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Kiley McDaniel
Multiple authors
Who are the best starting pitchers in college baseball right now? This list depends more on who is the best long-term prospect than who I want to give the ball to in a do-or-die game today. As you might guess, there’s a lot of overlap between these two concepts: the top four Last year list Had a top 15 pick in the 2025 MLB Draft Additionally, one of the biggest arrow-up prospects since the draft (LSU/Red Sox RHP Anthony Eyanson) went 10th.
Compared to my last Draft RankingsBottom pitchers will skew toward older, more proven players. These pitchers have been great this season (ie, avoiding a blowup outing to balloon their ERA), and tiebreakers are their raw stuff. I’ve marked players who are currently injured with an asterisk if their return to the mound is TBA; NC State RHP Jacob Dudan is out for the season, but could easily land in the top 20 if healthy.
1. Dax Whitney, RHP, Oregon State*
Sophomore, 63.0 IP, 2.00 ERA, 104 Ks
Whitney walked off the mound after 89 pitches in his most recent outing against Hawaii with a stiff right arm. We don’t know how serious the injury is yet, but Whitney is generally considered one of the best pitching prospects in college baseball. His emergence came in late spring as a high school pitcher in Idaho who drew late first-round interest in the 2024 MLB draft. Its price will be much higher next July.
2. Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
Jr., 69.1 IP, 0.78 ERA, 88 Ks
Flora is basically a lock to make the top 10 in July, and has a real shot at making the top five. His live stuff has gotten a little better this season — he hit 100 mph last season, too — but it’s his feel and command that have taken the biggest steps forward this year.
3. Logan Reddemann, RHP, UCLA
Jr., 59.2 IP, 2.87 ERA, 84 Ks
Reddeman is one of the biggest MLB prospect risers this year, going from third rounder to first rounder after 10 starts. His stats are up and his command is still sharp, evidenced by his school-record-tying 18-strikeout game earlier this season.
4. Mason Edwards, LHP, USC
Jr., 65.1 IP, 1.79 ERA, 119 Ks
Edwards also has the lowest velocity and highest walk rate in this top 10, but he nailed it this spring. He has the group’s highest strikeout rate, highest ground ball rate, second-lowest ERA and lowest xFIP (an ERA estimator). There are some questions from scouts about how his unusual combination of skills will play at a high level, but he has had plenty of success in college baseball.
5. Thomas Valincius, LHP, Mississippi State
Sophomore, 63.1 IP, 2.13 ERA, 87 Ks
Valencias follows head coach Brian O’Connor from Virginia to Starkville after a difficult freshman season. His momentum has picked up this season as he’s excelled in the nation’s best conference, ranking high by nearly every metric even in the rarefied air of an elite group of pitchers.
6. Chris Levonas, RHP, Wake Forest
Sophomore, 56.0 IP, 2.89 ERA, 87 Ks
Levonas turned down big money as the 67th overall pick out of a New Jersey high school in the 2024 MLB draft, but he will earn more next season as he battles Whitney and Valincius to become the top-drafted college pitcher. He has the best velocity of anyone mentioned in this article and also has a plus breaking ball.
7. Ruger Riojas, RHP, Texas
Sr., 55.2 IP, 3.88 ERA, 89 k
Riojas will turn 23 in July, which gives him a leg up in this discussion, but pushes him down a bit in the draft compared to his average stuff and performance. He spent his first two years in college at the University of Texas-San Antonio and really stepped up in his second season in Austin.
8. Hunter Dietz, LHP, Arkansas
Redshirt sophomore, 59.2 IP, 3.62 ERA, 92 k
Dietz was a big name in high school, coincidentally with the same high school pitching staff as Liam Peterson (below) and Landen Marudis (signed with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2023 for $1.5 million). Peterson and Dietz both had seven-figure interest and both will pay it this season; Peterson has been posting consistently for the Gators while Dietz has battled injuries but has overcome them this spring.
9. Dylan Volantis, LHP, Texas
Sophomore, 56.2 IP, 2.06 ERA, 80 k
Like Edwards, Volantis is a lefty who doesn’t throw as hard as others on this list. Unlike Edwards, Volantis throws a heavy sinker, which differs from Edwards’ four-seamer. Volantis was a classic projection out of high school who gained some velocity, but he’s using more deception and angles to create ground balls with improved command this season.
10. Ben Blair, RHP, Liberty
Jr., 67.1 IP, 2.94 ERA, 86 k
Blair throws from the underarm slot and has some unique pitch shape, but some classic traits are there for scouts, like being 6-foot-3 and sitting 93-95 mph with his fastball. Blair’s control is among the best in all of college baseball (3% walk rate dusts every player mentioned in this article), daring hitters to make hard contact against his above-average stuff.
Next 10
11. Cade Townsend, RHP, Ole Miss
12. Cole Carlon, LHP, Arizona State
13. Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida
14. Cam Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina
15. Wes Mendes, LHP, Florida State
16. Tegan Kuhns, RHP, Tennessee
17. Ryan McPherson, RHP, Mississippi State*
18. Ethan Lund, LHP, Oklahoma State
19. Jake Rudel, RHP, Notre Dame
20. Ethan Kleinschmidt, LHP, Oregon State
