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| College baseball | |
|---|---|
 Daniel Susac (right) batting for the Arizona Wildcats in a game against the California Golden Bears in March 2022 | |
| Governing body | |
| First played | 1947 (United States) 1952 (Japan) |
| Clubs | 301 (in 30 conferences) (NCAA Division I) |
Club competitions | |
Audience records | |
| Single match | 40,106 (San Diego State v Houston) at Petco Park – March 11, 2004[1] |
College baseball is baseball that is played by student-athletes at institutions of higher education. In the United States, college baseball is sanctioned mainly by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); in Japan, it is governed by the All Japan University Baseball Federation (JUBF).
In comparison to American football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional players, as Minor League Baseball tends to be more extensive, with a greater history of supplying players from the high school level to Major League Baseball (MLB). But many amateur baseball players may choose college, for the sake of physical preparation and a softer transition from the high school level to the minor leagues.[2]
If players opt to enroll at a four-year college, they must complete three years of college to regain professional eligibility, or have turned at least age 21 before starting their third year of college. Players who enroll at junior colleges (i.e., two-year institutions) regain eligibility after one year at that level.
During the most recent NCAA regular season, 301 teams competed at the Division I level in the United States, with top teams progressing through the regular season, various conference tournaments and championship series, and the 2024 NCAA Division I baseball tournament to play for the Division I championship in the 2024 Men's College World Series.
- ^ Kenney, Kirk (March 12, 2014). "A night to remember". San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on February 20, 2009.
- ^ "Why Top High School Baseball Recruits Choose College Over The Big Leagues". GMTM. Retrieved May 14, 2024.