NCAA D1 Baseball Opening Day

Friday, February 14th, Corvallis, Ore. – The path to the 2025 College World Series begins today with the start of the NCAA Division-1 baseball season. In a new college athletics landscape, many Knights partner programs and alumni find themselves in new conferences. Pac-12 defectors UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington joined the Big Ten, Utah the Big-12 and Stanford the ACC. Oregon State is forging forward as an independent.

The Beavers, led by head coach Mitch Canham in his 6th season at the helm, have reloaded in pursuit of a return trip to Omaha, where the Beavers have not been since winning a national championship in 2018. Former Knight and 2021 West Coast League MVP Travis Bazzana was taken with the first overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft by the Cleveland Guardians. The Beavers also lost a trio of all-American pitchers to the Draft. Despite those losses, the Beavers are poised to make a serious title run and are ranked #7 in preseason polls.

Oregon State’s opening day probable starter is alumnus Nelson Keljo (3-0, 3.98 ERA, 60 Ks, 43.0 IP in 2024), an overpowering lefty ranked as the #81 prospect by Baseball America. Knights’ fans enjoyed watching Keljo during the summer of 2022, his first taste of college ball, following his senior year at Portland’s Jesuit High School. Alumnus OSU pitching coach Rich Dorman (’99) is counting on big things from Knights’ alumni James DeCremer (’24), Joey Mundt (’23) and Laif Palmer (’24) as they will bolster the bullpen.

At first base, alum Jacob Krieg (’23) is set to have a monster junior season after a breakthrough 2024 spring that saw him hit .278 with 40 RBI, 10 doubles and 9 homers in 43 starts.

After narrowly missing out on an at-large bid in 2024, Utah is making the jump to the Big 12 after completing one its best seasons in school history last spring (33-22,  16-14 Pac-12).  Knights alumni look to make up the weekend rotation for the Utes this season. Merit Jones, the Knights’ starter in the 2023 WCL championship game and an all-WCL performer, will toe the rubber on Friday, with Colter McAnally (’24) and Payton Riske (’24) presumed to be the Saturday and Sunday starters, respectively. Sixth-year grad student Tyler Quinn (’22-23), the Knights’ 2022 MVP, will hold down the hot corner in his second season at Utah, and RHP Bransen Kuehl (’23-’24) will compete for the closer role. Additionally, former Knights pitching coach Beau Kerns (’19-24) makes his debut season with the Utes as head coach Gary Henderson’s director of baseball operations.

Last spring, the Stanford Cardinal missed the NCAA tournament for the first time in the David Esquer era. As new members of the ACC, Stanford will look to get back to the postseason behind a slew of high-level arms, led by alumns Matt Scott (’22), a Baseball America preseason all-American. The 6’7″ Scott threw 80 innings with 102 strikeouts across 15 starts for the Cardinal last season. 2021 first-team all-WCL righty Ty Uber returns after missing the 2024 season with an injury, and true freshman Cohen Gomez (’24) will add depth to the Cardinal staff. 2022 all-WCL infielder Temo Becerra also returns as Stanford’s starting shortstop a year after hitting .298 in 54 games. Catcher Luke Lavin (’24) and outfielder Ethan Hott (’23) both will compete for starting spots in their true sophomore campaigns.

In the new-look Big 10, longtime partner programs and former Pac-12 schools USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington, as well as the Knights’ newest partner, Nebraska, are set to compete in a deep conference. The Ducks and Huskers are projected to finish first and third, respectively, by Baseball America.

In Eugene, outfielder/catcher Anson Aroz (’23) burst on the scene in 2024, eventually finding a home in left field and in the two-hole for Mark Wasikowski’s Ducks. The junior finished the season hitting .281 with 25 RBI, 15 XBH, and 27 runs scored in 35 starts, and looks to turn a torrid Super Regional (.500, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 4 runs scored) into an elevated role in 2025.

In Seattle under new skipper Eddie Smith, Blake Wilson (’24) figures to factor into the mix for a role up the middle for the Husky infield with the departure of shortstop Aiva Arquette to Oregon State. Smith added longtime Knights’ pitching coach Connor Lambert (’11-’17) to his new staff as the Dawgs’ pitching coach.

Down in Los Angeles, the USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins are projected to finish in the middle of the pack in the Big 10.

Third-year Trojans head coach Andy Stankiewicz looks to improve on last season’s 31-28 campaign. Ethan Hedges (’23), a first-team all-WCL performer during his summer in Corvallis, collected 54 hits in 54 starts, primarily at the corner infield positions, and has emerged as USC’s leader going into this junior year. As a true freshman, Kevin Takeuchi (’24), the West Coast League’s Top Prospect and a first-team all-WCL selection last summer, finished second on the team in batting average (.289). He adds versatility and a big bat to the Trojans’ starting lineup after his 40 RBI/17 double debut spring. Right-handed pitcher Garren Rizzo, coming off an all-WCL summer, should get plenty of action out of the bullpen or as a stater after throwing 37 innings as a frosh for SC.

In Westwood, UCLA skipper John Savage hopes to get the Bruins back to the postseason after a two-year absence. Infielder/outfielder Phoenix Call (’23) is expected to start after limited playing time last season as a freshman. Knights fan favorite and utility man Kasen Khansarinia (’24) begins his collegiate career this spring.

In Lincoln, the Knights’ newest pipeline, Nebraska looks to ascend to new heights after winning the Big 10 tournament last spring after finishing the regular season in second-place. Pitcher Tyner Horn, a second-team all-WCL selection last summer, is set to be the Huskers’ number two starter. The right-hander closed out the 2024 spring by allowing just one earned run over his final five appearances as a frosh. Grant Cleavinger (’23-’24), who battled injuries throughout last season, looks to make a return to full strength and become a reliable left-handed arm out of the Nebraska ‘pen.

In the West Coast Conference, partner programs Portland and Gonzaga will once again battle for the league crown.

One year after posting the most wins in school history (39), alumnus head coach Geoff Loomis (’00-’04), who enters his 10th season as UP’s skipper, has guided his Pilots to the WCC tournament the last three springs. The Boys on the Bluff finished second in the WCC the past two seasons. The Pilots lost their entire weekend rotation, closer, and top two hitters off last season’s record-breaking team, but return several veterans, led by shortstop and alumnus infielder Spencer Scott (’22-’23), who hit .316 last season to go along with 27 RBI. Another key returner, all-WCL honorable mention catcher Tyler Howard (’24), looks to continue his ascension after making a big jump in his sophomore season, in which he hit .331 in 34 starts. A first-team all-WCL pitcher for the Knights in 2022 and 2024, senior Kaden Segel (’21-’24) brings plenty of experience and durability to the Pilots’ bullpen. Alumnus Morgan Codron (’23) is set to start or close after a breakout redshirt freshman spring as the righty struck out 45 over 35 innings pitched in 2024.

Perennial WCC contender Gonzaga under head coach Mark Machtolf is one of this spring’s WCC favorites. Led by alumnus southpaw starter Miles Gosztola (’23), Zags pitching should improve. Gosztola, who went 3-3 with a 6.15 ERA last spring, with 41 Ks in 41 innings, is set to be the Saturday starter. Gosztola’s 2023 Knights’ teammate outfielder Sam Stem, a first-team all-WCL performer during his summer in Corvallis, looks to return to form in his junior year after a standout true freshman season that saw him hit .317 in 46 starts. Alumnus slick-fielding infielder Ty Yukumoto (’23-’24), a transfer from Pacific University in Forest Grove, will compete for a starting role after hitting .329 over his three seasons with the Boxers. Yukumoto earned all-WCL honors both his summers with the Knights.

At UC Santa Barbara, the Gauchos are primed for another trip to the postseason one year after hosting a NCAA Regional under head coach and former Knight Andrew Checketts. Coach Checketts is now in his 14th season at UCSB. His squad is picked to win the Big West in the preseason coaches poll, and boasts the #2-rated overall prospect by Baseball America, alumnus pitcher Tyler Bremner (’23). As a true sophomore last year, Bremner went 11-1 and posted a 2.54 ERA with 104 strikeouts in 88.2 innings pitched. He’s projected as one of the top picks in the upcoming MLB Draft, and will be counted on to lead a talented Gauchos staff that also features Saturday starter Jackson Flora (’24), ranked as one of the top 150 pitchers by D1Baseball, and righty Frank Camarillo (’23).

There are many other former Knights to keep an eye on this season playing at smaller schools.

At Lewis-Clark State, Brandon Cabrera (’24), returns after a stellar junior season in Lewiston. The senior outfielder, a WCL all-star last summer, slashed .362/.469/.633 with 58 runs scored, 40 RBI, 20 doubles and 13 home runs for the Warriors.

JC Ng, a third-team all-American for Pomona-Pitzer last season, hit .424 with 49 RBI, 9 homers and 14 stolen bases for the Sagehens. Ng, a second-team preseason all-American, looks to lead Pomona back to the NCAA D-III College World Series after their first ever trip last spring.

Caleb Debban, a first-team all-WCL selection coming out of the bullpen for the Knights last summer, returns to George Fox for his senior season. Over 62.1 innings pitched for the Bruins last season, Debban posted a 4-3 record and 3.90 ERA to go along with 67 strikeouts.

Fan favorite Sean Wiese (’21-24) of Arizona Christian returns to the Firestorm for his senior season and second season in Glendale. Wiese has already appeared in six of the Arizona Christian’s first 10 games in 2025, posting a 4.26 ERA in 6.1 IP as the Firestorm’s most reliable bullpen arm. Sean was named the Knights’ top pitcher in 2022 and team MVP in 2023.

Below is a schedule listing for Friday, February 14, featuring Corvallis Knights partner programs:

FIRST PITCHES
Washington vs. Kansas St. – 8:00 am
#7 Oregon St. vs. Xavier – 11:00 am
#24 Nebraska vs. UC Irvine – 12:00 pm
UCLA vs. Cal Poly – 2:00 pm
Utah @ Pepperdine – 2:30 pm
#12 Oregon vs. Toledo – 3:05 pm
#22 UC Santa Barbara vs. Campbell – 4:05 pm
Gonzaga @ UC Davis – 6:00 pm
Portland @ California Baptist – 6:00 pm
Santa Clara vs. Cal State Northridge – 6:00 pm

To see a list of all Knights alumni playing college baseball, click here.

The Knights open the 2025 season on May 30th against the WCL’s newest franchise, the Marion Berries, in Salem, Ore. Their WCL home opener is June 11 versus Springfield.