Wake Forest baseball 2025 season preview: 3 biggest games, key players, predictions and more
Wake Forest Baseball fared decently in NCAA baseball this year. They finished fifth in the Atlantic division of the ACC with a 15-15 conference record in the regular season. A run to the semi-finals of the ACC Tournament strengthened their at-large bid to make the postseason, grouped into the Greenville Regional as the second seed.
Coupled with losses in the transfer portal, the Demon Deacons have a major job to do in the off-season. That said, let's preview Wake Forest Baseball ahead of the 2025 NCAA season.
3 key games for Wake Forest Baseball in the 2025 season
3. NC State Wolfpack
The Wolfpack finished second in the Atlantic division of the ACC with an 18-11 conference record, sweeping Wake Forest Baseball in a three-game home series in the process.
Elliott Avent's side could pose a challenge to the Demon Deacons, which they will need to overcome to fuel their ambitions in the 2025 season.
2. North Carolina Tar Heels
The Tar Heels also swept Wake Forest Baseball in a three-game series at Winston-Salem en route to storming to the ACC regular season title with an astounding 22-8 conference record.
They are likely to be the front-runners for the regular season and the postseason in 2025 as well, which would make this a litmus test of the Demon Deacons' credentials to achieve glory next year.
1. Duke Blue Devils
Although the Blue Devils and Demon Deacons are in different divisions of the ACC, their rivalry is still among the most exciting in college baseball. The Blue Devils came out on top in the Tobacco Road series away from home, and the Demon Deacons will hope to get payback next year.
Key players for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in 2025
3. Kade Lewis, INF
Lewis produced a stellar freshman season for the Butler Bulldogs this year. He recorded 10 home runs and 51 RBIs with an impressive average of .377 in 53 games. His performances at the plate saw him win the Big East Freshman of the Year and earn Perfect Game's Second-Team Freshman All-American honors.
He could be a force to be reckoned with in his sophomore season and ultimately turn out to be an exciting addition to the Demon Deacons' offense.
2. Zach Johnston, LHP
While Burns and Josh Hartle made headlines with their incredible talent, Johnston silently played his part in the Demon Deacons' bullpen this year. The sophomore finished the season 3-2 while recording 46 strikeouts with an ERA of 3.93 in 36.2 innings pitched.
Burns and Hartle's selections in this year's MLB draft could see Johnston emerge as one of the main arms in the Demon Deacons' bullpen next year.
1. Jack Winnay, INF
Winnay enjoyed a breakout sophomore season for Wake Forest Baseball this year. He finished the season with 20 home runs, just two short of Kurtz's team-leading tally of 22. He also recorded 58 RBIs with an average of .297, achieving these numbers in 59 games.
With Kurtz called up to the MLB, Winnay could emerge as the leading hitter for the Demon Deacons next year. Should he thrive in his junior year, he could be a high pick in the 2025 MLB Draft as well.
Predicting Wake Forest Demon Deacons' 2025 season
The strong recruitment skills of Tom Walter and his staff are undeniable. They worked hard to strengthen their bullpen in the off-season, which is likely to pay off in 2025. The Demon Deacons are likely to produce an impressive regular season, which should see them make the NCAA Tournament for the fourth year in a row.
They should be able to win an NCAA Regional given the strength of their roster so far. However, their progression to the College World Series will depend on the fitness that their roster can maintain. Given the stiff competition from some of the top teams, they are among the dark horses to make the field of eight in Omaha.