Betts: Will a Canadian be in this year's College World Series?
ABC and Jonquière Voyageurs grad OF Charles Davalan (Montreal, Que.) is batting .317 for Arkansas this season. Photo: Arkansas Athletics
March 13, 2025
By Matt Betts
Canadian Baseball Network
As I sit here in the Toronto airport waiting for my flight to Tampa to cover Toronto Blue Jays spring training and some college baseball, it got me thinking; what are the chances of a Canadian making it to the College World Series in 2025?
Looking historically, it’s not uncommon.
INF/OF Robin Villeneuve (Gatineau, Que.) and the Tennessee Volunteers reached the mountain top last season, RHP Micah Bucknam (Abbotsford, BC) was a member of LSU’s 2023 national championship team and current Kansas City Royals prospect RHP Eric Cerantola (Oakville, Ont.) achieved the same as Villeneuve and Bucknam when Mississippi State won it all in 2021. And back in 2017, Lars Davis (Grande Prairie, Alta.) was a volunteer assistant coach with Florida when they won their first CWS in program history.
Recent non-winning participants that come to mind include INF and Tampa Bay Rays prospect Émilien Pitre (Repentigny, Que.) as a member of the Kentucky Wildcats last season.
LHP Harley Gollert (Toronto, Ont.) helped pitch Oral Roberts to the big dance in 2023.
There have been others.
But what about 2025?
Let’s try to look into the crystal ball to see who’s most likely to be Omaha bound and maybe some sleepers.
Most likely
Whenever you attempt to predict the eight teams in the College World series, it’s best to begin in the Southeastern Conference and No. 3 Arkansas certainly fits the bill. OF Charles Davalan (Montreal, Que.) has been a drink stirrer atop the Razorbacks lineup this season with a .317 average. Arkansas has been to the CWS three times since 2018, the year they fell in the final to Oregon State.
It’s hard to bet against No. 7 Florida to make a return trip and if they do, INF Brendan Lawson (Toronto, Ont.) should have a lot to do with it. The Gators have been to the College World Series 14 times, including in each of the past two seasons. Their Canadian freshman is off to a hot start, hitting .333 with four home runs and 19 RBIs in 18 games.
The sleepers
Can a team be considered a sleeper if they’re currently ranked in the Top 25?
I think so.
With that in mind, cue No. 20 Dallas Baptist University. The Patriots have been in a regional every season since 2014, aside from the COVID cancelled 2020 campaign, and peaked in 2021 when they fell to Virginia in the super regionals. Is 2025 the season they finally break through? If they do, they’ll need Bucknam (who’s now with the Patriots) and OF Tom Poole (Calgary, Alta.) to help lead them there. Bucknam is their Game 1 starter and has posted a 5.48 ERA through four starts. Poole, meanwhile, is tied for the team lead with a .379 batting average and is slugging .707.
Let’s stick in the top 25 with No. 21 Troy. Head coach Skylar Meade has turned the Trojans into a legitimate contender after coming over from South Carolina in 2021-2022. While he hasn’t seen as much action as he would like so far, RHP Zack Szabo (Whitby, Ont.) is in their bullpen.
West Virginia isn’t ranked but are they ever playing well under first year head coach Steve Sabins. Currently owning a 14-1 record, strength of schedule is likely the culprit for their omission in the top 25. But that’s about to change as they enter Big 12 Conference play against Oklahoma State this weekend. INF Sam White (Aurora, Ont.) is third on the team with a .383 batting average and fourth with a 1.052 OPS, while freshman Jorge Valdes (Milton, Ont.) has played in 14 games, hitting .182.
I’m going way off the board with this last one just for fun, think 2012 Stony Brook. Southeast Missouri State. To be fair, the RedHawks are eyeing a fourth regional appearance in the past five seasons. LHP Haden Dow (Saint John, NB) is having a stellar season with a 3-1 record and 1.82 ERA over 24 2/3 innings.
There you have it, five of the eight teams heading to Omaha, I think. If not, I never wrote this.