And then there were 16.
After a fun weekend of NCAA Regionals play, the college baseball field has been cut down to 16 teams looking to punch their ticket to Omaha for the 2026 College World Series.
So, who will make their way to Charles Schwab Field for a chance at a dogpile and national championship trophy? Let’s dive into my college baseball picks and 2026 NCAA Super Regionals predictions for the penultimate stretch of the season.
College Baseball Picks, Predictions for NCAA Super Regionals
 | Morgantown Super Regional |
 | Chapel Hill Super Regional |
 | Troy Super Regional |
 | Auburn Super Regional |
 | Athens Super Regional |
 | Lawrence Super Regional |
 | Austin Super Regional |
 | Tuscaloosa Super Regional |
Projected Pitching Matchups for Morgantown Super Regional
- Game 1: Griffin Naess (CP) vs. Maxx Yehl (WVU) · Friday, June 5, 12 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
- Game 2: Carson Turnquist (CP) vs. Chansen Cole (WVU) · Saturday, June 6, 12 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
- Game 3 (If necessary): Corden Pettey (CP) vs. Dawson Montesa (WVU) · Sunday, June 7, TBA
The Mountaineers had to trek their way to this Super Regional, as they went through the losers' bracket, taking down Kentucky twice in dramatic fashion to mark their third consecutive Super Regional appearance.
Their opponents are the dominant underdogs in the Cal Poly Mustangs. They swept through the Los Angeles Regional, avoiding the top-seeded UCLA Bruins.
The Mustangs showed they can take care of teams inferior to them with power at the plate and great pitching depth, but the Mountaineers have two sizable advantages here.
The first is the men on the mound. West Virginia has three All-Big 12 pitchers it can start in this series. Maxx Yehl, the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year, bounced back in a big way against Kentucky on Monday.
We should see him carry this momentum over to his start in this series.
Cal Poly’s best starter, Griffin Naess, is solid but is 18 points worse than Yehl in SIERA, and the gap in pitching only widens from there.
However, the one X-factor for the Mustangs is their closer, Nick Bonn. Bonn is an upper-90s arm with a big-league-level slider who has proven he can convert multiple-inning saves.
While getting a save opportunity in this series is a big question mark, we should see him make his presence felt if the Mustangs need to keep any game in this series close.
A final factor that will significantly impact this series is time. Cal Poly is a West Coast team that comes from a West Coast Regional. The first two games of this series are set to start at 9 a.m. Pacific.
The Mustangs were done a big disservice, and any kind of lag will impact their bats. I’m going to be targeting unders in this series, but the Mountaineers are also a strong parlay piece to advance to Omaha.
Morgantown Super Regional Picks
- Game 1: Under 10.5 or Better
- Game 2: Under 11.5 or Better
No. 5 North Carolina vs USC
North Carolina: -280 · USC: +210
Projected Pitching Matchups for Chapel Hill Super Regional
- Game 1: Mason Edwards (USC) vs. Jason DeCaro (UNC) · Friday, June 5, 3 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
- Game 2: Grant Govel (USC) vs. Ryan Lynch (UNC) · Saturday, June 6, 2 p.m. ET (ESPN)
- Game 3 (If necessary): Andrew Johnson (USC) vs. Caden Glauber (UNC) · Sunday, June 7, TBA
This Chapel Hill Super Regional pits a powerhouse home team in North Carolina that boasts an elite offense and deep postseason experience against a red-hot USC squad led by one of the nation’s top pitching staffs.
The No. 5 overall seed Tar Heels are hosting their third straight Super Regional and are chasing their second College World Series berth in the last three seasons.
USC, meanwhile, is making its first Super Regional appearance since 2002 after a dominant run through the College Station Regional, highlighted by a 7-1 victory over Texas A&M, as the Trojans pursue a record 13th national title.
Of all the Super Regional matchups this weekend, this is the one I’m most excited about — and already the most invested in.
After the top two seeds went down, the Tar Heels are now the favorites to win the College World Series, and it’s easy to see why. They're one of the most well-rounded teams in the field.
However, USC is the one team in the field that can match them on the mound, and the Trojans are even better statistically.
The Friday matchup between Mason Edwards and Jason DeCaro is appointment television, and I think the Trojans are being massively undervalued in that opener.
Edwards isn't due for any regression, while DeCaro has an xFIP of 5.72 and a SIERA of 4.10, which are drastically different than his ERA.
Additionally, these teams are trending in opposite directions. Yes, the Tar Heels swept their Regional, but they've allowed a full run per game more over their last 10 games.
USC’s pitching has been as sharp as ever, but it was its bats that came to life in College Station. The Trojans are averaging 10 runs per game over their last 10, which is 20% higher than their season average.
USC can not only steal Game 1, but I would argue it should be favored if this were on a neutral field.
Once the Trojans take Game 1, odds will shift dramatically in their favor. Get in on USC now.
Chapel Hill Super Regional Picks
- USC to Win Chapel Hill Super Regional (+210 · DraftKings)
- Game 1: USC ML (+154 · FanDuel) · Under 10.5 or Better
  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
Projected Pitching Matchups for Troy Super Regional
- Game 1: Brannon Westmoreland (UALR) vs. Benjamin Stubbs (TROY) · Friday, June 5, 5 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
- Game 2: Brigden Parker (UALR) vs. Tommy Egan (TROY) · Saturday, June 6, 3 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
- Game 3 (If necessary): Nic Bronzini (UALR) vs. Cooper Ellingworth (TROY) · Sunday, June 7, TBA
This Super Regional features a historic “Trojan vs. Trojan” showdown, as both Troy and Little Rock are making their first-ever Super Regional appearance, with dreams of reaching the College World Series for the first time in program history.
Troy advanced by pulling off a stunning upset of host Florida in the Gainesville Regional, battling through three elimination games and capping it with a decisive 10-2 victory in Game 7.
Meanwhile, Little Rock made its own statement by sweeping through the Hattiesburg Regional as the No. 4 seed and taking down Southern Miss and Jacksonville State en route to Troy
As far as how this series will go, any series with Troy involved will be offensive. The Trojans slugged their way through the Gainesville Regional and will need to do so again if they want to reach Omaha.
However, we shouldn't expect the Trojans from Little Rock to go down without a fight. Brannon Westmoreland is a stud who gives them a chance to steal Game 1 of this series.
Although, after he departs, the matchups swing heavily in favor of Troy. It has a significantly better lineup, while Little Rock lacks the power to go blow-for-blow if the scoring opens up.
Which group of Trojans will be in Omaha? For me, it’s the group from Troy.
Troy Super Regional Picks
- Game 1: Troy -1.5 · Under 13.5 or Better
- Game 2 Over 14.5 or Better
Projected Pitching Matchups for Auburn Super Regional
- Game 1: Hunter Elliott (MIS) vs Jake Marciano (AUB) · Friday, June 5, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
- Game 2: Cade Townsend (MIS) vs Andreas Alvarez (AUB) · Saturday, June 6, 5 p.m. ET (ESPN)
- Game 3 (If necessary): Taylor Rabe (MIS) vs Alex Petrovic (AUB) · Sunday, June 7, TBA
This all-SEC showdown features two battle-tested programs with deep pitching and power hitting, both seeking a College World Series berth.
Auburn's looking to make a trip to Omaha for the first time since 2022, while Ole Miss is looking to return for the first time since its 2022 national title.
No. 4 national seed Auburn fought through a grueling losers’ bracket at its Regional, dropping its opener to Milwaukee before storming back with four straight elimination wins, including an 8-3 victory over the Panthers in the decisive Game 7.
Ole Miss impressively swept through the Lincoln Regional as the No. 2 seed, taking down Nebraska and Arizona State with extra-inning drama to punch its ticket to Plainsman Park.
Auburn was the one pre-Regionals addition to my portfolio of College World Series winners, particularly because I really liked its makeup and path to Omaha.
The Tigers are extremely well-rounded.
They're tremendous on the mound, ranking sixth in ERA, second in WHIP and fourth in SIERA, while also sitting in the top 60 in homers and batting average.
On the other side, Ole Miss’ pitching is what got it here. The Rebels aren't far behind the Tigers on the mound, ranking 26th in ERA, second in xFIP and third in SIERA.
However, they're heavily reliant on the long-ball at the plate, and they hit the 20th-most in the country. Still, their batting average ranking of 226th shows a clear hole in their game.
If Auburn can keep the ball in the park, it has the opportunity to separate itself if its starters are on.
Auburn Super Regional Picks
- Auburn + West Virginia to Win Super Regionals Parlay (-109 · theScore Bet)
| | | | | | | |
No. 3 Georgia vs No. 14 Mississippi State
Georgia: -145 · Mississippi State: +115
Projected Pitching Matchups for Athens Super Regional
- Game 1: Tomas Valincius (MSST)vs. Joey Volchko (UGA) · Saturday, June 6, 11 a.m. ET (ESPN)
- Game 2: Ryan McPherson (MSST) vs. Dylan Vigue (UGA) · Sunday, June 7, 12 p.m. ET (ESPN)
- Game 3 (If necessary): Duke Stone (MSST) vs. Caden Aoki (UGA) · Monday, June 8, TBA
This all-SEC “Bulldogs vs. Bulldogs” rematch pits two familiar foes in a high-stakes series with a College World Series berth on the line.
Georgia, the No. 3 national seed and SEC regular-season and tournament champion, cruised undefeated through the Athens Regional.
Mississippi State advanced as the No. 14 seed by sweeping its own Regional with an offensive burst and a big boost to its rotation with the return of Ryan McPherson.
Georgia dominated the season series, 4-0, including a sweep in Starkville and a win in the SEC Tournament, but Mississippi State has shown plenty of fight all year and very well could flip the script in Athens.
It’s a clear point to make in all these series, but Game 1 is critical in this series. These teams are very evenly matched, and it remains to be seen just how big an impact the absence of Tre Phelps is for Georgia.
Phelps will be serving a one-game suspension for taunting. While the Georgia lineup may be deepest in the country, there's no replacing a guy who hit .371 and 18 homers against some of the toughest arms in the SEC.
While I have been on the Dawgs from the start of the season, Mississippi State is a team that can match them in every area.
This is a series where my best bet would be over 1.5 games played, but I haven’t seen that market in two years.
Mississippi State will take one of the first two games, but with Caden Aoki giving Georgia a big edge in Game 3, the Dawgs will ultimately punch their ticket to Omaha.
Athens Super Regional Picks
- Georgia + Alabama to Win Super Regionals Parlay (+104 · theScore Bet)
No. 15 Kansas vs. Oklahoma
Kansas: -160 · Oklahoma: +130
Projected Pitching Matchups for Lawrence Super Regional
- Game 1: Cord Rager (OU) vs. Dominic Voegele (KU) · Saturday, June 6, 6 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
- Game 2: Cameron Johnson (OU) vs. Mason Cook (KU) · Sunday, June 7, 6 p.m. ET (TBD)
- Game 3 (If necessary): LJ Mercurius (OU) vs. Mathis Nayral (KU) · Monday, June 8, TBA
This marks Kansas’ first-ever Super Regional appearance after the Jayhawks won their program’s first hosted Regional, sweeping through with decisive victories over Northeastern and Arkansas twice.
Oklahoma advanced as a dangerous underdog by upsetting No. 2 seed Georgia Tech in the Atlanta Regional, fueled by extra-inning drama and a walk-off homer.
It’s a revival of an old Big 12 rivalry with high stakes for both programs. Kansas is chasing its first College World Series berth in school history, while Oklahoma looks to return to Omaha for the first time since its 2022 national runner-up run.
I have to admit, I had my doubts about this Kansas team heading into Regionals. However, it proved me wrong by doing everything it needed, including beating Arkansas with Hunter Dietz on the mound.
Speaking of being proven wrong, that’s what the Sooners made everyone feel, as they took down Georgia Tech, which was a -700 favorite to make it out of the Regional.
It’s clear that any doubts about either of these teams are not something to feel confident about, but the Jayhawks have a big advantage here.
They get to stay home in a park where they’ve dominated this season and host a team that has a lineup a notch below theirs.
Look for Kansas to hit its way to Omaha as the Sooners' bats cool off after peaking against the Yellow Jackets.
Lawrence Super Regional Picks
- Kansas to win Lawrence Super Regional (-160 · DraftKings)
| | | | | | | |
No. 6 Texas vs. No. 11 Oregon
Texas: -330 · Oregon: +240
Projected Pitching Matchups for Austin Super Regional
- Game 1: Will Sanford (UO) vs. Dylan Volantis (UT) · Saturday, June 6, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
- Game 2: Cal Scolari (UO) vs. Luke Harrison (UT) · Sunday, June 7, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN)
- Game 3 (If necessary): Miles Gosztola (UO) vs. Ruger Riojas (UT) · Monday, June 8, TBA
This Austin Super Regional pits a powerhouse SEC host in Texas, boasting elite pitching and overwhelming home dominance, against a red-hot Oregon squad riding a Regional sweep with surging momentum.
The No. 6 national seed Longhorns cruised through their Austin Regional with dominant performances, including 19-1 and 16-2 blowouts. They're chasing their first College World Series berth in recent years under head coach Jim Schlossnagle.
Oregon, the No. 11 seed, swept the Eugene Regional by knocking off rivals like Oregon State, earning its third Super Regional appearance in four years while pursuing its first CWS berth since 1954.
Much like the Chapel Hill Super Regional, Game 1 of this matchup features an elite pitching matchup that will swing the momentum of this series.
Both Will Sanford and Dylan Volantis are electric and have the potential to contain both lineups, which ranked in the top 25 in homers.
It’s going to be tough for the Ducks to support Sanford in Game 1, but they have a real shot in Game 2 with Scolari, who's the better of the two arms in that matchup.
If the Ducks do force a Game 3, however, facing Ruger Riojas is a massive challenge. He’s the best No. 3 starter in the country, and it will be all hands on deck behind him.
Austin Super Regional Picks
- Game 1: Under 9.5 or Better
- Game 2: Oregon ML +130 or Better
- Game 3: Texas Run Line -1.5
No. 7 Alabama vs St. John's
Alabama: -600 · St. John's: +400
Projected Pitching Matchups for Tuscaloosa Super Regional
- Game 1: Liam O’Leary (SJU) vs. Tyler Fay (BAMA) · Saturday, June 6, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
- Game 2: Evan Chaffee (SJU) vs. Zane Adams (BAMA) · Sunday, June 7, 3 p.m. ET (TBD)
- Game 3 (If necessary): Jack Nestler (SJU) vs. Myles Upchurch (BAMA) · Monday, June 8, TBA
In the Tuscaloosa Super Regional, a battle-hardened SEC powerhouse in Alabama welcomes a classic Cinderella story from the Big East, as St. John’s makes just its second Super Regional appearance since 2012.
The No. 7 national seed Crimson Tide claimed its first regional title since 2023 with a gritty, comeback-filled run capped by a decisive victory over Oklahoma State.
Meanwhile, St. John’s stunned the field as the No. 4 seed, sweeping through the Tallahassee Regional by upsetting host No. 10 Florida State in thrilling fashion, including a dramatic 5-4 victory sealed by a go-ahead grand slam, to earn their first Super Regional berth in over a decade.
This is a Super Regional matchup of two teams that I faded last weekend. The Johnnies raked when needed and used their crafty pitching staff to come into this series unscathed.
While their bats led the way, it will be much harder for them to keep up with the Crimson Tide, as Alabama quietly has some of the best pitching depth in the field, particularly their starting rotation.
St. John’s just doesn’t have the arms to keep up with an Alabama team that is riding high in front of their home faithful all weekend.
Alabama is a parlay piece of mine to win this Super Regional, and I will bet them to win the series 2-0 if the market becomes available.
Tuscaloosa Super Regional Picks
- Game 1: Alabama Run Line -2.5 or Better
- Game 2: Under 10.5 or Better
| | | | | | | |
