The weekend before Opening Day versus Niagara, I sat down and made twelve quick predictions regarding how Miami’s 2025 season would unfold. With 28 new players in the fold via the transfer portal and the 2024 recruiting class, roles were murky and the outlook on this team varied vastly depending on who you talked to.
I put pen to paper on twelve things I fully expected to happen for the Canes this season and looking back on it I did a pretty solid job with it (Just forget about the fact I had an unfair advantage by being part of the team).
PRESEASON PREDICTIONS:
This team will have around 35 wins and be .500 in ACC play - Miss
The ‘Canes sat at 30 wins with six games to play after five straight ACC wins and threatened to host with two more series wins. We know what happened here, 1-5 in the final six games of the regular season to end at 31 regular season wins, just unlucky to miss that one. And on a bittersweet note, Miami outdid my ACC prediction by finishing one game above .500. Yes I was close with both predictions here, but we don't give participation trophies for "being close".
Miami will have five hitters above .300, and five hitters with double digit homers - Miss
I feel pretty unlucky with this one as I felt it was the most safe pick considering the state of college baseball. I expected Cuvet, Ogden, Galvin, Williams, and Hudson to hit over .300 and with 10+ homers. Turns out It was only the initial four to hit over .300 with a steep drop beyond that, and only Cuvet and Dorian Gonzalez hitting more than 10 homers (Ogden, Galvin, and Williams should’ve been part of the homer crew if it wasn’t for robberies and injuries)
AJ Ciscar and Tate DeRias will be the best Freshman arms we have and work their way into being a key part of the team - Hit
This one played out much better than I could’ve ever anticipated with the pair moving into starting roles to essentially propel the team into that five-series ACC hot streak which saved the season. But they showcased their ability even before this move to the weekend rotation. Ciscar was consistently called upon in big spots, showcasing the moment was never too big for him, and DeRias was running up to 96 in his relief appearances. The pair are cornerstones to build a rotation with as they develop and continue to mature in their collegiate careers as I expect both to take another step forward next year.
Griffin Hugus will be the best pitcher on this team - Hit
Now I know people will fight me on this one, but he was the best and most IMPACTFUL pitcher on this team. Yes he did hit a wall towards the end of the season, but his early season impact cannot go without his flowers. He gave life to this team every time he stepped on the mound no matter how much we “couldn’t hit water when we fell out of boats” earlier this year (Ex- duel against UNC Ace Jake Knapp). It was clear he had the stuff and mindset to be the Friday guy on this team from the beginning. A warrior on the mound for us.
There will be multiple players with 10-plus steals on the year - Hit
At first glance this seems like a ridiculous layup by only needing more than one player here, but two players with 10-plus steals hasn’t occurred since 2022. This year we ended up having three players (Williams, Ogden, and Peralta), the most in the last TEN YEARS. The squad swiped 65 bags in total, only two shy of the 67 amounted over the last TWO YEARS COMBINED. I cannot understate how much Nick Soto brings to the speed of this team, two of the aforementioned 10-plus guys aren’t known speedsters but Soto has unlocked that part of the game for them. In addition, factor in how Williams only had half a season and your fastest guy in Mikey Torres only attempted ONE stolen base on the year, the stolen base numbers will continue to rise for this squad.
Jake Ogden will be the most impactful player on this team bar Daniel Cuvet - HIT
Before the season began, many fans and many on this board questioned Ogden playing shortstop for the Miami Hurricanes. Many worried about his ability to play short as he played third at his last stop, many worried about his approach at the plate, and some even felt DeGoti should play over him. I pleaded and sometimes argued with many on this board about how crucial he would be (Much to the humor and appreciation of his dad), and I am more than happy to puff my chest out on this one. Ogden was key in all facets of the game, but especially the little things that become key for teams (Timing up pitcher to steal home, calling for the pickoff play with bases loaded against Louisville). He proved everyone wrong and was the epitome of this year’s team, now having the same people who didn’t want him now beg for his return pending the draft process.
Daniel Cuvet will have a slow start before finding himself - Hit
This was a last-second prediction I made after watching some of the final scrimmages before the season began. It was obvious to nearly everyone on this board on how he was out of sorts between his head movement and trying to do too much. Many attributed this to a Sophomore slump, and while that was technically true for the start, I knew he was good enough to break through and be Daniel Cuvet. The guy is not just a slugger, he’s so methodical and knowledgeable about hitting (He was my BP partner for my first college practice - nice wake up call there). We saw how as the season went on, he only got better with his swing decisions and approach. To have the maturity to push through all that external pressure as “The guy” shows why he has not only the talent, but the intangibles to be a first-round pick next summer.
Todd Hudson will be the best hitter on the team not named Cuvet - Miss
I was really high on Todd Hudson going into this season. The 6’6 Liberty transfer was tearing the cover off the ball to all parts of the field during fall practices and scrimmages. I expected him to be the clean-up protection to Cuvet in the lineup, but that ended quickly after a slow start was followed by a season-ending hamate injury. I’m still high on Hudson, but it’s likely he transfers in the coming weeks.
Age will prove key in what I feel will be a team that not only makes regionals, but makes serious noise - Hit
This was one I really kept my cards close with for fear of being dubbed a “Sunshine pumper”, but I really felt that this team could win a regional. My reasoning: everything seemed to be in place for a team that could get hot at the right time between veteran arms, gritty players, and young guys who are unafraid of the moment. I wasn’t expecting to host or even be a two-seed, but one of those at-large teams that rallies their way through a regional and that’s exactly what we saw: Freshman in Ciscar making a huge opening start in Alabama, the bats exploding against Columbia, veteran arms proving key in a deciding game against Southern Miss, and straight grit against Louisville in the supers. Guys like Will Smith and Carson Fischer proved pivotal towards the end of the year, allowing this team to shock many.
Jackson Cleveland will be one of our most important arms - Miss
“Hardest at-bat on the team” — that was the general sentiment from players within the clubhouse. A low to mid 90’s fastball with a plethora of offspeeds, he was the transfer arm I was most intrigued by going into this season. But he struggled to start the season and an injury followed, but even after he returned he was essentially put on the shelf despite the team finding themselves in situations where he could really be used. Towards the end of the season Cleveland began to really show his worth and left many scratching their heads at why he wasn’t used more before. This was a miss not due to his ability, just the lack of usage which has since led to his entrance in the transfer portal.
Max Galvin will be the steal of the entire portal - Hit
Not much to say here as it was essentially the easiest point ever. The guy was rated in the thousands when it came to transfer rankings by nearly every site, and they obviously didn't watch his summer or fall assault on baseballs. We saw how he turned it on towards the end of the year, a big time player.
This will be a special team - Hit
Yes, Omaha is always the standard for Miami and this team fell short of that. So while this team will never be remembered in the grand-scheme of all-time Hurricane teams, I still believe it was a special squad. I believe it was a special team for two reasons: vastly overachieving considering expectations and the manner they did so. If anyone told a Canes fan this team would end up one bloop hit away from Omaha, every single one of us would have bitten their hand off. While they weren’t the most talented team, they have been the best-performing team Miami has had in nearly a decade just simply off making a super regional (First since 2016). And its the way that it happened — from being 15-15 being smacked around by the likes of UCF, FIU and Stetson, to going on a FIVE SERIES ACC win streak, to ending the year 1-7 which included a mercy rule defeat to 16-seed Cal, to winning the Hattiesburg Regional. This was a roller-coaster of a season in which this team never gave up. Mix in those gritty traits with generally likeable players (ex– JakeOgdenFanClub), you have a team that will always hold a small place in your heart despite not meeting the “Miami Standard”.
So overall, a 8/12 performance wasn't too bad all things considered. Drop what predictions hit and which ones missed for you below, excited to see how everyone's expectations turned out.
I put pen to paper on twelve things I fully expected to happen for the Canes this season and looking back on it I did a pretty solid job with it (Just forget about the fact I had an unfair advantage by being part of the team).
PRESEASON PREDICTIONS:
This team will have around 35 wins and be .500 in ACC play - Miss
The ‘Canes sat at 30 wins with six games to play after five straight ACC wins and threatened to host with two more series wins. We know what happened here, 1-5 in the final six games of the regular season to end at 31 regular season wins, just unlucky to miss that one. And on a bittersweet note, Miami outdid my ACC prediction by finishing one game above .500. Yes I was close with both predictions here, but we don't give participation trophies for "being close".
Miami will have five hitters above .300, and five hitters with double digit homers - Miss
I feel pretty unlucky with this one as I felt it was the most safe pick considering the state of college baseball. I expected Cuvet, Ogden, Galvin, Williams, and Hudson to hit over .300 and with 10+ homers. Turns out It was only the initial four to hit over .300 with a steep drop beyond that, and only Cuvet and Dorian Gonzalez hitting more than 10 homers (Ogden, Galvin, and Williams should’ve been part of the homer crew if it wasn’t for robberies and injuries)
AJ Ciscar and Tate DeRias will be the best Freshman arms we have and work their way into being a key part of the team - Hit
This one played out much better than I could’ve ever anticipated with the pair moving into starting roles to essentially propel the team into that five-series ACC hot streak which saved the season. But they showcased their ability even before this move to the weekend rotation. Ciscar was consistently called upon in big spots, showcasing the moment was never too big for him, and DeRias was running up to 96 in his relief appearances. The pair are cornerstones to build a rotation with as they develop and continue to mature in their collegiate careers as I expect both to take another step forward next year.
Griffin Hugus will be the best pitcher on this team - Hit
Now I know people will fight me on this one, but he was the best and most IMPACTFUL pitcher on this team. Yes he did hit a wall towards the end of the season, but his early season impact cannot go without his flowers. He gave life to this team every time he stepped on the mound no matter how much we “couldn’t hit water when we fell out of boats” earlier this year (Ex- duel against UNC Ace Jake Knapp). It was clear he had the stuff and mindset to be the Friday guy on this team from the beginning. A warrior on the mound for us.
There will be multiple players with 10-plus steals on the year - Hit
At first glance this seems like a ridiculous layup by only needing more than one player here, but two players with 10-plus steals hasn’t occurred since 2022. This year we ended up having three players (Williams, Ogden, and Peralta), the most in the last TEN YEARS. The squad swiped 65 bags in total, only two shy of the 67 amounted over the last TWO YEARS COMBINED. I cannot understate how much Nick Soto brings to the speed of this team, two of the aforementioned 10-plus guys aren’t known speedsters but Soto has unlocked that part of the game for them. In addition, factor in how Williams only had half a season and your fastest guy in Mikey Torres only attempted ONE stolen base on the year, the stolen base numbers will continue to rise for this squad.
Jake Ogden will be the most impactful player on this team bar Daniel Cuvet - HIT
Before the season began, many fans and many on this board questioned Ogden playing shortstop for the Miami Hurricanes. Many worried about his ability to play short as he played third at his last stop, many worried about his approach at the plate, and some even felt DeGoti should play over him. I pleaded and sometimes argued with many on this board about how crucial he would be (Much to the humor and appreciation of his dad), and I am more than happy to puff my chest out on this one. Ogden was key in all facets of the game, but especially the little things that become key for teams (Timing up pitcher to steal home, calling for the pickoff play with bases loaded against Louisville). He proved everyone wrong and was the epitome of this year’s team, now having the same people who didn’t want him now beg for his return pending the draft process.
Daniel Cuvet will have a slow start before finding himself - Hit
This was a last-second prediction I made after watching some of the final scrimmages before the season began. It was obvious to nearly everyone on this board on how he was out of sorts between his head movement and trying to do too much. Many attributed this to a Sophomore slump, and while that was technically true for the start, I knew he was good enough to break through and be Daniel Cuvet. The guy is not just a slugger, he’s so methodical and knowledgeable about hitting (He was my BP partner for my first college practice - nice wake up call there). We saw how as the season went on, he only got better with his swing decisions and approach. To have the maturity to push through all that external pressure as “The guy” shows why he has not only the talent, but the intangibles to be a first-round pick next summer.
Todd Hudson will be the best hitter on the team not named Cuvet - Miss
I was really high on Todd Hudson going into this season. The 6’6 Liberty transfer was tearing the cover off the ball to all parts of the field during fall practices and scrimmages. I expected him to be the clean-up protection to Cuvet in the lineup, but that ended quickly after a slow start was followed by a season-ending hamate injury. I’m still high on Hudson, but it’s likely he transfers in the coming weeks.
Age will prove key in what I feel will be a team that not only makes regionals, but makes serious noise - Hit
This was one I really kept my cards close with for fear of being dubbed a “Sunshine pumper”, but I really felt that this team could win a regional. My reasoning: everything seemed to be in place for a team that could get hot at the right time between veteran arms, gritty players, and young guys who are unafraid of the moment. I wasn’t expecting to host or even be a two-seed, but one of those at-large teams that rallies their way through a regional and that’s exactly what we saw: Freshman in Ciscar making a huge opening start in Alabama, the bats exploding against Columbia, veteran arms proving key in a deciding game against Southern Miss, and straight grit against Louisville in the supers. Guys like Will Smith and Carson Fischer proved pivotal towards the end of the year, allowing this team to shock many.
Jackson Cleveland will be one of our most important arms - Miss
“Hardest at-bat on the team” — that was the general sentiment from players within the clubhouse. A low to mid 90’s fastball with a plethora of offspeeds, he was the transfer arm I was most intrigued by going into this season. But he struggled to start the season and an injury followed, but even after he returned he was essentially put on the shelf despite the team finding themselves in situations where he could really be used. Towards the end of the season Cleveland began to really show his worth and left many scratching their heads at why he wasn’t used more before. This was a miss not due to his ability, just the lack of usage which has since led to his entrance in the transfer portal.
Max Galvin will be the steal of the entire portal - Hit
Not much to say here as it was essentially the easiest point ever. The guy was rated in the thousands when it came to transfer rankings by nearly every site, and they obviously didn't watch his summer or fall assault on baseballs. We saw how he turned it on towards the end of the year, a big time player.
This will be a special team - Hit
Yes, Omaha is always the standard for Miami and this team fell short of that. So while this team will never be remembered in the grand-scheme of all-time Hurricane teams, I still believe it was a special squad. I believe it was a special team for two reasons: vastly overachieving considering expectations and the manner they did so. If anyone told a Canes fan this team would end up one bloop hit away from Omaha, every single one of us would have bitten their hand off. While they weren’t the most talented team, they have been the best-performing team Miami has had in nearly a decade just simply off making a super regional (First since 2016). And its the way that it happened — from being 15-15 being smacked around by the likes of UCF, FIU and Stetson, to going on a FIVE SERIES ACC win streak, to ending the year 1-7 which included a mercy rule defeat to 16-seed Cal, to winning the Hattiesburg Regional. This was a roller-coaster of a season in which this team never gave up. Mix in those gritty traits with generally likeable players (ex– JakeOgdenFanClub), you have a team that will always hold a small place in your heart despite not meeting the “Miami Standard”.
So overall, a 8/12 performance wasn't too bad all things considered. Drop what predictions hit and which ones missed for you below, excited to see how everyone's expectations turned out.
