The inaugural Pac-12 Baseball Tournament kicks off Wednesday, May 25 in Scottsdale, Arizona with eight teams vying for the first-ever tournament title and the league's automatic bid for the postseason. The entire year has led to this moment, so let’s learn a little more about each team ahead of first pitch. 

Here is one thing you need to know about them as they get ready to make history at the first-ever Pac-12 Baseball Tournament.  

No 1. Stanford Cardinal

They are RED HOT. 

Ranked first in runs scored and second in runs allowed in conference play, Stanford heads into the Pac-12 Tournament with a full head of steam after winning 12 straight games to close out the season and claim the Pac-12 regular-season title. And it’s not like the Cardinal has been feasting on lower competition. It has won seven of its last eight conference series.

With the No. 1 seed and all the momentum, Stanford will be incredibly dangerous in Scottsdale. 

No. 2 Oregon State Beavers

They have the top player in the conference.

After putting together a dominant season in Corvallis, outfielder Jacob Melton was named the 2022 Pac-12 Baseball Player of the Year on Tuesday. Melton finished the regular season leading the conference in RBI (71), slugging percentage (.702), and total bases (146). The junior is also ranked in the top 10 in the Pac-12 in several categories including second in stolen bases (19), third in doubles (20), fourth in batting average (.361), fourth in runs (57), fifth in home runs (15), seventh in hits (75), and 10th in on-base percentage (.429). 

No. 3 UCLA Bruins

They have the most well-rounded pitching staff in the Pac-12.

If you believe the axiom that “pitching wins championships,” then you have to like UCLA’s odds. The Bruins were dominant throughout their rotation and bullpen, compiling a league-best 3.55 ERA. UCLA also led the Pac-12 in total strikeouts (520) and had the second-fewest walks allowed (160). 

No. 4 Oregon Ducks

They can score at will.

If the Ducks go down, they’ll be going down swinging. Oregon led the Pac-12 in most offensive categories including total runs (415), hits (606), RBI (381) and batting average (.307).

To win the Pac-12 Tournament, the Ducks may have to win a few high-scoring games. With a lineup that can mash from 1-9, they can do just that. 

No. 5 Arizona Wildcats

They might feature a future MLB All-Star. 

Daniel Susac led Arizona to a 35-14 record by hitting .362 (fourth in the Pac-12) and anchoring' the Wildcats pitching staff as their sure-handed catcher. While Susac has not declared for the MLB Draft, he is currently projected to be a top-11 pick by MLB.com, the highest projection for any Pac-12 student-athlete. 

No. 6 California Golden Bears

They are fighters.

Coming into the final series of the season, there was a very real possibility that Cal could miss the Pac-12 Tournament entirely. Instead, the Bears swept Utah and went from being on the outside looking in to the No. 6 seed in the tournament. Overall, the Golden Bears finished the season on a six-game winning streak and will be a tough out for any team at the tournament. 

No. 7 Washington Huskies

They are also RED HOT. 

You might remember from the top of this article that Stanford has won 12 straight games heading into the Pac-12 Tournament. Well, they aren’t the only ones. Washington also closed the season by winning a dozen in a row. As the No. 7 seed, the Huskies will have a difficult path to the Pac-12 trophy but the postseason is about getting hot at the right moment, and the Huskies couldn’t be peaking at a better time. 

No. 8 Arizona State Sun Devils

They’ll be close to home.

While ASU was the last team to clinch a tournament berth, the Sun Devils won't have to travel far to join the fun. Scottsdale Stadium is less than five miles from Phoenix Municipal Stadium, the Sun Devils' home ballpark. 

This could have major ramifications. Aside from the comfort of playing near home, Arizona State will be one of the few teams that’s used to playing in warm Arizona weather. Temperatures may top 100 degrees throughout the week. For the Sun Devils, that’s just another day at the office.