In many ways, 2023 proved to be a fantastic year for Big Ten baseball. The battle for the regular-season championship came down to the wire, and the conference saw two players selected in the first round of the MLB Draft, marking the highest number since 2002. However, despite these achievements, no Big Ten team was able to host regionals, and both Indiana and Iowa fell short of reaching the super regionals, despite making it to the regional finals.
As the Big Ten gears up for the upcoming 2024 season, significant changes are underway. Three teams – Maryland, Northwestern, and Penn State – have undergone head coaching changes. Rob Vaughn, who had been named Big Ten Coach of the Year for the past two seasons at Maryland, left to join Alabama, and Matt Swope has been promoted to fill his shoes. Mike Gambino, formerly of Boston College, has taken over at Penn State, while Ben Greenspan is now leading Northwestern. Additionally, John Anderson, the most successful baseball coach in Big Ten history, has announced his retirement, which will take effect at the end of this season.
Perhaps the most notable transformation on the horizon is the impending overhaul of the Big Ten format. Following the conclusion of this season, four new teams – Oregon, Southern California, UCLA, and Washington – will join the conference. The specifics regarding adjustments to the conference schedule and tournament are still being determined, but it is clear that the landscape of Big Ten baseball will undergo significant changes in 2025.
For now, the stage is set for an intriguing spring season. Iowa, a team that has not clinched a conference title in over three decades, enters as the favorite. Indiana is close on their heels, and several other teams are vying to challenge them for the top spot in the standings.
Below, you will find a breakdown of the current Big Ten rankings as we delve deeper into the conference:
1. Iowa (44-16, 15-8)
2. Indiana (43-20, 16-8)
3. Maryland (42-21, 17-7)
4. Nebraska (33-23, 15-9)
5. Rutgers (33-23, 14-10)
6. Michigan (28-28, 13-11)
7. Ohio State (31-25, 9-15)
8. Penn State (25-25, 7-16)
9. Illinois (25-27, 12-12)
10. Michigan State (33-22, 12-12)
11. Minnesota (18-34, 10-14)
12. Purdue (24-29, 11-13)
13. Northwestern (10-40, 4-20)