2026 Preseason College Baseball Top 25 Rankings

Others Receiving Votes

Arizona Wildcats

Dallas Baptists Patriots

Kansas Jayhawks

Ole Miss Rebels

Troy Trojans

Vanderbilt Commodores

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

West Virginia Mountaineers

This ranking is only the starting point for an exciting season. As the season unfolds, things will obviously change. Our Top 25 will be updated weekly throughout the 2026 season. Let’s dive into the top five.

No. 1 – UCLA Bruins

Not all of us agreed on UCLA being the number one overall team, but there is no doubting how talented this team is. Each one of our evaluators and writers have them top three, and it is easy to see why.

UCLA is coming off a run to Omaha and a season where they finished 48-18 overall and 22-8 in their first season in the Big 10. This team is seasoned and experienced, returning a good portion of their starting lineup and rotation.

You go to Omaha, return most of your team, and have basically consensus number one overall player for the 2026 MLB Draft; there is a good chance you’re going to be ranked high. 

Head Coach John Savage has been long known for promoting a culture of winning and will likely continue those winning ways in 2026. So, what makes this club Just Baseball’s number one overall team?

Let’s start with the obvious elephant in the room. This team has shortstop Roch Cholowsky, the Just Baseball No. 1 overall prospect for the 2026 MLB Draft and 2026 Preseason Player of the Year. 

Cholowsky was absolutely incredible last year and truly has become one of the leaders of this team. In our recent interview with Cholowsky, you can see how he holds everyone accountable and cares so much about every single guy in the locker room. 

On top of Cholowsky, this offense is extremely potent. Joining him as returners are third baseman Roman Martin, first baseman Mulivai Levu, second baseman Phoenix Call, outfielders Dean West and Payton Brennan, and catcher Cashel Dugger. 

Levu is the one to watch here. It feels like he doesn’t get the attention he deserves, as he slashed .353/.480/.522 with 15 doubles, 12 home runs, and 85 RBI. He was the lineup’s most effective run producer. 

Roman Martin and Dean West also give them some serious tablesetters at the top of the lineup. Both hit over .300, and Martin had a .952 OPS and West had a .895 OPS. 

They also return a ton of innings on the mound. Their innings leader, Michael Barnett, returns after logging 86 innings pitched while posting a 3.98 ERA. Landon Stump and Ian May also started many games for the Bruins, and both return as well. 

It doesn’t stop with the starters either. The return of a massive amount of arms in the bullpen, like Big Ten All-Freshman arm Wylan Moss, who posted a 2.98 ERA. They also have Jack O’Connor, Cal Randall, and others returning. 

Does the talent stop there? Of course not. We didn’t even mention that they got transfers Will Gasparino from Texas and right-handed pitcher Logan Reddemann out of San Diego. Oh, and don’t forget freshman right-hander Angel Cervantes, who was drafted in the second round by the Pittsburgh Pirates. 

Gasparino should round out their outfield and provide them a ton of pop. Reddemann is going to make some noise to crack the rotation as he posted a 3.29 ERA while striking out 119 batters in 131.1 innings pitched in two seasons with San Diego.

As for Cervantes, his ceiling is sky high for the Bruins. He was one of the most polished prep pitchers in the 2026 MLB Draft, and it was huge for UCLA that he ended up on campus. 

Needless to say, this UCLA Bruins team is absolutely loaded and well-deserving of the number one spot in our top 25 rankings. The combination of returners, new transfers, and high-ceiling freshman give them a massive advantage going into 2026.

No. 2 – LSU Tigers

Personally, I believe that if you win a national championship, you should go into the season as the number one overall team until proven otherwise, but this is why we rank as a group. To include multiple opinions and expertise! 

The LSU Tigers are coming off an incredible 2025 national championship season, where they went 53-15 overall and 19-11 in the SEC. With Kade Anderson and Anthony Eyanson on the bump, they seemed unbeatable most of the year. 

Normally, if a team loses a 1-2 punch like Kade Anderson and Anthony Eyanson, you’d expect them to drop significantly in rankings even after winning a national championship. But Jay Johnson reloaded in the transfer portal and has a significant number of talented players returning. 

Let’s start on the offensive side, and some of the returners there. For starters, they bring back basically their entire outfield with Derek Curiel, Chris Stanfield, and Jake Brown. 

We talked about how Roch was the consensus 1-1 in college baseball, but Derek Curiel proved he was one of the best bats in college baseball as a freshman. He’s shifting to centerfield and will likely be a Golden Spikes Award candidate, especially if he taps into power.

Stanfield and Brown bring a ton of veteran leadership to this team. Stanfield is an incredible defender and “make things happen” kind of player, and Brown is a massive “vibes” guy who brings a ton of personality and talent into the clubhouse. 

The infield looks strong as ever, with returner Steven Milam handling shortstop after slashing .295/.398/.506 with 11 home runs and 57 RBI in 2025. They also bring in a third baseman who has had some draft pedigree: Trent Caraway out of Oregon State. 

On top of that, they got a backlog of transfers they brought in, including Brayden Simpson out of High Point, Seth Darder out of Kansas State, and returner Tanner Reeves.

Their first base replacement for Jared Jones was also a massive get for the Tigers. Zach Yorke from Grand Canyon feels like he’s the perfect fit for the LSU offense. It’s a solid combo of power and hit tool.

On the mound is where you could say there are more question marks after losing Anderson, Eyanson, and Chase Shores, but man, do they have the depth of arms most coaches would dream of. 

It starts with sophomore Casan Evans, who had such an incredible freshman year. He only started three games for the Tigers, but went 5-1 with a 2.05 ERA with 71 strikeouts in 52.2 innings. He was easily an arm Jay Johnson could trust.

In addition to Evans, LSU brought in transfer Cooper Moore from Kansas and returned William Schmidt, who was also a freshman last year. 

Schmidt was a projected first-rounder who opted to head to LSU right before the draft. He served mostly as a mid-week starter, and hopes are that he takes significant strides in 2026. He could be a strong candidate for the rotation.

Moore joined the rotation for Kansas in his sophomore year and went 7-3 with a 3.96 ERA while striking out 85 batters in 88.2 innings. If anyone can unlock another level out of Moore, it is pitching coach Nate Yeski. 

Outside of those guys, they have more options like Cooper Williams and Marcos Paz. Add in other returners like Jaden Noot, Gavin Guidry, and Zac Cowan, and this team has insane depth. That’s not to mention other transfers like Santiago Garcia and Danny Lachenmayer, 

The LSU Tigers are locked and loaded, and Jay Johnson looks like he has this team ready to make another strong run in the SEC for another straight year. Don’t be shocked if we see LSU in Omaha when it is all said and done in 2026. 

No. 3 – Mississippi State Bulldogs

If you’re looking for the most improved SEC for 2026, look no further than Mississippi State. The Bulldogs fired their former head coach, Chris Lemonis, midseason last year, opening up a coaching search. 

Enter the Brian O’Connor era. O’Connor comes over from Virginia, where he built a resume of winning, including a College World Series Championship in 2015. And he is looking to bring those winning ways to Starkville. 

You may wonder what has Mississippi State so high for us, and it is how quickly Brian O’Connor brought top-tier talent to the Bulldogs. 

Like UCLA and LSU, Mississippi State has a star on the offensive side that they could build around in third baseman Ace Reese. Like Roch Cholowsky and Derek Curiel, he was one of the best hitters in college baseball and is a top prospect for the 2026 MLB Draft. 

On top of that, O’Connor brought in a ton of talent on the offensive side, mostly guys who followed him from Virginia. They had the numbe three ranked transfer portal class according to 64Analytics. 

Some of the guys he brought over from Virginia included outfielders Aidan Teel and James Nunnallee. Nunnallee was an absolute table-setter for the Cavaliers as a freshman, and Teel held down centerfield and was ultra-productive at the plate. 

On top of those two, they brought in outfielder Vytas Valincius from Illinois and Drew Wyers from Bryant. Wyers put up some video game numbers, slashing .407/.521/.710 with a 1.231 OPS. Just insane.  

As for returners, Noah Sullivan joins Ace Reese in choosing to continue to play for O’Connor. He slashed .345/.475/.645 and hit 15 home runs and drove in 46 in 2025. They also brought back first baseman Reed Stallman, who has some serious thump. 

Freshman Jacob Parker is another name to watch. He and his brother, JoJo Parker, were huge names for the 2025 MLB Draft. JoJo signed, but Jacob opted to head to Mississippi State and could compete for a starting outfield job. He also has some intriguing power. 

That doesn’t account for half of the names to watch in Starkville, but just gives you an idea about how deep this offense runs. 

Mississippi State’s pitching staff has the look of a group that could take a big step forward this spring, led by right-hander Ryan McPherson, who came on strong late last season and now enters the year as a potential front-line arm. 

McPherson showed his ability to handle bigger moments down the stretch, earned a start in the SEC Tournament, and carried that momentum into the summer with Team USA before putting together a steady fall highlighted by a deep, well-rounded arsenal. 

He’s joined by left-hander Charlie Foster, who was one of the biggest standouts on the staff this fall after an injury-limited 2024.

The Bulldogs also benefit from an influx of talent from Virginia, as lefty Tomas Valincius impressed in fall competition and brings proven starting experience, while fellow transfer William Kirk is trending upward after losing last season to injury and could factor into meaningful innings as the year progresses.

This is all to say that you should expect Mississippi State to be very good in 2026. There is a reason they come in at number three overall, and they have more than enough talent to be at the top of the SEC next year. 

No. 4 – Georgia Bulldogs

At first glance, when you look across the Top 25s among the media outlets, you may notice we are much higher on the Bulldogs than most. A few factors led to that. Sure, they lost some players, but they bring in a ton of returners and the #1-ranked transfer portal class per 64Analytics.

With all that talent, there is often lots of competition to figure out who will end up where for the Bulldogs. That’s why many others may have them ranked a bit lower. It’s hard to know what you have until you figure out who is going to play the most prominent roles.

Still, it is hard to argue against Georgia’s depth on both offense and the pitching side of things. Let’s start with the lineup.

First and foremost, while they lose Robbie Burnett, Ryland Zaborowski, and Slate Alford, they return key pieces on the left side of the infield in shortstop Kolby Branch and third baseman Tre Phelps.

Phelps had a “down year” that led to a .318/.409/.547 slashline with 14 doubles, 10 home runs, and 44 RBI. That’s one heck of a down year! He should fit squarely back in the heart of that order. Branch was another .300 hitter who hit 10 doubles and 13 home runs, driving in 41.

They also bring back catcher Daniel Jackson, and while he didn’t put up a great batting average, he provides a ton of thump, hitting 14 home runs. He performed really well in the Cape Cod League this summer as well.

Having your left side of the infield and catcher locked in before even going to the transfer portal bats is really solid.

The Bulldogs hit the transfer portal hard and got some big-time bats to fill some spots in the outfield and on the right side of the infield.

Kenny Ishikawa from Seattle, Cole Koniarsky from UNLV, and Scott Newman from USC-Upstate are all names to watch.

Ishikawa, a two-way player, provides a table setter profile for the Bulldogs. He slashed .318/.420/.562 last year with 23 doubles, eight home runs, and 32 RBI. Koniarsky brings a similar profile as Ishikawa and slashed .363/.441/.549 at UNLV.

The Dawgs were also lucky enough to get freshman Ty Peoples to campus as well. He was a highly-touted prospect out of high school for the 2025 MLB Draft. With all the talent Georgia brought in, he will have to work for playing time, but apparently, he has impressed this fall.

At DH and 1B, they replace some serious thump from last year with the likes of Bryce Calloway from New Orleans and Jordy Oriach from New Mexico.

Oriach put up some video game numbers for the Lobos, hitting 25 doubles and 16 home runs with 63 RBI. Calloway, also a two-way player, did much of the same in New Orleans, hitting 10 doubles, 18 home runs, and 63 RBI.

Things get even brighter on the mound for the Bulldogs. As we mentioned, both Kenny Ishikawa and Bryce Calloway are two-way guys. Calloway was the closer at New Orleans, and Ishikawa actually started nine games for Seattle and could be a candidate for the rotation.

The two big prize transfers for the Bulldogs were obviously Joey Volchko and Matt Scott from Stanford. Don’t let the numbers fool you. These are two guys who have been massive MLB draft prospects because of the stuff they have.

If anyone can get these guys to harness it and take it to the next level, it’s Head Coach Wes Johnson and his entire coaching staff. Volchko has a fastball that can sit in the upper-90s with a solid cutter and change-up. Scott is an imposing presence on the mound at 6’7, 241lbs. It’s a fastball that can be in the mid-90s with a solid mid-80s slider.

The amount of talent on the mound doesn’t stop there either. Georgia was able to secure Dylan Vigue from Michigan, Caden Aoki from USC, Brad Pruett from ECU, Grant Edwards from New Orleans, Tommy Ellisen from UConn, and Mason Kosowick out of UTRGV.

It’s safe to say Georgia has the talent to be a top-five team in college baseball. There are a lot of pieces, so many that you could almost say that Georgia could throw out a B team that could easily compete in college baseball.

It’s one of those situations that will be both positive and negative for Head Coach Wes Johnson. On the bright side, you have all the talent in the world. On the other side, you just have to figure out where all those pieces will go.

Regardless, Georgia will likely figure it out, even if there are bumps along the way. Expect the Bulldogs to be an absolute force in the SEC.

No. 5 – Texas Longhorns

In Head Coach Jim Schlossnagle’s first year, the Longhorns finished 44-14 overall and 22-8 in the SEC. This team seemed like it was destined for Omaha, but ran into a red-hot UTSA squad that bounced them out of their own regional.

That obviously left a bad taste in Texas’s mouth, and the Longhorns stacked up in the transfer portal, along with bringing back some really solid returners.

Let’s start with the returners on the mound. It all starts with the lefties Dylan Volantis and Luke Harrison. Two electric arms. Volantis was incredible in 2025, posting a 1.94 ERA while striking out 74 batters in 51 innings. Just absurd stuff from the freshman. He pitched strictly out of the bullpen, notching 12 saves, and is poised to join the starting rotation.

Harrison was an everyday starter for the Longhorns, posting a 3.06 ERA while striking out 72 batters in 70.2 innings of work in 15 starts. The combo of Volantis and Harrison gives this team a real solid 1-2 punch in the SEC.

The Longhorns also return the likes of Jason Flores, Max Grubbs, and Thomas Burns. Grubbs posted a 2.84 ERA in 57 innings last year, while Flores posted a 2.78 ERA in 32.1 innings and Burns a 3.71 ERA in 26.2 innings. Flores has a chance to crack the rotation, while Grubbs and Burns should solidify the Longhorns’ bullpen.

They also brought in two massive arms from the transfer portal: Haiden Leffew from Wake Forest and Cal Higgins from Western Kentucky.

Leffew was highly touted out of high school and really started to find his own last year, posting a 4.46 ERA with 59 K’s in 34.1 innings. If anyone can unlock another level in Leffew, it’s Texas pitching coach Max Weiner.

They also bring in two freshmen who were ranked pretty high on our 2025 MLB Draft board in right-handers Michael Winter and Sam Cozart. Both could make some real noise for this team.

Things are bright on the offensive side of things as well, as the Longhorns return Ethan Mendoza, Adrian Rodriguez, Casey Borba, and Jonah Williams.

Mendoza is an absolute table-setter for this team, slashing .333/.437/.476 with nine doubles, four triples, five home runs, 35 RBI, and 15 stolen bases. He’s a stud on defense as well and should have second base locked down.

Adrian Rodriguez was just incredible in his freshman year, slashing .313/.410/.516 with 14 doubles, seven home runs, and 23 RBI. He is expected to be the shortstop, and you can best believe he has his eyes set on taking his offensive game to the next level in his sophomore year.

Not only did Texas return a ton of offense, but boy did they clean up in the transfer portal. They got highly touted catcher Carson Tinney out of Notre Dame, Josh Livingston out of Wichita State, Aiden Robbins out of Seton Hall, Ashton Larson out of LSU, and Temo Becerra out of Stanford. Just a haul.

Tinney and Robbins were the obvious prized players out of this portal class. Tinney had an incredible sophomore year with the Fighting Irish, slashing .348/.498/.753 with 13 doubles, 17 home runs, and 53 RBI. There is a reason he’s a consensus top prospect for the 2026 MLB Draft and why he’s a preseason All-American.

The same goes for Robbins. Not only did Robbins put up video game numbers at Seton Hall last year, slashing .422/.537/.652, but he also won the Cape Cod League MVP this summer. He should make an immediate impact for the Longhorns.

It is easy to see why Texas is a top-five team in our preseason top 25. They are stacked on both the offensive and pitching sides. This is a team that wants to get to Omaha, and they have a very good chance of getting there.