Michigan’s 2025 baseball season begins this weekend with four games in the Puerto Rico Challenge. Here’s a brief look at the four teams the Wolverines will face to get the new campaign underway, including the No. 2 ranked Virginia Cavaliers today:
While many of us brave the winter conditions in the Ann Arbor area, the Michigan baseball team will be kicking off its 2025 season in warm and sunny Puerto Rico. The Wolverines return several star players and will look to take another step in the right direction following a 32-28 season a year ago.
Michigan will get things started in the Puerto Rico Challenge, facing off against four non-conference opponents, including the nation’s No. 2 team in the Virginia Cavaliers.
Earlier this week, we took a look at some of Michigan’s key players and storylines in our season preview , but today we’ll take a deeper dive into the four games the Wolverines will be playing to start the season.
Friday, Feb. 14 – vs. Virginia
Ponce, Puerto Rico; ESPN+; 1 p.m. eastern
Michigan gets head coach Tracy Smith’s third season started against one of the best teams in the country. Virginia is coming off a trip to Omaha and a 46-17 record in 2024. More of the same is expected in 2025, as the Cavaliers are ranked No. 2 nationally by D1Baseball.com .
Leading the charge for Virginia are a pair of bats in Henry Godbout and Henry Ford. Godbout, a sophomore, slashed .286/.376/.413 and is one of the nation’s best second basemen. Ford, also a sophomore, was even better, slashing .336/.409/.597 last year while also clubbing 17 home runs. He’ll most likely patrol right field.
On the mound for the Cavaliers, Evan Blanco led the team in innings last year and will likely get the start against Michigan on Friday. He had a 3.62 ERA as Virginia’s ace. Virginia’s No. 2 pitcher, Jay Woolfolk is also back, as are key bullpen pieces Dean Kampschror, Matt Augustin and Ryan Osinski.
Saturday, Feb. 15 – vs. Rice
Ponce, Puerto Rico; ESPN+; 1 p.m. eastern
Rice shouldn’t present nearly as tough of a matchup for Michigan as Virginia will be. The Owls are coming off a 23-36 season, which included a 11-16 American Athletic Conference record.
Rice lost plenty of production on offense after last season, but its best hitter coming back is first baseman Treyton Rank. Last year, he led the team in hits with 63 in 59 games, while also leading the team in doubles with 16. Outfielder Jacob Devenny also had a productive season last year, as he registered an OPS of .374.
On the mound, J.D. McCracken had more innings pitched than any returning Owl, but was relatively ineffective, pitching to a 5.35 ERA and 1.59 WHIP. Davion Hickson was the leading man out of the bullpen, registering a 3.62 ERA in 54.2 innings pitched. Look for him to get some action against Michigan.
Sunday, Feb. 16 – vs. Villanova
Ponce, Puerto Rico; ESPN+; 10 a.m. eastern
Villanova is another opponent coming off a disappointing season, as the Wildcats went 18-33 overall and 8-13 in the Big East last year. Much like Rice, Villanova lost plenty of production at the top of its lineup. Its top returning position player is catcher Jason Neff, who had an OPS of .806 last year with nine home runs. Infielder Michael Whooley is another big contributor, as he had a .796 OPS in 2024.
As for the pitching staff, Villanova returns Luke McCollough, who paved the way with 64 innings pitched. However, his 5.20 ERA — which isn’t stellar — was actually the second-best on the team. The top returning reliever is Jake Francis, who had a 6.09 ERA in 44.1 innings.
Monday, Feb. 17 – vs. Stetson
Caguas, Puerto Rico; ESPN+; 9 a.m. eastern
Stetson should be a tough opponent for Michigan to close the weekend. The Hatters have a strong program in the ASUN and have produced several MLB arms, including Jacob deGrom, Corey Kluber and Logan Gilbert. They finished 41-22 a year ago and made it to the NCAA Tournament after winning their conference.
The Hatters return plenty of quality bats. Infielder Isaiah Barkett had an .820 OPS in 50 games a year ago, while also stealing 16 bases. Lorenzo Meola had an .880 OPS with 10 homers and 10 stolen bases, while Yohann Dessureault had an .853 OPS with 11 homers.
On the mound, Stetson did lose its top three pitchers from last season in terms of innings pitched, but Dylan Jacobs is back after starting 10 games in 2024; he registered a 5.16 ERA in 52.1 innings. In the bullpen, the Hatters will rely on Zane Coppersmith, who had a 1.82 ERA last year.