The Newcomer Who's in Pole Position to Begin 2026 Season at Third Base for Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— The cancellation of the Purdue Fort Wayne baseball program last year was Alabama's gain, as the Crimson Tide added former Mastodon Justin Osterhouse to its 2026 roster over the offseason. He was the first position player to join the program's newest transfer class, and as of Tuesday, he is the clubhouse leader to start the regular season at third base.

"If you told me we're leaving this [interview] and going out and playing a game today, I think J.O.'s probably at third base," head coach Rob Vaughn said during a press conference Tuesday. "At the same time, J.O.'s also very good at second base. Has the ability to slide over there."

Osterhouse led the Mastodons in 2025 with 16 home runs and 46 runs batted in. He hit .328 primarily as a second baseman, and has featured in the outfield at the college level, but he's played at all the infield spots. Last season, Miami (Fla.) transfer Jason Torres made the move from first base to the hot corner. He will predominantly play first in his second season with the team, with the ability to make the switch back to third if a situational need arises (like the lineup requiring another righty bat).

"We have not completely abandoned third base," Vaughn said of Torres, "but I think when you have an elite first baseman, it makes all your other infielders a lot better. I know we had Drew [Williamson] before I got here. [Former Crimson Tide shortstop Jim] Jarvis tells me all the time, Drew's the reason he got the [ABCA/Rawlings] Gold Glove that year. An elite first baseman makes everybody better."

In scenarios where Torres plays third, that doesn't necessarily take Osterhouse off the field. If Osterhouse's power translates to the SEC, that adds another weapon to the offense. Torres hit 11 home runs last year. He also struck out 83 times in 212 at-bats (39.1 percent). Osterhouse's K rate was 21 percent in 2025.

Vaughn said there are a lot of pieces that can play the corner infield positions for this team. Catcher Luke Vaughn has taken reps at first, as has Oklahoma transfer Sam Christiansen and true freshman Andrew Purdy. South Alabama transfer Brennen Holt, JoJo Williamson and Jon Young Jr. are battling for the starting job at second base, but Vaughn added that those players can shift over if need be.

The overall depth of this Crimson Tide unit presents the coaching staff with options it has not had in past years going into the third season of Vaughn's tenure. As with the pitching corps, there are several possible moving parts.

"You're probably looking at J.O. at third to start, but don't be shocked if you see [true freshman Will] Rhine over at third, you see Jon Young, one of those other guys. Caleb Barnett, one of those young freshmen that is gonna come on and keep getting better. That's the beauty of this... I feel pretty good about one standing at shortstop, but outside of that, there's some pretty interchangeable parts in that infield."

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