Virginia baseball 2025 season preview: 3 biggest games, key players, predictions and more
Virginia Baseball enjoyed a fairly successful season in the NCAA this year. They finished second in the ACC Coastal division with an 18-12 conference record in the regular season and made the NCAA Tournament for the fourth year in a row.
The Cavaliers won the Charlottesville Regional and the Charlottesville Super Regional unbeaten to make their seventh College World Series appearance in the Brian O'Connor era. However, they were the first team eliminated in Omaha following successive defeats to the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Florida State Seminoles.
O'Connor will be entering his 21st season as the Cavaliers' head coach next year. He will be keen on taking the program back to the top next year, making moves to strengthen his roster in the off-season. Here, we preview Virginia Baseball ahead of the 2025 NCAA Baseball season.
3 key games for Virginia Baseball in the 2025 season
3. Virginia Tech Hokies
The rivalry between the Cavaliers and the Hokies has seen some close games in recent times. Although the Cavaliers lead their head-to-head 40-18 in the O'Connor era, the margins of their victories suggest the Hokies will prove to be a challenge for them in 2025.
2. Duke Blue Devils
The Blue Devils and the Cavaliers have been rivals in the ACC for some time now. The former will be keen to finish above the Cavaliers in the ACC Coastal division next year following their third-place finish this year.
The Blue Devils won the ACC Tournament by pulling off a stunning upset against the Florida State Seminoles in the championship game. They will hope to build on that momentum, which could make them a threat to the Cavaliers in 2025.
1. North Carolina Tar Heels
The Tar Heels were easily the most impressive team in the ACC, clinching the regular season title with an impressive 22-8 record. They look set to be a top contender not only for the ACC regular season, but the NCAA Tournament as well.
The Cavaliers will need to be at their best to take the fight to the Tar Heels in 2025, with their showdown serving as a reality check for both teams' ambitions.
Key players for the Virginia Cavaliers in 2025
3. Jay Woolfolk, RHP
Woolfolk was one of the top pitchers in the Cavaliers' bullpen this year. He finished his junior year 4-2 while recording 67 strikeouts with an ERA of 5.92 in 62.1 innings pitched.
Three weeks ago, Woolfolk announced he would return to Charlottesville for another season in NCAA Baseball. O'Connor will look to him as one of the key figures for the Cavaliers next year, hoping he can help their new bullpen recruits settle into their new home and deliver their best on the mound.
2. Henry Godbout, INF
Godbout impressed at the plate for the Cavaliers in his sophomore season this year. He scored nine home runs and 47 RBI in 51 games played while leading all Cavaliers hitters in batting average (.372).
With the Cavaliers losing some of their key bats in this year's draft, Godbout will be expected to play a bigger role in their hitting line-up next year.
1. Evan Blanco, LHP
Blanco emerged as one of the top starting pitchers for the Cavaliers this season. In his sophomore year, he finished the season 8-3 while recording 99 strikeouts with an ERA of 3.62 in 99.1 innings pitched. His exploits on the mound earned him a spot in the All-ACC Third-Team alongside Godbout.
While the Cavaliers are bringing in a host of pitchers through the transfer portal, Blanco's form in 2025 could play a key role in their success, or lack of it, next season.
Predicting Virginia Cavaliers' 2025 season
The combination of O'Connor's immense experience and the program's ability to bring in good talents during the off-season makes the Cavaliers a strong favorite to make the postseason next year.
They are likely to make it to the College World Series for the fifth year in a row. However, the stiff competition from teams in the SEC could hamper the Cavaliers' chances of making the College World Series finals despite their consistency in recent years.