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Florida State baseball enjoyed a stellar 2024 season, one in which it made it back to the College World Series for the first time in five years.
If preseason projections are to be believed, 2025 might be even better for the Seminoles.
Florida State appeared at No. 3 in Baseball America’s "way too early" preseason top 25 , which were released Wednesday, about seven months before the start of the 2025 campaign.
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The Seminoles were behind only No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Florida while coming in just ahead of No. 4 Clemson and No. 5 Texas A&M. Here's what you need to know of FSU baseball's ranking in the "way too early" top 25 preseason poll:
Where does FSU rank in Baseball America 'way too early' top 25?
Florida State comes in ranked No. 3 overall, making them the No. 1 team out of the ACC and the No. 2 team from the state of Florida (trailing only the Gators).
Of Florida State, writer Teddy Cahill said:
Florida State could boast the top 1-2 pitching punch in the country with All-American lefthander Jamie Arnold and righthander Cam Leiter, the latter of whom was their Opening Day starter but missed the second half of the season due to injury. The Seminoles must replace five starters in their lineup, but with the double-play combination of Drew Farout and Alex Lodise returning, as well as catcher Jaxon West and center fielder Max Williams, they will be strong up the middle. Look for sophomore Cal Fisher and freshmen Hunter Carns and Myles Bailey to step up.
In their second season under coach Link Jarrett, the Seminoles authored a remarkable turnaround. After a nightmarish 2023 season in which it finished 23-31, the first losing season in program history, Florida State went 49-17, its most wins since 2012, and advanced to the College World Series, where it fell to eventual national champion Tennessee in the semifinals.
The Seminoles lost eight players who were selected in the 2024 MLB draft, but return a number of key contributors who should help them remain one of the country’s best teams.
Arnold was one of the best pitchers in the country last season, finishing with an 11-3 record and 2.98 ERA, with 159 strikeouts to just 26 walks. After an undisclosed injury limited him to just seven appearances last season, Leiter should help bolster what figures to be a formidable rotation. Farout, Lodise, West and Williams, all regular starters last season, will be back, as well. Each of those four players hit at least .274 last season, with Williams leading the group with a .311 average, 14 home runs and 46 RBIs.
Florida State is scheduled to open its 2024 fall season on Oct. 12 against Auburn at Blue Wahoos Stadium in Pensacola.
Baseball America 'way too early' preseason top 25 for 2025
Here’s Baseball America’s early top 25 for the 2025 college baseball season:
- LSU
- Florida
- Florida State
- Clemson
- Texas A&M
- Virginia
- Tennessee
- Arkansas
- Duke
- Oregon State
- Georgia
- North Carolina
- NC State
- Oregon
- Oklahoma State
- Mississippi State
- South Carolina
- Vanderbilt
- Texas
- Arizona
- Indiana
- Stanford
- Kentucky
- Southern Miss
- Wake Forest
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida State ranking: Where is FSU in Baseball America 'way too early' preseason top 25?
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