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College  | Rankings | 5/13/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: May 13

Nick Herfordt
The college baseball postseason has arrived for NCAA Division II, Division III, and the NAIA, bringing with it the most intense stretch of the season. Conference tournaments have wrapped up, national brackets are taking shape, and teams across the country are shifting from regular season positioning to survival mode, where one bad inning can abruptly end a year’s worth of work.

The NAIA Opening Round is already underway, and some programs could begin packing for the national finals as early as tomorrow. Across all three divisions, the postseason field is loaded with experienced clubs, dominant pitching staffs, and lineups capable of changing a game with one swing. Now, the focus turns from building résumés to advancing through regional play and chasing national championships.



These antepenultimate rankings provide a final snapshot of where the divisions stand entering the postseason push. Included alongside the rankings are Perfect Game’s selections for top player, pitcher, MVP, and outstanding coach in each division, recognizing the standout performers and programs that shaped the regular season. Several of the honorees have put together remarkable campaigns, whether at the plate, on the mound, or in guiding teams through demanding schedules.

The postseason spotlight, however, always expands beyond the major award winners. Every bracket features additional players who have quietly established themselves among the nation’s best, including power hitters, shutdown relievers, and versatile everyday players capable of taking over a series. As tournament play begins, many of those names are about to receive a much larger audience.

The road to a national title officially begins now. The regular season numbers have been recorded. What happens next will determine who turns a strong spring into a championship run.
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Rk. School St. Record
1 Tampa Spartans FL 41-8
2 Colorado Mesa Mavericks CO 49-5
3 Texas Tyler Patriots TX 43-10
4 North Greenville Trailblazers SC 47-10
5 Pittsburg State Gorillas KS 43-9
6 Catawba Indians NC 42-11
7 Point Loma Sea Lions CA 44-10
8 Grand Valley State Lakers MI 45-8
9 Seton Hill Griffins PA 41-10
10 West Chester Golden Rams PA 39-10
11 Francis Marion Patriots SC 42-12
12 Young Harris Mountain Lions GA 39-16
13 Angelo State Rams TX 40-17
14 Rollins Tars FL 34-14
15 East Stroudsburg Warriors PA 36-14
16 Augustana Vikings SD 41-13
17 Wingate Bulldogs NC 39-17
18 Belmont Abbey Crusaders NC 38-14
19 Lenoir-Rhyne Bears NC 37-13-1
20 West Florida Argos FL 39-13
21 Minnesota State Mavericks MN 40-14
22 Central Missouri Mules MO 34-15
23 North Georgia Nighthawks GA 41-14
24 Molloy Lions NY 39-9
25 Wayne State Warriors MI 37-14

NCAA DII Players of the Year

Dagen Brewer, Pittsburg State
The senior leads the nation in slugging percentage while batting .436 with 21 doubles and 24 home runs. He has also drawn 57 walks for a .575 on-base percentage and set a new MIAA record with a 37-game hitting streak, helping the Gorillas earn the program’s first-ever regular season title and their first MIAA Tournament title since 1999.

Charlie Bussey III, Francis Marion
Bussey was named the Conference Carolinas Player of the Year after batting a DII-leading .476 with 19 home runs and 39 stolen bases. He also drew 55 walks and was hit by 13 pitches to amass a .597 on-base percentage.

Also considered: Edward Waters’ Daniel Donaldson-Fountain and North Greenville’s Josh Foulks each had splendid seasons and deserve every accolade coming their way. Biola’s James Whitman was not too shabby either. UC Colorado Springs’ Trevor Dale leads the division in home runs while playing solid defense at shortstop. Colorado Mesa’s Kolby Felix also received a strong look.

DII Most Valuable Player

Zack Stokes, West Florida
Stokes carried a .240 career batting average into his final graduate season before erupting for a monster campaign that helped return the Argos to the postseason. He is batting a conference-leading .435 with 14 home runs, second in the GSC, along with a conference-best 20 doubles. He also tops the GSC charts in on-base percentage at .549 while striking out only 19 times.

Also considered: Kolby Felix propelled Colorado Mesa to greater heights this season, leading CMU in virtually every offensive category while batting .426 with 17 home runs and 26 stolen bases. Tristan Moore has kept Point Loma on the short list of national title favorites, hitting .382 while leading the Sea Lions in doubles, triples, home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases. Lee’s Luke Collier paced the Flames with a .411 average, .706 slugging percentage, and .486 on-base percentage to help return the program to the NCAA postseason. Daniel Donaldson-Fountain continued to be a monster talent for Edward Waters.

NCAA DII Pitcher of the Year

Colby Deaver, Emporia State

Despite pitching in a conference that placed five teams in the NCAA postseason, Deaver dominated on the mound. The sophomore finished the season with 102 strikeouts in 96 innings and a 1.50 ERA. He allowed only 67 hits and 12 walks for a 0.82 WHIP while holding opponents to a .191 batting average.

Also considered: Delta State’s Andrian Byrd posted a 1.45 ERA with 105 strikeouts in 93 innings as the Statesmen advanced to the NCAA postseason for the 38th time in school history. Tampa starters Robert Satin and BJ Bailey were both among the nation’s best. Embry-Riddle’s Tristan Harley excelled in a dual role, finishing with a 2.21 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 61 innings while allowing only 44 hits across 20 appearances and five starts. Grand Valley State’s Collin Bradley posted a 1.87 ERA and 0.88 WHIP over 81 2/3 innings for the resurgent Lakers.

NCAA DII Coach of the Year

Mike LaRosa, West Chester

Of the eight regular starters from last season who logged at least 100 at-bats for the Golden Rams, only one played a prominent offensive role this season. Yet with a reworked lineup, eight West Chester players earned All-League honors, headlined by Julian Costa, the PSAC East Pitcher of the Year. WCU went from unranked at the start of the season to firmly entrenched in the top ten, earning the No. 1 seed in the Atlantic Region and finishing one win shy of a new school record for victories.

Also considered: Northwest Missouri State’s Tony Jandron set the school record for wins by a first-year coach last season with 27, then pushed the Bearcats to 36 wins this year, a total not achieved by the program in more than 20 years.

Rk. School St. Record
1 Georgia Gwinnett Grizzlies GA 46-6
2 Taylor Trojans IN 49-5
3 Cumberlands Patriots KY 46-8
4 Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes KS 48-7
5 Bellevue Bruins NE 48-4
6 Johnson Royals TN 37-12
7 Hope International Royals CA 37-13
8 Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs TN 40-14
9 LSU Shreveport Pilots LA 40-12
10 Southeastern Fire FL 39-14
11 Missouri Baptist Spartans MO 39-10
12 Doane Tigers NE 44-9
13 Lewis-Clark State Warriors ID 41-7
14 Milligan Buffaloes TN 40-13
15 Webber International Warriors FL 37-17
16 Texas Wesleyan Rams TX 41-10
17 Abraham Baldwin Stallions GA 39-15
18 Loyola Wolf Pack LA 36-17
19 Louisiana Christian Wildcats LA 35-13
20 Concordia Bulldogs NE 37-16
21 William Carey Crusaders MS 35-17
22 Indiana Southeast Grenadiers IN 39-14
23 Keiser Seahawks FL 35-17
24 A&M Victoria Jaguars TX 36-15
25 Mid-America Christian Evangels OK 38-13


NAIA Player of the Year

Carter Claerhout, Bellevue

Claerhout is in the midst of one of the most dominant seasons in Bellevue’s storied history. After transferring from DII Southern Arkansas, he has already been named Frontier Conference Player of the Year, earned NAIA National Player of the Week honors twice, and captured Frontier Conference Player of the Week honors five times. He leads the NAIA in batting average, hits, home runs, total bases, and slugging percentage while also ranking among the national leaders in on-base percentage, RBI, and runs scored. The slugger additionally earned a Gold Glove for his defense at first base.

Also considered: LSU Shreveport’s Carlos Sanchez is batting .400 with 19 doubles, 13 triples, 12 home runs, and 36 stolen bases. Madonna’s Aamir Mitchell is hitting .405 with 31 stolen bases while adding 17 doubles, 22 home runs, and 43 walks for a .531 on-base percentage. Josh Shelly helped Tennessee Wesleyan win its third consecutive AAC Tournament title after earning AAC Player of the Week honors three times this season. He led the Bulldogs with a .415 average, 20 doubles, three triples, and 12 home runs while adding 11 stolen bases.

NAIA MVP

Aamir Mitchell, Madonna

Mitchell was named the WHAC Player of the Year after leading the Crusaders to 41 wins and the WHAC Tournament Championship. The junior outfielder leads the conference with 22 home runs and 31 stolen bases. His .405 batting average tops the WHAC, while his 72 RBI also lead the conference.

Also considered: Carter Claerhout has been a huge part of Bellevue’s offense, though the Bruins likely still would have won the newly renamed Frontier Conference without him. However, they almost certainly would not be among the nation’s elite or favorites to return to the NAIA World Series. Brendon Vela played a major role in Texas Wesleyan’s offensive success, leading the Rams in batting average, doubles, triples, and home runs while finishing second in stolen bases. No player individually elevated his team more than MidAmerica Nazarene’s Ronnie Rowley, who recorded the highest single-season OPS (1.361), highest OBP (.530), and second-highest slugging percentage (.831) in program history. Concordia’s Bronx Lewis proved so imposing that Doane pitchers intentionally walked him five straight times after he launched his 22nd and 23rd home runs during the GPAC title game.

NAIA Pitcher of the Year

Brock Lewis, LSU Shreveport

The senior hurler currently ranks second nationally with a 1.83 ERA and 111 strikeouts in only 88 1/3 innings. He threw five complete games in 15 starts, walked only 17 batters, and held opponents to a .179 batting average while surrendering just 54 hits in 301 at-bats.

Also considered: Canyon Geren has been a major reason for Milligan’s best season in program history, entering the postseason with a 1.86 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 82 2/3 innings while allowing only 44 hits and 28 walks. Valley City State’s Connor Martin should lead the NAIA with 134 strikeouts, holding opponents to a .208 batting average while posting a 3.68 ERA over 93 1/3 innings. St. Ambrose’s Dominic Guzman finished with a 2.93 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 73 2/3 innings. Had he pitched in more than eight games, Concordia’s Micah Sweeton may have earned the honor after recording a 2.08 ERA with 67 strikeouts in 39 innings, good for 15.4 K/9.

NAIA Coach of the Year

Skyler Barnett, Milligan

The Buffs have become a different team under Barnett. After earning the program’s first NAIA Opening Round appearance in 2024 and nearly advancing again last season, Milligan reached another level this spring by winning the ultra-competitive AAC regular season title and earning another postseason berth. The Buffs scored double-digit runs 20 times, earned five wins over Top 25 RPI teams, and saw ace Canyon Geren named AAC Pitcher of the Year.

Also considered: Bellevue’s Duane Monlux and Texas Wesleyan’s Bobby Garza both have long histories of success at their schools, but this season deserves a spot on the fridge. Bellevue underwent significant turnover from last season, while the Rams had been stuck on 27 wins in each of the past two years. The two programs combined to go 89-15.

Rk. School St. Record
1 Denison Big Red OH 40-1
2 Lynchburg Hornets VA 36-6-1
3 UW-Whitewater Warhawks WI 41-4
4 Endicott Gulls MA 35-9
5 Salisbury Seagulls MD 32-9
6 Shenandoah Hornets VA 35-10
7 Rowan Profs NJ 32-5
8 Johns Hopkins Blue Jays MD 33-9
9 Salve Regina Seahawks RI 36-6
10 Kean Cougars NJ 29-11-1
11 Cortland State Red Dragons NY 29-10
12 Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets OH 30-9
13 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags CA 31-13
14 East Texas Baptist Tigers TX 33-10
15 Tufts Jumbos MA 30-9
16 Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens CA 31-12
17 Adrian Bulldogs MI 31-10
18 Belhaven Blazers MS 31-13
19 Russell Sage Gators NY 36-6
20 University of Chicago  IL 27-13
21 Transylvania Pioneers KY 29-12
22 Rhodes Lynx TN 29-15
23 Bridgewater Eagles VA 33-13
24 Washington Bears MO 28-11
25 DeSales Bulldogs PA 33-12


NCAA DIII Player of the Year

Trevor Testerman, Greensboro

The junior outfielder from Myrtle Beach led the USA South in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, RBI, home runs, and stolen bases with 25. His 16 home runs set a new single-season Greensboro program record while helping the Pride secure the USA South Regular Season Championship for the first time in school history.

Also considered: Concordia Chicago senior catcher Brandon Mahler has been one of the top hitters in NCAA DIII and helped return the Cougars to prominence. Denison’s Jack Lutte has been the best player on one of the nation’s best teams, batting .484 with 12 home runs and only 10 strikeouts. Baldwin Wallace’s Dennis Ritlinger-Nirider captured the OAC batting triple crown and conference MVP honors. Messiah senior outfielder Isaiah Parido helped lead the Falcons to the MAC Commonwealth Championship and another opportunity for a deep postseason run.

NCAA DIII MVP

Isaiah Parido, Messiah

Parido has accumulated 50 more total bases than any of his teammates while adding 29 stolen bases. He earned All-MAC Commonwealth First Team honors for the third straight season as the Falcons went 19-2 in conference play.

Also considered: Rowan’s Brayden Davis earned NJAC Player of the Year honors as one of the nation’s premier hitters. UMass Boston’s Elliot Miles enjoyed a tremendous season, though not enough to push his team into the extended postseason. Salve Regina’s Shane Williams hit .380 while leading the team with 14 home runs, ten more than any teammate, and 22 stolen bases. Robert Newland helped Kalamazoo crack the Perfect Game rankings for the first time by batting .391 with eight home runs and 40 stolen bases.

NCAA DIII Pitcher of the Year

Drew Bowles, Transylvania

Bowles earned HCAC Pitcher of the Year honors for the second consecutive season. He currently owns a 2.09 ERA with 106 strikeouts in just 77 1/3 innings while allowing only 55 hits. He also threw three complete games and held opponents to a .188 batting average.

Also considered: Olivet’s Bryan Carney was dominant, finishing with a 1.35 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 73 1/3 innings. Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Gradin Taschner has the Warhawks positioned for back-to-back titles after excelling as both a starter and reliever. Denison freshman Andrew Montero has emerged as a true ace.

NCAA DIII Coach of the Year

Mike Deegan, Denison

The Big Red reached new heights last season, then blew past those marks this spring to finish the regular season as the No. 1 team in NCAA DIII. Denison lost its second game of the season back in February but has since rattled off 39 consecutive victories.

Also considered: Sage earned its first-ever Empire 8 Tournament title under first-year head coach Matt Marsh. Tufts went 16-21 during Bryan Stark’s first season but rebounded to 29-9 after capturing the NESCAC title.
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College | Story | 5/21/2026

Coppy's Corner: May 21 POY Deep Dive
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College Players of the Week: May 19

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College Top 25: May 18

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High School Notebook: May 18

Jordan Gates
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Coppy's Corner: May 14 POY Deep Dive

John Coppolella
Article Image
Each week I huddle with Vinnie Cervino and Craig Cozart  to discuss Top-25 rankings and Players of the Week. In Coppy’s Corner, I dive deeper into these Players of the Week, providing analysis from 20+ years working in baseball front offices at the highest level.   Player of the Week: Drew Burress – Georgia Tech  I love everything that Craig Cozart writes, and his piece on Burress is as good as it gets (link). Craig does a masterful job of showing us how Burress has (not arguably) the best career college performance of any current player. The body of work is consistent and impressive, and Burress has one of the highest floors in the 2026 MLB Draft with above average or better tools across the board.  I’m not going to do a deep dive on Burress’ numbers because there is no point: they are really good, everywhere. I would rather talk about...
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Tyler Russo
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