Texas Baseball Checks In at No. 8 in Preseason Poll, Loaded with Talent and Momentum
The buzz around Austin is getting louder - and for good reason. Texas Baseball just landed its third preseason top-10 ranking, this time slotting in at No. 8 in Baseball America’s preseason poll. That puts the Longhorns firmly on the national radar heading into 2026, and it’s not just hype - it’s earned.
This latest ranking joins a No. 3 nod from D1Baseball and another No. 8 spot from Perfect Game, underscoring the consensus: Texas is built to contend.
What makes this even more impressive? The Longhorns are doing it in the heart of the Southeastern Conference, which once again looks like a gauntlet.
Texas is one of 11 SEC teams in Baseball America’s top 25 - a list that includes heavyweights like No. 2 LSU, No.
3 Mississippi State, and No. 5 Auburn.
The depth of the conference is staggering, but Texas isn’t just surviving - they’re thriving.
In fact, under head coach Jim Schlossnagle, the Longhorns didn’t just make noise last season - they made history. In his first year at the helm, Schlossnagle guided Texas to a 44-14 overall record, the program’s best mark in 15 years.
More notably, they captured the SEC regular-season title - a feat no team had accomplished in its first year in the league since it was founded in 1933. Not bad for a squad that was picked eighth in the conference’s own preseason poll.
Texas finished SEC play with a 22-8 record, their best conference showing since 2010. That’s not just a strong season - that’s a statement.
And the Longhorns aren’t starting from scratch in 2026. They return 16 letterwinners from last year’s squad, including a true headliner in Dylan Volantis, the 2025 Baseball America National Freshman of the Year. Volantis was electric in his debut campaign, and his return gives Texas a legitimate star to build around.
On the mound, Texas brings back a staggering 76 percent of its innings pitched from a staff that ranked second nationally in WHIP (1.18) and sixth in ERA (3.71) last season. That kind of continuity - especially with that level of production - is a luxury most programs only dream about.
At the plate, the Longhorns are just as dangerous. Ethan Mendoza and Adrian Rodriguez, the team’s top two hitters from 2025, are both back and ready to anchor the lineup. Their experience and consistency will be crucial as Texas navigates another brutal SEC slate.
And if that wasn’t enough, the reinforcements have arrived. The Longhorns added 24 newcomers, including 14 freshmen and 10 transfers.
That influx of talent helped Texas land the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, according to Baseball America. It’s not just about maintaining the standard - it’s about raising it.
With a blend of proven veterans, rising stars, and elite newcomers, Texas is entering 2026 with the kind of depth and balance that championship teams are built on. The rankings reflect it.
The roster backs it up. And if last season was any indication, the Longhorns are just getting started.