Five weeks ago, No. 9 Virginia baseball opened its season with deep uncertainty about the trajectory of the season. D1 Baseball did not rank the team in the top 25, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association placed the team at the 24th position and Baseball America slotted the Cavaliers (20-5, 6-3 ACC) in at 14th in their respective preseason rankings.
While the conclusion of the season is not foregone by any means, Virginia has made well of the opportunities it has been given. As the schedule moves into conference play, three beat writers take stock of the Cavaliers’ season so far.
Who has contributed most to Virginia’s No. 9 ranking thus far?
Xander Tilock, Senior Writer: The Duke transfers have been even better than advertised. Juniors in outfielder AJ Gracia and first baseman Sam Harris look like All-Americans with batting averages over .350 and eight homers. Additionally, junior Noah Murray and sophomore Zach Jackson have been reliable at third base and right field, respectively. That core of Pollard products could make a SportsCenter Top 10 play at any moment through towering home runs or gorgeous web gems. Gracia’s dominance was expected, but I don’t think anyone could have predicted Harris to become one of the ACC’s best hitters or for Murray and Jackson to become not just everyday starters but incredibly valuable cornerstones. Virginia would not be an elite team without these ex-Blue Devils.
Drew Dillman, Staff Writer: While the impacts of transfers from Duke should not be understated, I really love what I am seeing from junior infielder Joe Tiroly, a transfer from Rider University. The 2025 MAAC Player of the Year has quietly built a very solid season for himself in Charlottesville. He is one of only three players on the team to start all 25 games so far this season, alongside Gracia and senior outfielder Harrison Didawick. He provides quality offensive support for the team, recording a hit in over 70 percent of games this season. I particularly like his discipline at the plate, as he has recorded only 15 strikeouts on the season, fewer than any Cavalier that has played in over two-thirds of games. Tiroly’s campaign has been a good one so far, and it shows that Pollard recruited good talent beyond the Blue Devils he was familiar with.
David Sewall, Staff Writer: Aside from the early power surge, Virginia’s young arms and setup men have exceeded expectations. Graduate relievers Lucas Hartman and Tyler Kapa have anchored the back end of the Cavaliers’ bullpen, with Hartman posting a 1.47 ERA across 30.2 innings and Kapa leading the team with four saves. Virginia’s freshman pitchers have also stepped into major roles. Jayden Stroman, Noah Yoder and John Paone have all contributed in both starting and relief appearances, giving the Cavaliers valuable depth on the mound. Paone has filled in as a weekend starter in the absence of junior pitcher Kyle Johnson, while Stroman and Yoder have posted ERAs of 2.70 and 0.60, respectively. As Virginia moves into the heart of ACC play, these arms will be critical to sustaining its momentum and strengthening its case as a national title contender.
What is your biggest concern entering the heart of conference play?
XT: Virginia’s cohort of freshmen pitchers has performed well — but regression is a concern. It is hard to believe that Yoder, Paone, Stroman and Christian Lucarelli are all playing like established seniors just a few months into their college careers. The Cavaliers have become reliant on that group. Meanwhile, the rest of the ACC is patiently waiting for the other shoe to drop. Can the freshmen continue to calmly play such pivotal roles as teenagers on a national contender? If that ever-important quartet starts experiencing some major growing pains against fellow contenders, Virginia’s ceiling could be lower than that of a top-10 team.
DD: Save for the 14-0 drubbing the Cavaliers suffered at the hands of Charlotte and the second-game loss to then-No. 24 Wake Forest, Virginia has recorded the same amount or more hits than its opponents in each of its losses. Getting men on base results in scoring opportunities. However, getting on base is for naught in terms of scoring if they are left there, resulting in missed opportunities. For instance, the final third of the lineup recorded a batting average significantly lower than the team as a whole over the course of the Wake Forest series, meaning that this part of the lineup is less liable to bring players all the way around. The team must work to bring runners on base all the way home, and Cavalier batters must make the most of these higher-leverage situations.
DS: Virginia has been mashing — 46 home runs in 25 games — a historic mark that has helped power the offense to 10 runs per game entering Tuesday’s midweek against Maryland. Gracia and Harris have combined for 16 of those home runs, while Murray and Jackson have also emerged as major power threats in the Cavaliers’ lineup. But in the loss to Virginia Tech March 15, the Cavaliers were held to just five hits, with two of their three runs coming on solo shots. The result served as a reminder that, while the offense has been explosive early, the lineup can still be quieted by quality pitching. As ACC play intensifies, Virginia’s next step will be proving it can manufacture runs consistently even when the home run ball is taken away.
What series do you have circled on the remainder of the schedule?
XT: A home series April 16-18 with Clemson will be a valuable litmus test for Virginia. While there are other challenging ACC foes, the Tigers are especially formidable due to their elite pitching staff. Clemson has eight pitchers with an earned run average under 2.50 — and that list excludes their most talented hurler in junior Aidan Knaak, who has gotten off to an uncharacteristically slow start. Knaak is a two-time First Team All-ACC pitcher, and once he inevitably rounds back into elite form, he’ll be part of a dangerous duo alongside senior Michael Sharman and his 2.48 ERA. As evidenced multiple times this season, the best way to beat the Cavaliers is to have an elite pitcher keep one of the nation’s best offenses at bay.
DD: While the Cavaliers avoid the current best team in the ACC, No. 3 Georgia Tech, there are certainly a number of marquee matchups. The series that will be pivotal is against No. 10 Florida State at home April 2-4. The Seminoles (19-4, 5-1 ACC) sit just behind Virginia in the most recent rankings from D1 Baseball. While the Cavaliers will host the series, Florida State is a strong opponent who recently took two of three from then-No. 10 North Carolina State, outscoring the Wolfpack 30-16 over three games. Virginia will look to avoid the same fate as the season continues on, as these high-level games serve as excellent preparation in advance of a possible NCAA Tournament run.
DS: An away series at Pittsburgh from April 24-26 will serve as a critical late-season test for Virginia. The Panthers (15-6, 3-3 ACC) have impressed early this season with a high-powered offense capable of going toe-to-toe with the Cavaliers. Pittsburgh does not strike out. They rank fourth in the ACC with a .330 batting average and their 46 home runs are tied with Virginia for second in the conference. Redshirt senior outfielder Lorenzo Carrier has been the ACC’s best player, slashing .464/.614/1.029 — all conference-leading marks that look like video game numbers. The Panthers showed they can compete with elite programs in a narrow series loss to Georgia Tech this weekend, and if they sustain this level of offensive production, Virginia’s pitching staff will face a true test in late April.
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