This article is part of our College Baseball Picks series.
College World Series 2025: CWS Picks and Best Bets
HERE WE GO! The 2025 College World Series is here. The Omaha Classic kicks off this weekend and is set to be one of the crazier CWS we've had in a long time. This may be the "once in a decade" season where a bunch of unlikely events happen. It's catapulted teams into the spotlight that don't usually make it in most seasons. The freak of nature type of occurrences opened up pathways for teams like Murray State, Arizona, Coastal Carolina, Louisville, and UCLA to make the dance.
We've discussed all year how this was one of the bigger seasons of parity in recent memory, with no team really being head and shoulders above the field. Well, that parity was apparent in the early stages of the tournament
The deluge of upsets we've seen in the tournament thus far is probably not finished, so buckle up for a wild ride in Omaha.
Here's how Johnny V views the field in this year's College World Series.
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College World Series Bracket 1 - Oregon State, Louisville, Coastal Carolina, Arizona
This side of the bracket has been projected to be wide open since the field was set. I had UNC representing the left side of the bracket in the CWS Finals, but obviously, they had to choke like my Atlanta Falcons in the Super Bowl by fumbling a path laid out in gold. The Heels couldn't win one of their remaining two games in their own Super Regional, where Arizona committed highway robberies in games 2 and 3.
All have legit paths to emerge from this side. Louisville isn't a dead duck by any means, but I think the other three are stronger contenders. This is how each team can survive and advance.
Oregon State Beavers
The Beavers lucked out in their own Corvallis Region by having to beat St. Mary's, TCU, and USC. Oregon State dug their way out of the losers' bracket after dropping game 1 against the Gaels. All year long, my issue with this group was a top-heavy roster where the offense was being carried by a few hitters, and the pitching was more of the same.
Overall, they are a high-octane team with legit stars. Aiva Arquette, the potential first college bat off the board this summer, is the glue of this lineup. Gavin Turley has also had a big year with 19 homers and a .346 average. Wilson Weber has performed well as the steady third-leg of this trio with 12 bops and a .333 average. But the player I highlighted pre-tournament was X-Factor Trent Caraway, a draft-eligible sophomore with first-round potential. Caraway's nuclear launch in June has been a big boost for this team, with six homers in the tournament.
The pitching has been very strong as of late, led by their red-hot 1-2 combo in Dax Whitney (potential 1st arm off the board in 2027) and Ethan Kleinschmit. The bullpen also has a few really good arms to lengthen out the staff. It's a staff that performed exceptionally (in the first two games) in a tough Super Regional last weekend against a strong FSU offense.
The talent is definitely there for this Beaver squad, but for their run to continue, they need Arquette, Turley, Weber, and Caraway to continue their success. Whitney, Kleinschmit and the pen need to do the same. Even if they have to dig out of a loser's bracket again against this higher level of competition, they'll still have a chance.
They'll face Louisville and a talented Patrick Forbes in Game 1.
This is a team I think is worth betting to win it all at +650, but should they have to emerge from the loser's bracket, there will be an opportunity to live bet them at a big number. This team is set up well to rattle off three or four wins in a row.
Louisville Cardinals
THIS was definitely a team I didn't think had much of a chance to get here. I'm honestly still in shock they did. Vandy's offense wasn't really that strong this year, but it collapsed in what was supposed to be a near-gimmie in their own region as the top seed. Louisville ended up knocking them out and got a pretty favorable result in the Hattiesburg region, where Miami came through in a surprise win. That just goes to show that sometimes all it takes is timing and a little bit of luck.
I've watched a decent amount of Cards ball this season. A lot of it wasn't good because the pitching was a pretty major issue for most of the year. That issue came in the form of key injuries. Patrick Forbes is their ace with legit first-round stuff, but missed a chunk of time/wasn't right because of an injury. Several other arms dealt with the same ordeal. But their head coach said coming into June that his staff was the healthiest it's been all year.
The offense was always underrated and dangerous. Their style of play isn't rare, but it's not that common either. They'll come at you by getting on base (.305 avg) and leveraging their speed (155 bags). Don't sleep on their pop, though (83 bops). The relentless approach of this offense is to pressure you to death, making life for opposing pitchers unpleasant. The speed they have as a team comes with more than just stealing bases. They look to grab the extra 90 feet any chance they get. They have no problem playing small ball with their bunting, forcing defenses to make a play. It's honestly a nightmare when they're in a groove.
Furthermore, it's a deep lineup. There's a real argument to be made that the Louisville offense has the best 1-9 out of any team in Omaha, except for maybe LSU and Arkansas, which is a huge advantage on their side of the bracket. Eddie King Jr has performed great as the star player (.362 avg/17 HR), but it's more than just him.
Though they'll face some really talented pitchers, it's a lineup that can definitely score in both conventional and creative ways. But if they want to succeed, the pitching needs to step up from other sources besides Forbes. It'll likely be Tucker Biven and Ethan Eberle as the completion of the starting rotation again. I expect the pitching to be the undoing for this Cards team, but if they can string together quality outings, it wouldn't be a shock to see this squad win some games.
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
I've been a big fan of the Chants these past few years. But I'd be lying if I said their making it to Omaha this season doesn't sting. In 2023 when they had a legit top 10 offense in the nation, I had a 200/1 ticket on them to win it all, but they failed to make it out of their own regional. The roster construction is night and day from then to now. First-year skipper Kevin Schnall has revamped this program remarkably, winning 27 Sun Belt games (including conference tourney) and leading the charge to Omaha.
The difference is that the 2023 team (under Gary Gilmore) was so explosive on offense with little pitching, whereas the pitching is elite and the offense is still good (above average), but not explosive. There's been a clear pitching prioritization. Nevertheless, this Chanticleers group is a dangerous team.
Nobody on their side has three legit starters. In fact, I would say for the moment the other side doesn't either. Coastal has the most complete weekend rotation with Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year Jacob Morrison, Cam Flukey, and Riley Eikhoff, all of whom have had marvelous rebounds from the past couple of years. The rest of the staff has been great as well, with more than a few highly trusted bullpen arms, which is why their 3.21 team ERA is second best in the nation. For good measure, they rank 3rd in WHIP and 5th in BB/9. Even though they played in a weaker conference than years past, they proved their legitimacy last weekend by shutting down one of the top lineups in the country in Auburn on the road.
This isn't your daddy's Coastal Carolina team that lived by the long ball. As a team, this year's Chants hit .290 with 66 homers and 106 steals, showing a shift in philosophy to contact and speed over power.. Only two players have cleared double-digit home runs. The guy for this lineup is none other than switch-hitting catcher, Caden Bodine, who could/should be a first-rounder and possibly a top two or three catcher off the board this summer.
One of the main things to note about the College World Series is the park factor. It's spacious and pitcher-friendly. That benefits a team like this that has great pitching and a lineup that can rack up base hits and manufacture runs. Hitting one out isn't impossible, it's just not like some of these places where a routine fly ball carries out.
Despite a tough path, the Chants have the right formula for success. They'll take on a fierce wildcat lurking in the mountains in Arizona, something I project as a tight contest that is closer than what people think.
A good approach, like with Oregon State, is to bet on Coastal live if they have to come out of the loser's bracket. You'll get a juicy number on a team that has the pitching to rally back.
Arizona Wildcats
This still sickens me. UNC had it, bro! I know, I have to give credit to this team. They hit a different gear in the Big 12 tournament, and that momentum has sling-shotted them through to Omaha. At one point, I saw Zona to win it all at 120/1 (maybe longer), so congrats if you grabbed that.
The books aren't giving this team too big of a chance against Coastal in Game 1, but this is not a team to take lightly. Zona is definitely a top-heavy team, and if their key three bats deliver, they can make it to the finals. Brendan Summerhill is a likely first-rounder this year. Mason White is a first-round talent. And Aaron Walton has been a red-hot wizard in June.
We've seen White have a three-homer game in both the Big 12 tournament and in the regionals. Walton had a three-homer game in the regionals as well. This trio can carry this team and it's just nuts. The fourth guy that is an unsung bat and key lineup extender is Adonys Guzman (.318 avg/8 HR). After that, it's a toss-up of players who may or may not decide to step up. Because the offense relies on three -- sometimes four -- bats, the scoring for this team can be streaky with high highs and low lows. That's why the pitching needs to be extra crispy.
Owen Kramkowski had a strong year despite the 5.48 ERA on paper. The eight-run shellacking UNC gave him didn't help that ERA, along with a couple of other disaster starts. But overall, Kramkowski has done a bang-up job for most of the year and became a mostly reliable Friday guy after his promotion. His pitch-to-contact approach should be a benefit at the Schwab as well.
Raul Garayzar recently slotted in the Saturday role and has had success. Overall, it's a 2.81 ERA and .229 OBA. Freshman Smith Bailey (4.01 ERA/.266 OBA) has been solid as he's anchored the Sunday spot all year. Bailey is a big name to watch in the '27 draft, somebody I project as a top 20 or better pick. But the big prize in this staff is their lights-out closer in Tony Pluta (1.26 ERA/14 saves).
Zona's approach has been doing a little bit of everything, and it's worked out just fine for them. In the clutch, the offense has had somebody come up big for them, which is what you need to win this thing. When you combine their path and ceiling, the 14/1 price on them to win it all seems a bit high.
Bracket 1 Best Bets
Coastal Carolina to win the CWS +600
Oregon State to win the CWS +650
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College World Series Bracket 2 - LSU, Arkansas, UCLA, Murray State
The right side has definitely been the tougher of the two. A lot of capable teams fell victim to poor matchups. Unlike Bracket 1, Bracket 2 has two legit powerhouses in LSU and Arkansas. Not to say Murray State or UCLA don't have a chance, but it's unlikely one of them will represent this side of the bracket. The winner would have to face the winner of Arkansas - LSU in a pitching disadvantage, which is an extremely tall hill to climb. But if we learned anything about this postseason, everybody has a chance on the right day.
LSU Tigers
Since January, you've heard me talk about LSU. This has been my team I felt most confident about since Day 1. Obviously Texas A&M and Virginia were right there with the Tigers, but this team to me felt like the most complete group coming in. My preseason reasoning highlighted the fact that it was going to be a pitching staff that would be eight arms deep and an offense that was littered with star power and production. There was a good mix of young studs and proven stars. Thus far, it's played out that way.
It's crazy how the starting staff unfolded for after a lot of trial and error to start the year. HC Jay Johnson took a gamble and gave a raw, unproven Kade Anderson the Friday spot and a mid-major transfer in Anthony Eyanson the Saturday role. And it couldn't have worked out better as the pair instantly became an automatic duo. I talked about it around mid-season in saying this is the best 1-2 punch in the nation.
Anderson has the look of the next Sugar Shane McClanahan as he has risen from a virtual unknown (preseason) to a bona fide top 15 (or higher) pick for this summer's draft. There's probably a good chance he'll be the second or third college arm off the board. Sitting at 163 K's, he's set to grab the strikeout title from Liam Doyle (164) in Game 1.
Eyanson was a guy I mentioned during the year as one of my biggest draft risers that could have a Cade Horton-like jump thanks to his breakout. The breakout took him from a likely second, possible third, rounder to a potential top 25 pick.
The emergence of freshman Casan Evans (1.90 ERA) from a trusted arm in the back-end of the pen to now Sunday starter could ultimately be the difference for LSU in this tournament. That doesn't even include the plethora of legit options out of the pen led by Chase Shores and Zac Cowan.
The lineup is something I talked about as being really good, even though it's not as good as years past. Their .299 average and 101 homers is certainly nothing scoff at, and they've kicked it up a notch in June.
The balance as a team is why they've been a favorite all season long. The first game against Arkansas is as tough a draw as they could have asked for, but regardless of what happens, they have enough pitching, even if they have to rally from the loser bracket. If LSU keeps hitting and gets the dominant performances from their studs on the bump, they're going to be a very tough out.
Arkansas Razorbacks
I'll admit I've wanted (and still do) this team to fail all year since they cost me money as my preseason pick in 2024. But I don't let that stand in the way of my handicap. It's a significantly better squad than last season, mostly because the rise from a lot of overachieving bats. It's been said for most of 2025 that this is the most complete roster in the country, and there's validity to that.
Like LSU, balance is the key. The lineup has a comical SEVEN players with at least 10 homers. And six full-time starters batting over .300. The overachievers - at least in my opinion - have led the lineup all year. Charles Davalan is the best pure hitter on the team (.355 avg/14 homers), while Golden Spikes Finalist (I still can't believe that) Wehiwa Aloy is the their primary thumper (20 bops/.348 avg) and game breaker. It's an offense that doesn't give an opposing pitcher any breaks, which provides a mental exhaustion. Should they get past the Tigers in Game 1, it's unlikely either Murray State or UCLA's pitching staff would be able to slow this lineup down.
Life after Hagen Smith was an adjustment. They had to tinker with the formula rotation since converted closer to original Friday guy, Gabe Gaeckle, was not meant to be a starter. That catapulted ECU transfer, Zach Root, into the ace spot where's done well. The 3.59 ERA and 119 K/31 BB ratio in 92.2 IP for Root has given both him and the team a much needed boost after three consecutive strong outings. Gage Wood in the Saturday role (first round talent) gives them a guy who can dominate an opposing offense - when he's on. The big question is the Sunday role, where Ohio State transfer Landon Beidelschies has primarily occupied quite erratically.
The bullpen was never a question for this team as they basically grow pitchers who throw 97+ from the ground. The Hogs can bring in just about anybody from the hog pen and they're pretty much all tough to deal with for an opposing hitter.
For this team, the formula remains the same. Continue to pulverize the baseball, and let your pitchers blow the ball right by the offense. Beating this Arkansas team will be no easy feat.
UCLA Bruins
Add this to the list of teams I didn't think had much of a chance to make it here. UCLA was at the top of my list of hosts on upset alert in the regionals. It was not an easy draw with UC Irvine, Arizona State, and Fresno State, but they managed to win in pretty convincing fashion. Their Super Regional draw against UTSA wasn't a layup by any stretch, but it was probably one of the easier opponents any of the Omaha field had.
They're like the Walmart version of Arizona and Oregon State in the sense that their offense overall has been commanded by three key bats in superstar SS and potential 2026 1.1 pick Roch Cholowsky (.367 avg/23 HR), who was a HUGE SNUB for the Golden Spikes Finalist list. Mulivai Levu and AJ Salgado round out the trio, each with a .310+ average and 12 homers. The fourth guy who has emerged as a key piece lately is Roman Martin (.320 avg/9 HR). So like Guzman for Arizona, Martin extends that lineup and provides production in a lineup that is top heavy.
The pitching breakdown is something I've talked about extensively. They don't have a true ace, a guy that can dominate you. But Michael Barnett has been reliable for them over the last five weeks. The trouble is UCLA didn't face a ton of great competition this year in the Big 10 and not one of their starters have an ERA below 4.00. Landon Stump (4.54 ERA) and Ian May (5.00 ERA) round out the rest of the rotation.
The biggest strength of this staff is the bullpen where they have some legit options led by standout freshman (and likely 2027 first rounder) Wylan Moss, who handled some Friday night starter duties during the year. The pen has been deep for them down the stretch where they have about five arms they can call upon in pressure situations.
They're not the most talented or fancy team, but their formula of slow and steady pitching along with a consistent top of the lineup has proven fruitful. Chances are they beat Murray State in Game 1, though you can't take them lightly as we've seen, and face a wagon in either LSU or Arkansas. To have a chance at emerging from this side of the bracket, Cholowsky has to continue being Superman, while the pitching has some big performances.
Murray State Racers
The little engine that could found themselves as a Cinderella with a glass slipper in 2025. Because they play in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), most people haven't followed the Racers this season. But their style of play and production has been the same all year. Murray State has come through for us this postseason with some big boy plus money BANGERS. Like any dismissed 4-seed not expected to be here, these dudes are playing with house money, even though these guys don't see it that way. They're here to win!
The bread and butter for this team is their offense where they will batter you without mercy. On the year it's only 78 homers, but they have four guys in double figures and five players with at least a .300 average. This offense has hung some crooked numbers in this postseason, including a 19-spot on Duke in Game 2 of the Supers. While they have many sources of production, Jonathan Hogart is the celery stick that stirs the Spicy Bloody Mary.
The pitching consistency has been an issue they've managed to overcome thus far. Their Friday and Saturday starters in Nic Schutte and Isaac Silva are talented, but inconsistent. When they're on, it's good as they just have to be solid to give their team a chance to win with this lineup hitting at this level. The bullpen isn't anything special, but closer Graham Kelham (9 saves) was money last weekend with a couple of big performances to shutdown Duke.
They are absolutely live to win at least one game in Omaha and the fact that you're getting them north of +200, it's a bet to take.
Bracket 2 Best Bet
LSU to win the CWS +230
Stay tuned for game breakdowns throughout the weekend.
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