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The Men's College World Series is my favorite baseball event, and I've attended 31 of them and watched upwards of 300 games in Omaha. I haven't been to Charles Schwab Field since 2019, which is a travesty. Every year I have fans tell me that going to the CWS is on their baseball bucket list, and I always respond that they'll enjoy it even more than they realize when they do.
Regional play and Super Regionals were full of upsets this year, with just three of the top eight national seeds advancing to Omaha. The two most talented teams are also the two highest seeds to get there -- No. 3 Arkansas and No. 6 Louisiana State -- and they have to face off in the first round. No. 8 Oregon State is the third national seed on hand.
Below is a preview of what to watch for at the CWS, which starts Friday. Teams are listed in the order of their chances to win the national championship, from best to worst. Detailed scouting reports for all Draft Top 200 Prospects can be found here.
Arkansas
Best 2025 Prospect: SS Wehiwa Aloy, the Southeastern Conference player of the year, has more power than most shortstops and has raised his defensive profile this spring.
Draft Top 200 Prospects: Aloy (No. 22), LHP Zach Root (No. 43), RHP Gage Wood (No. 50), OF Charles Davalan (No. 55), 3B Brent Iredale (No. 168).
Underclassman To Watch: RHP Gabe Gaeckle.
Quick Take: Root and Wood are on a roll, and that will make the difference as the Razorbacks win their first-ever CWS championship.
Louisiana State
Best 2025 Prospect: LHP Kade Anderson is the best pitcher in the Draft, a polished four-pitch southpaw who could go No. 1 overall to the Nationals.
Draft Top 200 Prospects: Anderson (No. 3), RHP Anthony Eyanson (No. 66), 2B Daniel Dickinson (No. 72), RHP Chase Shores (No. 85), 1B Jared Jones (No. 99), OF Ethan Frey (No. 130).
Underclassman To Watch: OF Derek Curiel.
Quick Take: Anderson and Eyanson also are a formidable 1-2 pitching punch, and the Tigers could take the national title if they prevail over Arkansas in their opener.
Oregon State
Best 2025 Prospect: SS Aiva Arquette is the consensus best college position player available, a 6-foot-5 slugger who may be able to stay at shortstop.
Draft Top 200 Prospects: Arquette (No. 6), OF Gavin Turley (No. 78), 3B Trent Caraway (No. 140), LHP Nelson Keljo (No. 175).
Underclassman To Watch: RHP Dax Whitney.
Quick Take: The balanced Beavers have the best chance of reaching the CWS championship series because they don't have to clash with Arkansas or LSU.
Coastal Carolina
Best 2025 Prospect: C Caden Bodine is a switch-hitter with some of the best contact skills in the college class and also frames well behind the plate.
Draft Top 200 Prospects: Bodine (No. 38), RHP Jacob Morrison (No. 181).
Underclassman To Watch: RHP Cameron Flukey.
Quick Take: Don't sleep on the Chanticleers, who have won 23 straight games to return to Omaha for the first time since their 2016 national title.
UCLA
Best 2025 Prospect: OF A.J. Salgado is the only Bruin to reach double figures in homers (12) and steals (14) this spring.
Draft Top 200 Prospects: None.
Underclassman To Watch: SS Roch Cholowsky.
Quick Take: The Bruins are a solid club but not as loaded as Arkansas or LSU, both of whom are in their half of the bracket.
Arizona
Best 2025 Prospect: OF Brendan Summerhill, a potential 20-20 center fielder, has some of the best all-around tools in the college crop.
Draft Top 200 Prospects: Summerhill (No. 19), SS Mason White (No. 138), OF Aaron Walton (No. 166).
Underclassman To Watch: RHP Owen Kramkowski.
Quick Take: The Wildcats are a sneaky-good team that rallied after losing, 18-2, in their super regional opener at North Carolina.
Louisville
Best 2025 Prospect: RHP Patrick Forbes has an explosive fastball that reaches 100 mph and flashes a plus low-80s slider.
Draft Top 200 Prospects: Forbes (No. 36).
Underclassman To Watch: OF/C Zion Rose.
Quick Take: Forbes is more than capable of beating Oregon State in the opener, which could launch the Cardinals on a run.
Murray State
Best 2025 Prospect: C Will Vierling, who spent his first two college seasons at Louisville, is an offensive-minded catcher who makes consistent contact.
Draft Top 200 Prospects: None.
Underclassman To Watch: SS Conner Cunningham.
Quick Take: The Racers are making their first trip to Omaha and they're just one of four No. 4 seeds in a four-team regional to get there since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1999.