal as a graduate transfer and is currently in the midst of a career season to the tune of a .341/.394/.435 slash line with 12 extra-base hits and 36 RBIs—all of which are new career-highs. A versatile infielder, Becerra can play anywhere on the dirt. He has the skillset to handle either shortstop or third base, where he has an above-average arm. Becerra very much fits the mold of a “hit over power” profile, but he has plus bat-to-ball skills and is currently running a 90% overall in-zone contact rate, including 94% against fastballs.

Charlie Saum, C, Stanford

He might not have the flashiest offensive numbers, even among early transfer portal entrants, but Stanford senior catcher Charlie Saum is expected to garner high-major interest this offseason after producing impressive batted ball numbers and proving to be a steady presence behind the plate with over 100 games of collegiate experience. As of April 18, Saum had a 114 mph maximum exit velocity, 30% barrel rate and 51% hard hit rate.

Rob Liddington, 1B/OF, Incarnate Word

One of over a dozen players from Incarnate Word to hit the portal in the wake of head coach Ryan Shotzberger’s firing, Liddington has a chance to command serious attention after posting a breakout season in 2025, which included a .359 average, 15 home runs, 10 doubles, five triples, 50 RBIs and 13 stolen bases across 50 games. Liddington has played all over the diamond in college, though the majority of his reps have come in the outfield and at first base.

The post 2025 College Baseball Transfer Portal Tracker appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

From the dugout steps, Texas pitching coach Max Weiner whispered into the pitch call system. On the mound, Volantis listened. The freshman lefthander nodded, exhaled and executed. Over and over. Out after out.

“It’s like they’re both painting the same picture,” Texas head coach Jim Schlossnagle told Baseball America. “One’s doing it from the dugout, and one’s doing it from the mound. And they’re in sync.”

That synchronization was the heartbeat of one of the nation’s most dominant pitching performances in 2025. And after a freshman season that reset records and recalibrated expectations, Volantis has been named Baseball America’s Freshman of the Year.

Volantis, who ranks third in BA’s 2027 MLB Draft prospect rankings, earned the award with a 1.94 ERA, 74 strikeouts and only 12 walks across 51 innings. He converted 12 saves. Facing the sport’s deepest lineups Southeastern Conference play, Volantis was otherworldly: a 1.59 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, a .160 opponent batting average and 11 saves. The save total was most ever by an SEC freshman, breaking a 22-year-old record set by Ole Miss’ Steven Head.

But to Schlossnagle, Volantis’ brilliance was never about raw numbers. It was about presence, poise and the unteachable heartbeat of a cold-blooded closer.

“He is very selfless, has a really slow heartbeat,” Schlossnagle said. “He’s competitive, but he never makes the moment too big.”

That temperament—paired with elite strike-throwing and an unusual pitch profile—allowed Texas to turn a late-arriving freshman into a foundational piece. Originally a USC signee, Volantis got out of his National Letter of Intent and was still unsigned late last summer. Texas, which underwent a late coaching change and hired Schlossnagle after he took Texas A&M to the 2024 national championship series, pounced.

“We were just super fortunate, number one, that he was even available,” Schlossnagle said. “(Weiner) had loved him for a while. Max thrives on finding uniqueness, and Dylan was certainly very unique analytically.”

The term “unique” applies to Volantis in more ways the one.

Physically, his delivery and release height give him rare traits. At 6-foot-6, Volantis rains pitches down on opponents, capitalizing on his downward-moving arsenal.

From that high slot comes a true sinker—hard, heavy and late-moving—and a devastating spike curveball with excellent depth and finish that’s effective in the zone. They were a challenge just to catch. So much so that Texas backstop Rylan Galvan underwent specific training with stacked pitching machines to learn how to track and block Volantis’ nastiest offerings.

“He throws that sinker from a really high release height, which is not easy to manage if you’re behind the plate,” Schlossnagle said. “Then you’ve got the big overhand breaking ball that a lot of people don’t see anymore. Galvan is to be credited a lot for Dylan’s success, too.”

The pairing with Weiner, though, was where the magic happened.

Weiner, Texas’ 30-year-old pitching savant, eschews traditional pitch labels. He cares only for shape, out-getting value and context. To outsiders, his pitch calling seems eccentric. To opponents, it’s a nightmare.

“I’ve been in this game for 35 years, and when it’s a 3-0 count, you always throw a fastball,” Schlossnagle said. “But if the guy doesn’t throw his fastball for strikes, and he throws his breaking ball for strikes, then why do we always call fastball, right?”

That logic became gospel between Weiner and Volantis. Every pitch had purpose. Every count was an opportunity to gain leverage. And with Volantis’ rare ability to command more than two pitches, the strategy was limitless.

“A confident pitcher is a scary pitcher,” Schlossnagle said. “If they’re confident in what they’re about to throw, that’s a good pitcher.”

Volantis wasn’t just good—he was transcendent.

The bullpen role he eventually came to own wasn’t even the one Texas had originally scripted. Early in the season, the plan was for Notre Dame transfer Will Mercer to close. But when Mercer went down with an injury, the opportunity fell into Volantis’ lap. He didn’t just handle it—he dominated.

“It’s literally every single thing we threw at Dylan, he accomplished it,” Schlossnagle said. “He thrived in it.”

And so Texas adapted. With other arms like Jared Spencer and Luke Harrison stepping up as reliable starters, the coaching staff leaned into Volantis’ versatility. He became the team’s out-getter. Sometimes it was the ninth, sometimes it was the seventh through the ninth. Sometimes, it didn’t matter at all.

“Max’s philosophy is we don’t name roles,” Schlossnagle said. “You’re just an out-getter. It’s a one-inning save, one pitch at a time, and then you go back out and start over again.”

Volantis bought into that philosophy immediately, and it showed. On the biggest stages, he was unflappable. The stuff? Excellent. But the human behind it? Even better.

“We didn’t know that the person was so much better than the pitcher, and that’s really what makes him great,” Schlossnagle said.

What made Volantis BA’s Freshman of the Year was the way he moved through games with confidence, intelligence and intent.

“You throw in the pressures of the game and the sounds and the noise and the intensity and the talent level of each pitch,” Schlossnagle said, “It’s Volantis against Ike Irish. How in the world is this going to work out? Watching Max and Dylan work together to get a great player like Ike out, there’s definitely an appreciation for it that you have to just step back and enjoy.”

You didn’t have to be a scout or a coach to see it. You just had to love the game. What Volantis did in 2025 wasn’t just dominant.

It was art.

“What he was capable of doing, how he responded, how even-keeled his emotions were, how consistent he was in his work habits, how consistent he was as a human being,” Schlossnagle said, “That’s what makes him the way he is. We’re lucky to have him.”

The post Dylan Volantis Named Baseball America’s 2025 College Freshman Of The Year appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

No College POY was awarded in the truncated 2020 season, meaning that through the 2025 season, a total of 44 College POYs have been named.

Just six of those 44 were so honored in a season prior to their draft year. It happened most recently this year when UCLA sophomore shortstop Roch Cholowsky was named College POY.

Here is an overview of all six distinguished underclassmen—all of them sophomores—including a contemporaneous passage from their BA College Player of the Year story.

Robin Ventura, 3B, Oklahoma State

• 1987 College POY
• Batting: .428/.536/.768 (116-for-271), 21 HR, 110 RBIs, 97 R, 16 SB, 63 BB, 24 SO
• Team result: Oklahoma State lost to Stanford in CWS final

Ventura has a case as the best college baseball hitter ever. He was Freshman of the Year in 1986 and then POY as a sophomore. He was first-team All-America all three seasons at Oklahoma State, something that no other position player has ever done in his first three seasons on campus. Oh, and Ventura channeled Joe DiMaggio with a ridiculous 58-game hitting streak in his POY season of 1987.

The Streak ended on a Thursday night against Stanford. Jack McDowell, the White Sox’s No. 1 draft pick, retired him on three fly balls and a line drive to third base. Against reliever Al Osuna in the ninth inning, Ventura reached base on a hard hit-ball to second baseman Frank Carey, which after some deliberation was ruled an error.

He almost seemed glad The Streak had ended.

“I felt like it took a lot away from what this team is doing,” he said.

John Olerud, 1B/LHP, Washington State

• 1988 College POY
• Batting: .464/.558/.876 (108-for-233), 23 HR, 81 RBIs, 83 R, 1 SB, 50 BB, 22 SO
• Pitching: 15-0, 2.49 ERA, 19 GS, 123 IP, 100 H, 39 BB, 113 SO
• Team result: Washington State eliminated at Fresno West I regional

The NCAA named its two-way player of the year award after Olerud—recent winners include Paul Skenes, Spencer Schwellenbach and Jac Caglianone!—based on Olerud’s epic 1988 POY season. 

The 6-foot-4, 190-pound sophomore lefthander became the first collegian ever to reach double figures in wins and hit 20 or more home runs in the same year.

Olerud led the Pacific-10 Conference Northern Division in six of nine offensive categories, running away with the triple crown. And he topped pitchers in wins, innings and strikeouts, while finishing second in ERA.

How it played out: Prior to his junior year, Olerud suffered a brain aneurysm and played an abbreviated season in 1989. The Blue Jays gambled on his talent in the third round and convinced him to sign for $575,000, the highest bonus in that draft. Olerud debuted with Toronto that September, bypassing the minor leagues entirely, as he embarked on a 17-year MLB career in which he batted .295/.398/.465 with 255 home runs and won three Gold Gloves. 

Mike Kelly, OF, Arizona State

• 1990 College POY
• Batting: .376/.484/.733 (97-for-258), 21 HR, 82 RBIs, 83 R, 20 SB, 54 BB, 61 SO
• Team result: Arizona State eliminated at Tempe West II regional

A shoulder injury limited Kelly in his first year at Arizona State, when he also admits to getting caught up chasing Barry Bonds’ freshman program records, but he hit on all cylinders as a sophomore in 1990. Kelly’s physicality, power and all-world defense in center field shined through.  

Of all the major leaguers he has coached, Arizona State coach Jim Brock said Kelly probably is most like Alvin Davis, who has forged a solid career with the Mariners.

“Oddibe McDowell was a great college player, but you knew his ceiling was somewhat limited by his size,” Brock said. “Barry Bonds had exceptional talent, but there were some minuses.”

How it played out: Kelly hit well as a junior—but not as well as his POY year—and went No. 2 overall to the Braves in the 1991 draft. As a professional, Kelly continued to show power and defensive prowess, but trouble hitting breaking pitches held him back. Ultimately, he spent parts of six seasons in MLB, never locking down a regular role. Kelly’s biggest opportunity came for the expansion 1998 Rays, for whom he started 56 games in the outfield. 

Mark Teixeira, 3B, Georgia Tech

• 2000 College POY
• Batting: .427/.547/.772 (103-for-241), 18 HR, 80 RBIs, 104 R, 13 SB, 67 BB, 23 SO
• Team result: Georgia Tech eliminated at Atlanta super regional

Teixeira told teams he would sign out of high school only if drafted in the first round. That earned him a reputation as a tough sign and pushed him to Boston in the ninth round in 1998. No matter. Teixeira took his talents to Georgia Tech, where he starred in the Cape Cod League as a teenager and then won POY as a sophomore, showing off what would become his trademark power and patience.

Teixeira started swinging a bat as soon as he could walk, always from the right side. He was an accomplished hitter by age 10, but his dad thought it came too easily. That’s when he encouraged Mark to try switch-hitting.

“He was already playing up in age level, so I told him switch-hitting was the next step up for him to take,” his father John Teixeira said. “When he first started, he wasn’t comfortable, and he was just trying to put the bat on the ball. But I told him, ‘You need to be able to drive the ball from both sides of the plate, or it’s not worth it.’ “

How it played out: Teixeira broke his right ankle early in his junior season and missed three months. Still, the Rangers made him the top college hitter drafted when they selected him fifth overall in 2001. Teixeira spent one season in the minors and then made Texas’ Opening Day roster in 2003. He hit 30 or more homers in nine seasons and finished with 409, the seventh-highest total for any player who debuted in 2000 or later. 

Anthony Rendon, 3B, Rice

• 2010 College POY
• Batting: .394/.530/.801 (89-for-226), 26 HR, 85 RBIs, 83 R, 14 SB, 65 BB, 22 SO
• Team result: Rice eliminated at Austin super regional

Rendon was a sensation at Rice. Like Robin Ventura, he won Freshman of the Year and POY in successive seasons. 

“He’s got remarkable wrist action,” Rice coach Wayne Graham said. “I remember the first time he hit on our field . . . He started the second round of batting practice. I said to our coaches, ‘You want to see Hank Aaron’s wrists? There they are.’ I said, ‘Don’t mess with him.’ And we haven’t. Him and Mark Teixeira are the two best hitters I’ve seen in college baseball. Lance Berkman is right up there too, but the bat was different in those days.”

How it played out: Rendon strained his throwing shoulder in the spring of his junior year and seldom played third base. He also didn’t realize his full power potential, hitting six homers in 63 games, as opposing teams pitched around him. Rendon fell to the Nationals with the sixth pick in the 2011 draft, and he motored to Washington in April 2013. He helped drive the Nationals to a 2019 World Series championship but has struggled to stay healthy or perform since signing with the Angels for the 2020 season.  

Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA

• 2025 College POY
• Batting: .353/.480/.710 (89-for-252), 23 HR, 74 RBIs, 80 R, 7 SB, 45 BB, 30 SO
• Team result: UCLA eliminated at CWS with 1–2 record

Cholowsky knew from an early age that he wanted to be a Bruin. After playing third base as a freshman and enduring an uncharacteristically bad season by UCLA standards, he blossomed as a junior and helped the Bruins get back to Omaha for the first time since 2013. In the process, he became just the second shortstop ever to win the College POY award, following Clemson senior Khalil Greene in 2002. 

Cholowsky is the rare college shortstop with plus pro potential on both sides of the ball. In 2026, he will try to become the first two-time College POY winner in BA history. 

“He’s elite,” one scout said. “He’s a competitor, and every aspect of his game has distinct polish. Great feel for the barrel, disciplined hitter who can drive the ball all over the yard, and his actions at shortstop are as smooth as anyone’s. He’ll stick at the position and has a real chance to be a very early pick in ’26.”

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A draft-eligible sophomore, Anderson authored one of the most complete and captivating seasons in recent memory. His legend, though, was really born in June when the lights were brightest.

In 16 innings on the College World Series stage, Anderson allowed just one run and struck out 17 batters. He was named the tournament’s most outstanding player after helping to close the door on Coastal Carolina with a complete-game shutout in the national title game—just the third ever in CWS final history.

“He toys with you,” LSU shortstop Steven Milam told Baseball America.

Anderson finished his sophomore campaign with a 3.18 ERA and a nation-leading 180 strikeouts across 119 innings. He walked only 35, delivered double-digit strikeouts in 11 of his 19 starts and rarely looked rattled—even against the SEC’s most potent lineups or in Omaha with a title on the line.

The 6-foot-2, 186-pound lefthander combines impressive command with a cold-blooded demeanor and a devastating arsenal. His fastball hovers in the low-to-mid 90s with carry. But his best weapons are his breaking balls—two distinct shapes in a curveball and slider, both of which can eclipse 3,000 rpm and are thrown with equal confidence in any count.

“He’s like a lion out there,” LSU outfielder Derek Curiel said. “It’s not just the stuff. It’s the confidence and the feel. The way he attacks.”

Curiel faced Anderson three times in intrasquad scrimmages. He walked once, grounded out once and struck out once, which he considered a win.

“He wants to embarrass you,” Milam told Baseball America.

That intensity, mixed with polish beyond his years, helped Anderson surge up draft boards. Once considered a Day 1 talent, he’s now a consensus top 10 prospect as the top college player in BA’s latest draft rankings and could be in play as early as the No. 1 overall pick.

LSU head coach Jay Johnson didn’t mince words in Omaha.

“His next pitch should be for someplace in the Washington Nationals organization,” Johnson said. “I’s not close.”

Anderson departs Baton Rouge with a 3.38 career ERA and 239 strikeouts in 157.1 innings. His trajectory—from intriguing freshman to College World Series MOP in the span of 18 months—is a testament to not only talent, but discipline, as well.

“You’re getting a competitor,” LSU third baseman Michael Braswell said of Anderson. “An ace in the rotation. One of the youngest draft-eligible arms out there, and he’s just going to keep getting better.”

Baseball America’s creation of a standalone College Pitcher of the Year award comes at a time when elite arms are under more scrutiny than ever, both by pro evaluators and the sport itself. Anderson’s season—durable, dominant and deeply competitive—set the gold standard.

“He’s just a workhorse,” Milam said. “He’s one of my best friends, and he’s one of the best people I’ve ever met. He’s humble. He comes from a great family. And he gives you everything he has every time out.”

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Volchko’s entrance into the portal immediately makes him one of the most intriguing names available—if not for his production, then certainly for his upside. Volchko is ranked No. 15 on Baseball America’s 2026 draft board. An athletic righty with electric stuff and an unorthodox delivery, Volchko has long drawn attention from pro scouts and high-level programs alike, even as his on-field results have lagged behind the hype.

Over two seasons with the Cardinal, Volchko posted a combined 5.89 ERA across 113 innings. In 2025, he pitched to a 6.01 ERA with 56 strikeouts and 34 walks over 70.1 innings, a slight statistical regression from his freshman season, when he logged a 5.70 ERA with 53 strikeouts and 38 walks in 42.2 frames.

Still, evaluators remain bullish on his long-term potential thanks to a combination of raw stuff and physical traits that few in college baseball can match.

Volchko’s fastball sits in the mid 90s and has touched triple digits, playing up thanks to late life through the zone. The true separator, though, is his power slider—a vicious upper-80s-to-low-90s breaker with sharp, two-plane tilt that often gets double-plus grades from evaluators.

But while the ingredients are elite, the results haven’t followed. Volchko’s high walk rates, inconsistent pitch execution and limited pitch mix—he’s primarily a two-pitch arm—have made it difficult for him to find consistent success against high-level competition.

That’s what makes this portal entry so fascinating: Volchko is a projectable Friday night starter or potential first-rounder if it clicks, but he’ll need the right developmental fit to get there.

Stanford, which has missed the last two NCAA Tournaments, has seen both of its high-upside rotation arms enter the portal offseason. Matt Scott, who was once considered a potential first-rounder before struggling this spring, committed to Georgia, although he’s a candidate to turn pro after next month’s draft.

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Below, you can find a summary of some of the most significant risers and trending names in our new rankings less than three weeks out from draft day.

More 2025 Draft Coverage

• What We’re Hearing Three Weeks From The Draft
• Mock Draft 4.0: First-Round Pick Predictions For Every Team
• 2025 Bonus Pools, Slot Values For Each Team

The post Rising 2025 MLB Draft Prospects To Watch In The Latest Top 500 Rankings Update appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

We’ve now entered what is perhaps the busiest—and most chaotic—stretch on the amateur calendar. The College World Series has crowned a champion, premier summer collegiate leagues are underway, the draft is less than a month away and thousands of players have entered the transfer portal. Like last year, BA will attempt to sort through some of the madness by putting together a comprehensive ranking of the top players set to transfer to new schools for next year.

While entering the portal is a clear and obvious leverage move for some players on the list below, they will be included on the ranking until they are drafted. Stay tuned to updates throughout the coming weeks as we expand the list with more key names to watch.

Also be sure to check out the latest updates to our 2025 transfer portal tracker here.

The post 2025 College Baseball Transfer Portal Rankings appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

It was June 2020. Shortstop Roch Cholowsky had just finished ninth grade at his suburban Phoenix high school. Savage had been tracking him for months—long before other programs had even started looking.

It’s a moment the UCLA head coach still believes changed the future of the Bruins’ program.

“I committed on the spot,” Cholowsky said. “I would have just turned 15.”

There wasn’t a parade of suitors. No national buzz. But Savage didn’t need consensus. He saw the makeup, the athleticism and the respect for the game.

He remembers the feeling washing over him as he watched Cholowsky play: The Bruins needed the budding middle infielder.

“We just knew he had a chance to be special,” Savage said.

By the time Cholowsky stepped into the UCLA lineup as a freshman in 2024, he had already lived up to the projection. But what came next defied even the earliest expectations. He became the engine of a national power’s revival, the face of a program that collapsed one season and returned to the College World Series the next.

And this June, he became something else entirely.

Cholowsky is the Baseball America College Player of the Year and joins an exclusive group. He is just the sixth POY to be honored prior to his draft year in the 44-year history of the award. His name now sits beside Robin Ventura, John Olerud, Mike Kelly, Mark Teixeira and Anthony Rendon.

“It was a little surprising,” Cholowsky said. “Just seeing what those other Players of the Year have done, who it’s gone out to. So I was a little surprised, but it means a lot to me. I’m super excited about it.”

• SEE ALSO: 2025 College Baseball All-American Teams

His coach wasn’t shocked—but he was struck by the weight of the moment.

“For him to get this award,” Savage said, “it’s a big, big deal.”

Rare as it might be for an underclassman to win Baseball America’s highest individual honor for a collegiate player, Cholowsky was more than deserving. 

He hit .353/.480/.710 with 23 home runs and 74 RBIs in 66 games. He paced the Big Ten Conference in slugging and with a 1.190 OPS. His defensive value as a shortstop set him apart from other POY contenders. 

Cholowsky’s 80 runs scored fell just one shy of Chase Utley’s UCLA program record. His 179 total bases are second-most by a Bruins player in the 64-team era.

But he doesn’t define himself by numbers.

“I don’t really try to focus on myself during the season,” he said. “I really just—I want to lead a good team and play winning baseball. So as much as I can do that, the personal accolades will come.”

That mindset dates back to his childhood. The son of longtime MLB scout and 1991 supplemental first-round pick Dan Cholowsky, Roch grew up around the game—but not in a bubble.

“I played football in high school, too,” he said. “I played basketball growing up. Honestly, I had the most fun with football and basketball more so than baseball.”

His father never pushed him toward any single path.

“I probably think (my dad) enjoyed watching me play football more than he did baseball,” Cholowsky said. “But they left all decisions up to me . . . They said they’d support me with whatever I wanted to do.”

In the end, he chose baseball and UCLA.

“I wanted to go somewhere where I could develop as a player for three to four years and also play winning baseball,” he said.

In addition to Utley, other Bruins infielders who forged long, productive MLB careers include Troy Glaus and Brandon Crawford. 

“(Savage has) proven that infielders that come through UCLA can make it to the big leagues and be successful in the big leagues,” Cholowsky said. “And then also, he’s won a national championship.”

Cholowsky’s freshman year didn’t go according to plan—at least not for the team. UCLA won just 19 games, a historic low under Savage. Cholowsky played every day at third base and grinded through a tough season while staying tethered to the larger goal.

He never considered leaving, even in an era in which loyalty is rarely louder than opportunity. The transfer portal beckons with promises of quicker paths and bigger stages, and players don’t so much transfer as migrate—following the scent of wins, exposure and money. 

But Cholowsky stayed. Not out of inertia or comfort, but conviction. 

He believed in the place that first believed in him. After a year in which almost everything collapsed, he kept showing up. Quietly. Deliberately. A freshman out of position on a team out of sync, still chasing the vision that attracted him at age 15.

“I just wanted to have a winning season and have a chance to get to Omaha,” he said.

Savage saw the shift the moment Cholowsky moved to shortstop.

“It felt like as soon as this guy got the keys (to shortstop), that he was going to take this thing to where everybody wanted to go,” Savage said.

From Opening Day, Cholowsky did exactly that. He became the Bruins’ captain, defensive anchor and offensive pulse. He was named conference player of the year—the first Bruin to win that award since Eric Valent in 1998—and later received the Brooks Wallace Award as the nation’s top shortstop and won the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove, too.

Still, what defined him couldn’t be summed up in awards.

“He’s just a winning kid,” Savage said. “His feel for the room, his feel for his teammates, his feel for games . . . We had one of the best shortstops in America over the last 15 years in Brandon Crawford. He was a phenomenal shortstop. He reminds me of him on the defensive side. They love playing defense. They love being the quarterback.”

Cholowsky cites Crawford, along with Derek Jeter and Nolan Arenado, as the players he grew up watching. That sense of history shaped how he plays and leads.

“It’s just refreshing to see a player have so much respect for the game and to have so much respect for the past,” Savage said. “He knows all those guys and he’s watched them.”

MLB scouts have taken note, too.

“He’s elite,” one scout said. “He’s a competitor, and every aspect of his game has distinct polish. Great feel for the barrel, disciplined hitter who can drive the ball all over the yard, and his actions at shortstop are as smooth as anyone’s. He’ll stick at the position and has a real chance to be a very early pick in ’26.”

That, of course, is what makes this year’s honor even more extraordinary. Cholowsky isn’t eligible for the draft until next summer. And yet, he plays like the best player in the country right now.

For Savage, it’s affirmation—and comfort.

“The future this guy has, I’m just so excited for him and his family and for us, knowing that we get this back for one more year,” he said. “You can sleep at night knowing that I have my shortstop and, let me tell you, for him to get this award, it’s a big, big deal.”

The post Roch Cholowsky Named Baseball America’s 2025 College Baseball Player Of The Year appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

We also broke down our final Top 25 of the season and made way-too-early predictions for the 2026 national title.

Time Stamps

• (2:57) LSU’s incredible run
• (13:50) What made Coastal great? Is it sustainable?
• (27:28) Non-Omaha teams that impressed
• (38:01) Final Top 25 breakdown
• (44:30) Way-to-early 2026 national championship predictions

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The post 2026 College World Series Predictions, Top 25 Breakdown & More | College Baseball Podcast appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

The Tigers, ranked No. 1 entering the NCAA Tournament, ripped through the postseason with a 10-1 record and claimed their eighth national title and second in three years. Their 5-3 win over Coastal Carolina in the College World Series finals cemented what many suspected: no team in the country had a higher gear.

The Tigers headline the final Baseball America Top 25 of the 2025 season, a ranking filled with first-time College World Series stories and powerful returns to prominence.

Related Content

• 2025 MLB Draft Rankings
• 2025 College Baseball All-Americans
• Transfer Portal Tracker
• Transfer Portal Rankings

1. LSU 

Previous ranking: No. 1
Overall: 53-15, 19-11 in SEC
NCAA Tournament: 10-1, won College World Series

The best team in the country finished like it. LSU tore through the NCAA Tournament at 10-1 to capture its eighth national championship and second in three years. Head coach Jay Johnson joined elite company with his second title, becoming just the sixth coach since 1999 to win multiple championships and the only one to do so in the transfer portal era (since 2018). The Tigers peaked when it mattered, combining high-end talent with elite depth and relentless edge. From No. 1 entering the postseason to the final dogpile in Omaha, LSU left no doubt.

2. Coastal Carolina

Previous ranking: No. 8
Overall: 56-13, 26-4 in Sun Belt
NCAA Tournament: 8-2, College World Series runner-up

Coastal Carolina ripped off 26 straight wins—the longest streak ever to reach the College World Series finals—and came just two games short of a national title. The Chanticleers went 56-13 and dominated the Sun Belt at 26-4, showcasing elite balance, relentless belief and a pitching staff that posted numbers rivaled by few. First-year head coach Kevin Schnall led a program that played loose, fast and fearless all the way to Omaha. Coastal didn’t just return to national relevance, it nearly claimed a second crown. Even in defeat, this season will be remembered as one of the program’s most remarkable.

3. Arkansas

Previous ranking: No. 4
Overall: 47-15, 23-4 in AAC
NCAA Tournament: 7-2, reached College World Series

Arkansas came within inches of the national title series, undone by a trio of defensive miscues in a gut-wrenching College World Series semifinal against LSU. That heartbreak shouldn’t obscure the Razorbacks’ accomplishments. Head coach Dave Van Horn crafted one of his most complete teams, led by Golden Spikes winner Wehiwa Aloy and a relentless lineup that carried the team’s offense for most of the year. Steady pitching also defined a 50-win season that included a 20-10 mark in the SEC. Roster turnover looms, but Arkansas has the talent and culture to make another run.

4. Louisville

Previous ranking: NR
Overall: 42-24, 15-15 in ACC
NCAA Tournament: 7-3, reached College World Series

Back in Omaha for the first time since 2019, Louisville reminded everyone what its ceiling looks like. The Cardinals surged through the postseason behind a roster stacked with early-round draft talent and rediscovered the edge that defined their best teams under Dan McDonnell. Roster turnover is inevitable, but McDonnell has long proven he can reload with elite arms and athletic bats. After an up-and-down regular season, Louisville found its stride when it mattered most. The run to the College World Series wasn’t a fluke, it was a return to form.

5. Oregon State

Previous ranking: No. 11
Overall: 48-17-1
NCAA Tournament: 7-4, reached College World Series

Oregon State’s path back to Omaha was unconventional but no less impressive. The Beavers became the first Independent to reach the College World Series since 2004 Miami, leaning on a gritty, balanced roster and a coaching staff that pushed every right button. This marked their first Omaha trip since winning it all in 2018, and it may not be the last. With loads of talent expected to return in 2026, this feels more like the start of a run than a one-off. Corvallis is buzzing again, and for good reason.

6. UCLA

Previous ranking: No. 15
Overall: 48-18, 22-8 in Big Ten
NCAA Tournament: 6-2, reached College World Series

If there were an award for college baseball’s most remarkable turnaround, UCLA would win it outright. The Bruins jumped from 19 wins in 2024 to the College World Series in 2025, and they did it the hard way—without the portal. Head coach John Savage stuck with 37 homegrown players, nearly all high school recruits, and trusted that experience and continuity would win out. A more mature, physically developed roster found its identity and rode that cohesion all the way to Omaha. With much of the core set to return, UCLA won’t sneak up on anyone in 2026.

7. Arizona

Previous ranking: NR
Overall: 44-21, 18-12 in Big 12
NCAA Tournament: 5-3, reached College World Series

Arizona roared back into the national spotlight in 2025, charging to Omaha and reestablishing itself as a postseason force with its second post-COVID run to the College World Series. Head coach Chip Hale has the program humming with a roster that combined physicality, speed and just enough pitching to make noise deep into June. The draft and transfer portal will shape what’s next, but this staff has proven it can build a contender in the new-look Big 12.

8. Murray State

Previous ranking: NR
Overall: 44-17, 17-8 in Missouri Valley
NCAA Tournament: 5-4, reached College World Series

Murray State became college baseball’s Cinderella, capturing hearts with a gutsy, unforgettable run to Omaha. The Racers knocked off Georgia Tech and host Ole Miss in the Oxford Regional, then won back-to-back elimination games in the Durham Super to punch their first-ever ticket to the College World Series. They became just the fourth four-seed to reach Omaha in the super regional era, etching their name into tournament lore. Sustaining that magic won’t be easy, but head coach Dan Skirka’s new four-year extension gives the program a foundation to chase more history.

9. North Carolina

Previous ranking: No. 2
Overall: 46-15, 18-11 in ACC
NCAA Tournament: 4-3, eliminated in Chapel Hill super regional

North Carolina’s season ended short of Omaha, but calling it a disappointment would ignore the bigger picture. The Tar Heels reached their third super regional in four years—a mark few programs can match—and looked poised for more after a dominant Game 1 win over Arizona in the super regional round. The roster had the talent, but the breaks didn’t fall their way. Head coach Scott Forbes has built a consistent contender, and there’s no reason to think a return trip to Omaha isn’t in the cards for 2026.

10. Auburn

Previous ranking: No. 7
Overall: 41-20, 17-13 in SEC
NCAA Tournament: 3-2, eliminated in Auburn super regional

Auburn flipped the script in 2025, bouncing back from a dismal SEC season to reach the super regionals and reassert itself as a national factor. The Tigers were swept by eventual runner-up Coastal Carolina, but the progress was undeniable. Head coach Butch Thompson leaned on a gifted freshman class and will welcome another strong wave of transfers, giving Auburn staying power in the SEC gauntlet. This wasn’t a blip—it was a reawakening. With young stars already in place, the Tigers look built to make more noise in 2026 and beyond.

11. Florida State

Previous ranking: No. 9
Overall: 42-16, 17-10 in ACC
NCAA Tournament: 4-2, eliminated in Corvallis super regional

Florida State came painfully close to a second straight Omaha trip, falling one win short in the Corvallis super regional. Link Jarrett crafted a balanced, well-constructed roster that rarely wavered throughout the year. The Seminoles played with poise, power and polish, but simply ran into a red-hot Oregon State team. With several top contributors off to the pros, Jarrett faces a retooling challenge in 2026. Given his track record and developmental acumen, it’s a safe bet the Seminoles will be right back in the mix.

12. Tennessee

Previous ranking: No. 23
Overall: 46-19, 16-14 in SEC
NCAA Tournament: 3-3, eliminated in Fayetteville super regional

No team looked more loaded on paper than Tennessee, which rolled out future big leaguers at nearly every position. But the Vols sputtered late, dropping five straight series to close the season before falling in the Fayetteville super regional. The talent was undeniable, but the execution faded down the stretch. Still, reaching the final 16 in a “down year” speaks to the program’s elevated baseline. With another elite transfer class incoming, expect Tony Vitello’s group to reload and re-emerge as a serious Omaha threat in 2026.

13. West Virginia 

Previous ranking: NR
Overall: 44-16, 19-9 in Big 12
NCAA Tournament: 3-2, eliminated in Baton Rouge super regional

West Virginia swept its way through the Clemson regional before being eliminated in Baton Rouge by the eventual national champions. The Mountaineers sandwiched their victory over Clemson with a pair of exciting one-run wins over Kentucky. Though West Virginia is still trying to break down the door to Omaha, it made a super regional for the second year in a row. Its 44 overall wins and 19 conference wins are both new single-season records. 

14. Duke

Previous ranking: NR
Overall: 41-21, 17-13 in ACC
NCAA Tournament: 4-2, eliminated in Durham super regional

The Blue Devils ran the table in the Athens regional, going a perfect 3-0 with two wins over Oklahoma State and an impressive 6-3 triumph over No. 7 overall seed Georgia. Duke’s regional-clinching win was particularly exciting, as it scored three runs in the eighth to win by one run. The Blue Devils appeared on their way to their first College World Series appearance since 1961, but—after winning the first game of the super regional against Murray State—dropped the next two. After the season, head coach Chris Pollard left for the Virginia job. Former Wake Forest pitching coach Corey Muscara will lead the Blue Devils in 2026. 

15. UTSA

Previous ranking: No. 20
Overall: 47-15, 23-4 in AAC
NCAA Tournament: 3-2, eliminated in Los Angeles super regional

UTSA entered the tournament as one of the more intriguing No. 2 seeds in the field and quickly showed why. Following a convincing 10-2 win over Kansas State, the Roadrunners beat No. 2 overall seed Texas twice in as many days en route to their first-ever regional title. Though they wound up getting swept by UCLA, 2025 was the best season in program history. In addition to its regional championship, UTSA’s 47 overall wins are a new single-season record. As a nice cherry on top, head coach Pat Hallmark recently inked a four-year contract extension which runs through the 2029 season.

16. Miami

Previous ranking: NR
Overall: 35-27, 15-14 in ACC
NCAA Tournament: 4-3, eliminated in Louisville super regional

Miami limped into the tournament following a run-rule loss to California in the ACC tournament, yet it made plenty of noise. The Hurricanes knocked off host Southern Miss 5-4 en route to their first regional title since 2016 before giving Louisville all it could handle. They took the Cardinals to an all-important third game before falling 3-2. Its season ended in painful fashion, but Miami has made the tournament in two of the last three years and has plenty of momentum to build off of as the 2026 season approaches.

17. Vanderbilt

Previous ranking: No. 10
Overall: 43-18, 19-11 in SEC (5-6 vs. Top 25)
NCAA Tournament: 1-2, eliminated in Nashville regional

Vanderbilt entered the tournament as the No. 1 overall seed, but lost on its home field in a stunning upset to fourth-seeded Wright State. The Commodores needed a comeback win to beat the Raiders to open the tournament, then lost to them two days later. Vanderbilt’s offense was snake-bitten all weekend and scored just 10 runs across three games. The early exit leaves a sour taste, but Vanderbilt this year captured its second SEC tournament title in the last three seasons and earned a plethora of quality victories.

18. Texas

Previous ranking: No. 5
Overall: 44-14, 22-8 in SEC
NCAA Tournament: 2-2, eliminated in Austin regional

After a tournament-opening win over Houston Christian, Texas dropped a pair of games to UTSA and failed to advance to a super regional. The Longhorns notched a convincing 15-8 win over Kansas State to advance to the regional final, but the Roadrunners scored five runs in the third inning and left no doubt. While Texas’ 2025 season came to a screeching halt, its first year under head coach Jim Schlossnagle was quite impressive. The Longhorns won the SEC regular season title in their first season in the conference after going 22-8 within the league–the third-most conference victories in program history. 

19. Ole Miss

Previous ranking: No. 16
Overall: 43-21, 16-14 in SEC
NCAA Tournament: 3-2, eliminated in Oxford regional

Ole Miss rallied from a 9-6 loss to Murray State to open the tournament by winning three consecutive games to force a decisive regional title game. The Rebels trailed 12-3 in the bottom of the seventh, but they scored eight straight runs to cut Murray State’s lead to 12-11 heading into the ninth. However, their “Swayze magic” came up just short. It was a crushing end to a bounceback season for Ole Miss. The Rebels hosted a regional for the second time since 2019 and their 19 SEC wins were their most since 2009. 

20. Georgia

Previous ranking: No. 3
Overall: 43-17, 18-12 in SEC
NCAA Tournament: 1-2, eliminated in Athens regional

Georgia hit the ground running in regional play and walloped Binghamton 20-4. However, the Bulldogs’ bats were held in check a day later against Duke before Oklahoma State scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth to eliminate Georgia on its own field. The Bulldogs have not made the College World Series since 2008, but its 43 wins were the second most in a single season since 2008 and the program is in fantastic hands under head coach Wes Johnson.

21. Southern Miss

Previous ranking: No. 17
Overall: 47-16, 24-6 Sun Belt
NCAA Tournament: 3-2, eliminated in Hattiesburg regional

Hattiesburg proved to be one of the tournament’s most exciting regionals. Southern Miss dropped its opening game 11-4 to fourth-seeded Columbia before earning a come-from-behind win over second-seeded Alabama to stave off elimination. The Golden Eagles proceeded to earn a pair of convincing victories to force an all-important regional title game, yet Miami came out on top. While a regional title would have clinched its third super regional appearance in the last four seasons, Southern Miss this year won 40-plus games for the ninth straight season and its 27 Sun Belt victories were the most in program history.

22. Oregon

Previous ranking: No. 6
Overall: 42-16, 22-8 in Big Ten
NCAA Tournament: 0-2, eliminated in Eugene regional

There’s no way around it: Oregon had one of the most disappointing showings of the tournament. After earning the No. 12 overall seed, the Ducks dropped consecutive games to Utah Valley and Cal Poly. To make matters worse, they blew a three-run seventh inning lead against Cal Poly. For as discouraging as its regional performance was, Oregon this season captured the Big Ten regular-season title in its first year as a member of the conference and its 42 wins were the most in a single season since 2014. 

23. Florida

Previous ranking: No. 12
Overall: 39-22, 15-15 in SEC
NCAA Tournament: 1-2, eliminated in Conway regional

Florida entered the tournament with plenty of momentum, yet it was convincingly knocked off twice by East Carolina to seal its first non-Omaha season since 2022. Florida appeared to be dead in the water after an abysmal 1-11 start in SEC play, yet the Gators righted the ship and ended the season with six-straight conference series wins. Most notably, they took down both Arkansas and Texas. Remarkably, Florida has made the tournament in each of the last 17 seasons and will look to return to college baseball’s promised land in 2026.

24. Clemson

Previous ranking: No. 14
Overall: 45-18, 18-12 in ACC
NCAA Tournament: 1-2, eliminated in Clemson regional

Clemson opened its regional with seven unanswered runs to defeat USC-Upstate but followed by blowing a late lead against West Virginia and suffering a season-ending 16-4 loss to Kentucky. After not hosting a regional since 2018, the Tigers have now done so three straight years. Clemson also reached the ACC tournament title game for the second time in three seasons and recorded 21 conference wins, marking its third consecutive 20-win ACC campaign.

25. Georgia Tech

Previous ranking: No. 19
Overall: 41-19, 19-11 in ACC
NCAA Tournament: 1-2, eliminated in Oxford regional

Georgia Tech entered the tournament as a formidable No. 2 seed and delivered with a 9-2 win over a strong Western Kentucky team. But the Yellow Jackets squandered multi-run leads on back-to-back days against Murray State and Ole Miss to end their season. In legendary head coach Danny Hall’s final year, Georgia Tech captured its first ACC regular-season title since 2011 and topped 40 wins for just the second time in that span. The James Ramsey era begins in 2026.

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