SAN MATEO, Calif. – Portland Pilots Baseball was picked to finish second in the annual WCC Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll, earning one first-place vote. The Pilots had three players earn All-WCC Preseason honors as well, with infielders Spencer Scott and Zach Toglia making it as position players and reigning WCC Pitcher of the Year Carter Gaston garnering honors as a pitcher.
 
Scott earned All-WCC Honorable Mention last season and was named to the WCC All-Tournament team, helping lead the Pilots to their second straight WCC Tournament Championship appearance. Scott finished the year with a .316 batting average, racking up 49 hits with three home runs and 27 RBI's. His hit total and batting average ranks second among returning Pilots. His on-base percentage of .447 last year was the highest among returning Pilots as well.
 
Toglia is a powerful batter who led the Pilots in home runs last season with 10. He is the first Pilot since recent Portland Pilots Hall of Fame inductee Kory Casto in 2003 to have back-to-back seasons of 10 home runs or more. Toglia also batted .274 with 15 doubles and 36 RBI's. Two seasons ago, Toglia earned All-WCC First Team honors.
 
Gaston was one of the best pitchers in the West last season, being named the WCC Pitcher of the Year along with earning All-WCC First Team Honors and ABCA/Rawlings West All-Region Second Team. He's the third Pilot to have earned All-Region honors in the last three years and the third since 1992. Gaston posted an 11-2 record with a 3.01 ERA in 80.2 innings, leading the WCC in both wins and ERA. Gaston's 11 wins broke a program record for the Pilots.
 
With 48 points and one first-place vote, Portland was picked second behind the San Diego Toreros, who garnered 64 points in the poll with eight first-place votes. The Gonzaga Bulldogs and Saint Mary's Gaels settled into a tie for third with 44 points each with the Santa Clara Broncos right behind them at 43 points for fifth. The LMU Lions slot into sixth place with 36 points followed by the Pepperdine Waves and San Francisco Dons at 19 and 17 points each. The Pacific Tigers come in at ninth at nine points.
 
The Pilots' season in 2024 was on of the best in program history. They went 37-19 overall and 19-5 against WCC opponents. Their 37 wins were a program record while their 19 conference wins were the most since the 1980 season against conference opponent and the most they've had since joining the WCC. They've advanced to the WCC Tournament Championship each of the last two seasons and have qualified for the WCC Tournament the last three seasons.
 
Opening day is almost here, with the Pilots hitting the road for their first series against the California Baptist Lancers in Riverside, Calif. The Pilots will play a four-game series starting on Friday, Feb. 14, playing through Feb. 17. First pitch for the opener that Friday is set for 6 p.m. Check PortlandPilots.com for live stats and video options.
 
2025 WCC Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll
1. San Diego - 64 points (8)
2. Portland - 48 points (1)
T-3. Gonzaga – 44 points
T-3. Saint Mary's – 44 points
5. Santa Clara – 43 points
6. LMU – 36 points
7. Pepperdine – 19 points
8. San Francisco – 17 points
9. Pacific – 9 points
 
2025 WCC Baseball Preseason Team (Position Players)
Robbie Ayers, LMU
Ben Cleary, Santa Clara
Brian Duroff, Saint Mary's
Tommy Eisenstat, Gonzaga
Jack Gurevitch, San Diego
Ryan Pierce, Saint Mary's
Justin Rubin, Pepperdine                              
Spencer Scott, Portland
Austin Smith, San Diego
Zach Toglia, Portland
 
2025 WCC Baseball Preseason Team (Pitchers)
Derik Eaquinto, Saint Mary's
Justin Feld, Gonzaga
Carter Gaston, Portland
Logan Reddemann, San Diego
Austin Smith, San Diego 

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