Image credit:
Eric Becker (Photo by Eddie Kelly / ProLook Photos)

The 2026 college baseball season is almost here. As such, we’re breaking down every preseason Top 25 team in greater detail. Check out Virginia’s 2026 season preview below.

Quick Hits

Last Season: 32-18 (16-11 ACC); Missed NCAA Tournament

Final 2025 Ranking: Unranked

Coach (Record at school): Chris Pollard (0-0, 1st season)

College Baseball Top 25 Skinny

Virginia found itself on the wrong side of the offseason’s most consequential coaching move, losing Brian O’Connor to Mississippi State after more than two decades of continuity. The response was decisive. The Cavaliers turned quickly to Chris Pollard, the architect of Duke’s rise, and backed the hire by expanding resources to match the program’s ambitions.

The transition did not linger. Pollard arrived with a core of trusted players from Duke, supplemented aggressively through the portal and stabilized by the return of several O’Connor-era contributors. That blend shapes Virginia’s identity entering the season. While many portal-heavy rosters are defined by uncertainty, this one is built largely on familiarity with the ACC. Pollard’s imports are not projections. They are known quantities stepping into a league they have already navigated, easing the friction that often accompanies wholesale change.

Virginia Baseball Strengths

The roster’s spine runs through Pollard’s former Duke players, led by outfielder AJ Gracia, one of the most sought-after position players in the 2026 draft class. Gracia anchors a group that includes Sam Harris, Noah Murray, Kyle Johnson and pitchers Henry Zatkowski and Max Stammel, all of whom bring proven ACC experience. That familiarity allows Virginia to establish identity quickly rather than spend the early weeks of the season calibrating. Stability also came from retention.

Shortstop Eric Becker remained in Charlottesville through the coaching change, joined by outfielder Harrison Didawick and projected designated hitter Aiden Harris. Becker enters the new year ranked 12th in the 2026 draft class and provides a steady presence in the middle of the field during a period of transition. Virginia further strengthened its infield by landing Rider transfer Joe Tiroly, one of the most coveted middle-infield bats in the portal. His addition adds force to the lineup’s center. The pitching staff reflects a similar mix. It leans heavily on transfers, but not blindly. Several arms arrive with established track records, while others, including Lucas Hartman from Western Kentucky and Tyler Kapa from Eastern Michigan, represent calculated jumps in competition.

Virginia Baseball Weaknesses

The reset is real. Pollard inherits higher expectations, deeper scrutiny and a broader stage than he faced previously, and the roster must absorb that shift alongside him. The fit appears natural, but scale matters, particularly early. On the mound, Virginia leans more heavily on pitchers without ACC experience than it does at the plate, creating an early storyline. How quickly those arms translate will shape the team’s trajectory through the first half of the season.

Virginia Baseball Player To Know

Gracia enters the year with an offensive profile tailored for impact. In his final season at Duke, he produced a 90 mph average exit velocity with a 105 mph 90th percentile mark, pairing consistent barrel rates with disciplined swing decisions. He chased infrequently, maintained a near-90% zone contact rate and an 86.4% overall contact rate while lifting his best contact with intent. The aggression can tick up, but the foundation is firm and it is the type of profile professional clubs value early in the first round.

Virginia Baseball 2026 Projected Lineup, Rotation

PosPlayerYearAVGOBPSLGABHRRBINote/previous schoolCNoah JourasG-Sr..319.444.505182728Davidson1BSam HarrisJr..297.385.563128942Duke2BJoe TirolyJr..377.481.7491991870Rider3BNoah MurrayJr..342.500.63238310DukeSSEric BeckerJr..368.453.617201952OFAJ GraciaJr..293.449.5582151554DukeOFKyle JohnsonJr..220.343.50859419DukeOFHarrison DidawickSr..225.327.384138628DHAiden HarrisSo..400.500.5001003PosGSIPERAWHIPSO%BB%SPHenry ZatkowskiSo.1159.24.831.2922.14.6DukeSPMax StammelSo.122.04.091.4124.811.9DukeSPTyler KapaG-Sr.1466.06.821.8827.911.5Eastern MichiganRPLucas HartmanG-Sr.153.12.701.0528.610.1Western KentuckyRPMatt AugustinJr.DNPRPDrew KoenenJr.023.12.701.5012.214.3Dartmouth