The new college baseball eligibility rules could impact Virginia baseball in a major way

Great change is sweeping the NCAA, and baseball is among the most affected sports

Virginia women's basketball Coach Aaron Roussell (L) and baseball Coach Chris Pollard (R) talk as Roussell prepares to throw the ceremonial first pitch April 16 at Disharoon Park. | Courtesy Virginia Athletics

College baseball is experiencing its biggest eligibility overhaul in decades, or potentially ever. The sport is being transformed in potentially two major ways — one by the NCAA, and another being considered by MLB.

College baseball is about to change, massively. The changes will affect Virginia. 

NCAA: Five in five

Wednesday, the NCAA Division I Cabinet unanimously greenlit an age-based eligibility structure deemed the “five in five model.” Essentially, student-athletes have five years to play up to five seasons of an NCAA sport — starting either when they enroll full-time at an accredited institution or the beginning of the academic year following their 19th birthday, whichever comes first.

According to ESPN’s Andrea Adelson, student-athletes who just completed their fourth season of eligibility without a redshirt will not be given an additional season. Schools will have flexibility in determining whether to use previous eligibility rules or the new age-based model for any student-athletes with eligibility remaining after the 2025-26 academic year.

The five-in-five rules will apply to all student-athletes starting in the upcoming 2026-27 academic year. It will not apply to athletes who have recently exhausted eligibility.

The five in five system could affect Virginia baseball’s transfer strategy.

Coach Chris Pollard and company have often gone digging for talented bullpen pitchers who have spent several years at different schools and perhaps have not received their ideal opportunity. Those seasoned pitchers can turn into major stars — Lucas Hartman and Tyler Kapa are fifth-year seniors who anchored Virginia’s bullpen this season.

Under the previous rules, there was every incentive to seek “super senior” pitchers. After all, an experienced 23-year-old hurler is far more likely to be reliable compared to an 18-year-old freshman. Virginia did not abuse this rule — both Hartman and Kapa would have been eligible this season under the five in five system — but now, the market for fifth-year pitchers is going to become extremely competitive, even more than it already was.

College baseball is unique in that the junior college level is full of potential Division I stars — infinitely more so than in other sports. Now, though, JUCO years count as part of the five-year clock. JUCO was previously a semi-debatable space in which student-athletes could occasionally acquire extra seasons of NCAA eligibility upon transferring.

MLB: No high school players eligible for future drafts?

While five in five will undoubtedly change the NCAA in major ways, the MLB Collective Bargaining Agreement might affect college baseball much more deeply.

MLB proposed a new system in which a player must be at least two years removed from high school graduation in order to be eligible for the MLB Draft. Additionally, the MLB Draft would go down to 12 rounds, from the previous 20. Any player outside of the United States, Canada or Puerto Rico could partake in an international draft, but the entry age would be moved up from 16 to 18. 

Under current rules, there are almost no college sophomores eligible to be drafted. MLB is proposing to change that — which would mean the Cavaliers probably lose loads of talent to the draft, but they would at least have their players for two seasons. The trade of keeping all high school commits, for players being able to leave for the draft one year earlier, could be a net positive for Virginia.

MLB argued that the proposed system would benefit college baseball.

"By creating a draft system centered around college-aged players and making most college players eligible one year earlier, more players will benefit from both a college education and an elite development environment while reaching professional baseball — and ultimately the major leagues — more quickly. We believe these changes will strengthen college baseball and deepen fans' connection to the next generation of major league stars."

In short, this system would inject Virginia baseball with even more high-level talent. The Cavaliers produce a top-10 recruiting class year in and year out, and they almost always lose a few of their top recruits to the MLB Draft. For reference, here are some of those recent talents:

INF Bo Lowrance: Projected top-20 selection (2026)

INF Caleb Bonemer: Chicago White Sox No. 1 prospect (2024 selection)

OF Jonny Farmelo: Seattle Mariners No. 6 prospect (2023 selection)

SS Nick Becker: Seattle Mariners No. 9 prospect (2025 selection)

RHP Trey Gregory-Alford: Los Angeles Angels No. 9 prospect (2024 selection)

INF Luke Dickerson: Washington Nationals No. 10 prospect (2024 selection)

RHP Bryce Meccage: Milwaukee Brewers No. 18 prospect (2024 selection)

The list goes on. For several years, Virginia has lost elite talent to the MLB Draft. In fact, Gregory-Alford attended UVA orientation at one point — assuming he would play for the Cavaliers — before the Angels offered him an unprecedented overslot contract in the 11th round back in 2024. He signed, and never played for Virginia.

Some members of the MLB Players Association, have opposed the elimination of high school draft eligibility, claiming that it punishes the top talents who are ready to become top picks. 

However, as MLB stated, the new system could be hugely beneficial for college baseball. In particular, the best programs with prized recruits would certainly appreciate the removal of draft vultures. 

The new CBA might not include this rule. It might not become formalized on time, either. But if high school draft eligibility does go away, expect Pollard to reel in some of the top incoming freshmen in the country.