College Baseball: 2026 Big 12 Conference Preview

School	Overall Record	Conference Record
West Virginia*	44-16	19-9
Kansas*	43-17	20-10
TCU*	39-20	19-11
Arizona*	44-21	18-12
Arizona State*	36-24	18-12
Kansas State*	32-26	17-13
Oklahoma State*	30-25	15-12
Cincinnati*	33-26	16-14
Texas Tech	20-33	13-17
Baylor	33-22	13-17
Houston	30-25	12-17
BYU	28-27	10-20
UCF	29-26	9-21
Utah	21-29	8-22

*NCAA Tournament appearance

Preseason Awards Winners:

Player of Year: OF Sawyer Strosnider – TCU

Pitcher of the Year: Owen Kramkowski – Arizona

Freshman of the Year: Lucas Franco – TCU

Transfer of the Year: Hudson Barrett – Oklahoma State

Preseason All-Conference Team:

C: Jack Natili, Cincinnati

1B: Brady Ballinger, Kansas

2B: Dariel Osoria, Kansas

SS: Travis Sanders, Baylor

3B: Cade Climie, Houston

OF: Sawyer Strosnider, TCU

OF: Tre Broussard, Houston

OF: Logan Hughes, Texas Tech

UTL: Andrew Williamson, UCF

DH: Chase Brunson, TCU

SP: Tommy LaPour, TCU

SP – Owen Kramkowski, Arizona

SP: Colter McAnelly, Utah

RP – Tony Pluta, Arizona

Projected Conference Champion

TCU Horned Frogs

Our preseason lists and rankings are littered with Horned Frogs, and there’s a reason I’ve been beating the drum on this squad all offseason.

Sure, part of it is my slight bias as the team that got me into college baseball, but their No. 7 ranking speaks volumes as to why this team has a legit shot to make a run.

Head Coach Kirk Saarloos enters his fifth season as Head Coach of the Horned Frogs after finishing 39-20 in 2025, seeing their season end in the Corvallis Regional.

Fortunately, TCU brings back six offensive starters from a year ago, and plenty on the mound to not only be an Omaha threat, but a legit chance to be the final team standing in that glorious dogpile.

It starts with the reigning Big 12 Freshman of the Year patrolling the outfield in now draft-eligible sophomore Sawyer Strosnider.

Strosnider not only set a single-season program record for triples in a single season (10), but also led the country in them in his first taste of college baseball. A true five-tool player with a rare balance of speed and power, doing truly everything at an extremely high level.

The outfielder slashed .350/.420/.650 with 13 doubles, 10 triples, 11 home runs, 51 RBI, and 10 stolen bases. He’ll anchor down this TCU offense, and while it’s hard to imagine the smooth-swinging lefty taking a step forward, I believe we’ll see another jump.

TCU was known for its elite freshman class in 2025, and the supporting cast to Strosnider isn’t far behind in returning utility-man Noah Franco and catcher Nolan Traeger, who both finished their freshman campaign with a .900 OPS and better, starting 40-plus games as well.

Junior outfielder Chase Brunson makes his return after a monster leap in 2025, going into his third year as a starter, and looks to take another leap in his development. Brunson slashed .317/.395/.554 with 13 doubles, 12 home runs, and 46 RBI a year ago and will be another big producer for the Frogs in 2026.

Rounding out the returning starters is third-baseman Jack Bell, who drove in 31 a year ago, grad-senior second-baseman Cole Cramer, the lone Horned Frog to start all 59 games in 2025, and truly a glue-guy in the clubhouse.

Taking over the shortstop duties from long-time Horned Frog Anothony Silva will be true-freshman Lucas Franco, the No. 51 overall prep player in the class.

With a long frame, smooth infield movements, and more than enough arm to slot into the six, I anticipate the Texas native making an immediate impact.

Redshirt-senior outfielder Jack Arthur should round out the Horned Frogs lineup in his third year on the team, who made eight starts in 2025, driving in nine runs in his limited at-bats.

The lone transfer expected to make an impact is Incarnate Word transfer, first baseman Rob Liddington Jr., who slashed .359/.448/.675 with 15 home runs and 50 RBI. With some thump in the bat, he could prove to be a force in the middle of the order.

On the mound, and potential Big 12 Pitcher of the Year, Tommy LaPour will anchor Friday nights for the Frogs after racking up 88 strikeouts over 90 ⅓ innings of work to the tune of a 3.09 ERA, the Big 12’s returning best.

The righty showcases a four-pitch mix, with a fastball running in the upper 90s, his bread and butter offspeed being a low 80s slider with tight movement. Rounding out the arsenal is a change-up and curveball, and when LaPour is landing on all four, opposing hitters are in big trouble.

Southpaw sophomore Mason Brassfield will look to take another big step after an impactful freshman season, taking a lot of the duties from Ben Abeld,t who missed the 2025 season with Tommy John surgery. Brasfield made seven starts over his 18 appearances, tallying 61 ⅔ innings of work with 68 punchouts, holding opposing hitters to a .254 average. 

Sophomore right-hander Nate Stern also makes his return to Fort Worth as a key piece of the bullpen in 2025, making 15 appearances and a lone start in the Big 12 tournament, racking up a team-best 1.35 ERA in 20 innings of work with 29 strikeouts and a mere .181 average against him.

With a young core that has more than enough experience, and a Skipper like Kirk Saarloos, there truly isn’t much this TCU ballclub isn’t set up to achieve, and there is a good reason they have been picked in most preseason “Omaha 8’s” and should be a clear frontrunner in the Big 12.

Teams to Watch

Arizona Wildcats

Chip Hale will also enter his fifth year at the helm for the Arizona Wildcats, coming off his first season in the Big 12 racked up a conference tournament title, an Omaha appearance, and a 44-21 record.

While losing key starpower in highly regarded draft picks Brendan Summerhill and Mason White, along with catcher Adonys Guzman, they return their entire rotation, arguably the best closer in the nation, and added in the portal more arms. 

However, before we dive into it all, we have to talk about arguably the biggest loss for Chip Hale’s clubhouse in pitching Coach Kevin Vance after taking the head coaching job at San Diego State. A well-deserved jump, but certainly will create some question marks around the development of their pitching staff. 

With lots of offensive pieces looking to fill the void in 2026, first baseman Andrew Cain will look to do major damage in the middle of the order, putting up gaudy numbers in fall camp backed up by six home runs and an .837 OPS a year ago.

Infielders Maddox Mihalakis and Mathis Meurant look to take big leaps forward, and nobody is more bullish on the duo taking that leap than I am.

Muerant will patrol shortstop and after battling injury for the better part of 2025, only starting 27 games, but was productive in his time, driving in 15 runs. Mihalakis should stick at the hot-corner after starting 60 games in 2025, posting a .775 OPS with 13 doubles, and I anticipate another big step forward. 

Grad-senior UW-Milwaukee transfer Tyler Bickers should take over duties at second base after slashing .369/.482/.498 with 11 doubles and 42 RBI for the Panthers a year ago.

A true table-setter profile, and while the power numbers will likely decrease, Bickers is an on-base machine and should be a major run-producing factor.

Despite the loss of pitching coach Kevin Vance, the pitching staff was a major factor in the Wildcats 2025 Omaha run, and if they collectively take another step forward, we could be looking at another postseason contender.

Junior right-hander Owen Kramkowski will take the stage for the Cats, as arguably one of the best arms in the 2026 draft class, with an effortless low-90s fastball and a mid-80s slider to back it up. His 90 punchouts over 92 innings a year ago show his ability to not only be a workhorse but also generate plenty of swings-and-misses.

Potentially the most anticipated return in the country comes in sophomore right-hander Smith Bailey, who lit the college baseball world on fire as a true freshman after being named to the Freshman All-American Team and Big 12 All-Freshman Team. Bailey posted a 3.94 ERA in 89 innings, making 18 starts, keeping hitters to a .287 average, all while striking out 80. 

Junior righty Collin McKinney, while overshadowed at times by the others in 2025, was as steady as a rock in 13 starts, posting a 3.98 ERA, 62 strikeouts, and .234 batting average against. McKinney could be a swing-man this year, but his experience and versatility in different roles will pay huge dividends for the Cats.

The Wildcats’ most intriguing portal-grab comes in senior southpaw Luc Fladda, who is making the jump from Tulane after making 15 starts for the Green Wave, racking up 76 ⅔ innings.

Don’t be fooled by the 6.69 ERA; Fladda can make a huge impact this season, as shown in his sophomore year with the Wave, where he posted a 4.77 ERA over 83 innings.

Anchoring the bullpen yet again, arguably the best closer in the country, All-American, and NWBCA Stopper of the Year, is right-hander Tony Pluta.

Pluta led the Wildcats with 14 saves over 30 appearances and 37 innings with 34 strikeouts to just seven walks with a .219 batting average against.

A true over-the-top release with a heavy low-90s fastball and nasty breaking stuff to back it up, indicative of allowing just three extra-base hits all season, none of which left the yard.

Not only did Pluta allow runs in just three of his 30 appearances, but he also did not allow an earned run in 15 consecutive appearances spanning from April 5th to June 15th.

With a veteran-filled pitching staff, it’s hard not to pencil in the Cats for another 40-win season, but with key run producers and a pitching coach out the door, it’s going to be a game of wait-and-see.

Kansas Jayhawks

Head Coach Dan Fitzgerald comes off his true breakout season at Kansas, leading the Jayhawks to a 43-17 record and postseason appearance, earning his rightful award as Big 12 Coach of the Year, and looks to build on his fourth season as Skipper.

While they will look to adjust from losing key pieces like pitcher Cooper Moore, outfielders Jackson Hauge and Derek Cerda, and infielder Brady Counsell, the Jayhawks bring back a core to build off of that should propel them into a position to win a fair chunk of baseball games in 2026.

Offensively, the Jayhawks will lean heavily on junior first baseman Brady Ballinger, who notched All-Conference First Team and All-American Third Team honors in 2025 with his .353/.495/.670 slash line.

Ballinger looks to potentially make the leap to outfield in 2026, but led the Jayhawks in OPS (1.165) while blasting 16 dingers, 21 doubles, and supplying 56 RBI in 2025.

Senior second baseman Dariel Osoria makes his return as well after making 52 starts in 2025, finishing 2nd on the team in average (.324) with 13 doubles, nine home runs, 47 RBI, and a .960 OPS.

With a loud swing providing tons of juice, he’ll continue to be a force in the middle of the order and a major run-producer.

There will be a plethora of new faces for the Jayhawks offensively, as they recruited the Junior-College ranks heavily, and we may see five starters as junior-college transfers.

Southern Illinois grad-senior Jordan Bach will make the jump to Lawrence after slashing .309/.432/.564 with 19 doubles, 11 home runs, 41 RBI, and 12 stolen bases in 2025 for the Salukis, plugging a lot of speed and power into the Jayhawks outfield.

The pitching staff will be led by junior right-hander Dominic Voegele after a sophomore campaign filled with peaks and valleys, finishing his year making 16 starts with 96 ⅓ innings pitched, 89 strikeouts, and holding hitters to a .256 average. Truly, one of the best in the conference when his stuff is working, and the ERA of 5.70 is not indicative of what he’s capable of.

Senior righty Kannon Carr also makes his return after making 18 appearances and 10 starts in his first season as a Jayhawk, punching out 50 over 55 innings, posting a 4.42 ERA. 

Dan Fitzgerald has created plenty of hype and results in his time in Lawrence so far, and looks to keep the momentum after missing a Big 12 regular season title via tiebreaker in 2025.

Houston Cougars

Despite a sub .500 conference record finish in 2025, Houston wrapped up their season 30-25 overall. Head Coach Todd Whitting has plenty to be excited about regarding his returning ballclub entering his 16th season with the Cougars.

While they’ll miss the dominant pitching performances of Antoine Jean, the Cougars have a solid core of upperclassman bats, including two All-Conference selections, and arms to build on, and should take a significant step forward in the wins column in 2026.

Junior outfielder Tre Broussard will be the centerpiece of the Cougars offense coming off a Summer in the Cape Cod, where he hit .296 and swiped 10 bags.

As a sophomore, Broussard led the Cougars in hits (62), and stolen bases (31), while slashing .292/.371/.458 with 12 doubles, seven home runs, 34 RBI, and 43 runs scored. All while playing an elite defensive outfield, he’s every bit of a superstar in the making.

Senior third baseman Cade Climie may be the biggest breakout player in the making, notching our All-Conference team after wrapping up his junior year, where he led the Cougars with nine home runs, posting a team best .921 OPS while driving in 37 runs.

With loud power tools, Climme is poised to shock a lot of the college baseball world with his 2026 performance.

Redshirt sophomore utility man Xavier Perez returns after a very solid first year leading the Cougars in batting average (.305), while notching a .902 OPS with nine home runs, 12 doubles, 10 stolen bases, and a team high 48 RBI, a big-time bat in the middle of the Cougars’ order.

Senior shortstop Tyler Cox, the only Cougar to start all 55 games, looks to become a bigger power threat after finishing his season with a .269 average (3rd on team), but an OPS of just .678 with six extra-base hits and 31 RBI. 

Prairie View A&M transfer Landon Williams looks to take over the duties behind the dish, slashing .376/.470/.671 with 13 doubles, 12 home runs, and 54 RBI for the Panthers a year ago, and looks to make the jump into Power Five baseball and make a big-time impact for the Cougars.

On the mound, senior right-hander Paul Schmitz makes his return after leading the team in starts with 14, accounting for 59 ⅔ innings pitched with 49 strikeouts, with a 5.58 ERA. Key pieces will return in Chris Scinta and Alex Solis, who combined for 40 appearances, 10 starts, and 68 ⅔ innings, likely making the jump into the rotation for the 2026 Cougars.

With plenty of returning pieces on both sides of the ball, the Cougars should take a leap in the Big 12 standings and could have a lot of potential to be an NCAA tournament team in 2026.

Cincinnati Bearcats

The Bearcats are coming off a 33-26 record, where their season would end in the Knoxville Regional, led by Jordan Bischel, entering his fourth season as head coach, reaching the 30-win mark for the second consecutive year. 

They rely on a true chaotic offensive style and led all of Power Five baseball in bunt hits and ranked second in stolen bases, going 134-148 (90.5%), breaking the single-season school record, which, no matter the roster construction, will always play, despite the loss of Big 12 Player of the Year Kerrington Cross.

All-Conference Second Team selection, and anchor behind the dish, Jack Natili returns, and is selected to both our All-Conference and All-American squads for good reason.

In 50 starts for the Bearcats, the backstop slashed .338/.451/.556 with 14 doubles, nine home runs, 53 RBI, and a perfect four-for-four on stolen bases. Natili showcases big-time pop and plenty of upside with the bat and is poised for a monster 2026.

Holding down shortstop is redshirt sophomoreCharlie Neihaus, who finished second on the 2025 Bearcats in stolen bases (21-23) while collecting 13 extra-base hits and getting on base at a .376 clip.

Looking to take a big jump in offensive production in year two, but a threat on the bases and could be the table setter for 2026.

Junior outfielder Cal Sefcik, who drove in 43 runs and had an .819 OPS a year ago, should be one of the offensive staples in the order, also going a perfect six-for-six on stolen base attempts, paired with senior infielder Christian Mitchelle, who drove in 25 runs and swiped 11 bags.

Sophomore first baseman Quinton Coats notched Big 12 All-Freshman honors after slashing .315/.400/.541 with seven doubles and six home runs, extremely productive in just 27 starts.

He’ll look to make the leap as a full-time starter and is easily capable of 15 or more home runs in a full body of work.

The Bearcats will bring in sophomore infield transfer from Bradley, Jackson Smith, who started 36 games for the Braves a year ago with a .836 OPS and 21 RBI, and true freshman Enzo Infelise, the No. 25-ranked catcher according to PG, who won’t see much time behind the dish this year but could make an impact with the bat.

Quick hands and a bigger forward move with a solid frame could provide some pop to the Bearcats lineup when given opportunities.

There’s no hiding Cincinnati will be led by one of the best arms in the conference in junior right-hander Nathan Taylor, who became the first Bearcat pitcher to record 90+ strikeouts in a single season. The Big 12 All-Conference Honorable Mention racked up 91 punchouts over 15 starts, 87 innings of work with a 3.93 ERA. 

Returning bullpen pieces in Adam Buczowski and Carson Marsh, who combined for 45 appearances and 75 innings, Marsh also made nine starts for the Bearcats in 2025 and could look to grab a rotation role in 2026.

Transfer arms Logan Knight (North Dakota State), Dillon Schueler (Illinois Chicago), and Brennan Eager (Louisiana Monroe) make the jump to Cincinnati, all bringing in a wealth of innings and experience that could pay dividends for the Bearcats.

While the 2026 Bearcats will feature a lot of new faces, there is plenty of superstar power to lean on for Jordan Bischel’s ballclub, and they will be hunting their third straight 30-win season and potential for another NCAA Tournament appearance. 

West Virginia Mountaineers 

In year one of the Steve Sabins era, the Mountaineers secured a Big 12 regular season title, going 44-16 with a 19-9 conference record, seeing their season end in a Super Regional, their second straight year making a Super.

Despite losing a chunk of veteran presence on the field and in the clubhouse, Sabins retooled through the portal and kept some big pieces of the puzzle in-house that should propel WVU to another successful season.

All-Big 12 Freshman selection Gavin Kelly made 45 starts as a true freshman with immediate impact, slashing .299/.402/.395 going 16-18 on stolen bases, looks to be bumped into a larger contributor role in 2026, and easily could make that leap into one of the better middle infielders in the conference.

Junior utility-man Armani Guzman, who led the team in stolen bases (17), capitalized on his limited playing time, only making 27 starts, and notched MVP Honors in the Clemson Regional. Guzman slashed .327/.403/.449 with five doubles, two home runs, and 22 RBI. 

Grad-senior Brodie Kresser, one of two Mountaineers to start 59 games a year ago, locking down shortstop again, slashed .278/.373/.378 with 13 stolen bases in 2025, but led the team in runs scored with 50. Kresser continues to be both a table setter and a run machine that will be a huge factor in 2026.

Sabins and Co. hit the portal hard, bringing in a trio of mid-major bats in Sean Smith (Georgia Southern), Brock Wills (UNC Wilmington), and Matt Ineich (Ohio) all of whom posted a .900 OPS and better at their respective schools.

Grouped with senior catcher Matthew Graveline, who comes over from Ohio State after being a three-year starter, notching All Big 10 Freshman Team honors in 2023, and started 55 games for the Buckeyes a year ago. 

On the mound, junior right-hander Chase Meyer should make the leap into the rotation after a successful sophomore year, flashing some of the best stuff I’ve seen in person.

He lights up the radar gun paired with solid secondaries, including a hammer-curveball. Meyer appeared in 22 games, making three starts, posting a 9-2 record over his 48 innings of work.

The Big-12 All-Conference Honorable Mention punched out 63 and held hitters to a pedestrian .192 average, could be a breakout year, and has potential for one of the better arms in the conference.

Grad-senior right-hander Reese Bassinger should play another huge role for the Mountaineers coming off his 2025 campaign, where he led the club in appearances (30) and saves (5). Over his 61 ⅔ innings, he accumulated 43 strikeouts and a 4.23 ERA while holding hitters to a .269 average.

Between some excited new faces and returning staples, there’s no reason West Virginia can’t make a push for a second straight Big 12 regular season title and postseason appearance.

With money pouring into the program and a fearless leader at the helm, West Virginia isn’t a fluke; they’ll continue to produce top draft talent and deep postseason runs.

Players to Watch

SS – Travis Sanders, RS Jr, Baylor

Sanders notched our preseason All-Conference award coming off a 2025 season where he slashed .335/.425/.549 with nine doubles, eight home runs, and 25 RBI. Looks to take another step forward, locking down shortstop for the Bears, and is a huge piece of their 2026 success. 

RHP – Colter McAnelly, Jr, Utah

McAnelly returns after leading the Big 12 in strikeouts a year ago (92) over his 92 ⅔ innings in 14 starts. The 2025 All-Conference selection will anchor the Utes on the mound for a third straight season and has been as automatic as you can get in the conference on Friday nights.

OF – Andrew Williamson, Jr, Central Florida

Williamson posted near video game numbers in 2025 with his .352/.448/.662 with 19 doubles, 13 home runs, and 53 RBI. A violent and big swing from the left side, UCF’s offensive staple should be poised for another massive year in 2026 after a great Summer in the Cape, well deserving of an All-Conference spot.

OF – Logan Hughes, Jr, Texas Tech

Despite the recent struggles of the Red Raiders, Head Coach Tim Tadlock is as good as any in the country. Logan Hughes anchors Tech in 2026 after posting a 1.108 OPS with 19 bombs and 13 doubles.

Hughes supplies a ton of pop from the left side and likely will be knocking on the door, if not surpassing 20 home runs again in 2026.

LHP – Hudson Barrett, Jr, Oklahoma State

The once Freshman All-American for UC Santa Barbara in 2023, Barrett has missed the last two seasons due to injury, but has every bit of elite in his arsenal and could be a potential stopper of the year, so long as he stays healthy.

The former Gaucho posted a 1.92 ERA over 61 innings in his lone full season of work, keeping hitters to a .195 average. If you haven’t heard of this kid or have forgotten about him, get ready to see his draft stock skyrocket in 2026.

SS – Grant Gallagher, Sr, Kansas State

The ETSU transfer will look to supply a lot of juice in the Wildcats lineup after flashing ridiculous power in 2025. Gallagher posted a .676 SLG% with 21 home runs and 52 RBI. I anticipate similar output for K State in 2026.

RHP – Garrison Sumner, Sr, BYU

The 8.32 ERA is not indicative of the stuff Sumner flashes, racked up 60 punchouts in 61 ⅔ innings of work for the Cougars a year ago. A lively fastball with solid offspeed, I anticipate Sumner getting much more realistic results for what his stuff can play at, a really fun arm to keep tabs on.

OF – Dean Toigo, Sr, Arizona State

The Sun Devils bring what feels like an entirely new roster, and former UNLV product and All-Mountain West selection, and Mountain West Co-Player of the Year, Dean Toigo, will be a massive piece of their 2026 success. Slashed .377/.445/.682 with 13 doubles, 18 home runs, and 74 RBI in his lone year at UNLV.

Top 2026 MLB Draft Prospects

Name	Position	School
Owen Kramkowski	RHP	Arizona
Andrew Williamson	OF	UCF
Sawyer Strosnider	OF	TCU
Chase Brunson	OF	TCU
Logan Hughes	OF	Texas Tech
Brady Ballinger	1B	Kansas
Tommy LaPour	RHP	TCU
Jack Natili	C	Cincinatti
Tre Broussard	OF	Houston
Kollin Ritchie	OF/3B	Oklahoma State
Gavin Gallagher	INF	Kansas State
Chase Meyer	RHP	West Virginia
Dominic Voegele	RHP	Kansas
Nathan Taylor	RHP	Cincinatti