TBNL: LSU wins, Anderson dominates

The 2025 College World Series has come to a close. This year’s tournament featured some historic pitching performances, including Arkansas’s Gage Wood throwing the first no-hitter since 1960. The LSU Tigers wrapped up the CWS Finals on Sunday, beating the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, 5-3.

For LSU, this is their second championship in the last three years. It also marks the fourth time the school has won the national championship since 2000 and the eighth time overall (second most among all schools, behind only the University of Southern California, which has won 12).

The Tigers were a heavy favorite in the Finals, despite Coastal's hot streak. The Chanticleers (a chanticleer is a “proud and fierce rooster,” in case you’re curious, because I was) had won 26 straight games coming into Saturday’s Game 1 of the Finals and led all of the NCAA’s Division I with 56 wins during the regular season. Still, LSU was the higher-ranked team (No. 6 vs. No. 13). The Tigers also have six players on MLB Pipeline’s Top 200 Draft prospects (more than any other team that reached Omaha).

One of LSU’s key weapons was left-handed starter Kade Anderson (No. 3 on the Top 200 and a candidate to be selected first overall in next month’s draft).

Anderson completely dominated in his two starts in the CWS and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. The 20-year-old took the ball in the Tigers’ first game of the tournament against No. 3 Arkansas (the highest-ranked seed to reach the CWS) and allowed just one run over seven innings, striking out seven.

Anderson came back and started Game 1 of the CWS Finals against Coastal Carolina on Saturday and was even better, pitching a complete game shutout (the first in the CWS Finals since 2018) while striking out 10. Anderson allowed just three hits.

16 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 7 BB, 17 K. Not a bad performance over two games.

Including the postseason, Anderson made 19 starts this year for the Tigers, posting a 3.18 ERA over 119.0 IP with a 12-1 record. His 180 strikeouts led the nation (he led all pitchers during the regular season with 159).

The frequency of mock drafts from the major outlets has started to increase, with the MLB Draft next month (July 13-14). Most projections still have the Nationals using the first overall selection on Oklahoma high school infielder Ethan Holliday (former Rockies and Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday’s son; Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday’s brother). Many of those same mock drafts have the Angels selecting Anderson with the second overall pick, in part because scouts feel he’s the type of player who could move quickly through the minors.

That very reasoning is why the Nationals should look at drafting him.

Disregarding Washington’s disappointing win-loss record (32-46 entering Monday; 15.0 games behind in the NL East, 11.0 games out of the final Wild Card spot), there’s a growing collection of talent in the lineup. James Wood and CJ Abrams are stars-in-the-making and the only regulars who haven’t struggled offensively this year.

The organization has yet to see one of its younger pitchers step up. They need someone who can be a co-ace alongside MacKenzie Gore (who is leading the NL in strikeouts but not getting enough run support). Jarlin Susana still might be that guy, but he’s been on the injured list since May and no longer seems likely to make his debut this season.

Anderson might be a better organizational fit than Holliday, given that need.

Wehiwa Aloy wins Golden Spikes Award

Arkansas might not have survived to the CWS Finals, but Razorbacks shortstop Wehiwa Aloy won’t be going home from Omaha empty-handed. Aloy was named the winner of this year’s Golden Spikes Award, which is given annually to the top player in the nation.

Aloy is the third player from the school to win the award, joining Andrew Benintendi (2015) and Kevin Kopps (2021).

The 21-year-old hit .350/.434/.673 over 311 PA on the year, with 19 doubles and 21 homers.

Elsewhere, around the sport …

• Right-hander Chase Burns was the second overall pick in last summer’s draft after a dominant season at Wake Forest. Burns has continued to dominate the minor leagues and will reportedly be called up by the Reds to make his debut on Tuesday against the Yankees.

• On Saturday, the Springfield Cardinals (St. Louis’s Double-A affiliate) no-hit the Corpus Christi Hooks (Houston). One year ago Saturday, the Cardinals no-hit the Hooks. It’s the first time, at any level, that a team has pitched a no-hitter on the same date in consecutive seasons.

More words (from late last week)

Future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer is nearing his return to the Blue Jays rotation

Charlie Morton is now 5th all-time in hit batters

Nolan Arenado hit his 350th home run 

Juan Soto collected his career hit no. 1,000

Pete Crow-Armstrong became the first player this season to reach the 20/20 mark (and the youngest Cubs player ever)

Rays pitcher Hunter Bigge is expected to be okay after being struck by a foul ball in the dugout