Top 5 Players to Watch Out for in 2024 College World Series feat. Jac Caglianone
The College World Series will soon be upon us, with Omaha calling like a beacon to the college baseball world. The field is loaded with talent, as two conferences have taken center stage: the Southeastern Conference and ACC. Each of these schools has a few difference-makers, but who stands out above the rest?
One name is at the top, even though his team has undergone a tougher road than most to get to the CWS. That name is Jac Caglianone, the two-way star who plays for the Florida Gators. Caglianone is a near-lock top 10 pick in the upcoming MLB draft, and for good reason.
Other top-billed stars include North Carolina's Vance Honeycutt, Tennessee's Christian Moore, Texas A&M's Jace LaViolette and Virginia's Harrison Didawick. All four are big reasons their teams have reached the College World Series.
Florida 1B/P Jac Caglianone
Once again, the Gators are in contention for a national title. At the heart of that effort is Caglianone, who has starred on the mound and at the plate for coach Kevin O'Sullivan's team.
Pitching-wise, Caglianone has thrown a team high 72.2 innings, going 5-2 with a 4.71 ERA. Although those numbers may not be on par with his past performances, he's still the starting pitcher who would take the ball for Florida in a winner-take-all game. It is a situation he could face multiple times in the upcoming College World Series.
In the lineup, the potential top 10 pick has really proven his prowess. Caglianone hit .411, to go along with 33 home runs and 68 RBIs. His OPS was an other-worldly 1.392 overall. That's an astronomically high number, one that major league players would be hard-pressed to beat, let alone fellow college players.
UNC OF Vance Honeycutt
Time in and time out, Honeycutt has delivered in clutch for the Tar Heels. Look no further than his game-winning two-run home run in Game 1 of the super regional series against West Virginia.
Offensively, Honeycutt has been a driving force all season long for UNC. He was fifth on the team in batting average (.314) and second in RBIs with 65. Of course, he led the team with his 26 long balls, providing pop at many times during the season when needed. Don't be surprised if that trend continues during this edition of the College World Series.
Tennessee INF Christian Moore
One of two Volunteers to start all 66 of their games (the other being fellow All-American Blake Burke), Moore has had a sensational season in Knoxville. He's one of the key leaders of yet another program trying to capture its first baseball national championship at this year's College World Series.
Second on the team in batting average with a mark of .375 (one percentage point behind Burke at .376), Moore led the team in the other two Triple Crown categories, hitting 32 home runs and 71 RBIs. He was one of eight Vols who hit over 10 home runs, on a team that led the nation in round-trippers with 173.
Texas A&M OF Jace LaViolette
With the loss of fellow star outfielder Braden Montgomery, LaViolette will have to pick up even more of the offensive slack for the Aggies. No problem here, as the sophomore will look to lead them to their first College World Series title within the next couple of weeks.
Notching a .314 batting average, LaViolette also had 28 home runs and 77 RBIs. Although his stolen bases total went down from 18 to six this season, he was an all-around better hitter. With a slugging percentage of .757, the long ball is always a threat each time he steps to the plate. In the CWS, fireworks could start with one swing of his bat.
Virginia OF Harrison Didawick
Also starting in all of his team's games (61), the sophomore outfielder has turned in an excellent season at the dish for the Cavaliers. Hitting .297 with 23 home runs and 68 RBIs, Didawick led the team in the latter two categories this season.
The 2014 national runner-up, as well as the 2015 national champion, UVA is looking for the program's second baseball title. With Didawick at the heart of a deep lineup that features another seven players with over 40 RBIs each, the Cavaliers have a very good chance at College World Series title No. 2. However, they first need to make it through a very game side of their bracket.