The 2025 World Series will be between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers. This is the first postseason meeting between the two franchises.
The battle between the 2024 World Series champions and an organization making its first appearance in more than 30 years features each team featuring budding stars, veterans who are still going strong, and everything in between. And competing on MLB’s biggest stage gives players the chance to cement themselves in playoff history in the biggest moments of their careers.
But for some, it’s not the first time he’s been in the spotlight at the NCAA baseball level.
See where Blue Jays and Dodgers players first became NCAA baseball stars.
Will Smith of the Dodgers and Shane Bieber of the Blue Jays: Rematch after 9 years
Los Angeles and Toronto have never met in the postseason, but players from each team will be reunited: Dodgers catcher Will Smith and Blue Jays right-hander Shane Bieber.
The two faced each other in the 2016 NCAA Baseball Super Regional when Bieber played for UC Santa Barbara and Smith played for Louisville. Bieber took over in Game 1 of the series, allowing just two runs over seven innings in a 4-2 win over the Gauchos. Smith had one of Bieber’s seven hits, but went 2-for-3 with the right-hander with two singles.
Smith played on the Cardinals’ 2016 team, earning All-ACC Third Team honors and being named All-Tournament in the Louisville Region. He led the team in batting average (.382) and slugging percentage (.567) with 43 RBIs during his junior season.
Bieber, the 2020 AL Cy Young winner, was a UCSB standout and will bring the program to his own level Friday night. First Men’s College World Series appearance. A 2016 All-Big West First Team selection, the right-handed starter finished his collegiate career tied for second-most strikeouts (237), third-most wins (23) and fifth-best ERA (2.73) in Gauchos history.
Toronto Blue Jays
| Name | NCAA | Position | Year – Round / Opt | WS Jersey no |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Bassitt | Akron | RHP | 2011 – 16/501 | 40 |
| Daulton Warshaw | Milwaukee | OF | 2017 – CB-B/68 | 5 |
| Eric Lauer | Kent County | LHP | 2016 – 1/25 | 56 |
| Ernie Clement | Virginia | 3B | 2017 – 4/132 | 22 |
| George Springer | UConn | OF | 2011 – 1/11 | 4 |
| Jeff Hoffman | East Carolina | RHP | 2014 – 1/9 | 23 |
| Joey Loperfido | Duke | OF | 2021 – 7/208 | 10 |
| Kevin Gausman | LSU | RHP | 2012 – 1/4 | 34 |
| Louis Varland | Concordia-St. Paul (DII) | RHP | 2019 – 15/449 | 77 |
| Max Scherzer | Missouri | RHP | 2006 – 1/11 | 31 |
| Mason Fluharty | Freedom | LHP | 2022 – 5/158 | 68 |
| Nathan Lux | Sacramento County | OF | 2015 – 7/214 | 38 |
| Shane Bieber | UC Santa Barbara | RHP | 2016 – 4/122 | 57 |
| Trey Yesavige | East Carolina | RHP | 2024 – 1/20 | 39 |
| France | San Diego County | 1B | 2015 – 34/1017 | 2 |
| Tyler Heineman | UCLA | C | 2012 – 8/249 | 55 |
George Springer-UConn
The American League Championship Series 7 hero is no stranger to the spotlight, having played at UConn from 2009-2011.
From the moment he stepped on campus, Springer was a household name on opposing teams when facing the Huskies, leading the team in runs scored (75), home runs (16) and RBI (57) as he earned Rookie of the Year honors.
George Springer always made it to the big moments 😤
Relive his incredible grip @UConnBSB2011 NCAA Baseball Super Regional 🔥#NCAABaseball pic.twitter.com/obu6vzEroZ
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) October 21, 2025
The 2017 World Series MVP put together another strong sophomore campaign, leading UConn to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 16 years. A year later, he helped the Huskies reach the 2011 NCAA Baseball Super Regional for the first time since 1979.
Although Springer’s collegiate career ended there, he still holds many of the program’s career records and was named the 2011 East Conference Player of the Year. He was also a first-team All-American for Perfect Game USA, Louisville Slugger and the NCBWA.
Trey Yesavige – East Carolina
Yesavij’s remarkable path to the majors is one of the greatest events in the World Series. The East Carolina product will make his seventh professional start.
It’s not a feel-good story in the minor leagues or a comeback. The right-hander was competing for ECU just 16 months ago. He pitched in four different minor leagues this season and made his MLB debut in September.
Named the 2024 American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year, Yesavige was East Carolina’s standout player in 2023 and 2024, going 7-1 as a sophomore and 11-1 as a junior.
His biggest postseason moment came in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. He led the Pirates past top-ranked Wake Forest, allowing just one hit over 7.1 innings and holding off 2024 first-round pick Chase Burns.
Trey Yesavage shines at the end of college baseball starting in 2024 NCAA regionals
Max Scherzer – Missouri
With the highest award among the Blue Jays and any player in this year’s World Series, Scherzer’s career accomplishments date back to the mid-2000s at Missouri.
The right-hander’s rise began as a sophomore in 2005, when he led the Big 12 in ERA (1.86) and strikeouts (131) — the latter of which broke a 14-year school record. He was named 12th Pitcher of the Year.
He again led the conference in ERA at 1.95 in 2006 and helped lead the Tigers to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in nearly 40 years. Entering the regional round, Scherzer threw 17 straight without giving up a run.
Scherzer finished his career with 206.1 innings, a 2.40 ERA, and 232 strikeouts.
Ernie Clement – Virginia
Clement orchestrated one of the most historic postseason runs among active MLB players. He has 18 touchdowns in his first 11 postseason games, more than anyone else so far.
Does this ring a bell, Virginia fans?
Clement played for the Cavaliers from 2015-2017 before playing a key role in the Blue Jays’ run. As a 19-year-old freshman, he helped the 2015 Men’s College World Series win their first and only national championship. He was named to the All-College World Series team and batted .292 in Omaha, second best on the team.
The infielder had several standout moments in the tournament, hitting a game-winning single against Vanderbilt in Game 2 of the MCWS finals and sending UVA to the MCWS.
Ernie Clement led the way with his 2015 Men’s College World Series.
Kevin Gausman – LSU
LSU has produced a number of star college pitchers over the years who have shined at the MLB level. Gausman was a perfect example of that, and was the top prospect in college in 2012.
The two-time MLB All-Star was the starting pitcher Friday night for the Tigers, who cruised through the SEC with ease. Posting a 12-2 record and tied for the most wins in the SEC, Gausman had a 2.77 ERA in 18 games (17 starts) and led the conference with 135 strikeouts in 123.2 innings.
He threw back-to-back fastballs to his right-hander that could reach triple digits. Although LSU fell in the Stony Brook Super Regional, Gausman’s one inning of relief came in the 12th inning to set the record straight for a 5-4 win.
Also noteworthy:
Eric Lauer, Kent State: 2016 will always be memorable for the Kent State baseball program, especially because of Lauer. The left-hander, who led the nation in ERA (0.69) and had a no-hitter his junior year, was named the National Pitcher of the Year and the MAC Pitcher of the Year.
Nathan Lukes, Sacramento State: Lukes, who finished a three-year career with the Hornets, was a hitting machine the day he stepped on campus. He finished his career second in hits (244) and runs scored (137), hitting .345 and .347 in his final two seasons, respectively.
Los Angeles Dodgers
| Name | NCAA | Position | Year – Round / Opt | WS Jersey no |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Call | The state of the ball | OF | 2016 – 3/86 | 12 |
| Alex Vecia | Cal State East Bay (DII) | LHP | 2018 – 17/507 | 51 |
| Ben Casparius | UConn | RHP | 2021 – 5/162 | 78 |
| Blake Trainen | South Dakota State | RHP | 2011 – 7/226 | 49 |
| Emmett Sheehan | Boston College | RHP | 2021 – 6/192 | 80 |
| Evan Phillips | UNC Wilmington | RHP | 2015 – 17/510 | 59 |
| Jack Dryer | Iowa | LHP | 2021 – Project not developed | 86 |
| Justin Dean | Lenoir-Rhyne (DII) | OF | 2018 – 17/502 | 75 |
| Justin Wroblski | Oklahoma State | LHP | 2021 – 11/342 | 70 |
| Max Munsey | Baylor | IF | 2012 – 5/169 | 13 |
| Tommy Edman | Stanford | IF/OF | 2016 – 6/196 | 25 |
| Will Klein | Eastern Illinois | RHP | 2020 – 5/135 | 61 |
| Will Smith | Louisville | C | 2016 – 1/32 | 16 |
Max Muncy-Baylor
The Dodgers infielder ran in Waco, Texas, breaking five hitting records as a freshman in 2010 and being named a Louisville Slugger All-American as a freshman. His success continued into the postseason, making the Fort Worth All-Region Tournament.
Although Muncie and the Bears did not win a regional title during his time there, he helped lead Baylor to the regular-season conference championship in 2012.
Not surprisingly, Muncie hit .311 in three years at Baylor, reaching the Dodgers’ all-time hitting record in 2024 with multiple safeties in a single postseason series.
Tommy Edman – Stanford
The 2024 NLCS MVP has hit 140 consecutive games at Stanford since his freshman season.
Talk about sustainability.
A Pac-12 first-team selection and All-Defensive team selection as a junior shortstop, he helped lead the Cardinals to the best defensive season in program history. Offensively, Edman led Stanford in runs (35), hits (61), triples (4) and stolen bases (8).
This play by Stanford’s Tommy Edman was ugly pic.twitter.com/uchMvMSLcG
— Zack (@CardHard11in11) January 11, 2020
Also noteworthy:
Ben Casparius, UConn: Before heading north, Kasparius was a two-time starter at North Carolina with a 1.69 ERA and .316 batting average and was instrumental in the Tar Heels’ run to the MCWS. For the Huskies, he finished second in school single-season history with 127 tackles.
Alex Call, Ball State: Call was the face of Ball State’s 2016 team and was named the MAC Player of the Year, the same year Blue Jays left fielder Eric Lauer won the MAC Pitcher of the Year award at Kent State. The outfielder ranked in the top 10 nationally in total bases (sixth), runs (seventh) and doubles (ninth) and was one or two teams away from tying the program’s single-season record.
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