The Baseball College World Series starts today! Oral Roberts and TCU play at 2 pm on ESPN and Virginia and Florida play at 7 pm. This is the beginning of a fun week and a half of baseball, and to make your viewing experience better, we have made a list of two of the top players from each of the eight teams!
Oral Roberts
1. Jonah Cox: #7, Utility
Jonah Cox is a junior at Oral Roberts and is aiming to break records. He has a .420 batting average, 110 hits, and 11 home runs this season alone. Cox currently has a 47-game hitting streak, which is only 11 games away from breaking the NCAA record of 58 games. Cox has received second-team NCBWA All-America and ACBA/Rawlings All-Region first-team honors.
2. Cade Denton: #36, Pitcher
Also, a junior, Cade Denton is an NCBWA first-team All-American, ACBA/Rawlings All-Region first team, and the Summit League Pitcher of the Year. This season, Denton has 15 saves (program single-season record), 1.85 ERA, 78 strikeouts, and 25 scoreless appearances, all in 33 games played.
TCU
3. Brayden Taylor: #55, Third Base
Another junior, Brayden Taylor has proved himself as one of the best hitters in the country. This year alone, Taylor has 23 home runs and 48 total in three seasons. With 48 home runs, Taylor is now the TCU home run record holder. He has a hitting average of .318 and 172 RBIs. Taylor has received first-team All-Big 12 honors and was the Big 12 All-Tournament MVP.
Related: Athlete Feature: Brayden Taylor, TCU Baseball
4. Anthony Silva: #5, Shortstop
Only a freshman, Anthony Silva has been one to watch. Silva has a hitting average of .351 with 7 home runs and 40 RBIs. Silva is a National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Freshman All-American and second-team All-Big 12 member.
University of Virginia
5. Kyle Teel: #3, Catcher
Kyle Teel is a junior for the Cavaliers. This year, he is a Collegiate Baseball Newspaper first-team All-American, ACC Player of the Year, and first-team All-ACC. Teel has 28 career home runs, 155 RBIs, a hitting average of .347, and an OBP of .436.
6. Jake Gelof: #22, Third Base
The UVA junior is a second-team All-American, two-time first-team All-ACC, Golden Spikes Awards semifinalist, UVA's all-time home run leader (38), and UVA's single-season RBI record holder (84). This season, Gelof has 23 home runs, 89 RBIs, a .333 batting average, and an OBP of .433.
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University of Florida
7. Jac Caglianone: #14, Pitcher/First Base/DH
Jac Caglianone is a sophomore for the Florida Gators. He pitches, fields, and hits. In his two years, Caglianone has a pitching average of .322, 38 home runs, and 111 RBIs. This is Caglianone's first season pitching for the Gators where he has an ERA of 3.78, and 81 strike outs in 16 appearances. Caglianone is a 2023, Golden Spikes Award finalist, Collegiate Baseball second-team All-American, First-Team All-SEC, and John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Finalist.
8. Wyatt Langford: #36, Third Base
Wyatt Langford is a junior for the Gators and has been very impressive this season. Langford is a Collegiate Baseball second-team All-American, first-team All-SEC, and a Golden Spikes Award Semi-Finalist. Langford has a .995 fielding percentage, a .362 batting average, 44 home runs, and 111 RBIs.
Related: Don't Strike Out in Your Recruiting Process: 5 Tips for Baseball Recruits
Wake Forest
9. Brock Wilken: #25, Third Base
Brock Wilken is a junior at Wake Forest and has managed to set three different program records. He has the program record for career home runs (70), single season home runs (30), and he tied the freshman home run record (17). 70 career home runs aside, Wilken also has 201 RBIs, .303 batting average, and a .938 fielding percentage. If you want to see a home run, your chances would be pretty high if you watch any of the Wake Forest games.
10. Rhett Lowder: #4, Pitcher
The junior Demon Deacon seems to have racked up just about every award there is this season. Rhett Lowder is the 2023 ACC Pitcher of the Year, Collegiate Baseball First-Team All-American, National Pitcher of the Year finalist, first-team All-ACC, first-team CSC Academic All-American, and a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist. Lowder has a career ERA of 3.37 and 314 strike outs in 47 appearances. Rhett Lowder seems to be one of the pitchers to beat in this World Series.
Stanford
11. Alberto Rios: #11, Catcher
Junior catcher Alberto Rios has become one of the Cardinal's best hitters this season. He has a batting average of .387, 18 home runs, and 71 RBIs. Rios has been named an NCBWA first-team All-American, first-team All-Region, and Pac-12 Player of the Year. During this College World Series, Alberto will be nothing short of entertaining.
12. Quinn Mathews: #26, Pitcher
The sole senior on this list, Quinn Mathews has had an amazing senior season. He is an NCBWA All-America first-team honoree and the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year. As a left-handed pitcher, Mathews has an ERA of 4.05 and 337 strikeouts in 67 appearances.
Related: A Pure Look Into College Baseball with Liberty University's Head Coach Scott Jackson
LSU
13. Paul Skenes: #20, Pitcher/Utility
Junior right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes has led the Tigers to an incredible season. The NCBWA first-team All-American, Collegiate Baseball's Player of the Year, and SEC Pitcher of the Year leads the country in strikeouts (188) and is second in ERA (1.77). Skenes will certainly be one to watch in Omaha during the College World Series.
14. Dylan Crews: #3, Center Field
Also a junior for the Tigers, Dylan Crews is hard player to stop when he steps up to the plate. Crews is a NCBWA first team All-American and was the SEC Player of the Year. The centerfielder led the SEC in batting average (.434), OBP (.576), runs (89), hits (98), and walks (65). His OBP is number one in the country, number two in runs scored, and number three batting average and walks. He also has 57 home runs and 178 RBIs.
Tennessee
15. Christian Moore: #1, Second Base
Christian Moore is a sophomore for the Vols and has had a very impactful season. He was the 2023 NCAA Clemson Regional MVP and was named to the Clemson All-Regional Team. With a .313 batting average, 84 RBIs, and 27 home runs coming into this College World Series, Christian Moore is one to watch.
16. AJ Russell: #33, Pitcher
AJ Russell is only a freshman for the Vols, but you would never be able to tell when he steps up to the mound. The right-handed pitcher was named an NCBWA Freshman All-American with a .94 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 22 appearances. AJ Russell will be fun to watch in Omaha, and in his seasons to come.
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* Originally published on June 16, 2023, by Bella Nevin
