The College World Series is just a day away, and each team has more than earned their trip to Omaha. Charles Schwab Field Omaha will host plenty of talented players prepared to lead their teams to a national title. For the fans, here is a list of each team’s “player to watch” as we approach the first pitch:
Arkansas
This one is not as clear as some others, but I feel the honor has to go to Cayden Wallace. The Razorback third baseman has been a leader on offense. He leads the team in slugging percentage, runs scored, hits, doubles, runs batted in and stolen bases. He is also tied for the team lead in home runs with 15. As the only Razorback with 62 starts this season, Wallace has been a constant in the Arkansas lineup, and I do not see that changing in Omaha.
Auburn
This one is easy. Sonny Dicharia is one of the most talked-about players in the country. The Tiger first baseman was named the Sec Co-Player of the Year as he hit a staggering .392 this season with 22 home runs and 59 runs batted in. The Samford transfer took a huge leap up in competition and did not look back as he set personal bests in the SEC in every offensive category. What makes “Sonny D” even more special is the knack he has for coming up in a big spot when his team desperately needs it. For example, on Monday, the Tiger lineup went cold with only three hits, but those hits included a couple from Dicharia. He reaches base all four times, but it was his two-run homer that helped the Tigers sneak out of Corvallis with a 4-3 victory.
Notre Dame
Here we welcome our first pitcher to this list. John Michael Bertrand leads the Fighting Irish pitching staff in wins, starts, innings pitched and strikeouts. None of those are really that close. With a 9-3 record, he is three wins clear of the next pitcher on the staff. His 2.69 ERA is extremely strong for a starting pitcher at this level. He leads the team in innings pitched by 45.2 innings and leads the team in strikeouts by 20. He is the unquestioned leader of the staff and will help lead this Notre Dame team into Omaha.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma shortstop Peyton Graham has to take this title. He is undoubtedly the leader of this team. He is second on the team in batting average, hits, doubles and OPS. He leads the team in slugging percentage, triples, home runs (by a mile), runs batted in, runs scored and stolen bases. The 6’4” 171-pound shortstop brings speed and, surprisingly, a lot of power to the Sooner lineup.
Ole Miss
This one has to go to Tim Elko. He is absolutely the heartbeat of this team. Just look back to 2021 when he tore his ACL, threw a brace on and led the team to the postseason while hitting home runs on one leg. The captain “C” on his jersey is well deserved. The Ole Miss first baseman is hitting .302 on the year with 22 home runs and 71 RBI. Just watch the Ole Miss team this weekend, and you will see that his numbers are great but his value is even greater with this team.
Stanford
This one is hard because this Stanford team is extremely well-rounded, but I think the answer for them is Quinn Matthews. Matthews leads the Cardinal squad with a 9-1 record. In his 96.1 innings pitched, he has 110 strikeouts to pair with his 2.62 ERA. He currently owns the pitching triple crown on Stanford’s team. Opponents are hitting just .204 off Matthews. He is the leader of this staff and this team. If Stanford makes a run, it will likely be thanks to a couple of high-level performances by Matthews.
Texas
This one is easy. The answer is Ivan Melendez. It is not close. If you are a pitcher, there will not be a scarier player in Omaha than Melendez. He even has the nickname to match it—Hispanic Titanic. Melendez is having a career year at first base for the Longhorns. He is batting .396 with 32(!!!) home runs and 94 (!!) RBI. By the way, those 32 home runs are a record in the BBCOR bat era (2011 to now). The previous record was held by Rockies third baseman and former NL MVP Kris Bryant. Yeah, he is a freak. He is going to be the guy that has pitchers shaking in their boots because, as big as Charles Schwab Field Omaha is, he can go deep at any moment and turn any game on its head.
Texas A&M
Texas A&M looks the part of a team that will have to score a lot in Omaha, and I believe left fielder Dylan Rock is the guy to lead that effort for the Aggies. Rock is a .332 hitter with 18 home runs and 61 RBI. He leads the team in the latter two categories. Much like Oklahoma’s Peyton Graham, he brings a speed factor into the equation with a team-leading 16 stolen bases. Anytime that you can lead the team in both speed and power while hitting for a high average, you have a chance to impact the game at a high level, and I think Texas A&M will have to have a big week from Rock in order to go far in Omaha.