Has Arizona State Baseball Underachieved?

The 2025 Arizona State baseball team can be seen from a glass half empty or full perspective - depending on the angle one decides to take.

On one side of the equation, the Sun Devils posted a 35-21 record and are on pace to make the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2021.

On the other side is the belief that this particular squad is simply too talented to not host a regional pertaining to the tournament in now what is year four of the Willie Bloomquist era.

Jason Rudner took to the Baseball America podcast early this week and had some pointed things to say about Arizona State.

"The fact we're asking these questions is a little surprising. I don't know why we're having to wonder what ASU is from a postseason standpoint," Rudner said.

"ASU has had pitching talent under Willie Bloomquist that has fallen flat, completely flat. You're not beating the teams you're clearly more talented than and at this point in the year, on May 19, to be having a conversation about whether ASU is in the field or not or even the fact that it's a three-seed and not at the hosting line, that's surprising to me."

"I struggle with the idea that Arizona State, with the amount of talent that it has on its roster, should even be in the conversation that we're having right now… This is one of the most talented rosters in the country. Forget the Big 12. They have ample draft prospects. I believe at the beginning of the year, among our top-200 ranked prospects for this year's draft, ASU had more than any other Big 12 school."

"We're talking about a team that will out-talent most other teams in its league when it comes to draft time and it will be reflected in average draft position and total drafted players."

The Sun Devils have shown progress in many areas and could still make a run in the NCAA tournament, but lapses throughout the season - including being swept by Oklahoma State in the final series of the regular season - have cost them the ability to hold an advantage as a host during the regional round.

While it can be argued that the best days of this program are in the past, there are still many signs that point to potential for the glory days to eventually return to the five-time national champs.

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