Texas Baseball Opens 2026 with Lofty Expectations - and the Numbers to Back It Up
The Texas Longhorns are entering the 2026 college baseball season with a target on their backs - and for good reason. They’re sitting at No. 3 in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) preseason poll, and that’s not just a one-off. Texas is ranked in all five major preseason polls, landing as high as third in D1Baseball, USA Today, and the NCBWA, and coming in at No. 8 in both Baseball America and Perfect Game.
That’s not just hype - it’s respect earned.
Last season, the Longhorns put together their best campaign in 15 years, finishing with a dominant 44-4 record. That run wasn’t just impressive - it was historic.
Texas became the first team to win the SEC in its debut season since the league's very first year back in 1933. Picked to finish eighth in the conference preseason poll, they flipped the script entirely, taking the SEC crown by a two-game margin and posting a 22-8 record in conference play - their best since 2010.
And they’re not hitting reset in 2026. Head coach Jim Schlossnagle’s squad returns a strong core, including 16 letterwinners from last year’s powerhouse roster.
Leading the charge is Dylan Volantis, the reigning Baseball America National Freshman of the Year. Volantis was a revelation in 2025, and he’s expected to be a key piece once again as Texas looks to build on last year’s momentum.
Pitching? The Longhorns are stacked.
They bring back 76% of their innings pitched from a staff that ranked among the nation’s elite. Last year, Texas finished second in the country in WHIP (1.18) and sixth in ERA (3.71).
That kind of consistency on the mound is the foundation of championship-caliber baseball, and Texas has it in spades.
At the plate, the Longhorns are just as dangerous. Ethan Mendoza and Adrian Rodriguez, the team’s top two hitters from a season ago, are back in burnt orange. Their return gives Texas a proven offensive core - one that knows how to produce in big moments.
And if that weren’t enough, the reinforcements are already here. Texas welcomes 24 newcomers to the roster, including 14 freshmen and 10 transfers.
This isn’t just a numbers game - it’s a talent infusion. Baseball America ranked Texas’ incoming recruiting class No. 1 in the country, a testament to the program’s ability to reload while staying elite.
The SEC is as deep as ever - a record 12 teams landed in the NCBWA preseason rankings, including five in the top 10. But Texas isn’t just another contender. They’re coming off a statement season, they’ve got the arms, the bats, the experience, and the youth to make another deep run.
The expectations are sky-high in Austin - and this team looks ready to meet them.