College Baseball Rankings: Baseball America releases way-too-early top 25 for 2025
College baseball season hasn’t been over for long, but it’s time to take a look towards next year. Baseball America has released their way-too-early top 25 rankings for the 2025 season, with neither Tennessee or Texas A&M, the two teams that battled in the championship series, in the top four.
Instead, LSU takes control of a familiar spot with the No. 1 ranking. In fact, the top two spots in Baseball America’s rankings are teams that had to fight until the very end to even make the NCAA Tournament in 2024.
Of course, the 2025 college baseball season will look a little different thanks to conference realignment. Throughout the 2024 season, the SEC and ACC led the way. That’s no different in Baseball America’s way-too-early top 25 for 2025. The SEC features 11 teams, while the ACC has eight. Two teams come from both the Big Ten and Big 12, while the Pac-12 and Sun Belt each have one.
A lot could change between now and the start of the season, though. The deadline for 2024 MLB Draft picks to sign is August 1, and there are still some uncommitted players in the transfer portal that could make a difference. Still, it’s never too early to take a look ahead.
1. LSU
After sneaking into the NCAA Tournament in 2024, LSU will have to replace a lot in 2025. They lose Tommy White from the lineup and Gage Jump, Luke Holman and Griffin Herring on the pitching side of things, among others.
Still, LSU’s roster is pretty loaded. Jared Jones returns as a key middle of the order bat, and standout 2024 freshman Steven Millam does too. With some top recruits coming in, led by RHP William Schmidt, plus the return of Chase Shores who missed last season due to injury, there’s a lot to like about Jay Johnson’s squad.
2. Florida
Florida struggled through much of the season last year, but they made it into the NCAA Tournament and won their way into the College World Series in Omaha. They lose Jac Caglianone and Brandon Neely, among others, but the roster still features a ton of talent.
That is led by Ty Evans and Luke Heyman, and there are plenty others. Colby Shelton could also return, as he has yet to sign after being selected in the 20th round of the MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals. Add in Miami transfer Blake Cyr and others, and Florida could make a lot of noise in 2025.
3. Florida State
2024 felt like just the start for Link Jarrett and Florida State, and the Seminoles are viewed very highly in Baseball America’s early 2025 top 25 rankings. Even after losing James Tibbs III and Cam Smith to the draft, the roster remains loaded.
Jamie Arnold and Cam Leiter return, and they could become one of the best 1-2 punches in college baseball in the rotation. Drew Farout is among a few returners to the lineup, though there will be some new faces next season.
4. Clemson
Clemson had a great 2024 led by Erik Bakich, and they could also just be getting started. Blake Wright, Jimmy Obertop and Austin Gordon are the biggest names to move on, but some intriguing players remain.
One of the top players in the transfer portal, former Purdue first baseman/catcher Luke Gaffney decided to join what Bakich is building. He was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2024, and he will be a pivotal part of Clemson’s lineup in 2025.
5. Texas A&M
Shortly after Texas A&M fell in the College World Series championship series to Tennessee, Jim Schlossnagle left the Aggies for Texas. The move caused quite the stir, but Michael Earley was hired and he was able to return just about everybody. That allowed the Aggies to stay in the top five in Baseball America’s top 25 for 2025.
Potential 2025 No. 1 pick Jace LaViolette returns, as do Gavin Grahovac, Kaeden Kent, Caden Sorrell, Hayden Schott and others. All of those players were in the transfer portal at one point. Ryan Prager also comes back, opting to run it back despite being drafted in the third round. The roster is loaded again, and Earley should have plenty of success in his first year as a head coach.
6. Virginia
While Virginia saw quite a few recruits be selected in the MLB Draft, they still have a lot of talent heading into 2025. Henry Ford, Henry Godbout and Harrison Didawick lead the lineup yet again, with others back as well.
Pitching wise, Virginia returns Evan Blanco and Jay Woolfolk in the rotation. That’s a very strong core entering the 2025 campaign, and Virginia seems poised to make some more noise next season.
7. Tennessee
The defending national champions, Tennessee will have to answer some questions in 2025. They lose a lot, but the Vols also return Hunter Ensley, Dean Curley, Nate Snead and others.
Still, a strong class is incoming and Tennessee made impact portal additions in former Louisville infielder Gavin Kilen and former Ole Miss infielder Andrew Fischer. Those are two players that should play prominent roles in the lineup, even if there are questions around them.
8. Arkansas
Last season, Arkansas boasted what most thought to be the best rotation in college baseball in Hagen Smith, Mason Molina and Brady Tygart. All three of those arms are now gone, but the staff might be just as good. The Razorbacks added two potential front-end starters from the portal in Landon Beidelschies from Ohio State and Zach Root from East Carolina.
The Razorbacks have some talented arms back in the bullpen, too. Wehiwa Aloy is back for another season, but the rest of the lineup will look pretty different. Even after two straight home regional eliminations, Arkansas remains in the top ten in Baseball America’s top 25 entering 2025.
9. Duke
Duke was a fringe top team for essentially the entire 2024 season, and they became a trendy pick to make a run to Omaha. They fell short during regionals, but they have a similar feeling looking towards 2025.
Andrew Healy, Kyle Johnson and Gabriel Nard all return, and they will anchor a pitching staff that should be very good yet again in 2025. Ben Miller, AJ Gracia and Wallace Clark are back to anchor the lineup, which is a strong nucleus of talent.
10. Oregon State
Oregon State loses Travis Bazzana, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft, in addition to Aidan May and others. Still, there’s a lot to like about this Beavers squad. They’ll be led by Gavin Turley and Trent Caraway, and a strong freshman class should bring even more contributors.
With the Pac-12 now essentially disbanded, Oregon State will play an independent schedule in 2025. It will be an odd and unique year undoubtedly, but the Beavers still figure to be one of the best teams in the country as they were a season ago.
Baseball America’s way-too-early 2025 top 25: 11-25
11. Georgia
12. North Carolina
13. NC State
14. Oregon
15. Oklahoma State
16. Mississippi State
17. South Carolina
18. Vanderbilt
19. Texas
20. Arizona
21. Indiana
22. Stanford
23. Kentucky
24. Southern Miss
25. Wake Forest
Notably, Stanford cracks Baseball America’s way-too-early top 25 for 2025 despite a brutal season in 2024. The Cardinal finished 22-33 and were just 11-19 in Pac-12 play, and are now heading to the ACC which won’t be any easier. Still, there’s plenty of talent on the way, including Japanese high school baseball phenom Rintaro Sasaki.