IRVING, Texas – In a vote of the conference’s head coaches, Oklahoma State was picked to finish second in the 2023 Big 12 baseball standings.
Defending champion TCU is the favorite to repeat as the Horned Frogs barely edged OSU in the voting. TCU received five first-place votes, while the Cowboys garnered the other four.
OSU is coming off a second-place conference showing last season, with the Pokes finishing 15-9 in league play, just one game out of first. In 10 seasons under head coach Josh Holliday, the Cowboys have finished first or second in the standings six times.
The Cowboys posted a 42-22 record last season and earned an NCAA Regional berth for the ninth consecutive season.
OSU returns six starters from that ballclub, and four Cowboys – Marcus Brown, Nolan McLean, Roc Riggio and Juaron Watts-Brown – were named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team. Watts-Brown was tabbed as the preseason conference newcomer and pitcher of the year and is also a Preseason All-American, along with McLean.
The Cowboys are ranked as high as No. 9 in the preseason national polls and open the season Feb. 17 at the College Baseball Showdown at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
2023 Big 12 Conference Baseball Preseason Poll
- TCU (5) 61
- Oklahoma State (4) 59
- Texas Tech 48
- Texas 43
- Oklahoma 38
- West Virginia 28
- Kansas State 17
- Kansas 16
- Baylor 14
