Players to Watch in the NCAA Baseball Tournament:
Here is a look at the players to watch in this year’s NCAA college baseball tournament.
Just like Wyatt Langford, Nick Kurtz, Chase Dollander and Dylan Crews, expect some of these names to lead their teams deep into the tournament and soon be making an impact in Major League Baseball.
Pitchers
Jamie Arnold (Florida State) – The 6-1 lefty could be the first college pitcher selected in the upcoming MLB draft. The junior could lead FSU back to Omaha as he did a year ago. Even the Pittsburgh Pirates couldn’t mess up the opportunity to take Arnold and make an amazing RHP and LHP combo with Paul Skenes at the top of the rotation.
Jake Knapp (North Carolina) – This righthander has the look of a No.1 arm. The 6-5 Knapp, who missed last year due to injury, was the ACC pitcher of the year, going 11-0 and a 2.14 ERA for the Diamond Heels.
Liam Doyle and Marcus Phillips (Tennessee) – In his first year with the Volunteers, the lefty Doyle gave up just 48 hits in 79.1 innings pitched. Prior to coming to Knoxville, he played for Coastal Carolina and Mississippi. At 6-4 and 246 pounds, Phillips is the prototypical right-hander atop a rotation. He struck out 85 batters in 71.2 innings pitched.
Zach Root (Arkansas) – The LHP is one of the primary reasons the Razorbacks enter the tournament as the short favorite. He is a true No.1 in all categories. In his 14 starts, he struck out 102 batters in just over 75 innings. Root pitched last year in the tournament for East Carolina.
Kade Anderson and Anthony Eyanson (LSU) – Anderson is a draft-eligible sophomore with a power left-handed arm who will likely be fast-tracked to the majors. His production basically doubled from a year ago. Anderson ended the regular season with an impressive 133 punchouts. Eyanson does his work from the right-hand side. The UC San Diego transfer pitched to a sub-3.00 over 81 innings in 14 starts.
JB Middleton (Southern Mississippi) – Playing for the Golden Eagles means the 6-0 RHP is away from the power conference spotlight. Nonetheless, his work in Hattiesburg was just as good as those SEC arms. He went 10-1 in 15 starts and will give host Southern Miss a chance to win its regional when Middleton likely pitches in its second game against the winner of Miami-Alabama.
Kyson Witherspoon (Oklahoma) – In his first season against SEC foes, the electric 6-2 righthander reached 91 innings on the mound with 120 Ks. Watch closely as the Sooners will try to take the Chapel Hill regional away from UNC. Another Witherspoon, twin brother Malachi, also started 14 games.
Liam Peterson and Aidan King (Florida) – This pair of young Gators helped speed up Kevin O’Sullivan’s 2025 program reset. Peterson is a sophomore RHP who led Florida with eight victories. In his freshman season, King pitched to a 2.76 ERA with 11 starts. There was hope that Florida’s strong second half of the season could get them to host in the first round. Losing in the opening round of the SEC eliminated that possibility, so these young arms must open in the Conway Regional.
Hitters
Alex Lodise (Florida State) – The junior shortstop finished the season with a .422 batting average and 17 HRs. Lodise will likely be the Golden Spikes Award winner. He has a Dustin Pedroia look to him.
Wehiwa Aloy (Arkansas) – Another top Golden Spikes Award candidate. The Arkansas shortstop raked with a .358 batting average, 18 HRs and 58 RBIs. His brother Kuhio, a BYU transfer, had 68 RBIs.
Aiva Arquette (Oregon State) – This shortstop received less media attention than Lodise and Aloy because the Beavers play as an independent. He is like Aloy in that both are from Hawaii and put up similar numbers (.384 batting average, 17 HRs, 60 RBI).
Luke Stevenson (North Carolina) – The sophomore catcher and his 16 HRs, along with Knapp, are why UNC has the lowest odds of any school outside the SEC.
Marek Houston (Wake Forest) – The .351-hitting shortstop already has an MLB look to him.
Cam Cannarella (Clemson) – Don’t let his amazing catch against Louisville earlier this year divert attention from his .332 batting average. He has previously demonstrated how well he can excel during the tournament.
Gavin Kilen, Dean Curley and Andrew Fischer (Tennessee) – This trio of infielders will look to drive Tennessee for a second consecutive title.
Ike Irish (Auburn) – A versatile power bat (16 HRs) who can play behind the dish and in the outfield.
Roch Cholowsky (UCLA) – The .399-hitting sophomore shortstop could likely be the first pick in the 2026 MLB draft.
Caden Bodine (Coastal Carolina) – The switch-hitting catcher who hit over .300 for the third straight season is a finalist for the Buster Posey Award. With his frame and ability to hit from both sides, expect a lot of references made between Bodine and Ted Simmons
Mason Neville (Oregon) – One of the best power bats in the tournament. The left-handed swinging OF belted a nation-high 26 HRs during the regular season. He starts tournament play in the friendly setting of the Eugene Regional.
Drew Burress (Georgia Tech) – He has hit .360 in his two collegiate years. If Cholowsky isn’t the first pick in the 2026 MLB draft, it could be this middle infielder.
