What to Know About Gophers Baseball Before Season Opener

Year two of the Ty McDevitt era officially gets underway this weekend in Florida.

Gophers baseball player Sam Hunt. | Eric Miller, University of Minnesota

Gophers baseball officially begins year two under new head coach Ty McDevitt this weekend in Florida. Here's what you need to know ahead of their season opener on Friday afternoon against Stetson University.

2026 season outlook

Minnesota is projected to finish near the bottom of the 17-team Big Ten again in 2026. Minnesota has +8000 odds to win the conference in 2026, which means a $100 wager would net you $8,000 in return. That is tied for the 14th-best odds, alongside Michigan State. They haven't finished higher than ninth in the conference since 2019.

The Gophers had a busy transfer portal cycle in the offseason, losing top players like outfielder Drew Berkland, LHP Noah Rooney and RHP Kyle Remington. They replaced them with plenty of intriguing talent such as North Dakota State infielder Davis Hamilton, Texas A&M RHP Isaac Morton and Belmont outfielder Ty Allen, among others. There's plenty of reason to think they could exceed expectations and improve upon their 24-28 record from last season.

Weekend preview

The Gophers will play three games at Melching Field at Conrad Park in DeLand, Florida, which is the home field of Stetson University. They will open the season on Friday night against the Haters at 5:30 P.M. CT, and then play St. John's on Saturday and Ball State on Sunday.

Stetson Hatters head coach Steve Trimper coaches against the NC State Wolfpack during the NCAA Baseball Regional Tournament at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Ala., on Friday May 30, 2025. | Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Friday vs. Stetson

• Time: 5:30 p.m. CT
• How to watch: ESPN+
• Starting pitcher: Cole Selvig

Betting odds for Friday's Minnesota-Stetson game. | Odds via: DraftKings Sportsbook

Stetson was voted as the preseason favorite in its division of the Atlantic Sun Conference. The Gophers are +145 moneyline betting underdogs for Friday's game, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. They will deploy junior RHP Cole Selvig as the starter, and they should have their handful against a Hatters team that made the NCAA Tournament in 2025.

Saturday vs. St. John's

• Time: 9 a.m. CT
• How to watch: n/a
• Starting pitcher: Isaac Morton

St. John's University in New York City went 29-24 last season. The Red Storm should be an easier matchup for the Gophers, and they will deploy Morton in his first start on the mound for his hometown program after transferring in from Texas A&M in the offseason.

Sunday vs. Ball State

• Time: 8:30 a.m. CT
• How to watch: n/a
• Starting pitcher: Marcus Kruzan

Ball State went 36-22 last season in the Mid-American Conference (MAC). Kruzan spent last season in St. Paul with St. Thomas, and he will make his first start with the Gophers on Sunday.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.