Pre-Season Hyper-Analytical Computer Power Rankings

Pre-Season Hyper-Analytical Computer Power Rankings

With the CCW season starting just this weekend, it’s time to see what the computer models think about the teams coming into the regular season. We plugged everything into our algorithmic models - powerful enough to make any MLB executive envious - and came away with these findings. The robots are coming for all our jobs, anyway.

Each team was ranked in 5 categories, with a 6th serving as a tiebreaker.

• Ace - ranking each team’s number 1 pitcher
• Pitching Depth - ranking the impact of the other pitchers on each team’s roster
• Top of the Lineup - ranking the potency of the top 2 projected hitters for each team
• Lineup Depth - ranking the potential impact of the rest of the roster at the plate
• Team Fielding - ranking the defensive effectiveness of each team’s most likely fielders
• Vibes - ranking how likely the team is to gel and get the most out of their players

We then averaged the first 5 factors equally, with the Vibes category serving as a tiebreaker when necessary. Let’s get to the rankings.

1. Short Shorts

Ace - 5th
Pitching Depth - 1st
Top of the Lineup - 4th
Lineup Depth - 5th
Team Fielding - 1st
Vibes - 4th

The defending champion Shorts come into 2026 holding onto their top spot in the rankings, with what looks to be a formidable, well-rounded group. Their run prevention ought to be among the top in the league, with the pitchers’ room consisting of proven ace Dustin Dowden, co-ace Brayden Scott, promising rookie Jared Grat, and the option to bring Brendan Dudas in for short-burst outings. Additionally, Dudas and Scott are likely the two most gifted defenders in the league, and so scoring runs off balls in play against whoever is on the mound will be a challenge.

This team doesn’t have a true weakness, but they’ll be relying on Dudas to carry the freight offensively, and for Cody House to continue his success from last season, and will be relying on unproven or inconsistent bats behind them. 

2. Gold Socks

Ace - 7th
Pitching Depth - 3rd
Top of the Lineup - 3rd
Lineup Depth - 1st
Team Fielding - 2nd
Vibes - 7th

The Gold Socks, one of CCW’s two new franchises for this season, have assembled a high-floor, well-balanced roster as we head into the regular season. They’ve got an incredibly deep group, with Connor Young likely occupying the third hitter and pitcher role on this team - though he’d settle as the second of both on most others. Dalsen Murdock and Tristan Dudas round out a talented and deep stable of hitters. At the top of the order, Austin Alles and Rudy Lyon pair up for an imposing duo not only in the lineup, but on the bump, as well.

The only thing holding this team back from the top spot is the lack of a proven shutdown ace on the squad. Alles can fill that void if he takes another step forward this season, but as of now, he lines up 7th out of 7 in that department. Regarding the vibes - this is a group of guys that largely have not played together, and some of whom have suffered disappointing, underperforming seasons in recent memory. There’s some concern that if they get off to a slow start, the group won’t coalesce and start to press too early. 

3. Outlaws

Ace - 6th
Pitching Depth - 4th
Top of the Lineup - 2nd
Lineup Depth - 3rd
Team Fielding - 4th
Vibes - 2nd

The Outlaws roster is constructed similarly to the Socks’ - perhaps trading in some depth for impact, though. Cade Luker and Alex Gurtcheff at the top of the lineup look like one of the very best duos in the league. Behind them, Jay Wilsey and Mitch Buis are reliable bats to round out the order. 

Buis is a proven, effective arm, but lacks the potential for dominance that the aces ahead of him carry. They have plenty of pitching depth behind him - Gurtcheff, Ian Garavalia, and Wilsey can all throw productive innings, but they lack the impact potential that other groups may have. 

4. Hounds

Ace - 1st
Pitching Depth - 7th
Top of the Lineup - 7th
Lineup Depth - 2nd
Team Fielding - 3rd
Vibes - 3rd

Myc Witty’s Hounds roster has some of the highest potential for variance on paper. Their strength is obvious - Witty is the best wiffle ball pitcher on the planet, and anyone arguing otherwise at this point is frankly delusional. He and Coby Taylor are strong defenders, as is Mitch Unversaw. And, while the top of their order may lack impact, their depth options of Unversaw, Dalton Lewis, and helium pick Byron Young should all provide more value than most other teams are getting from the back of their lineup. 

However, the front two at the plate of Witty and Taylor lack the offensive pedigree that their league counterparts have. And, after Witty on the mound, they’ll turn to Lewis and Young in all likelihood to cover the rest of the innings. Lewis is solid as a backend two or top-end 3, but Byron is still unproven, and neither has the potential to take over a game that some other depth arms sport. 

5. Moonshots

Ace - 2nd
Pitching Depth - 5th
Top of the Lineup - 1st
Lineup Depth - 7th
Team Fielding - 6th
Vibes - 5th


The Moonshots were the immediate darlings after the CCW league draft, but our models value depth and balance higher than most observers - something that the Shots comparatively lack. Their top-end impact talent may be the best in the league, which is, of course, a product of two-way juggernaut Will Smithey leading the way. He’ll almost certainly be a top 3 pitcher and a top 5 hitter, with the chance to be tops in the league both ways. Thomas Hopkins is a formidable batter for the two hole, making the first two outs against the Moonshots - and half of their playoff outs - hard to come by. 

After that, though, there are question marks, albeit with upside. Alec Buchman will be their second arm, with the potential to be another ace-level contributor. But, he hasn’t shown it since 2021, and so our models preach caution here. A combination of Eric Starke and Kent Nims, two others who will need to prove their worth, will fill the remaining innings. In the lineup, there unfortunately isn’t much impact at all behind Smithey and Hopkins. Josh Hart, Nims, and Starke will likely compete for the 3 and 4 hole spots, and none of those options inspires much confidence. 

6. Ligers

Ace - 4th
Pitching Depth - 2nd
Top of the Lineup - 6th
Lineup Depth - 4th
Team Fielding - 7th
Vibes - 6th

The Ligers have way more talent than you would expect for the 6th-ranked roster - the problem is that their roster construction is frankly confusing. Aidan and Holden Palmer comprise a powerful two-thirds of a pitching group, both with top-five upside in the league. That two-headed monster is their strength, especially with Holden as a second pitcher who can outperform other teams’ number ones. 

Beyond that, however, there are some challenging fits, and a lot of bets on progression. Dylan Jones is a hitter you’re more than happy with anchoring the lineup, but Aidan will have to take a step forward to be an above-average second bat. After that, they’re really hoping for breakouts from Connor Smith and Nolan Karwoski at the plate - which is certainly possible - otherwise this team may struggle to score. Behind the Palmers, literally any other player on the roster could end up eating the rest of the innings. I imagine they’ll keep throwing different options at the wall until something sticks. Regarding their team defense - let’s just say that if you’re hitting against this team, you're running out what should be routine plays. 

7. 8 Balls

Ace - 3rd
Pitching Depth - 6th
Top of the Lineup - 5th
Lineup Depth - 6th
Team Fielding - 5th
Vibes - 1st

Last year’s runners-up, the 8 Balls, enter this season as the clear low point in our projections. Reigning MVP Reid Werner has assembled a group of veteran, great teammate types, and regardless of their win total, everyone on this squad is going to have a fun summer of wiffle ball. They’re likely to knock down more beers than runs this season, though. Reid anchors the team on both sides of the ball, and he’s elite in both respects. Dustin Laugel is a solid number two arm and a good fit behind Reid in the rotation.

Our models really struggle to see how this team scores runs outside of Werner’s heroics, though. They’ll be betting on Justin Swingler to take a step forward, as he’s the likeliest candidate to be their next best hitter. Laugel and another veteran, Keegan Caughey, will likely fill out their best lineup, both of whom are veterans without much pop in their bats. They’ve got some options to fill in on the mound, between Alec Berninger, rookie Adam Watson, and their preferred result, that Swingler’s arm is healthy and effective. This team looks lacking on paper, but the modern 8 Balls have beaten the projections time and time again, and they’ll look to do the same in 2026. 

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How do your personal power rankings compare to the machine’s? Who is way too high, or too low? We’ll see how accurate these look starting Sunday, May 3, when CCW action gets underway. 

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