The field of 64 will begin their journey tomorrow for a chance to punch their ticket to the 2023 College World Series in Omaha, which starts June 16th. The NCAA Tournament is filled with teams spread throughout 30 different conferences, with the SEC leading the way with 10 teams followed by the ACC with eight, Big 12 with six, Pac-12 with five, and Sun Belt with four. We’re guaranteed to crown a new team at the top of the mountain as the 2022 National Champions, Ole Miss, failed to reach the tournament. The road to Omaha is shaping up to be very exciting as teams fight for the top prize in college baseball.
2023 College World Series Odds
Wake Forest (+450)
Coming into the NCAA Tournament, Wake Forest holds the best odds to win the 2023 College World Series. They enter the regionals as the top overall national seed after finishing the year 47-10. The main factor for their success is the dominant starting rotation, headlined by Rhett Lowder and Josh Hartle. Both have combined for a 21-1 record and over 100 strikeouts, with Lowder posting a 1.58 ERA in 15 starts while Hartle posted a 2.35 ERA in 14 starts. It goes beyond the rotation as they also have closer Camden Minacci, who’s recorded 13 saves while allowing only a .219 batting average against.
The Demon Deacons clearly have the pitching to carry them but they have some pop on offense that can help them go all the way. Brock Wilken has hit 27 home runs with 74 RBI, leading the team in both categories. He also has an OPS of 1.346. The first-baseman has a pretty good tandem going with Nick Kurtz, who has hit 23 home runs with 63 RBI while leading the team in batting average (.379), OBP (.545), SLG (.857), and OPS (1.402). These stats for both pitching and hitting tell you why they are the favorites to win it all.
LSU (+700)
To begin the season, LSU was number one in the D1Baseball rankings and was favored to win the College World Series for the majority of the season. They slipped to number seven to end the season but still hold strong odds to win it all. One of the reasons for that is that they have a dominant ace with Paul Skenes. In 15 starts, he posted a record of 10-2 with a 1.89 ERA and 167 strikeouts, averaging a whopping 16.6 K/9.
To go along with a dominant ace is an offense that provides two of the best bats in the nation. One of those is Dylan Crews, who batted .420 on the season with 15 home runs and 59 RBI. The second half of the dangerous duo is Tommy White, who was rated the number-one transfer heading into the season after coming over from NC State. He picked up right where he left off as he slashed .392/.451/.778 with 20 home runs with an outstanding 91 RBI. They also have a lot of great talent spread throughout both the infield and outfield that have played major factors in this team’s success. This lineup will be dangerous for any team to face.
Florida (+800)
While others have the pitching and offense as well, Florida might be the most complete team in the country. Starting with the pitching, the Gators have a pair of starters with 100+ strikeouts in Brandon Sprout (7-3; 4.71 ERA) and Hurston Waldrep (5-3; 4.83 ERA). They also have Jac Caglianone, who is 6-3 with a 4.14 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 63 innings. For the pitching, it goes beyond the starters, as Florida has a lot of good depth in the bullpen, having four relievers with an ERA under 4.00.
As impressive as their pitching is, the Gators’ offense has production up and down the lineup that has catapulted them to one of the best units in college baseball. They have six players with 11 or more home runs, with one of them being Caglianone, who tallied 28 home runs with 76 RBI and also, as mentioned, has been one of their best pitchers. The team finished with 119 home runs, the third-most in the country. Florida has the pitching and overall power with the bats to do a lot of damage in this tournament.
Arkansas (+1000)
Wake Forest, LSU, and Florida might’ve distanced themselves from other contenders but Arkansas isn’t a team to be taken lightly as a 2023 College World Series favorite. Like the teams ahead of them, the Razorbacks bring good starting pitching to the tournament. They have Hagen Smith, who’s 8-1 with a 2.69 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 10 starts. If they can get back ace Brady Tygart (2-1; 3.20 ERA and 26 Ks in 19.2 innings), who’s missed time with injury, Arkansas have a great 1-2 combo and staff that will be a tough task to get past.
To go along with their pitching is one of the best defenses in the country. With those two areas being the strongest of the team, opponents are going to have to try and figure out a plan to attack. While their offense doesn’t show flashy numbers like the others, they know how to get the job done. They have three players with over 10 home runs and 48 or more RBI. With their overall depth and experience, the Razorbacks are a team to watch out for.
Next Best Odds
Vanderbilt (+1500)
Virginia (+1500)
Stanford (+1600)
Tennessee (+1800)
South Carolina (+2000)
Clemson (+2000)
Oklahoma State (+3000)
