The 2024 season is less than a month away and the Virginia baseball team has the potential to make another deep postseason run. Brian O’Connor leads the Cavaliers as he enters his 21st season as the program’s head coach. Virginia has reached the College World Series in two of the last three seasons. There is certainly the belief that O’Connor and his staff can help this team reach Omaha once again, as the Hoos enter the season No. 10 in the Baseball America rankings and No. 14 in the D1Baseball rankings.

Virginia posted a very successful season in 2023. Finishing with a record of 50-15 (19-11 in ACC), the Cavaliers made it all the way to the College World Series. Two one-run losses to Florida and TCU in the team’s first two games meant elimination for the Hoos, but the season as a whole was still quite impressive. Disharoon Park provided a huge advantage for UVA as it finished with a home record of 37-5. Davenport Field also hosted the Charlottesville Regional and Super Regional, in which the Cavaliers went 5-1 to advance to Omaha. Finally, Virginia set a program record for single-season total attendance with 154,507. Home field advantage will need to continue in 2024 for the Hoos to have another great season.

Four players from the 2023 roster were selected in the MLB Draft, and all four were taken in the first six rounds. Catcher Kyle Teel (first round, 14 overall) and third baseman Jake Gelof (second round, 60 overall) were the first two Hoos off the board. Teel was a First Team All-American behind the plate in 2023, won ACC Player of the Year, and became the first Cavalier ever to receive the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award. Gelof was a monster bat for Virginia. He holds school records for career home runs (48), single-season home runs (23 in 2023), and single-season RBIs (90 in 2023). Connelly Early was also drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the fifth round (151st overall). Early started 18 games for the Cavaliers last season. His 12 wins and 100 strikeouts both led the team. The final Virginia player drafted was Ethan O’Donnell, who was taken in the sixth round (168 overall) by the Cincinnati Reds. He was a First Team All-ACC selection in the outfield and was named on the nine-member ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Team.

These four players, along with others from last year’s team, will be hard to replace in 2024. Some key players return for the Hoos, but Coach O’Connor will rely on some underclassmen or transfers new to the team as well. Let’s learn about some of the Cavaliers to keep an eye on this season.

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