In the summer of 2015, Virginia baseball was the king of the hill. After starting out as a No. 3 seed in the Lake Elsinore Regional hosted by UC Santa Barbara, the team shocked the world by winning three consecutive games to advance to the super regional. From there, they defeated Maryland in a two-game sweep at home and punched their ticket to Omaha. The Cavaliers’ dominance continued in Nebraska — the team won five out of their seven games to win their first ever national championship.
Ten years later, Virginia has been to Omaha three more times but has failed to capture the title like they did in 2015. However, the 2025 Cavaliers may be the team to get over the hump. In the Preseason ACC Coaches Poll, 13 of the 16 coaches picked the Cavaliers to win the conference. The last time Virginia was the preseason ACC favorite was 2015 — the year this program won the national championship.
Clearly, this 2025 squad is held in high regard. They boast a pair of Preseason First-Team All-Americans and a wealth of pitching talent. Also notable are the newcomers from the transfer portal or high school. Virginia has all the things one might look for in a championship team.
Starting with the returners, the Cavaliers will have another buzzsaw lineup this season after keeping the core of the 2024 team. For example, sophomore outfielder Henry Ford and junior infielder Henry Godbout were both named to the preseason All-American list. Fans should also watch for junior outfielder Harrison Didawick and graduate catcher Jacob Ference, as the pair combined for 40 home runs last season.
On the other side of the ball, junior pitcher Evan Blanco is back on the mound. Senior pitcher Jay Woolfolk will also look to recapture his momentum from an outstanding playoff run in what is likely his final year at Virginia. The bullpen will also be improved this year with pitchers such as sophomore Matt Augustin and senior Dean Kampschror.
In addition to impressive returners, Virginia has a slew of incoming players that will make an immediate impact. Freshman outfielder James Nunnallee was graded inside the top 300 MLB Draft prospects in the Class of 2024. Freshman pitcher Tomas Valincius is a young lefty with a good ¾ release which should make opposing hitters confused. Junior Chris Arroyo is a JUCO transfer after leaving Florida, and he had a ridiculous .403 average in 2024 for Pasco-Hernando State. He may immediately join the lineup and serve as a dominant two-way player for Virginia.
“[Arroyo] is in the mix potentially for a starting role on the mound for us and to play first base for us,” Coach Brian O’Connor said Monday during media availability. “He had an incredibly impactful fall, probably the MVP of the fall from the offensive side for us.”
Of course, the man running the show is still O’Connor. O’Connor is one of the most respected minds in college baseball, and has won three national coach of the year awards.
The Cavaliers will play a number of big series in 2025, and the entire schedule will be a true test of Virginia’s strength. Whether it be on the beaches of Puerto Rico or back at “the Dish,” there are a few big games fans should look forward to.
The Puerto Rico Challenge Feb. 14-16 and the Round Rock Classic Feb. 21-23 will serve as a great test of the grit of the Cavaliers early on, as they will play six nationally respected teams. In Puerto Rico, they will take on Michigan, Villanova and Rice. At the Round Rock Classic in Texas, Virginia will play Oregon State, the seventh-ranked team in the nation, followed up by Minnesota and Oklahoma, who hosted a regional last year. If the Cavaliers are the real deal in 2025, they will likely have to win four or five of these games.
Another major contest is Mar. 11, when Virginia will head north to face Maryland at Virginia Credit Union Stadium in Fredericksburg, Va.. Earlier this fall, the Cavaliers squared off with their old rivals in fall scrimmages, but the real thing looks to be so much better. The Terrapins boast two preseason All Big Ten players — sophomore infielder Chris Hacopian and sophomore utility man Hollis Porter. Maryland can hit for power and contact, so look for this game to be an offensive power.
10 days later, a home series against Duke awaits. With the Blue Devils ranked 11th in the country, this looks to be the premier home series for Virginia in 2025. Players to watch on Duke include All-American selections like sophomore outfielder AJ Gracia and sophomore utility man Kyle Johnson. Johnson is also a very solid pitcher and could be seen on the mound in this series alongside junior pitcher Andrew Healy. Each game against the Blue Devils will be an absolute grind, but a series win would do wonders if the Cavaliers wish to sit atop the ACC.
And just like that series against Duke, another heavyweight bout awaits in the form of a road series at Florida State Apr. 17-19. The nationally-ranked No. 6 Seminoles are the second-highest ranked team in the ACC, coming in right behind Virginia. Florida State features a scary rotation that will be a huge test of the Cavaliers’ bats.
The hype for Cavalier baseball has grown day after day, with the program announcing a record number of season tickets purchased with almost a month left before the season. As the season draws near, expect for this excitement to continue growing around the program.
“Our guys are excited, we’re excited to be less than three weeks away from opening day,” O’Connor said. “[The players] are working incredibly hard and looking forward to another great season of Virginia baseball.”
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