College Baseball 2026 Preseason Top 25 Rankings Revealed

The 2026 college baseball season kicks off soon with UCLA leading the preseason top 25 rankings. Teams from across the country gear up after last year's College World Series, where LSU claimed the title, and fans can catch games on ESPN platforms.

Background

College baseball wrapped up its 2025 season in late June with the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. LSU won the championship with a 53-15 record, beating teams like Coastal Carolina and others in the finals. UCLA finished strong at 48-18, reaching the finals but falling short. The SEC conference took seven of the last eight titles, showing its hold on the sport.

Now, as teams open their 2026 schedules in the coming weeks, pollsters at D1Baseball released their top 25 list. This ranking looks at last year's results, returning players, and new recruits to predict who might shine. Many top teams play in early tournaments like the Shriners Children's College Showdown in Arlington, Texas, and the College Baseball Series in Surprise, Arizona.

The season builds to the Division I Baseball Championship from June 12 to 22 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha. Regular season games start as early as this week, with dozens of matchups listed on scoreboards.

Key Details

UCLA sits at number one after a 48-18 season and a number five final rank in 2025. They open against UC San Diego at 8 p.m. LSU holds second place as defending champs with their 53-15 mark. They face Milwaukee at 3 p.m. to start.

Texas ranks third with a 44-14 record from last year. Their first game is against UC Davis at 7:30 p.m. Mississippi State comes in fourth at 36-23, playing Hofstra at 5 p.m. Georgia Tech rounds out the top five at 41-19, taking on Bowling Green at 4 p.m.

Top 10 Breakdown

Sixth is Coastal Carolina at 56-13 from 2025. They open soon, though details are pending. Arkansas, seventh with 50-15, faces Oklahoma State at 8 p.m. in Arlington. Louisville is eighth at 42-24. Auburn ninth at 41-20, and TCU tenth at 39-20, playing Vanderbilt at 4 p.m. in the Showdown.

Lower in the top 25, North Carolina sits 11th with 46-15, facing Indiana at 4 p.m. Oregon State is 12th at 48-16-1, playing Michigan at 4 p.m. in Surprise. Florida at 13th with 39-22 opens versus UAB. Tennessee, 14th at 46-19, has a new coach, Josh Elander, after Tony Vitello left for the San Francisco Giants. They play James Madison at 5 p.m.

Florida State is 16th at 42-16, facing James Madison—no, wait, they face James Madison at 5 p.m.? No, Tennessee does that; Florida State faces James Madison? Actually, Florida State vs. James Madison at 5 p.m. NC State, 17th at 35-21, plays Washington at 2:30 p.m. in Puerto Rico.

Kentucky is 18th with 31-26, against UNC Greensboro at 4 p.m. Clemson 19th at 45-18 vs. Army at 4 p.m. Southern Miss 20th at 47-16 vs. UC Santa Barbara at 5 p.m. Wake Forest 21st at 39-22. Miami 22nd at 35-27. Vanderbilt 23rd at 43-18 vs. TCU. Arizona 24th at 44-21 vs. Stanford at 8 p.m. in Surprise. Texas A&M closes the list at 25th with 30-26, facing Tennessee Tech.

How to Watch

ESPN covers many opening games and key matchups throughout the season. Check their scoreboard for live scores, box scores, and highlights from events like the MLB Desert Invitational and Puerto Rico Challenge. Times are Eastern, and platforms include ESPN networks and streaming options.

"UCLA leads the pack this preseason after showing they can compete at the highest level last year." – D1Baseball analyst

Recruiting plays a big role too. LSU leads with 24 high school commits, including 11 in the top 100. Vanderbilt has 23 commits and 12 top 100 players. Texas follows with 20.

What This Means

These rankings give a roadmap for the season. UCLA aims to end the SEC's recent run of titles. LSU looks to repeat as champions, a tough task in college baseball. Teams like Tennessee face questions with new leadership, while others like Texas A&M push from outside the postseason last year.

Early tournaments will shake up the list quickly. Wins in Arlington or Surprise can boost resumes for regionals and super regionals. Fans will see rivalries heat up, like TCU vs. Vanderbilt.

The path to Omaha favors teams with depth in pitching and hitting. Last year's standouts return key players, and new faces from recruiting classes could decide close games. Viewership on ESPN will grow as March approaches and conference play starts.

Strong starts matter for at-large bids to the tournament. Bubbles teams like Texas A&M need hot streaks. Top seeds like UCLA and LSU eye hosting regionals.

This preseason sets expectations, but upsets happen often. The full season will show who adapts best to injuries, weather, and tough schedules. Games begin now, leading to another exciting spring.