Teams That Just Missed the Just Baseball Top 25 College Rankings

The preseason top 25 list might be the most difficult top 25 list to develop each year. There are so many questions to answer and so much roster turnover to consider.

That’s why, at Just Baseball, we use a process to gather input from all our college baseball analysts/writers and spend painstaking hours to ensure we get it as right as possible.

That said, there are always some teams that don’t make the final cut, and each person on staff feels that some of them deserved to be in the top 25. These “just missed” teams are more than worth covering and could likely jump right into the top 25 in the next few weeks.

Let’s dive into a few teams that just missed our top 25 cut.

Arizona Wildcats

Chip Hale’s ballclub was the lone Big 12 representative in Omaha, led by an elite pitching staff and star power in the likes of highly regarded draft picks Brendan Summerhill, Mason White, and Adonys Guzman.

Players come and go, but there is no bigger loss for this Arizona team than pitching coach Kevin Vance, who took the head coaching job at SDSU this offseason.

However, Arizona brings back the entire rotation that carried them to the promised land in Omaha, Nebraska, in the likes of Owen Kramkowski, Smith Bailey, and Collin McKinney.

Kramkowski should lead the three again with an effortless low-mid 90s fastball and a mid-80s slider to back it up; his 90 punchouts over 92 innings a year ago show his ability to not only be a workhorse, but generate plenty of swings-and-misses.

Sophomore right-hander Smith Bailey, who lit the college baseball world on fire as a true freshman after being named to the Freshman All-American Team and Big 12 All-Freshman Team. Bailey posted a 3.94 ERA in 89 innings, making 18 starts and keeping hitters to a .287 average, all while striking out 80. 

Junior righty Collin McKinney, while overshadowed at times by the others in 2025, was as steady as a rock in 13 starts, posting a 3.98 ERA, 62 strikeouts, and .234 batting average against.

The Wildcats also brought in a southpaw from Tulane, Luc Fladda, who posted a 4.77 ERA over 83 innings as a sophomore and made 15 starts in 2025 in his junior season with the Green Wave.

Anchoring the bullpen yet again, arguably the best closer in the country, All-American and NWBCA Stopper of the Year, right-hander Tony Pluta. Pluta led the Wildcats with 14 saves over 30 appearances and 37 innings with 34 strikeouts to just seven walks with a .219 batting average against.

There are no questions about this pitching staff, but losing the cornerstones of the offense from 2025 to the draft, the Wildcats may struggle on offense.

They’ll bring back infielders Maddox Mihalakis and Mathis Meurant, who will need to take big steps forward to propel this Wildcats offense after what was a rollercoaster season for both at the plate.

They’ll be supported by first baseman Andrew Cain, who will look to do major damage in the middle of the order, putting up gaudy numbers in fall camp backed up by six home runs and a .837 OPS a year ago.

Grad-senior transfer from UW-Milwaukee Tyler Bickers slashed 369/.482/.498 with 11 doubles and 42 RBI for the Panthers a year ago, and could be a big void filler for the 2026 Cats.

I won’t be surprised to see Chip Hale and Co. back in the Top 25 and in a regional in 2026, but we need to see how this offense adjusts. This was a big reason why they just missed our preseason rankings. (Will Mossa)

Dallas Baptists Patriots

DBU claimed another CUSA regular season title under Dan Heefner, who enters his 19th season as Head Coach. A program that is seventh in wins-per-season in the country since 2015 (42.5), as one of the top Skippers in the country. He’s also led the Patriots to the postseason 14 times, 13 of which came over the last 14 years, a true powerhouse of mid-major baseball.

With big losses from the 2025 season, which includes six offensive starters that contributed 45% of the team’s RBI and 49% of the home runs. Losing notable players in catcher Grant Jay and outfielder Nathan Humphries, who led the team in home runs, RBI, and stolen bases.

On the pitching side, the Patriots will look to replace two-thirds of a very good rotation in Micah Bucknam and James Ellwanger, who combined for 27 starts. Bucknam posted a 4.62 ERA over 62 ⅓ innings while Ellwanger, the team’s ace, posted a 3.98 ERA over 63 ⅓ innings, tallying a team best 95 strikeouts. 

Some big bullpen losses as well in closer Mason Peters, who made 20 appearances for 42 ⅓ innings and 58 punchouts. As well as Tyler Schott, who held hitters to a .203 average over 17 innings and 19 appearances to the tune of a 2.65 ERA.

The Patriots will bring back senior righty Ryan Borberg returns and should take the ball on Friday nights after leading the team with 15 starts and 80 innings with 79 strikepits, holding hitters to a .244 average.

Fifth-year infielder Chayton Krauss returns after finishing his season starting 58 games with a 1.014 OPS with a team-best 19 doubles, adding 15 dingers and 71 RBI to the mix.

Redshirt senior infielder Grady Keaton also returns after leading the Patriots with a .366 average in 2025, going 18-21 on stolen bases with 13 doubles, four triples, and three home runs. Expect him to be the table-setter at the top of the order yet again in 2026.

There is no doubting the success Heefner has had year over year, and losing major pieces of the puzzle is only a small obstacle for one of the most consistent programs in the country, but there just wasn’t enough returning talent to justify a preseason spot. This is another team that could easily find its way into the rankings early in the season. (Will Mossa)

Kansas Jayhawks

What Head Coach Dan Fitzgerald has done to turn around the Kansas Jayhawks program can’t be understated. In his three years as head coach, he’s gone 99-72 overall and helped Kansas achieve back-to-back winning seasons in 2024 and 2025.

2025 was by far the best season for the Jayhawks as they went 43-17 overall and punched their ticket to an NCAA Regional in Fayetteville. With a lot of key returners, Fitzgerald and the Jayhawks will be looking to take things to the next level in 2026.

What makes this Jayhawks team so special? Well, for one, it is built on a lot of guys who come from JUCO teams and are full of toughness and grit. And that toughness and grit starts in the offense.

Kansas is led by star first baseman Brady Ballinger, who was a strong candidate for Big 12 Player of the Year last year after slashing .353/.495/.670 with a 1.164 OPS while smashing 21 doubles, 16 home runs, and 56 RBI.

Ballinger’s success has found him skyrocketing up draft boards, and he’s become one of the top first basemen in the entire country. Expect big things from him.

Outside of Ballinger, Kansas, Dariel Osoria and catcher Max Soliz. Osoria slashed .324/.421/.539 with 13 doubles, nine home runs, and 47 RBI. Ballinger and Osoria are a real solid 1-2 punch in the lineup to have returning.

The Jayhawks also hit the portal hard, bringing in names like David Hogg from LSU, Josh Dykhoff from DII Minnesota-Crookston, and Jordan Bach from Southern Illinois. Dykhoff should provide the lineup with some significant thump, and Hogg is an extreme athlete who could lock down an OF spot.

On the mound, they return a lot of proven arms with Dominic Voegele, Kannon Carr, and Manning West.

Voegele is the ace here. While he posted a 5.70 ERA in 96.1 innings last year, he’s not far removed from a freshman year in which we dominated, posting a 3.89 ERA with 80 K in 81 innings. It’s a fastball in the mid-90s that’s been in the upper 90s. The stuff is too good for him to repeat last year.

Carr logged 10 starts for the Jayhawks last year while posting a 4.42 ERA and striking out 50 batters in 55 innings pitched. West posted similar numbers, logging a 4.17 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 54 innings.

Coach Fitzgerald has to be happy with what he is returning on the mound. They also brought in some interesting transfers like Toby Schedit from Bryant and Carter Fink from ETSU.

All in all, this Kansas Jayhawks team looks primed and ready to make some noise in the Big 12 in 2026. Big 12 baseball has only continued to get better, and that is in part due to what Coach Fitzgerald has done to improve this Jayhawks program. Don’t be surprised if Kansas is ranked a few weeks into the season. (Jared Perkins)

Ole Miss Rebels

Coming off one of their best seasons since 2022, the Rebels had an incredible 43-win season last year, going 16-14 in the SEC. Their season ended in the Oxford Regional, where they hosted Murray State, America’s team, which shocked the world and punched its ticket to a Super Regional.

Regardless, Coach Mike Bianco and his squad look poised to build on that strong 2025 as they bring back a team full of veterans who should have postseason aspirations on their mind.

It starts with the offense as the Rebels return Judd Utermark, Austin Fawley, and Will Furnis. Utermark is the key here as he provides this lineup tons of pop. There were thoughts he was for sure going to go to the draft, but heads back to campus after posting a .975 OPS with 11 2B, 22 HR, and 69 RBI.

Fawley is another big-time power bat coming back to Oxford, and he slashed .256/.386/.648 with six 2B, 21 HR, and 53 RBI. Furnis returns a .941 OPS from last year with seven 2B, 12 HR, and 47 RBI. These three should have a huge impact on the Rebels.

Ole Miss also brings a ton of firepower back on the mound. It starts with, of course, left-hander Hunter Elliott. Elliott was absolutely incredible in 202,5 posting a 10-3 record with a 2.94 ERA while striking out 102 batters in 85.2 innings. He was nothing short of immaculate.

While they lose Riley Maddox and Mason Nichols, who got a majority of the starts outside of Elliott, they also return Cade Townsend and Hudson Calhoun. Townsend notched eight starts for the Rebels and will look to take his game to the next level.

Outside of the returners, Coach Bianco and his staff hit the transfer portal hard, netting a top 50 class per 64Analytics. On the mound, they brought in Owen Kelly from Saint Louis, who ranked #23 overall.

Kelly had a really solid year with Saint Louis, posting a 4.61 ERA while striking out 78 in 80 innings. He started 15 games last year and should be an easy candidate for a rotation spot.

They also brought in Wil Libbert from Missouri and Marko Sipila from San Diego State. Libbert started 11 games for the Tigers, and Sipila started 12 games for the Aztecs while posting a 3.91 ERA with 74 strikeouts in 71.1 innings.

In terms of bats, the big prize from the transfer portal was outfielder Daniel Pacella from Illinois State. He slashed .355/.429/.714 with 19 2B, 20 HR, 59 RBI in 56 games. He was the 64Analytics #43 overall portal prospect.

They also brought in Dom Decker from Murray State, who brings a solid profile and postseason experience. Decker had a near .500 OBP for the Racers. While he didn’t supply a ton of power, he hit 18 doubles and three triples and had a batting average over .350.

The combo of returners and portal gets, Coach Bianco and the Rebels seem poised to be a competitive team in the SEC. They did lose some key pieces offensively and on the mound, but if the new guys can step up, expect to see them in the top 25 at some point this season. (Jared Perkins)

Troy Trojans

Outside of Coastal Carolina, Troy likely brings back the most returning on offense, alongside Head Coach Skylar Meade, who is looking to make his way back into the 2026 postseason after only losing one conference series in all of 2025 (Southern Miss).

The Trojans bring back six starters on offense who made 37 or more starts in 2025, but lose a big piece of the puzzle in catcher Brooks Bryan, who led the team in both home runs (12) and RBI (61). 

Just Baseball Preseason Sun-Belt Player of the Year Steven Meier will be the centerpiece of the Trojans on both sides of the ball, coming off a junior campaign where he slashed .300/.447/.507 with 16 doubles, eight home runs, 42 RBI while going 24-29 on stolen bases and finished sixth in the country in hit-by-pitches with 29.

Locking down first base will be Australian-Native Blake Cavill, who led the Trojans in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging, and OPS with a 1.078. Cavill rounded out his season with 12 doubles, 11 home runs, and 50 RBI, as well as finishing second in the country in walks with 64.

Backstop Jimmy Janicki, who made 51 starts as a true freshman and posted a .280 batting average with 32 RBI, primarily at third base, but will likely take over the catching duties for recently departed Brooks Bryan.

There is one huge question with the Trojans, and it’s not whether or not they’ll score, because they will. It’s keeping opposing teams off the scoreboard.

Left-handed pitcher Drew Nelson will be the most seasoned returner of the Trojans staff after making eight starts in 2025 with 33 ⅓ innings pitched to a 5.49 ERA and 25 strikeouts. 

With so many innings to replace, it’s hard to project exactly what this Troy team will look like, but Skylar Meade is coming off his third consecutive season with 37+ wins, and it’s tough to ignore what he’s building. Don’t be surprised to see this team in the rankings and competing for a Sun Belt title if the pitching side can click. (Will Mossa)

Vanderbilt Commodores

It feels like we are sleeping on Vanderbilt, which means Coach Corbin and his squad will obviously prove us wrong. Vanderbilt got a few votes in the top 25, so we have some believers, but they are just missing our top 25, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see them make their way in soon.

Vanderbilt was incredibly good and capped their season with a No. 1 ranking heading into the postseason after its incredible SEC tournament performance, where they came out on top.

The Commodores finished 43-18 overall and 19-11 in the SEC in 2025. Their season unfortunately ended in the Regional, as Wright State shocked everyone and came out on top, punching their ticket to a Super Regional.

On the mound, the Commodores lose their main arm in JD Thompson to the draft. He was an absolute stalwart on the mound for them. The good news is that they’re bringing back both Connor Fennell and Austin Nye.

Both Fennell and Nye logged over 50 innings last year and are candidates to take on a rotation spot. Fennell posted a 2.53 ERA with 84 strikeouts in 53.1 innings, and Nye posted a 3.55 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 50.2 innings.

Some other names to watch for on this team from a pitching standpoint are juniors Alex Kranzler, Miller Green, and Luke Guth. Guth posted a 0.93 ERA in 19.1 innings, Green a 3.80 ERA in 23.2 innings, and Kranzler a 3.62 ERA in 37.1 innings.

The Commodores also brought in some intriguing portal arms in Jacob Faulkner out of Princeton and Nate Taylor out of Georgia. Faulkner posted a 4.14 ERA while striking out 55 in 67.1 innings. Taylor saw limited innings but posted a 1.08 ERA last year.

On the offensive side, Braden Holcomb is the major returner for the Commodores. He slashed .275/.378/.503 with four doubles, two triples, and nine home runs with 34 RBI. While the numbers aren’t eye-popping, Holcomb was incredible in SEC play and in the SEC tournament.

They also return Rustan Rigdon and Mike Mancini. Mancini, a senior, didn’t have the best year last year, but he provides a ton of leadership, and he should slot right back in the middle of the infield. Rigdon was a highly touted prep prospect, and he’s a sort of Swiss Army Knife, able to play anywhere. He could really break out in his sophomore season.

They also brought in some intriguing transfer portal prospects in Mack Whitcomb from Tennessee Tech, Carter Johnstone from Cal State Fullerton, Logan Johnstone from Washington State, and Max Jensen from Cornell.

Whitcomb hit 12 doubles and 15 home runs and should give Vanderbilt a solid piece behind the dish, and hopefully some power in the lineup. Carter Johnstone slashed .344/.431/.535 with 14 doubles and seven home runs.

With those key portal transfers, the hope is Vanderbilt can produce a bit more offensively than last year. The best thing about the Commodores’ lineup last year was that it just out-hit you, even though they didn’t have the flash stats. Expect more of the same this year. (Jared Perkins)

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

It feels like Wake Forest is in a really interesting spot heading into 2026. The expectations are always high in Winston-Salem now, and it’s not hard to see why.

Wake has turned itself into a legitimate annual postseason program under Tom Walter, and the roster construction continues to look like something that can play deep into June if it clicks.

The Demon Deacons have now made the tournament four straight years, and while 2023 proved they can make a national title run, Wake is still trying to establish that kind of deep postseason push as the standard rather than the exception.

This year’s group has the talent to do that, but they’ll have to prove they’re different than some of the talented Wake teams in the past that didn’t break through in the regional round.

Wake Forest should be able to lean on its arms from day one. They return key innings and strikeout ability, and there’s enough depth to cover both the weekend rotation and the midweek load without needing everything to go perfectly.

Blake Morningstar is the most proven starter back. He pitched like a legit weekend guy last season, missing bats at a high rate and giving Wake competitive innings every time out. He posted a 3.87 ERA with 93 strikeouts in 79 innings, and he’s the type of arm who can set the tone for the staff.

Matthew Dallas is another major returner in the rotation. His results last year weren’t quite as sharp (4.90 ERA across 14 starts), but the stuff is there, and he’s one of the more important swing pieces for Wake’s ceiling. If he’s more consistent, it changes the look of the entire staff.

Wake also has several arms that could force their way into bigger roles, including transfer Cam Bagwell (UNC Wilmington), who brings a strong track record and a starter’s frame.

Along with upside names like Chris Levonas and Duncan Marsten, all guys who have traits that play and could become real difference-makers if they take steps forward. Levonas has been putting up nutty stuff this fall. His fastball is a rocket ship now.

The biggest storyline offensively is how Wake replaces Marek Houston, who was the heartbeat of the defense at shortstop and a huge part of their lineup before becoming a first-round pick. You don’t replace that cleanly, but Wake has options.

Georgetown transfer Blake Schaaf brings a consistent offensive profile and could be the stabilizing piece in the middle infield. Freshman JD Stein is the high-upside wild card with real tools, and he’s the kind of athlete who could make an impact early.

In the lineup, Wake is built around two of the better bats in the ACC returning:

• Kade Lewis, who hit .376/.482/.602 with a rare balance of contact ability and plate discipline.
• Dalton Wentz, who hit 13 home runs as a freshman and looks like a middle-of-the-order staple for years.

Transfers like Boston Torres from VMI and Jackson Miller from Ole Miss give them real depth and options as well.

Wake Forest looks like a team that will win a lot of games because it has answers: quality arms, multiple impact bats, and real depth across the roster. They might not have the preseason “flash” of a few other ACC contenders, but the overall build is strong.

If the weekend pitching settles in quickly and the middle infield holds steady after the Marek Houston departure, Wake Forest has the type of roster that can climb into the top 25 early and stay there. (Jared Perkins)

West Virginia Mountaineers

In year one of the Steve Sabins era, the Mountaineers secured a Big 12 regular season title, going 44-16 with a 19-9 conference record, seeing their season end in a Super Regional, their second straight year appearing in one.

On the mound, the Mountaineers return Chase Meyer, who appeared in 22 games, making three starts and posting a 9-2 record over his 48 innings of work. The Big-12 All-Conference Honorable Mention punched out 63 and held hitters to a .192 average. With electric stuff, he could easily lead WVU to another postseason appearance.

Grad-senior right-hander Reese Bassinger also returns for the Mountaineers, coming off his 2025 campaign, where he led the club in appearances (30) and saves (5). Over his 61 ⅔ innings, he accumulated 43 strikeouts and a 4.23 ERA while holding hitters to a .269 average.

On offense, they’ll be led by returners Brodie Kresser, Gavin Kelly, and Armani Guzman. Both Kelly and Guzman, despite limited playing time, made huge impacts in 2025, and you have to be excited about what we can see in a full season of them.

Sabins and Co. hit the portal hard, bringing in a trio of mid-major bats in Sean Smith (Georgia Southern), Brock Wills (UNC Wilmington), and Matt Ineich (Ohio), all of whom posted a .900 OPS or better at their respective schools.

The biggest questions around the Mountaineers are just about unproven talent and how they will perform once the lights turn on. If there is a program to get this group to take the next step and potentially go back-to-back as regular season Big 12 Champions, it’s Steve Sabins. (Will Mossa)