Miami missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018 and for only the third time since 1973. Their 27-30 overall record was the first losing season for the Hurricanes since 1957 when they went 11-12. While Miami did go 11-19 and finish 11th in the conference in head coach JD Arteaga’s first season, they did make some noise in the ACC Tournament when they upset Louisville and Clemson to win their pool.
It was a rough season overall that featured some bright moments. A little bit of Mark Light magic played a factor as the Canes earned upset series wins over Omaha teams Virginia and North Carolina. They stunned Clemson on a Friday night after ace Gage Ziehl struck out 15 Tigers and catcher Jack Scanlon hit a walkoff home run.
Arteaga has overhauled his roster as Miami heads into year two under his tenure. The entire weekend rotation of Ziehl, Rafe Schlesinger, and Herick Hernandez were selected in the 4th Round of the MLB Draft. The Canes return just eight total players for last season– with only six of those having experienced playing time last season. The rest of the roster is made up of a deep transfer group and a highly-touted recruited class.
Catchers (Starter Rank: 14, Group Rank: 16)
With the graduation of Jack Scanlon and Carlos Perez, Miami brought in Oregon State transfer Tanner Smith to be the everyday catcher. Smith started 95 games for the Beavers over three years in Corvallis, slashing .230/.336/.401. His value to the Canes comes from his elite defensive ability and veteran leadership. Barring injury, I expect Smith to play every game at catcher in 2025.
Miami brings in three true freshmen to learn behind Smith in Evan Taveras, Ethan Puig, and Nolan Johnson. All three were ranked in the Top 500 recruits to make it to campus by Perfect Game, though it should be noted that Puig arrived on campus as an infielder and has never played catcher before. Only time will tell as to which, if any, of these young catchers will see playing time behind the plate in 2025.
Infield (Starter Rank: 7, Group Rank: 15)
The Hurricanes return star third baseman and preseason All-American Daniel Cuvet alongside senior second baseman Dorian Gonzalez Jr. Cuvet, a sophomore, is the centerpiece of this roster after a freshman year that saw him hit .351 with 24 home runs and 75 RBIs. The 6’4”, 235 pound slugger possesses prodigious power but did have a high strikeout rate in 2024. He is once again projected to bat third in the order for Miami.
Gonzalez enjoyed a breakout 2024 after hitting .303 with 25 extra base hits in 55 starts. He spent most of last year batting clean-up behind Cuvet, but he’ll either hit in the two-hole or towards the bottom of the order in 2025.
Cuvet and Gonzalez could be joined in the starting infield by Jake Ogden and Todd Hudson. Ogden, a junior transfer from UNC-Greensboro, is a natural third baseman that could slide into the shortstop position. He played well in that spot in the fall but could also see time at first base if the Canes play a different shortstop. One thing for certain, however, is that Ogden will be in the lineup and lead-off. The former UNC-G Spartan hit .313 with 20 extra base hits and 16 stolen bases last year. He also had some quality moments over the summer while up in the Cape, hitting three doubles and four home runs for the league champion Harwich Mariners.
Liberty transfer Todd Hudson could end up in the corner outfield or at DH, but I like the thought of him at first base. The 6’6”, 230 pound junior from Lexington, South Carolina hit 23 extra base hits for the Flames last year but should be able to tap into more power in Coral Gables. As a lefty slugger, he could be an option for the clean-up spot protecting Cuvet.
Redshirt junior Renzo Gonzalez, who missed all of 2024 with an injury, is also an option at first base. He could also see the time in the outfield if needed. Renzo could serve as a key left-handed bat off the bench for late inning match-up situations. Two players who could see time in the middle infield as freshmen are Brandon DeGoti and Adrian Areizaga. DeGoti impressed offensively in the fall while Areizaga turned down the Reds after being drafted in the 14th round of the MLB Draft. Both are natural shortstops who can also play third or second.
Outfield (Starter Rank: 7, Group Rank: 6)
Miami could employ a whole new starting outfield in 2025. The corners will likely be occupied by transfers Max Galvin and Derek Williams. Galvin is a redshirt junior from Oklahoma State who didn’t get a chance to play for the Cowboys in 2024. He was the MVP of the Northwoods League, however, after hitting .344 with 31 extra base hits and stealing 19 bases. He drove in 70 runs and walked as many times as he struck out. Williams is a high-energy sparkplug who led the Wichita State Shockers with 14 home runs last season while hitting .318.
Penn State transfer Bobby Marsh will also be in the mix for a corner outfield spot, but is the most likely candidate to be the designated hitter. Marsh played in 97 games for the Nittany Lions over two seasons, slashing .310/.384/.490.
The centerfield position will be manned by true freshman Michael Torres. He arrived on campus as the 87th best freshman by Perfect Game and displays elite defensive ability. He also has a cannon for an arm, evidenced by a mid-to-high 90s fastball. He won’t be pitching but will likely be the everyday centerfielder no matter how his bat fares. Fellow freshman Fabio Peralta is also very good defensively and can back-up Torres in center field or see time late in games as a defensive replacement on the corners.
Returners Jake Kulikowski and Gaby Gutierrez provide depth. Kulikowski played in 25 games as a freshman and hit .206 with seven doubles and a home run. He has high upside and decent power, but reports indicate he struggled a bit in the fall. Senior Gaby Gutierrez is another key bench bat that could see pinch hitting or defensive replacement opportunities late in games. He hit .226 in 31 at-bats last year.
As previously mentioned, Todd Hudson and Renzo Gonzalez could get time in the outfield as well.
Projected Lineup
Rotation (Rank: 10)
Seven pitchers started at least one game for the Hurricanes last season but not one of them returns in 2025. In fact, Miami only returns two pitchers that threw innings for them last year in Nick Robert and Brian Walters. Sophomore Roberts was the relief ace for much of the season in 2024, going 5-4 with a 4.79 ERA and four saves in 41.1 innings. He very well could get the chance to lead this staff on Friday nights this season after a strong fall.
Redshirt junior Walters, the younger brother of former Miami closer and current Cleveland Guardians pitcher Andrew Walters, has struggled through injuries over his collegiate career but managed to appear in 15 games for the Canes last season. The righty hurler boasted a 3.29 ERA in 13.2 innings pitched while striking out 22 and only walking two batters. Both he and Roberts feature fastballs that flirt with the high-90s.
Cincinnati transfer Griffin Hugus is also a favorite for the rotation after an impressive summer and fall. The former two-way player went 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA in 11 games for the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod League. Hugus was at his best down the stretch, striking out 24 batters and only walking four as he held opposing hitters to a paltry .186 average.
The fourth option for the rotation comes in the form of Alex Giroux. The former Hawaii righty appeared in 21 games for the Rainbow Warriors last season, starting five of them. Giroux went 7-3 with a 3.43 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 65.2 innings pitched. Aside from Robert, the main trend for Giroux, Hugus, and Walters is that they pound the zone and limit free passes.
Bullpen (Rank: 11)
Miami’s new look bullpen will be led by Lamar transfer Jackson Cleveland. The right-handed senior went 5-0 with a 3.80 ERA in 42.2 innings. He’ll be joined by a trio of graduate transfers in Reese Lumpkin, Carson Fischer, and Will Smith. Lumpkin, a former starter from Winthrop, pitched 67 innings last season and could see his stuff play better as a reliever. Fischer is a D-II transfer from Davenport that started 13 games and had a 4.24 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 80.2 innings. Smith comes over from Coastal Carolina after 28 relief appearances in 2024 where he had a 5.12 ERA. All three are right-handed pitchers.
Another three transfers– Rob Evans, Jake Dorn, and Brixton Lofgren– will also have opportunities to pitch in high-leverage situations. Evans appears set to be Miami’s primary left-handed option. He comes over from Georgia State and has a starter’s arsenal, but his fastball should play up in shorter stints. JUCO transfer Dorn is another southpaw who hasn’t pitched in two years due to injury. Lofgren is a sophomore right-hander who struggled a bit as a freshman at Fordham, but has quality upside.
With limited lefty options, Arteaga will potentially need to rely on two freshmen to contribute early in Ryan Ashford and Michael Fernandez. Fernandez has the higher upside of the two and could battle Evans for the role of best southpaw on the staff. Ashford was named the 292nd ranked freshman to make it to campus by Perfect Game.
Lastly, three highly recruited right-handed freshmen have the talent to force their way into time on the mound. Lazaro Collera had an outstanding fall and, along with the aforementioned Fernandez, is the most likely freshman arm to make an impact this season. Both Tate DeRias and AJ Ciscar have massive potential, but will need time to develop and harness their command for the college level.
Projected Staff
Outlook
Miami might be the toughest team to predict in terms of performance ahead of the 2025 season. With so much turnover and so many new faces, it’s hard to get a gauge on just how good this team can be. After finishing 12th in the conference in batting, runs, home runs, and slugging, the Canes needed to improve their lineup drastically. With the additions they brought in, it’s safe to say they’ll be a much better offensive team in 2025.
The big question mark surrounds the pitching staff. Nick Roberts, Brian Walters, and Griffin Hugus will be expected to deliver in roles they are each unproven in. Likewise, they’ll need to rely on lower level arms improving their career stats against tougher competition. But I like the potential layout of the staff and fully believe this Miami team is capable of returning to the NCAA Tournament. Achieving that goal is an absolute must for the Hurricanes in 2025.
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