It’s just over a month until the start of the 2026 season, and Arizona will begin that campaign the way the last one ended: nationally ranked.
The Wildcats check in at No. 24 in the preseason poll from D1Baseball, a few spots behind the No. 21 ranking they began 2025 with. They ended last season at No. 7 after making their 19th trip to the College World Series, first since 2021.
Arizona, which won the Big 12 Tournament title in its first season in the league, is one of two ranked schools from the conference. The other is TCU, which is at No. 10 and is ranked in the preseason for the 17th year in a row.
The Wildcats will visit TCU in April for a 3-game series, one of three ranked opponents on the schedule. The others are No. 12 Oregon State, whom they’ll play Feb. 14 in an opening-weekend tournament in Surprise, and No. 23 Vanderbilt, one of three foes at a tourney in Las Vegas two weeks later.
The UA returns its top two starting pitchers, right-handers Owen Kramkowski and Smith Bailey, and reigning NCBWA Stopper of the Year Tony Pluta, among other arms, and they’ll be overseen by new pitching coach Sean Kenny. The Wildcats have many holes to fill on offense, though, as only three regulars return from the batting order.
The first chance to see the fifth team coached by Chip Hale, who received a contract extension through 2030, is Jan. 24 when a Meet the Team event and exhibition is held at Hi Corbett Field. The first UA home game is Feb. 17 against Omaha.
