You know, when D1Baseball releases their preseason Top 25 Poll, that means that college baseball is right around the corner. We are a little over four weeks from the start of the season, but it is never too early to look at some of these Big 12 teams.
Three Big 12 schools cracked the initial list, with Oklahoma State coming in at No. 17, Arizona at No. 21, and TCU at No. 23. Here are my five thoughts on the Preseason Top 25.
Oklahoma State Takes The Top Spot in the Big 12
Oklahoma may have won the Big 12 regular season title last season but not too far behind them were their in-state rival the Oklahoma State Cowboys. In 2024, Oklahoma State finished with a 19-9 record in conference play and ended up winning the Big 12 tournament. That was good enough for them to host a regional, but they ended up losing back-to-back games against Florida and were bounced out. Despite losing a few key players, the Cowboys bring back some solid pieces from last year’s team including outfielder Nolan Schubart and first baseman Colin Brueggemann who combined for 37 homers last season. They also have 18 other players returning from the 2024 team and added some key transfers in as well.
Other Big 12 Teams to Watch
While the Cowboys may be the favorite to win the Big 12, there will be some other schools ready to challenge them. Arizona is new to the conference, but they look ready to compete in year one. The Wildcats won the Pac-12 regular season title and hosted a regional last year. They return seven starters from the 2024 team including shortstop Mason White and outfielder Brendan Summerhill. One can make a serious argument that this is Chip Hale’s best team during his time in Tucson.
Another Team to keep an eye on are the TCU Horned Frogs. After a disappointing 2024 season where they didn’t make the postseason, the Horned Frogs look to bounce back in 2025 under head coach Kirk Saarloos. This team welcomes back Karson Bowen, Brody Greene, Chase Brunson, Sam Myers and Micah Kendrick from last season along with shortstop Anthony Silva and pitcher Kole Klecker.
Another pair of teams to keep an eye on are West Virginia and Texas Tech. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see another team break out and surprise everyone from the rest of the pack. It’s going to be another fun baseball season in Big 12 country and I can’t wait.
Goodbye, Texas and Oklahoma
I know it’s almost been a year since Texas and Oklahoma left the Big 12, but I must admit that it feels weird not seeing those two in the Big 12 when it comes to baseball. The Longhorns are one of the best college baseball programs of all time and won ten Big 12 titles during their time in the conference. Meanwhile, Oklahoma won the Big 12 last year with an impressive 23-7 record in conference play. Both of those programs were staples in the Big 12, and there is no doubt that the conference took a bit of a hit when those two left. I just wonder who will emerge as the face of the Big 12 moving forward.
Who Will Knock Off The SEC?
Many of us know that the SEC is a good football conference, but some may not realize just how good the league is in baseball. Last season, Tennessee took home the gold against Texas A&M, and once again, the SEC is loaded as four of the top five teams hail from the Southeastern Conference. Texas A&M, Tennessee, LSU, and Arkansas ranked in the top five while Georgia, Florida, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, and Texas cracked the top 25. With a total of nine teams inside the top 25, it’s clear that the SEC is the cream of the crop when it comes to college baseball.
Watch Out For The ACC
While the SEC leads the way with nine teams in the Top 25 ranking, the ACC comes in second with seven representatives, including Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida State, ranked inside the top 10, while Duke, NC State, Wake Forest, and Clemson are just outside the top 10. The ACC also added Cal and Stanford, who have a great baseball history as well. Sure, the SEC may be king, but the ACC isn’t too far behind regarding depth.
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