West Virginia Picked Third in the Big 12 Preseason Poll

The West Virginia University baseball program was voted to finish third in the 2026 Big 12 Preseason Poll on Thursday as voted by the league’s head coaches, marking the highest predicted finish for the program since joining the conference in 2013.

In head coach Steve Sabins' first year at the helm, the Mountaineers captured its second Big 12 regular season title last season, the second during a three-year span, and followed with a program record second consecutive NCAA Super Regional appearance after sweeping the Clemson regional.

West Virginia returns junior right-handed pitcher, and 2026 Preseason All-Big 12 selection, Chase Meyer. In 2025, Meyer went 9-2 with a 3.94 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 48.0 innings while holding opponents to a .192 batting average.

The Mountaineers lost most of its plate production from a season-ago but features junior Armani Guzman. He hit .327 with 22 RBI in 49 appearances and 25 starts. The club also returns senior shortstop and clubhouse leader Brodie Kresser. He had 12 doubles and batted .278 with 41 RBI.

TCU received 13 of 14 first-place votes to take the top spot with Arizona after collecting the remaining first place vote. Following West Virginia in third was Arizona State while Kansas and Oklahoma State tied for fifth. Kansas State and Cincinnati, both regional teams in 2025, were seventh and eighth. Texas Tech, UCF, Baylor, Houston, BYU, and Utah rounded out the poll.

2026 Big 12 Baseball Preseason Poll

1. TCU (13)

2. ‎Arizona (1)

3. West Virginia

4. Arizona State

T5. Kansas

T5. Oklahoma State

7. Kansas State

8. Cincinnati

9. Texas Tech

10. UCF

11. Baylor

12. Houston

13. BYU

14. Utah

2026 Big 12 Baseball Preseason Poll

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