If preseason polls are supposed to set the table for a season, the 2026 D1Baseball Preseason Top 25 just told us one thing loud and clear: the Big 12 is walking into this year with confidence—and a little swagger.

Two league programs cracked the rankings to open the season, with TCU Horned Frogs leading the way at No. 10 and Arizona Wildcats checking in at No. 24. Different paths, different rosters, same message: Big 12 baseball is not here to warm up quietly.

TCU: Ranked Is the Expectation, Not the Goal

At this point, TCU being ranked feels less like news and more like a calendar reminder. The Horned Frogs open the year ranked for the 17th consecutive season, and for the fifth straight year under head coach Kirk Saarloos. That kind of consistency doesn’t happen by accident—it’s culture, recruiting, and player development working in lockstep.

The headliner is Sawyer Strosnider, a Perfect Game Preseason First Team All-American who led the nation with 10 triples in 2025. Triples are the loudest kind of quiet stat—by the time you notice one, the runner is already standing on third smiling at the dugout.

TCU also brings depth to the preseason spotlight, with Tommy LaPour (second team) and Noah Franco (third team) earning All-American honors. Translation? This isn’t a one-man show.

And if you like stress-testing your roster early, TCU’s opening weekend will be must-watch. The Frogs head to Globe Life Field for the Shriners Children’s College Showdown, drawing Arkansas Razorbacks (No. 7) and Vanderbilt Commodores (No. 23). That’s not easing into the season—that’s cannonballing into the deep end.

Arizona: Momentum Is a Dangerous Thing

While TCU’s story is continuity, Arizona’s is momentum—and that can be just as powerful.

The Wildcats open ranked for the second straight season after winning the Big 12 Tournament a year ago and making their 19th College World Series appearance. That’s not a fluke run—that’s a program reminding everyone where it belongs.

Arizona’s preseason buzz starts on the mound with Tony Pluta, the reigning NCBWA Stopper of the Year, landing on the first team. If games get tight late, Arizona fans already know who’s getting the call. Add Owen Kramkowski as a third-team preseason All-American, and suddenly the Wildcats look very comfortable shortening games.

The opening slate is no cupcake either. Arizona starts against Stanford Cardinal, then faces Oregon State Beavers (No. 12) at Surprise Stadium. That’s résumé-building baseball before conference play even begins.

Big 12 Baseball: Buckle Up

Conference play opens March 13, and this year it comes with a new postseason wrinkle: the Big 12 Baseball Tournament moves to Surprise Stadium in Arizona. Twelve teams will battle it out, with the championship game set for May 23.

Practical takeaway for fans? Circle weekends early. The Big 12 doesn’t have the luxury of coasting—between ranked nonconference matchups and a deeper league tournament, every series matters.

One coach put it best in a preseason hallway conversation: “If you’re ranked in January, that just means everyone’s coming for you in April.”

TCU knows that. Arizona is learning it fast. And the Big 12? It’s more than ready for the ride.