Jacob Rudner

Los Angeles

National College Reporter at Baseball America

National College Reporter for Baseball America | @Cronkite_ASU Alum

Articles

Brian O'Connor Named Mississippi State Head Baseball Coach

5 days ago | baseballamerica.com | Jacob Rudner

Barely an hour after its season ended on Sunday evening in the Tallahassee Regional, Mississippi State announced its hiring of longtime Virginia head coach Brian O’Connor, who is the ninth skipper in program history. O’Connor quickly became a primary target for Mississippi State athletic director Zac Selmon following the school’s dismissal of former coach Chris Lemonis in April. O’Connor emerged as the clear favorite to earn the job on Thursday.
Vanderbilt Becomes First No. 1 National Seed To Miss NCAA Tournament Regional Final

5 days ago | baseballamerica.com | Jacob Rudner

For the first time in the super regional era, the No. 1 national seed will not appear in its own regional final. Vanderbilt, the top overall seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, was eliminated from the Nashville Regional on Sunday afternoon in a stunning 5-4 loss to Wright State. The result underscores the volatility of a tournament that, so far, has belonged to mid-major programs. Wright State, a perennial Horizon League power, will face Louisville in Sunday night’s regional final.
10 Takeaways From Day 2 Of The 2025 NCAA Baseball Tournament

6 days ago | baseballamerica.com | Jacob Rudner

Two full days of the NCAA Tournament have already come and gone and 16 teams have officially been eliminated from the mix with at least 16 more set to make their exit throughout Day 3. You can follow along with results from every game here. Here’s a quick snapshot of how No. 1 seeds have fared so far. We’ll cover Oregon’s surprising exit below.
10 Takeaways From 2025 NCAA Baseball Tournament Opening Night

1 week ago | baseballamerica.com | Jacob Rudner

The 2025 college baseball tournament started off with a bang Friday night when the regional round delivered four opening-night host upsets and several tightly contested high-major showdowns. Here are 10 takeaways from Day 1 of the NCAA Tournament:The same qualities that have made top-seeded Vanderbilt great this year are also what leave it exposed.
Texas A&M Head Baseball Coach Michael Earley To Return For 2026 Season

1 week ago | baseballamerica.com | Jacob Rudner

Texas A&M on Friday afternoon announced that it will retain head baseball coach Michael Earley heading into next season after the Aggies became the first preseason No. 1 since 1991 to miss the NCAA Tournament. The move defies widespread expectations that the school would move on from Earley following the disappointing 2025 campaign and initiate a coaching search for a new head coach.
How Models & Data Analytics Are Impacting College Baseball Roster Decisions

1 week ago | baseballamerica.com | Jacob Rudner

If you wandered the trade show floor at the American Baseball Coaches Association convention in Washington, D.C. this past January, it was impossible to miss the shift. Technology booths sprawled across the space, packed wall-to-wall with screens, devices and demos. One stand measured batted-ball performance, another tracked arm force and fatigue. Around the corner, a startup promised real-time insights on UCL health thanks to a device that intricately measured grip strength.
Picking Our ‘Eight For Omaha,' Super Regional Matchups & National Champion

1 week ago | baseballamerica.com | Jacob Rudner

Skip to content The 2025 college baseball tournament is set to get underway on Friday, May 30, so Baseball America is here with our final College World Series predictions. Below, you will find our eight picks for Omaha, super regional matchup predictions and national champion prediction.
Brian O'Connor Favorite To Land Mississippi State Head Baseball Coach Job

1 week ago | baseballamerica.com | Jacob Rudner

Mississippi State has zeroed in on longtime Virginia skipper Brian O’Connor to become the ninth head coach in program history, multiple sources familiar with the situation told Baseball America. O’Connor quickly became a primary target for Mississippi State athletic director Zac Selmon following the school’s dismissal of former coach Chris Lemonis in April.
2025 NCAA Tournament Regionals Preview For All 64 Teams

1 week ago | baseballamerica.com | Jacob Rudner

Skip to content The best part of the college baseball season has arrived, as the NCAA Tournament is set to get underway with the regional round play on Friday, May 30Barring weather delays, all 64 teams that gained entry into the field will play their first games on Friday.
Oxford Regional 2025 NCAA Baseball Tournament Preview

1 week ago | baseballamerica.com | Jacob Rudner

The 2025 NCAA baseball tournament is set to get underway on Friday, May 30, with teams opening regional play across the nation. To get ready, Baseball America presents the ultimate tournament guide with stat-focused break downs of all 64 teams. Check out the full list of regional previews here. The Rebels mash—ranking top 10 nationally in home runs (105), slugging percentage (.499), and wRC+ (114)—and they draw walks at a 13.3% clip, 34th-best in the country.