The road to Cary, NC — the iconic home to the DII baseball championship — begins January 31 for a bevy of teams across the country, including perennial Power 10-ers Central Missouri and Ashland at the Houston Winter Invitational at Minute Maid Park. The past few years have culminated with many familiar faces at the USA Baseball National Training Complex… will it be more of the same in 2025?
Tampa and Angelo State were the last two teams standing in 2024, and they are the No. 1 and No. 2 teams to start the DII baseball season in 2025. Let’s jump into the first Power 10 rankings of the 2025 season.
If you are new to my Power 10 rankings, here’s what you need to know. If you follow my DII Report newsletter, you know, for me, DII baseball is a year-round sport. I begin in September with fall reports and preview conference-by-conference what I expect to be the top teams. This preseason Power 10 is based primarily on those conversations with coaches, looking at returners and recent success.
There is no voting body, it is just me, my spreadsheets, talking to coaches and people inside the game, and a whole mess of stats. In short, be prepared to disagree.
The DII baseball preseason Power 10 rankings
No. 1 Tampa. The Spartans are fresh off their ninth national championship, tied for the most in DII history with Florida Southern. They have 19 newcomers, but head coach Joe Urso always has a slew of impact transfers that seemingly mesh quickly and make Tampa a contender. The returning star power — including reigning national pitcher of the year Skylar Gonzalez — should be plenty to put fear into opponents right off the bat. With five of his top hitters returning, Urso told me he thinks the Spartans offense has the potential to be one of the most powerful lineups in the country. Oh boy… could it be the record-setting No. 10 for Tampa?
No. 2 Angelo State. When you think about the Rams’ dominance of late, it is quite mind-boggling. They have been to Cary four years in a row, including back-to-back championship game appearances while winning it all in 2023. Now, it becomes more impressive when you consider only six teams make the bracket in the South Central — and the Lone Star and RMAC stacked with potential top-25 teams. Head coach Kevin Brooks has a slew of returning talent with postseason experience, but he has also brought in some nice arms — like left-hander Ryan Free who I tabbed as the LSC newcomer of the year — that gives the Rams the kind of depth on the bump that helped win them a title in ’23.
No. 3 Augustana (SD). Honestly, if Tampa and Angelo State weren’t so consistent in getting to Cary, the Vikings would have the talent and experience to be the preseason No. 1. Jack Hines, who shifts to second base in 2025, is the reigning national player of the year and returns to lead a team loaded with returning talent. Left-hander Ashton Michek, who head coach Tim Huber calls a “true pitcher with good stuff” is also back, and happens to be the reigning NSIC pitcher of the year. The NSIC and Central Region are some of the toughest at the top, so all that returning talent should help.
No. 4 North Greenville. Meet the Trailblazers. While they may have changed their name from the Crusaders, head coach Landon Powell returns with enough of the talent that has made North Greenville a perennial contender for the national championship, reaching Cary in both 2022 and 2023 and claiming the national championship in 2022. In fact, while a lot of the star power has moved on, there are still six players from the 2022 roster ready to contribute. Powell feels this is his best transfer class since he’s taken over, and I agree. I have first/third baseman Rocko Brzezniak as the Conference Carolinas newcomer of the year.
No. 5 Central Missouri. The Mules return three huge bats in Chase Heath (my preseason player of the year in the MIAA), Jacob Steele and Vance Tobol, but it is who head coach Kyle Crookes has returning on the mound that could make this team special. Connor Wolf, Jack Kriesman, Jack Scott and Jacob Wilson made 48 starts for the Mules last year and are all back as well as JD McReynolds, who showed he can compete in the biggest moments out of the bullpen. The bottom line is Central Missouri could return no one, and it is a top 25 team. When you have this much experience back… well, you’re top 5 without question.
No. 6 Catawba. Remember when Catawba scored 33 runs in two days at the DII baseball finals in Cary? Well, Dylan Driver and Sam Hunter — both of which hit over .355 with some nice pop and speed combining for 13 home runs and 48 stolen bases — are back with a few others to try and get back to DII’s mecca. Four starting pitchers are back, including Austin Fine and Payne Stolsworth — who I have tabbed as the SAC pitcher of the year — who led the rotation. The SAC is loaded with talent in teams like Wingate and Lenoir-Rhyne, but Catawba has what it takes to contend.
No. 7 Point Loma. Repeating in the Wild West is no easy task, and it may not even be easy for the Sea Lions to repeat in its own conference with the emergence of Westmont. That said, Jake Entrekin (.365, 14 doubles, 15 home runs, 64 RBI a year ago) is back with some familiar faces in the lineup. They also have some very nice arms in the rotation and bullpen back that have shown the propensity to get people out. Point Loma is always well coached and solid on defense that it allows the team to get wins as new players mesh. I expect nothing different this year.
No. 8 Southern New Hampshire. The Penmen are going to Cary. Yes, I am stating that right now before opening day. I say that because they have been to the DII baseball finals four years in a row and five of the past six tournaments. Even when there is a team in the East Region that looks like they may be able to upend the Penmen, someone hits a memorable grand slam or pitches a doozy and SNHU moves on… and on… and on. This year they return six position players and the entire starting rotation. Go ahead; print your bracket and fill in Southern New Hampshire right now.
No. 9 Colorado Mesa. While the Mavericks do lose some big bats, they are accustomed to replacing them, and guys like Kolby Felix and Paul Schoenfeld — who both hit over .400 last year — may be the ones to watch, as is transfer Cameron Cartwright who I have pegged as RMAC newcomer of the year. In my opinion, the difference this year is the pitching depth; it looks a lot like the 2017 and 2019 teams that went deep into the playoffs. The bottom line is every year, people try to convince me that the RMAC isn’t Colorado Mesa’s to lose, but for 12 straight years, the Mavericks have won the conference. They’ll do it again in 2025.
No. 10 West Chester. I know, I know. Indiana (PA) became the Cinderella of the postseason and are still a pretty darn good team. But let’s not forget that West Chester was the No. 1 seed in the Atlantic Region and return a ton of the pitching that got them there. There always has to be a PSAC team in the Power 10, and quite honestly, West Chester, IUP, Millersville, East Stroudsburg and even Slippery Rock were all in the conversation for me. But when you have pitching coming back like West Chester, it allows the new faces on offense to figure things out and stay in the hunt.
First five out (in alphabetical order)
- Cal State Monterey Bay. This may be too low for the Otters. They return a ton of talent from last year’s team and have been incredibly consistent in what is typically an under-the-radar deep conference.
- Indiana (PA). The Crimson Hawks return a lot of the team that took DII by storm and became one of the more exciting storylines since NYIT’s miracle run to Cary in 2019. Can the Cardiac Hawks keep the magic going? In one of the toughest conferences in DII, we’ll find out pretty quickly.
- UIndy. The Greyhounds are rebuilding on offense but are still my pick to win the GLVC and obviously the team to beat in the Midwest until… well, until someone beats them.
- Missouri Southern. Will Doherty, Drew Townsend and Ethan Clark were three of the team’s five best hitters and are back for another run. So is Cole Gayman, who I picked as the MIAA pitcher of the year.
- Young Harris. If you’ve followed me for any amount of time, you know I think the Southeast is the toughest region in DII. Conference Carolinas had four 40-win teams, and eight teams finish above .500, and Young Harris was on both of those lists. It should be no surprise that the Mountain Lions are the third Southeast Region team on the list, especially with that firepower returning.
Also considered (in alphabetical order): Arkansas-Monticello, Ashland, East Stroudsburg, Georgia College, Lubbock Christian, Millersville, Minnesota State, Mount Olive, Nova Southeastern, San Francisco State, Seton Hill, Slippery Rock, UT Tyler, West Florida, Westmont
