Baylor Baseball Opens 2026 Season with New Faces, Familiar Fire
WACO, Texas - For Baylor centerfielder Ty Johnson, the countdown to Opening Day doesn’t start with the first pitch - it starts with sleepless nights. The Bears’ veteran outfielder, the only returning starter holding down the same position as last season, admits he’s been buzzing with anticipation all week.
“I got excited like Monday,” Johnson said. “I can never sleep the day before Opening Day.
But we’ve got a great group of guys here. I’m really excited to see what we look like against other competition.
It’s going to be a fun team to watch, for sure.”
That excitement is set to spill onto the field Friday afternoon, when Baylor kicks off its 2026 campaign with a three-game home series against New Mexico State at Magnolia Field. After winning 22 of their 33 games at home last season, the Bears are looking to build on that home-field advantage - this time with a younger, deeper roster that head coach Mitch Thompson believes has plenty of upside.
New Look, Same Grit
Now in his fourth year at the helm, Thompson is embracing the youth movement. “The difference from last year to this year is we have more youth in the lineup,” he said.
“There are some guys that’ll be getting their feet wet. Every at-bat will be a new experience and a growing moment.
And that’ll be great. But we have other guys that we feel like we can count on.
So, I like the lineup. It has good depth.”
That mix of experience and potential shows up most clearly in the infield, where returning starters Pearson Riebock and Travis Sanders are both shifting into new roles. Sanders, a preseason All-Big 12 selection, moves from second base to his more natural position at shortstop. Riebock slides from third base to second - a move Thompson says fits his skill set better.
“Second is definitely a more natural position for [Riebock], and Travis has always been a shortstop until last year,” Thompson said. “I think we’ll see some things that fire everybody up.
Some of the plays they’re going to make are going to make you smile and go, ‘Wow, that was really special.’ They just have to be themselves and keep getting better every day.”
Offensive Firepower Returns
Johnson, Sanders, and Riebock are three of five Bears who have hit over .300 in a full Division I season - a stat that speaks volumes in today’s competitive college baseball landscape. They’ll be joined in the lineup by a pair of impact transfers from UT-Arlington: Tyce Armstrong and Cade Dodson.
Armstrong, a second-team All-WAC selection last season as a designated hitter, brings some serious pop to the corner infield. He hit .319 with 12 home runs and 46 RBIs. Dodson, who’s expected to join him at the other corner spot, posted a .324 average as a freshman, adding 16 doubles, a triple, and five home runs to his résumé.
“We’re going to be really fast, and we’re still going to have some pop in the lineup,” said junior lefthanded reliever RJ Ruais. “We’ve got five guys returning that hit over .300, which is awesome.
I think that’s something a lot of schools may not be able to say. We’ve got guys that have proven they can do it.”
Youth Movement in the Outfield
Johnson won’t be the only one patrolling the outfield this season - he’ll be flanked by a trio of young, athletic newcomers who are already turning heads. Freshmen Brady Janusek and Dylan Perez, along with redshirt freshman Hunter Snow, are all expected to see time in the corner outfield spots.
“All those young guys, they’re super athletic, they look the part,” Johnson said. “Brady, for example, he’s hitting balls 112, 113 [mph exit velocity] in batting practice and in games.
Bo is probably the fastest guy I’ve seen on a baseball field. And then, Snow is going to be really exciting this year as well.
He’s really matured as a hitter, really figured out his swing. So, I’m excited to see what he does on the field.”
Weekend Rotation: A Blend of Experience and Intrigue
The Bears’ opening weekend rotation brings a mix of familiarity and new blood. Redshirt junior Lucas Davenport gets the nod for Friday’s opener, with senior Ethan Calder and Division III transfer Cade Hansen following on Saturday and Sunday.
Johnson, who’s seen Davenport since his high school days, has no doubts about the right-hander’s ability to lead the staff. “I’ve seen Lucas Davenport since he was in high school, just carving us up,” Johnson said. “He took a real step up this year, so he’s going to be a great Friday night guy for us.”
Calder brings veteran savvy and intensity to the mound. “You know exactly what you’re going to get from him. He’s the most competitive guy on our staff,” Johnson said.
And then there’s Hansen - the wild card with a winning pedigree. A key piece of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s 2025 Division III national championship team, Hansen went 12-1 with a 2.68 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 84 innings last season. He’s expected to bring that same edge to the Big 12 stage.
“Cade Hansen, I think people will grow to love him,” Johnson said. “He fills up the zone, got a great sinking fastball, gets a lot of ground balls.
And he’ll go out there and compete as well. We’ve got a solid group of guys.
And then everybody behind them, they’re all dogs in that bullpen.”
What’s Next
The Bears will look to set the tone early this weekend as they begin their 2026 journey with a team that’s equal parts experienced and electric. With speed, power, and a deep rotation, Baylor has the tools to make some noise - and maybe surprise a few people along the way.
All three games of the opening series against New Mexico State will be streamed live on ESPN+.