The start of the 2025 season comes with some noteworthy changes for Gulf South Conference baseball. The league says farewell to Shorter (now in the Conference Carolinas) and West Georgia (moved up to Div. I), while adding Trevecca, formerly of the G-MAC. 

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GSC members will also look to make a change at the top of the conference standings in 2025, with 11 teams all vying to unseat defending champion Lee. The Flames finished 23-7 in GSC play a season ago, and 39-18 overall behind an outstanding pitching staff. 

Introducing the 2025 #GSCbase Preseason Coaches Poll ⚾️

🔗 » https://t.co/fjhUBdzayS pic.twitter.com/nql1ZNwEzF

— Gulf South Conference (@GulfSouth) January 22, 2025

Perennial league contender West Florida heads into 2025 after a strong finish to 2024, which culminated in the Argos running through the GSC Tournament. With the postseason conference championship en tow, West Florida reloads to be one of the leading contenders to claim the regular-season crown. 

Alabama Huntsville Baseball

Head Coach: Hunter Royer 

2024 Record: 25-22, 12-18 

GSC Preseason Ranking: 8

Although UAH finished out of the running for a spot in the GSC Championship last season, the Chargers had reason to embark on the offseason feeling upbeat about 2025. UAH won its final six games of the 2024 campaign, and some of the Chargers leading contributors are back to set the foundation for the coming spring. 

Caleb Mahan, who hit .343 and stole seven bases, joins Brock Butler, coming off of a .329 batting season with a team-high-tying eight home runs. Left-handed pitcher Will Tarpley made 13 appearances with 11 starts, during which he had a 4.62 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 62 ⅓ innings. 

Fellow lefty Logan Mooney also posted a sub-5.00 ERA, though primarily came out of the bullpen in his 10 appearances. He struck out 13 batters. 

Auburn Montgomery Baseball

Head Coach: Franklin Bush 

2024 Record: 32-24, 20-10 (Lost NCAA South Regional) 

GSC Preseason Ranking: 4

GSC Coach of the Year Franklin Bush skippered the Warhawks to an NCAA Regional appearance in 2024. In Bush’s second season, UAM looks to claim a conference championship and make a push for the Div. II College World Series. 

The Warhawks return a pair of 2024 All-GSC selection in third baseman Zach Dew, who hit .340 with nine home runs and a team-best .542 slugging percentage; and starting pitcher Ryan Slaten, who struck out 41 in 66 innings a season ago. 

UAM’s potent offense will carry the Warhawks in pursuit of titles. Tyrese Rooks’ speed sets the table, with his .368 batting average and 12 stolen bases both leading the Warhawks last year. RH Frankland hit .345 and put up a team-best 1.014 OPS with six home runs and a .541 slugging percentage, while Brendan York hit three home runs and slugged .441 in 118 at-bats. 

Christian Brothers Baseball

Head Coach: Zach Ullrich 

2024 Record: 15-30, 7-23 

GSC Preseason Ranking: 12

Looking to climb out of the GSC cellar in 2025, Christian Brothers turns to first-year head coach Zach Ullrich. Ullrich reached the Div. III College World Series in his previous post at Roanoke College. 

At CBU, Ullrich takes over a roster that includes .377 hitter Cory Steinhauer. Steinhauer finished last season with a 1.049 OPS, a .473 on-base percentage, and five home runs. Will Gossett returns after putting up a .331 batting average last season, and Jalen Smith, who homered four times in just 56 at-bats. 

Bucs pitchers collectively struggled in 2024. Finding the right combination from the pitching staff will be central to CBU’s efforts to be more competitive under its new head coach. 

Delta State Baseball

Head Coach: Rodney Batts 

2024 Record: 34-25, 20-12 (Lost NCAA South Regional) 

GSC Preseason Ranking: 3

The 2024 season marked a significant milestone for Delta State baseball under coach Rodney Batts with the Statesmen breaking through for an NCAA Regional appearance. DSU prepares to build for another run in 2025 with All-GSC third baseman Dylan Coleman setting the tone. 

Coleman hit .398 and homered 17 times in 2024 for a .697 slugging percentage and 1.136 OPS. He’s joined by outfielder Wes Warnock, who hit .330 with 10 doubles and seven stolen bases, and Brett Burrell, coming off of a .328 batting season and .433 on-base percentage. 

Right-handed pitcher Drake Fontenot worked a team-leading 80 innings, during which he struck out 78. If Fontenot can trim a 5.85 ERA into the 4.00s, he’ll be one of the most imposing starters in the GSC. 

Lee Baseball

Head Coach: Mark Brew 

2024 Record: 39-18, 23-7 (Gulf South regular-season champions; lost NCAA South Regional) 

GSC Preseason Ranking: 2

Defending GSC regular-season champion Lee replaces plenty of production from 2024: Cam Suto, who hit 20 home runs and stole 25 bases; Dylan Standifer and Brandon Daniels, who combined for 153 hits and each knocked out 10 homers; and the one-two starting pitching punch of Jack Nedrow and Keegan Gagliardo, who struck out 84 and 78 while maintaining sub-4.00 ERAs. 

The cupboard isn’t bare at Lee, however. The Flames regroup for a defense of their championship with JJ Williams returning after an impressive 2024 with 12 home runs and 11 stolen bases. Luke Collier swiped 17 bags, tops among Lee returners. The Flames also welcome into the fold All-GSC honoree Cooper Doughman, a reliably hitting catcher who produced a .354 average last season at Auburn Montgomery. 

Shoring up the starting pitching staff with some noteworthy departures will be critical, but Lee does return one of the conference’s top relievers in Tim Gooden. The All-GSC hurler posted a minuscule 1.84 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 29 ⅓ innings and six saves last season. 

Mississippi College Baseball

Head Coach: Jeremy Haworth 

2024 Record: 20-25, 10-20  

GSC Preseason Ranking: 10

Mississippi College looks to break through as a dark horse in the GSC in 2025 and make a run at the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2018. The Choctaws feature one of the conference’s top returning offensive weapons with 1st Team All-GSC honoree JT Vance back after hitting .359 with 14 home runs a season ago. Vance also doubled 12 times and swiped 10 bases. 

He appears on the preseason All-GSC Team along with third baseman Korey Cooper. Cooper hit .304 in 2024 and was in on 10 double plays defensively. Also returning to MC in 2025 is Blaise Breerwood, who made the most of his time on base with a team-leading 13 steals. 

Right-hander Holland Townes anchors the Choctaws pitching staff. Townes struck out 65 batters in 73 innings pitched last season. Lefty Michael Sutton, who came out of the bullpen, limited opposing hitters to a .229 batting average and struck out 11 over his 18 appearances. 

Montevallo Baseball

Head Coach: Chandler Rose 

2024 Record: 29-23, 17-13 

GSC Preseason Ranking: 5

Longtime Montevallo coach Chandler Rose has positioned the Falcons as perennial contenders. Montevallo will look to be in the hunt for the GSC crown again in 2025. 

The Falcons welcome back Connor Crowson, Logan Harbin and Ethan Huddleston, a trio of leading batters a season ago. Crowson and Harbin both hit north of .330 and combined for 88 RBI and 17 home runs. Huddleston added another nine home runs to match Harbin’s team-leading total, and his nine stolen bases are most among returning Falcons. 

Left-handed pitcher Adiel Melendez and right-handers Seth Gurr and Gino Cozzi were the primary starters in 2024, appearing in 67 ⅓, 57 ⅓ and 72 innings. Melendez struck out 62 batters and walked 29, and preseason All-GSC selection Cozzi limited opposing batters to a .234 average at the plate. 

Trevecca Nazarene Baseball

Head Coach: Chase Sain 

2024 Record: 33-23, 20-12 (G-MAC) 

GSC Preseason Ranking: 7

GSC newcomers the Trevecca Trojans have an impressive baseball lineage dating back to the program’s early days as a member of the NAIA. 

Since moving up to NCAA Div. II in 2012, Trevecca has remained a strong baseball program with its peak coming in a 2021 run to the College World Series. The Trojans look to repeat that accomplishment in 2025 while also vying for a GSC championship under fifth-year coach Chase Sain. 

Trevecca joins the league with an impressive corps of veteran talent, including four preseason All-GSC honorees: second baseman Joey Parliment; outfielders Cole McCallum and Haven Mangrum; and starting pitcher Spencer Wilkins. Parliment and McCallum hit 16 and 14 home runs and each drove in 67 runs to power the potent Trojans offense, while Mangrum swiped 12 bases on 13 attempts. 

All three produced OPS north of 1.000. Meanwhile, Wilkins is coming off a 2024 with 79 strikeouts in 82 ⅔ innings pitched and an ERA of 4.14. 

Union Baseball

Head Coach: Casey McGehee 

2024 Record: 17-29, 11-19 

GSC Preseason Ranking: 11

The Union Bulldogs look to continue the improvements made from coach Casey McGehee’s first season to his second, coming off 2024 in which they improved their win total by three from the year prior. 

Bringing back one of the top hitters in the GSC is a good starting place. Grant Ross put up an outstanding .402 batting average in 2024 with 12 home runs for a .659 slugging percentage. Along with Carson Chavies, who hit .320, doubled 10 times and stole 11 bases on 12 attempts, Union has a solid power and speed combo to build off of offensively. 

Critical for Union to gain ground in the tough GSC is shoring up its pitching. No Bulldogs pitcher who worked at least 20 innings finished 2024 with an ERA below 6.00. 

Valdosta State Baseball

Head Coach: Jan Weisberg 

2024 Record: 28-20, 18-12 

GSC Preseason Ranking: 6

New Blazers coach Jan Weisberg rides into Valdosta State on the momentum of one of the most remarkable runs in baseball a year ago. The longtime coach of Div. III Birmingham Southern guided his team to the division’s College World Series after the college closed its doors. 

Now at Valdosta State, Weisberg takes over a team ready to compete for the GSC championship and start its own push to the Div. II version of the College World Series. The 2025 Blazers roster includes preseason All-GSC honorees Hunter Stowe, who hit .340 and produced a 1.089 OPS in 2024. Stowe hit eight home runs and a team-best 19 doubles. 

Jovanni Canegitta also cleared 1.000 OPS at 1.014 with a .371 batting average and 42 RBI. 

On the mound, right-hander Hunter Booth operated both out of the bullpen and as a starter a season ago, putting up a 3.66 ERA in 59 innings with 42 strikeouts and only 15 walks. His WHIP was a solid 1.20. 

West Alabama Baseball

Head Coach: Eric DuBose 

2024 Record: 21-26, 12-18 

GSC Preseason Ranking: 9

West Alabama heads into its second season under the direction of coach Eric DuBose. The former Major Leaguer DuBose looks to lead the Tigers in a turnaround from last year’s 12-18 GSC finish. 

UWA welcomes back three of its top four batters from the 2024 lineup: Blake Vineyard, who hit .298 and drove in 24 runs; Nick Thibodeau, coming off a team-leading six-home run season with a .854 OPS; and Cade Horton, who hit .276 and doubled 10 times. 

The Tigers seek more consistency at the plate with a returning corps, while looking to bolster a pitching staff with some new faces. Maxwell Schumacher is the top returning pitcher, while the newcomers include Jacksonville State transfer Carson Tyree, who made limited appearances in the Sunbelt Summer League. 

West Florida Baseball

Head Coach: Mike Jeffcoat 

2024 Record: 35-23, 17-13 (Lost NCAA South Regional) 

GSC Preseason Ranking: 1

Coach Mike Jeffcoat embarks on his 20th season leading West Florida baseball with a team capable of competing for a Div. II College World Series appearance. The Argos won their third GSC Tournament in four seasons and second in a row with last year’s run through the field. They return a pair of 1st Team All-GSC starting pitchers who contributed to last season’s success, Dalton Neuschwander and Kade Manderscheid. 

Neuschwander posted a 3.70 ERA and 8-4 record over 17 appearances (15 starts), while Manderscheid produced a 4.15 ERA with a team-leading 66 strikeouts in 84 ⅔ innings pitched. The veteran Argos pitching staff also returns Jacob Heath, a preseason All-GSC selection. 

At the plate, senior outfielder Jadon Fryman is West Florida’s top returning hitter after batting .353 in 2024 with a .546 slugging percentage. Fryman’s eight home runs and eight stolen bases are both tops among returning Argos.

When Are The 2025 Division II Baseball National Finals?

Teams in Division II will play up to 50 regular season games before they reach Regionals. Regionals begin the week of May 15, with double-elimination tournaments that will decide the regional champions.

The eight champions will advance to the National Finals, held on May 30-June 7 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex, where they will face off in two four-team brackets. The winners of each bracket then go head-to-head for the championship title.

When Are The 2025 Division III Baseball National Finals?

Division III teams will face a similar double-elimination tournament both for Regionals and in the Championship.

The Championship tournament will be held at Classic Park from May 30 to June 5.

How Many Division II and Division III Baseball Players Were Selected In The MLB Draft?

The 2024 MLB Draft saw 13 Division II players selected, with picks ranging from the sixth-19th round. Division III athletes, who have accounted for almost 300 draft picks since 2000, also had a notable handful of players drafted in later rounds.

How To Watch NCAA Division II And Division III Baseball

You can watch the action from NCAA College Baseball live on FloBaseball and FloCollege all season long. Check out the FloBaseball schedule here.

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