With questions of whether or not an MLB season is in the cards for 2022 swirling, baseball fans across the country have turned to college baseball to get their fix of America’s favorite pastime. Those who have tuned in have been treated to extra-inning thrillers, intense pitching duels, and a slew of highlight reel plays. With the first of the power 5 conferences, the PAC-12, ready to begin conference play on March 11th, and the others set to kick-off just days later, there is plenty of exciting baseball still on the way. So, in case you’ve missed out on the first few weeks, here’s a look at where my power rankings stand prior to the start of conference baseball.
Power Rankings
1. Texas
Everyone’s No. 1 team to start the season, Texas (12-2) has rode a dominant pitching staff led by redshirt sophomore Pete Hansen to an excellent start to the season. After sweeping Rice in their opening series, the Longhorns made quick work of Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Alabama, and Sam Houston. They opened last weekend’s Shriners Hospitals For Children College Classic with games against Tennessee and LSU, each of which they won convincingly, before falling to UCLA on Sunday. To the surprise of many, a lack of hitting caused another defeat at the hands of Texas State just days later, but Trey Faltine, Murphy Stehly, and crew have still been one of the best lineups in college baseball. It’s been exactly the kind of start many analysts expected out of the Longhorns, and one they will be looking to build on in the coming weeks.
2. Ole Miss
Ole Miss (11-1) has been equally as impressive to start the 2022 campaign. Sophomores Calvin Harris and TJ McCants have led a lineup that has scored double digit runs in eight of their twelve games. Meanwhile, the pitching rotation is in good hands behind senior John Gaddis and juniors Jack Washburn and Drew McDaniel. That being said, Ole Miss has not faced the level of competition that many of their peers on this list have. Their most difficult opponent has been UCF, who they took down in impressive fashion in two out of three games, but fell to 1-0 in their lone loss of the season. It will be interesting to see how the Rebels fare when put up against the SECs top teams.
3. Vanderbilt
After coming one game short of a college world series title last year, the VandyBoys (10-2) are back in full force. They struggled out of the gate, dropping two of three against an Oklahoma State team that is also in my top ten, but have not lost a game since. A lineup headlined by sophomore Enrique Bradfield Jr. and senior Dominic Keegan showed their strength last weekend against Hawaii, scoring 36 runs in 32 innings of baseball, while juniors Chris McElvain and Nick Maldonado have filled the shoes of Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker admirably. Similar to Ole Miss, the main question remaining for the Commodores is how they will perform when facing higher level competition.
4. Tennessee
Another participant in the Shriners Hospitals For Children College Classic, Tennessee (12-1[1] ) used last weekend’s games to show off their strength. Entering the tournament at 8-0, the Volunteers went 2-1 in Houston, taking down Baylor and Oklahoma and falling to Texas. Freshmen Chase Burns and Drew Beam took center stage and showed just how dangerous this Tennessee starting rotation can be. Meanwhile, the Volunteers also wield one of the nation’s most explosive offenses. While soft opponents certainly had some hand in stat inflation, eleven Tennessee hitters are currently batting above .300. Between Tennessee and Vanderbilt, the SEC East is sure to be one of the most exciting conferences in college baseball this year.
5. Stanford
The first PAC-12 team to make its way on to the list, Stanford (8-3) is doing everything in their power to erase the memory of last year’s collapse in Omaha. Junior Quinn Mathews has been a force on the mound, pitching to a 1.59 ERA in 17 innings of work (including six shutouts innings against Arkansas). On the other side, the bats have been good, but not great, in part due to a slow start from superstar outfielder Brock Jones. The Cardinal certainly have a chance to win the PAC-12, but they will need to find better consistency and avoid losses like those they have already surrendered to Cal State Fullerton, UTSA, and CSUN. This weekend’s series against Oregon (8-5) will be one to keep a close eye on.
6. Arkansas
Arkansas (7-3) is a difficult team to figure out. They boast two top prospects in next year’s draft in infielder Robert Moore and outfielder Cayden Wallace, but beyond the two of them (and catcher Michael Turner), the offense is somewhat inconsistent. Losing expected ace Peyton Pallette was a difficult blow to the rotation and it has taken a complete group effort to fill in for him thus far. As a result of questions on the mound and at the plate, the Razorbacks have suffered some surprising losses to teams like Illinois State and Southeastern. Still, just a year removed from an SEC West title, Arkansas deserves to be ranked among the best teams in college baseball… for now.
7. Oregon State
The 2018 College World Series champion Oregon State Beavers (9-1) seem poised to bounce back after a disappointing 2021 season. After handing Gonzaga their only two losses of the season at the Sanderson Ford College Baseball Classic to open the season, the Beavers have consistently shown their prowess across the diamond. A pitching staff led by sophomore Cooper Hjerpe is holding opponents to just three runs per game, while junior outfielder Jacob Melton has continued to dominate at the plate. Their lone loss of the season came in a tightly contested, extra-inning game against UC Irvine. Oregon State should be Stanford’s biggest threat to the PAC-12 crown, and don’t be surprised if they find a way to take it.
8. Notre Dame
Some of the questions revolving around the strength of Notre Dame’s 2022 squad were answered this past weekend, when they went 3-0 at the Cambria College Classic. Now 9-1 on the year, the Fighting Irish allowed just three runs in their three games at the tournament, taking down Illinois, Michigan State, and Minnesota in the process. Highly-touted prospect Jack Brannigan (3B) and the rest of the batting lineup have shown signs of the power that helped them win their conference a year ago, and the three-headed monster of lefties Aidan Tyrell and John Bertrand and righty Austin Temple is a scary sight for any opponent. This weekend’s clash with NC State will be the first real test for the Fighting Irish, but there is no indication that they won’t be up for it.
9. Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State (7-5) came out of the gates firing on all cylinders but have since cooled off. After heading to Nashville and taking two of three against Vanderbilt, the Cowboys went 5-4 in their following nine games. Three of those losses were to a solid Gonzaga team, but it’s been a disappointing run of form nonetheless. A rotation built around sophomores Victor Mederos and Justin Campbell has kept them in games but a lineup led by grad student Jake Thompson and sophomore Nolan McLean has yet to hit its stride. That being said, the Cowboys have been in every game (each of their losses has been by three or less runs) and they still wield one of the strongest rosters in college baseball.
10. Clemson
One of college baseball’s only remaining undefeated teams, Clemson (12-0) has done exactly what’s been asked of it. Sweeps of Indiana, Hartford, and South Carolina have headlined a surprisingly strong start for a team that finished last season under .500. Righties Mack Anglin, Billy Barlow, and Nick Hoffman have proved to be a formidable trio of starters on the mound, holding opponents to a combined nine earned runs in 44.2 innings. And, while the team lacked any superstar hitters a year ago, contributions from sophomores Cooper Ingle and Max Wagner have the team batting just a tick below .300 on the young season. You can’t fault a team for playing the opponents on their schedule (no matter how soft they may be), and given that the Tigers have yet to lose a game, they deserve some respect on this list.
Next 10:
11. Virginia
12. Florida State
13. Florida
14. LSU
15. Georgia Tech
16. Texas Tech
17. Liberty
18. Arizona
19. Georgia
20. Gonzaga
Luke Rollfinke is a student at Vanderbilt where he is pursuing a career in sports journalism. A recent graduate from the Friends School of Baltimore, Luke has spent his entire childhood in Charm City and is a devoted Orioles fan. In the past, he has written for SB Nation and has worked closely with Ravens columnist John Eisenberg. From nights at Camden Yards to Sunday afternoons watching NFL Redzone, Luke eats, sleeps, and breathes sports. He is excited to bring his perspective to BSL.