What are some of the best D2 Schools for Baseball? Baseball is a sport played at many levels, with the best of the best being played at the Division-I level. There are roughly 300 NCAA college teams who compete in baseball; not just any team will suffice. It takes top-tier talent and true grit to thrive at this level.
College baseball is a fun project for any younger player considering going to a Division 2, 3, or NAIA school. There are so many excellent programs in the United States that even if you fail to make it anywhere else, you have dozens upon dozens of other schools from which to choose. The best D2 baseball schools have a good reputation for developing players.
These schools can get their players drafted by professional teams. The best D2 baseball schools are also good at helping their players grow and mature as people, not just as baseball players. To become a professional baseball player, you need to find the best D2 baseball school that fits your needs. There are many different types of schools, but only a few can help you reach your dreams of becoming a pro ball player.
What is the Best D2 Baseball School, Where I Become A Pro Baseball Player Fast?
The best d2 baseball schools have excellent academic programs designed around athletics and sports management. These programs give students the tools they need to succeed in this industry. To become a professional baseball player, you need to start with the right school. If you are serious about pursuing this career, enrolling in an outstanding school with a good history with baseball is an excellent place to start.
If you’re unsure what to do from here, keep reading this article so I can help you pick the best D2 schools for baseball.
1. North Greenville Crusaders, North Greenville University
North Greenville University is a private, Christian liberal arts university in Tigerville, South Carolina, City/Zip-Tigerville, SC 29688. The school was founded in 1892 and offered more than 50 undergraduate programs and masters and doctoral degrees.
The North Greenville University Director of Athletics is Jan McDonald. What division is North Greenville Baseball? They have currently been dominating Division II Baseball. The Current Enrollment is 2,481. The team Nickname is Crusaders. The school Colors are Red & Black.
North Greenville University Athletics allows students to compete in intercollegiate competitions at the NCAA Division II level. The Crusaders compete in 13 sports (7 men’s and six women’s). The Crusaders play their home games at Mott Baseball Complex on campus. The facility opened in 2010 and featured a grandstand with seating for 500 fans, a press box, and concessions stand.
They are the current 2023 NCAA Division II Baseball Champions with an Impressive 471 points gathered with a record of 54-10.
2023 Record: 54-10
Points: 475
Avg. Cost After Aid: $20K
Grad Rank:
2. Sea Lions, Point Loma Nazarene University
The school’s athletic team is known as the Sea Lions. The athletic teams represent Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California. Kerry Morris and Kerry Everett are baseball hall of Famers who graduated from Point Loma College.
They were also a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), primarily competing as an independent in the West Region of the Division I level; Point Loma became an active member in the NCAA in the summer of 2014, which signified the conclusion of their three-year transition process from the NAIA to NCAA Division II.
In addition to baseball, the Point Loma Sea Lions offer programs in soccer, basketball, volleyball, cheerleading, football (American), flag football, lacrosse, and more. All programs are designed to teach fundamental skills and sportsmanship while having fun.
2023 Record: 51-10
Points: 456
Avg. Cost After Aid: $33,044
Grad Rank: 205
3. Mulerider, Southern Arkansas University
The Southern Arkansas University baseball program has a long and storied tradition dating back to the program’s formation in 1950. Since then, the Muleriders have won four National Junior College Athletic Association national championships and have made the playoffs 11 times in those 72 years.
The Muleriders’ first trip to the national tournament was in 1972 when they finished second in the state tournament with a 26-8 record. The following season, Southern Arkansas won its first state title under head coach Monroe Ingram and went on to win another two titles during his tenure from 1973-79.
After Moore’s departure, Ronnie Wooten took over as head coach for seven seasons from 1980-86, leading Southern Arkansas to two more state championships in 1981 and 1983 before leaving for Dixie State College (Utah). From 1981–2003, Steve Goodheart took over as head coach and led the Muleriders back to the NCAA World Series in 1988, where they finished third out of eight teams. Steve Led the Muleriders to Nine(9) Championship Titles.
In 2006-2010, Southern Arkansas hired long-time assistant coach Allen Gum as its new head coach. In 2009, Gum coached SAU back to the NCAA World Series, where they finished second out of eight teams after losing their opening game against eventual champion Laredo Community College (Texas).
2023 Record: 47-13
Points: 408
Avg. Cost After Aid: $15K
Grad Rank:
4. Rollins Tars, Rollins College
Rollins College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Winter Park, Florida. It has an undergraduate enrollment of 2,127 (2020) students and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Rollins has been ranked among the top 10 Southern Master’s Colleges since 1992.
Rollins college was established in 1885 due to the vision of numerous fervent Congregational Church members, including Francis Knowles. Rollins College was the first college in the State of Florida. The school’s colors are blue and gold. The “Tars” name comes from the school’s mascot: an osprey.
The campus is about 19 miles north of Orlando, Florida. It includes a range of buildings on 140 acres of land with a total area of approximately 1,000. The campus includes several green spaces, including parks, playing fields, and ponds. Rollins College also owns several historic houses that have been turned into dormitories for students attending the school full-time or part-time.
2023 Record: 43-17
Points: 400
Avg. Cost After Aid: $29,806
Grad Rank: 214
5. Angelo State Rams, Angelo State University
Angelo State is a top-25 NCAA Division II baseball program that has won six Lone Star Conference championships, made the NCAA Tournament ten times, and advanced to the Division II College World Series twice.
The Rams are led by head coach Kevin Brooks, who just completed his seventh season with ASU in 2023. Pustejovsky was promoted from assistant coach after Chris Hanks left for UTSA. The Rams went 17-19 in Brooks’ first season at Angelo State.
Brooks coached Baseball National League All-Star Lance Berkman for the Hays Larks throughout his 20 years of coaching expertise. The Hays Larks came second in the 1995 National Baseball Congress (NBC) Championship Series, trailing the USA Olympic Baseball Team.
ASU also has produced numerous All-Americans, including former MLB pitcher and current Cleveland Indians pitching coach Scott Radinsky, who was selected as a first-team All-American in 1976. In addition to producing outstanding team numbers on the field, Angelo State has had eight players selected in Major League Baseball drafts since 2009, three each year from 2009-11, and one player from 2012 to 2015 including 2011 fifth-round pick Scott Diamond. Minnesota Twins picked the latter out of high school.
2023 Record: 51-14
Points: 397
Avg. Cost After Aid: $13K
Grad Rank:
6. West Chester Golden Rams, West Chester University
Located in West Chester, Pennsylvania, West Chester University is a public university founded in 1871 as West Chester Normal School. The school has an enrollment of more than 8,000 students and offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and over 20 graduate programs. With more than 300 student organizations, including Greek life organizations, there are plenty of ways for students to get involved at the university.
The West Chester Baseball Program has been around for over 30 years and is one of the premier programs in the state of Pennsylvania. The program is run by head coach Mike LaRosa, who graduated from West Chester University in 2005 and has been coaching ever since.
The team plays its home games at the beautiful Serpico Stadium Complex located on the West Chester University campus. The facility has six lighted fields and includes locker rooms, concessions, a press box, indoor batting cages, and seating for 1000 fans!
West Chester Baseball Program offers a variety of opportunities for players to develop their skills and talents through practice, games, and tournaments.
The West Chester goal every year is to win a National Championship! This past season was one of their best showings, as they finished sixth in Division II with a record of 36-15 in 2023.
2023 Record: 36-15
Points: 359
Avg. Cost After Aid: $22,495
Grad Rank: 175
7. New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Southern New Hampshire University
Southern New Hampshire is one of the top-ranked baseball programs in the country. The program won five NCAA Division II National Championships in 2015 and 2017. The team also appeared in the title game in 2009, 2011, and 2018.
Southern New Hampshire’s success is a testament to its rich history of developing elite players. More than 100 former Spartans have played professionally after their time at Southern New Hampshire.
The program boasts an impressive lineup of alums that includes former Major League All-Stars Josh Beckett (Boston Red Sox), Mike Lansing (New York Mets), and Jason Bay (Pittsburgh Pirates).
Southern New Hampshire Baseball Program is a Southern New Hampshire University Athletic Department program. The program promotes baseball players’ physical, mental, and social development.
The program offers instruction in hitting, fielding, pitching, throwing, base running, and game strategy. Participants also learn about the rules of baseball and how they apply to game situations. SNHU Baseball’s goal is to provide players with an opportunity to develop skills necessary for competitive play. In addition to skill development, SNHU Baseball allows players to develop leadership skills through team activities such as coaching clinics and team camps.
2023 Record: 46-12
Points: 346
Avg. Cost After Aid: $43K
Grad Rank:
8. Tampa Spartans, University of Tampa
The Tampa Spartans baseball program has been a staple in the Tampa Bay area for over 50 years. The Spartans have won 11 Florida State Championships and have produced countless professional players. The Spartans are currently coached by former major leaguer Joe Urso, who is entering his seventeenth season with the program.
The Spartans’ home field is the University of Tampa Baseball Field, which opened in 1939 with a capacity of 750, and the team’s colors are red, black, and old.
The Spartans were founded in 1977 as a charter member of the Florida High School Athletics Association (FHSAA). They won their first state title in 1984 with a 21-7 record under head coach Brian Sabean, who would coach the team for the last time that same year. During his tenure, he became known as one of the best coaches in Florida high school history, winning their first state championship.
2023 Record: 44-13
Points: 319
Avg. Cost After Aid: $32K
Grad Rank: 547
9. Springfield Lucky Horseshoes, University of Illinois Springfield
The Illinois Springfield Baseball program is a member of the American Midwest Conference. The Prairie Stars are a Division II school competing in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The head coach of this team is Brian Rowland. He has been coaching at Illinois Springfield since 2007 and has accumulated a record of 148-439-3 during his tenure.
In 2019, the Prairie Stars went 7-24 overall and 2-12 in conference play. Their opponents outscored them by a margin of 219 runs to 170 runs during the season. Junior infielder Paul Miller led their offense, who hit .350 on the year with 16 extra-base hits and 24 RBIs in 52 games.
Driven another set him apart from most of his teammates as well as he struggled to put up consistent numbers from start to finish throughout his junior campaign despite being one of only two players who had hit above .300 for them for any period during the entire season due to how inconsistent their lineup was throughout 2019 that year.
On defense, sophomore outfielder Bryan Velasquez came through for him when it mattered most last season when he stole 13 bases in just 34 games while also hitting .362.
2023 Record: 48-11
Points: 314
Avg. Cost After Aid: $12,477
Grad Rank: 622
10. Columbus State Cougars, Columbus State University
CSU’s main campus in downtown Columbus is near the city’s center. The university also maintains satellite campuses throughout the city at Eastgate, Northland, and Westland malls.
The Columbus State baseball program consists of 16 teams, 15 of which represent the University. The 16th team is the Columbus State Cougars, who compete in the National Club Baseball Association (NCBA).
The Cougars are a National Club Baseball Association (NCBA) member and play in the South Region. They have won one NCAA World Series title during their tenure in the league.
2023 Record: 46-13
Points: 302
Avg. Cost After Aid: $12K
Grad Rank:
It is essential to know the competitive baseball program of the college you are choosing from. The school’s team could be the make-or-break factor for your education.
In conclusion, there are many baseball programs among the thirty D2 schools. So, the following list of Top 10 schools is ranked to give you the most balanced athletic, academic, and financial package. Keeping this in mind, we looked at team records over five years, the percentage of college athletes who are students, and student-athletes who graduate within six years.
And if you’ve concerns about burnout or commitment level – these schools can help. These schools all have low excesses and offer multiple avenues for focusing on the top of their athletic success.
