The Southwest is known for its top-ranked baseball programs. Warm temperatures and little rainfall create ideal conditions for players and spectators. Even though the Southwest has the fewest number of baseball teams of all the regions -- 29 Division I schools -- it contains some dominant baseball programs. The University of Texas, Arizona State, Rice University, Texas A&M and Baylor University have well-renowned baseball programs in the region. According to 2013 data, Arizona State, the University of Texas and Rice University in Houston make the top 10 list for producing players who have gone on to play Major League Baseball as professional athletes, according to Real Clear Sports.
The West is saturated with powerful baseball colleges and boasts 42 Division I programs. Some of the top schools include the University of California at Los Angeles, Stanford University, California State University at Fullerton, Long Beach State University and Oregon State University. Long Beach State University ranks as the number one college to produce MLB players, according to Real Clear Sports. For example, in 2014, Oregon State moved into the top spot on the Baseball America Top 25 list for the first time since winning the College World Series in 2007, according to Baseball America. At the time of publication, the National Collegiate Athletic Association ranked Oregon State University second, and California Polytechnic State University sixth.
There's no shortage of top-ranked baseball colleges in the South, especially when you consider powerhouse schools in Florida and Louisiana. The South has the largest number of Division I teams -- 94 programs. It also has the largest number of top-ranked college baseball programs, according to Athnet, a company run by former athletes who provide families with sports scholarship resources. Real Clear Sports reports that the University of Miami, Florida State University, Louisiana State University and the Georgia Institute of Technology rank second, fifth, sixth and eighth respectively, as the top schools to produce MLB players. In 2014, the University of Louisiana in Lafayette, Louisiana State University and Florida State ranked in the NCAA's top five list, according to their baseball win-loss records in the spring.
The Midwest has 53 Division I baseball programs, but the region doesn't usually stand out as a dominant area for top-ranked baseball schools. Cold spring temperatures and inclement weather conditions result in a shorter practice season. Some of the top schools include Purdue University, Ohio State University, Michigan State University, the University of Illinois and the University of Nebraska, according to Athnet. The NCAA ranked the University of Indiana 11th and the University of Nebraska 21st, according to 2014 spring win-loss statistics.
The Northeast has 37 Division I programs, but only a few top-ranked baseball colleges, such as the University of Connecticut, St. Johns University in New York and Boston College. However, the Northeast boasts several of the top-ranked educational schools with baseball programs, such as Harvard University and Columbia University, so if academics are a high priority, these schools might be a good fit. The Mid-Atlantic region has 43 Division I baseball programs with the University of Maryland, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech and Rutgers University standing out as high performers in the sport. The University of Virginia ranked third -- one of only two schools outside the South -- to make the NCAA's top 5 list in the spring of 2014.