By Alyssa Cooper
Between 2018 - 2023, there was the opportunity for 40 different Division I college baseball programs to compete in the College World Series. However, only 10 programs during that time have accounted for over half of those 40 spots.
So, how likely are LSU, Florida, Wake Forest, TCU, Oral Roberts, Tennessee, Virginia, and Stanford to reach Omaha again?
1. Louisiana State – 50%
You can’t count LSU out for Omaha in 2024. The lineup will undoubtedly be reinforced with talent and experience for 2024 despite the absence of Dylan Crews and others. Tommy White, Paxton Kling, Alex Milazzo, and Jared Jones will lead the lineup in 2024. The Tigers also added Mac Bingham, a senior from Arizona, who can provide even more experience at the plate.
For many teams, losing guys like Paul Skenes and Ty Floyd would automatically constitute a rebuild for the staff. LSU just reloads. The Tigers grabbed transfers Justin Loer, Luke Holman, and Gage Jump, who can provide depth in the weekend rotation and the bullpen. Junior Thatcher Hurd is also back in the rotation and could start on Fridays. Even with a loaded SEC West, if LSU can host a regional and super regional at Alex Box Stadium, it will be difficult for any team to pull off an upset.
2. Florida – 55%
No Wyatt Langford? No Josh Rivera? No BT Riopelle?
No problem for the Gators headed into this season, especially with the return of arguably the best player in the country: two-way star Jac Caglianone. Additionally, Luke Heyman, Cade Kurland, Michael Robertson, Tyler Shelnut, and Ty Evans, regulars in the lineup with solid offensive production during the postseason, are back for the 2024 season.
Transfers Brody Donay from Virginia Tech and Colby Shelton from Alabama are anticipated to do damage in the lineup come spring.
Despite losing veterans Brandon Sproat and Hurston Waldrep to the draft, the Gators have options for the weekend rotation. Caglianone, who started on Sundays for the Gators, could potentially enter a Friday night role should he improve his command. Young arms like sophomore Cade Fisher and standout freshman Liam Robertson round out the weekend schedule, but it is not wise to count out junior Brandon Neely either.
The SEC East will be a gauntlet again, but if they host, they are in.
3. Wake Forest – 55%
This program is out for blood, and they have been waiting since June 23rd to enact revenge on the entire game.
The rotation might still be the best in the country despite losing Rhett Lowder, Sean Sullivan, and Seth Keener to the draft. Transfer Chase Burns from Tennessee recorded 10 strikeouts in four innings during a scrimmage, and D1 Baseball has Josh Hartle and Michael Massey as the number-one and eighth-ranked pitchers for 2024. The bullpen is in good shape for 2024 despite losing Keener.
The lineup did take a hit following the end of 2023, with Brock Wilken, Tommy Hawke, and Justin Johnson moving up to the big leagues. The Demon Deacons lost potential mainstays in the lineup like Adam Costello, Danny Corona, and Adam Cecere to the portal.
They have a possible Golden Spikes Award winner, maybe even a first-overall pick in this year’s draft with junior first baseman Nick Kurtz set to lead the lineup in 2024. A highly touted Division II transfer, Seaver King, is poised to live up to the hype this year too. The lineup does not have to be outstanding this year, but they must produce.
Barring any season-ending injuries for the rotation, if they live up to their sky-high expectations, there is no reason why Wake Forest’s path to Omaha is not clear.
4. TCU – 45%
The Horned Frogs are still favorites for the Big 12 conference despite losing Cole Fontenelle, Brayden Taylor, Tre Richardson, Austin Davis, and Elijah Nunez in the lineup. Why? Because the sophomores on this team are unbelievable.
Karson Bowen and Anthony Silva were big reasons TCU made it to Omaha for the first time since 2017. Both players possess the potential to deliver outstanding performances once again, setting the stage for potentially remarkable seasons. Logan Maxwell and Kurtis Byrne are two players who could also fill holes in the lineup and the field this year.
Like most of the programs on this list to recruit in the portal, TCU made it a point to get another outstanding two-way player in junior Payton Tolle from Wichita State. Pitchers Kyle Ayers and Ben Hampton from Houston and West Virginia join him.
On the mound, Kole Klecker, another sophomore with a great freshman campaign, will likely lead and dominate the weekend rotation in 2024, with sophomores Ben Abeldt and Louis Rodriguez rounding it out.
It is impossible not to be excited about TCU. Even if TCU doesn’t host a regional, they have the potential to ruin someone else’s season come June.
Edited by Sydney Rogers
Social media content created by Melissa Neglio
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