Oklahoma State will be unranked heading into the college baseball season.

On Monday morning, D1Baseball released its preseason top 25 rankings ahead of the 2026 season and the Cowboys were not listed. It marks the first time since 2024 and only the third time in the Josh Holliday era where the Cowboys will not don a top-25 slot heading into Opening Weekend.

Among the Big 12 programs ranked ahead of Holliday’s team are TCU (10) and Arizona (24). The Cowboys are coming off a 30-25 campaign, which included a 15-12 mark in Big 12 play. OSU’s season ended with a 2-2 finish in the Athens Regional, hosted by seventh-seeded Georgia. There, the Cowboys eliminated the Bulldogs in walk-off fashion before being eliminated by Duke in the regional title game.

OSU lost a bevy of key pieces from its 2025 roster, including slugger Nolan Schubart, second baseman Brayden Smith and most of its starting pitching rotation in left-hander Harrison Bodendorf and right-handers Gabe Davis and Sean Youngerman.

Oklahoma State slugger Nolan Schubart (10) stands on base during a game against UT-Arlington on Feb. 23, 2025, at O'Brate Stadium in Stillwater, and second baseman Brayden Smith gets a hit during a game against Arizona State on May 17, 2025, at O'Brate Stadium. Schubart and Smith were among the key departures from OSU's 2025 roster as the Cowboys enter the 2026 season unranked in D1 Baseball's preseason top 25. – Photos by Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics

Simultaneously, the Cowboys are returning as many as seven starters from a season ago and welcomed the No. 8 recruiting class according to Perfect Game, which featured top-100 prospects in outfielders Danny Wallace, Remo Indomenico and Sebastian Norman, along with the No. 113 overall recruit in shortstop Terrance Bowen.

Noteworthy transfer portal additions include Clemson two-way prospect TP Wentworth, former Ole Miss starting catcher Campbell Smithwick and UC Santa Barbara southpaw starting pitcher Hudson Barrett.

A message from Visit Stillwater

Ring in 2026 with excitement in America’s Friendliest College Town! From live music at the Tumbleweed and thrilling OSU Athletics, to livestock shows, new museum exhibits, and more. View upcoming events in Stillwater.

As Holliday enters his 14th season at the helm of his alma mater, OSU’s College World Series drought sits at nine years. While the modern age of college baseball has made it increasingly difficult to make it to Omaha, it appears Holliday and Co. will have enough talent to not only compete for a Big 12 title, but also to potentially end that aforementioned drought. 

The Cowboys open their season against No. 7 Arkansas on Feb. 13 in the Shriners College Baseball Showdown at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Clashes with Bedlam rival Oklahoma and No. 23 Vanderbilt will close out their Opening Weekend slate. 

Full D1Baseball preseason rankings

  1. UCLA 
  2. LSU
  3. Texas
  4. Mississippi State
  5. Georgia Tech
  6. Coastal Carolina
  7. Arkansas
  8. Louisville
  9. Auburn
  10. TCU
  11. North Carolina
  12. Oregon State
  13. Florida
  14. Tennessee
  15. Georgia
  16. Florida State
  17. North Carolina State
  18. Kentucky
  19. Clemson
  20. Southern Mississippi
  21. Wake Forest
  22. Miami
  23. Vanderbilt
  24. Arizona
  25. Texas A&M
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