Virginia fans breathed a sigh of relief when baseball finally returned to Disharoon Park Oct. 20. The Cavaliers’ long-anticipated return came in the form of a few intrasquad scrimmages and two exhibition doubleheaders against Maryland and UNC Wilmington. With fall ball now in the books, here are the key takeaways from Virginia baseball’s first few rounds of public play.
Despite key losses, the offense and defense look primed to replicate last year’s success.
The Cavaliers will undoubtedly miss Griff O’Ferrall, Ethan Anderson, Casey Saucke and Anthony Stephan, who were all selected in the 2024 MLB Draft. Four high school recruits and an incoming transfer were also drafted and have all decided to forgo their spots at Virginia in favor of lucrative signing bonuses elsewhere.
Nevertheless, the roster that Coach Brian O’Connor has for the 2024-25 season still looks overwhelmingly talented, especially on the offensive side of the ball. A significant percentage of last year’s offensive powerhouse returns this season. Virginia’s home run leader, junior outfielder Harrison Didawick, was a force to be reckoned with in 2024 — smacking 23 home runs and hitting .292.
Joining him in the outfield this season is star sophomore outfielder Henry Ford who transitioned away from first base this offseason in hopes of boosting his draft stock. A Ford-Didawick duo in the outfield is an undeniably tantalizing prospect. Despite Saucke’s departure, there is no shortage of options for the final slot in the outfield.
The infield benefits from relative continuity as well — returning sophomore infielder Eric Becker alongside junior infielders Henry Godbout and Luke Hanson. Becker started at shortstop in both exhibition games, making him O’Ferrall’s likely successor. Hanson played third base in both games, and Godbout slotted in at second base. It is likely that this trio will stay in their respective spots this year.
Graduate catcher Jacob Ference returns for his final year as a Cavalier. He was a surprise contributor last season who quickly assumed the starting role behind the plate and became one of the best hitting catchers in the country. He should get nearly all of the reps at catcher this season.
There are few areas of contention in the field. First base looks to be a toss-up between junior college transfer utilityman Chris Arroyo or sophomore infielder Antonio Perrotta, who both showed serious pop in the two exhibition games. Arroyo’s status as a two-way player suggests that a time-share at first base between the two could best utilize their respective talents — with one of them being the first bat off the bench.
The final outfield slot is also up for grabs. Junior utility player Aidan Teel, who has battled injuries throughout his time in Charlottesville, could certainly take on a starting role. So too could highly-touted freshman James Nunnallee — a catcher and outfielder who spent significant time in the outfield during the exhibition games. Sophomore outfielder Walker Buchanan also saw time as the 10th man in the second exhibition game. O’Connor seems to be biding his time before deciding who exactly will take on the starting role in the outfield.
PItching continues to struggle, but the jury is still out.
Virginia fans who expect significant pitching improvement in 2025 would be wise to curb their expectations, at least until the regular season tests this team’s mettle. Neither of the Cavaliers’ two exhibition opponents, Maryland and UNC Wilmington, boasted high-powered offenses — yet the Cavaliers still surrendered 24 runs.
It is true that Virginia did not pitch any of its true aces — neither senior pitcher Jay Woolfolk nor junior pitcher Evan Blanco saw significant innings during the exhibitions. Still, those that did pitch tended to struggle. Newcomers Arroyo, William & Mary transfer Alex Markus and freshman Tomas Valincius all pitched several innings against the Seahawks and allowed six runs cumulatively. Fortunately, a few holdovers from last year’s team held strong and steadied the ship, as sophomore pitcher Charlie Oschell and senior pitcher Dean Kampschror threw scoreless innings in relief.
Against Maryland, sophomore pitcher Bryson Moore gave up consistently hard contact early but settled in as the game progressed. Lynchburg transfer Wes Arrington pitched in relief of Moore and also struggled, as did prized recruit William Kirk.
Conclusions should never be drawn based on exhibition games alone, but the safest conclusion here is that Virginia has yet to fully identify their reliable arms outside of Woolfolk and Blanco. The good news for Cavaliers fans scarred by last year’s pitching woes is that O’Connor has a ton of permutations to work with. Some of these pitchers will undoubtedly struggle, but the sheer volume of pitchers who saw the field over the two exhibition games is a great sign. Virginia has work to do in future months, but fans can still expect improvement from last season.
A few promising newcomers look prepared, and they will play a major role this season.
Despite losing several highly-anticipated recruits to the MLB Draft, this year’s incoming class of recruits and transfers looked more than capable during exhibition play.
Arroyo might be 2025’s edition of an unheralded breakout — he appears poised to make an immediate impact after transferring from a non-Division I program, much like Ference last year. Arroyo, a transfer from Pasco-Hernando State junior college, played in both exhibitions and hit a pair of home runs. He also pitched in the second game, but his hitting appears to be the tool that will keep him in the lineup throughout the season.
Another breakout candidate is Nunnallee, a freshman outfielder and catcher. Nunnallee only saw time in the outfield during exhibitions. There, he made two impressive defensive plays in the top of the eighth inning of the second exhibition, showing off his arm and speed by making an impressive running grab and throwing out a runner trying to take second base. He could also be a long-term option at catcher but would sit behind Ference this year.
Nunnallee looked equally confident at the plate, ripping a double and making consistently solid contact, including a near-homer that was caught on the warning track. With the third outfield spot up for grabs, Nunnallee could command significant playing time to start the 2025 season, injecting youth into a lineup full of experience.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the Cavaliers’ two exhibition matchups is that Virginia is poised to make another run at a national championship. The lineup is as dangerous as ever, featuring significant continuity from last season alongside recruits and transfers with high ceilings. As they did last year, the Cavaliers’ championship hopes will rest upon the pitching staff — if O’Connor can get his rotation in working order, Virginia will be one of the most complete teams in the nation.
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