The 2026 NCAA D1 season gets started on Friday and, once again, the state of Oklahoma should have some of the best teams in the area and the country.
OU comes into the season grossly underrated as they were picked 14th out of 16 in the SEC preseason coaches poll. However, Baseball America has them in the 19th slot in their Top 25 national preseason poll. So, the opinions on the Sooners are all over the map.
Here to provide our annual preview of the Sooners is OU Baseball super fan, Johnny Webb (a.k.a. Johnny Baseball). He may not be an official member of the media, but Johnny knows as much, if not more, than any person about the Sooners other than the coaches themselves.
Along with Brandon Schultz, Webb cohosts The Oklahoma Baseball Experience Podcast. You can find the pod at the usual podcast platforms.
2026 OKLAHOMA SOONERS BASEBALL
It is almost baseball time in (Norman) Oklahoma. Let’s take a look at what might lie ahead for Sooner Baseball in 2026. While injuries and lack of power at the plate were cause for concern last season, these shortcomings appear to have been addressed on the recruiting trail in the off season. Skip Johnson is quoted as saying his freshmen recruiting class is “the best he has seen in his 35 years of coaching.” Big bodies and heavy bats were also a top priority for Todd Butler as OU heads into its second year in the SEC.
A program that loses the likes of Easton Carmichael, Dylan Crooks, and the Witherspoon twins might feel like they have found themselves in rebuild mode. However, we have said this for years now, Skip Johnson & Co do not rebuild they reload. With the mix of power, speed, defense, and a deep stable of quality arms this club appears to have the makings of a team that could fly under the radar all the way to Omaha. The 2025 Oklahoma Sooners may have fallen short of expectations, but that squad set the table for the current group and beyond.
STARTING PITCHING:
The main theme for the Oklahoma Sooners in 2026 will be “Depth”. Every group on this team is incredibly deep. Pitching is no different and options on the mound for the weekend rotations are good and plenty.
The 2025 campaign for lefty pitcher Cam Johnson was less than stellar. (5.57 ERA/24 K/22 BB 20 2/3 innings) Yet it would appear Skip has found the young man’s reset button. After a fantastic fall the Junior, (Cam or Bam!) Johnson looks to challenge for the Friday night role and with a solid year, could find himself as top 10 pick in this summer’s MLB draft.
LJ Mercurius a right-handed transfer from UNLV is a possible option for the Saturday night spot. He was a Second Team All-Conference selection out of the Mountain West. 11 starts as a sophomore with a 3.47 ERA, 58 Ks, 4-3 record in 53 innings pitched. Mercurius is a junior who has the tools and mindset to clinch a series or help swing back the momentum with a mid-series win.
The Sunday starter for Oklahoma may be situational depending on matchups. Drew Rerick is a 6’4 243lb left hander, transferring from Texas, looking to make a name for himself North of the Red River. The big sophomore didn’t have a vast resume of work in 2025 having struck out 7 batters in just 7 innings but has really turned heads in the fall and may be the best option for anchoring the weekend staff.
Another option for weekend starter might just be a freshman. Cord Rager could be the jewel of this pitching group by seasons end. There have been notable comparisons to a recent two-way player from the state of Oklahoma who is now in the MLB, Peyton Tolle. These may be lofty expectations for the youngster but word throughout the fall and winter is that it will be difficult to keep him off the field either on the mound or at the plate.
Gavyn Jones may also be in the mix for a weekend spot. Another two-way player who will find plenty work on the mound but can also pinch hit if needed. In 2025 he made 22 appearances and a lone start. 6.37 ERA while striking out 28 batters with only 7 walks in 29 2/3 innings pitched. Over the Summer, Jones pitched for the Chatham A’s of the Cape Cod League. 3.91 ERA, striking out 14 in 25 innings pitched. If the Junior lefty isn’t used in a starting capacity, he will have high value as a bullpen piece.
Look for Michael Catalano(RHP), Nick Wesloski(RHP), Jaden Barfield(LHP), Mason Bixby(RHP) or Ried Hensley(RHP) to find themselves in contention for a starting spot in the midweek. Skip very much likes to hand out midweek starts at 3 or 4 innings and then make that arm available out of the bullpen in games 2 or 3 of a weekend series.
WEEKEND POSSIBLES:
Friday – Cam Johnson – Jr LHP
Saturday – LJ Mercurius – Jr RHP/Cord Rager – Fr LHP
Sunday – Drew Rerick – So RHP/Gavyn Jones – Jr LHP
BULLPEN:
Jason Bodin was given the nickname Everyday Bodin for a reason. The Junior Right Handed Pitcher amassed 31 appearances giving him the most among OU pitchers and second most in the SEC. He should be the first man out of the bullpen given the situation. Michael Catalano(RHP), Jaden Barfield(LHP), Mason Bixby(RHP), Ried Hensley(RHP), Xander Mercius(RHP), Trent Collier(LHP), Jaxon Grossman(RHP),Gavyn Jones(LHP) Nate Smithburg(LHP), Kayden Leon(RHP), Nick Wesloski(RHP) and even Nolan Stevens(LHP) give the Sooner pitching staff a deep catalog of arms at their disposal. Wesloski, Catalano, Jones, Smithburg, Hensley, X. Mercurius, Bixby, Barfield appear to be the ones who will compete for the lion’s share of innings outside of Bodin.
Options at Closer appear to be Jaxon Cleveland a transfer Sophomore(RHP) from Miami who had 19 appearances with 25 strikeouts for the Canes in 2025. However, Brisco Smith(RHP) a 6’1 freshman from Duncan, OK appears to have entered himself into the mix for the job.
OUTFIELD:
Outfield is the deepest position on the roster. Jason Walk(.267/9HR/18SB) and Trey Gambill(.285/4HR/11SB) combined to start 114 games in 2025 and should be permanent installments in Left and Center Field. Even then, there may be times when matchups in the batting order could create opportunities to mix things up a bit. Gerardo Prado should make things interesting and could be of use in a variety of situations. While it may seem like a foregone conclusion that we will see a heavy dose of Dasan Harris(.313/2HR) or Drew Dickerson(.309/5HR) in Right Field. The position should see a steady stream of suiters. Freshmen phenom Alec Blair(SEC Freshmen of the Year watchlist) will be the most difficult to keep off the field. It will also be interesting to see how Nolan Stevens(brother of Grant Stevens) will be utilized with the limited space. Stevens is a Junior, left-handed hitter from Mississippi State who hit .320 with 21RBI and 4 Homeruns in 2025. His experience in the SEC and leadership skills make him invaluable on and off the field. This much depth in the outfield will be great in the case of injury or fatigue but it is quite evident that there is not enough room for the amount of talent competing for innings. Any one of these players could push for major playing time on any team in the SEC.
INFIELD:
Here we go again talking about depth! It is more of the usual suspects up the middle with Jaxon Willits at SS and Kyle Branch at 2B. The 6-4 combo should be one of the more solid groups on the field. Hitting wise they are two of the most reliable bats in the order. Willits had a slash line of .302BA/.402OBP/.495SLG as Sophomore to go along with 9 homeruns. Branch picked up an All-SEC Freshmen team nod in 2025 and had a line of .288BA/.357OBP/.365SLG will be looking take big step forward in the new year. Third base appears to be a job for Camden Johnson to lose. Johnson affectionately knows as Wham by his teammates is a Junior transfer from Wichita State who started all 56 games in 2025 and recorded a .325 batting with 35 RBI and 2 homeruns. He was a standout in the Cape Cod League over the Summer and has done nothing but turn heads in the Fall and Spring. During an intersquad earlier this week Camden made several highlight quality plays and helped his own cause at the plate. Dayton Tockey should be the incumbent First Basemen to start the season. He played in 43 games last season with 42 starts, missing 11 games due to injury. He hit .271 with 32 RBI and 26 Walks. Connor Larkin who was the 2025 Gatorade Player of the Year out of the State of Colorado his .457 with 11 Homeruns and 20 Stolen Bases in his Senior year was also the #21 First Basemen in the Nation according to Perfect Game. Along with Cord Rager and Deiten LaChance there will be plenty of options to work with in-case of injuries.
CATCHER:
After losing Easton Carmichael to the MLB draft over the Summer. One might think Oklahoma will be in trouble behind the plate. The Sooners have replaced their All-American back stop with a pair of All-American JuCo catchers. At 6’5 and 231lbs, Deiten LaChance has a massive presence behind the plate and in the box. The NJCAA Second Team All-American recorded a .380 batting average with 21 homeruns at McLennan Junior College in 2025. His compatriot behind the dish is Brendan Brock, a Junior out of Southwester Illinois Community College. Brock was a NJCAA First Team All-American, hit 20 homeruns, and batted an astonishing .462 in his sophomore campaign. It is noted that Brock turned down his MLB draft offer last summer to join the Sooners this season. Both will split innings as they are equal parts contact, power and defense. Brock has the speed advantage, but it will be difficult to find separation between the two. Gunnar Dillard a true freshmen may find some innings and has been impressive this winter. Dillard will have a year under the wing of two veterans, so the future is bright for Sooner catching.
DESIGNATED HITTER:
Throw a dart in the dugout and I am sure you will find someone who can do a serviceable job as a DH. First thoughts on this spot are that whoever is not catching will more than likely have the job. That being said, if LaChance finds himself playing First Base with Brock at Catcher the depth chart most definitely begins to fill with ORs. Drew Dickerson showed signs of power in his freshmen season and would be more than suitable option. Nolan Stevens or Cord Rager or Alec Blair or Dayton Tockey or Connor Larkin could also fill the role when not playing a position.
One player we have not mentioned is utility man Cayden Brumbaugh, a senior transfer from Nebraska. He started 61 games in 2025 and was part of the All-Big 10 and All Regional teams to close the season. He hit .309, 33 RBI and 5HRs in his junior season and can be plugged into just about any position on the field and could but of great value if called up as a DH.
OUTLOOK:
The 2026 Oklahoma Sooner have one of the toughest schedules in all of college baseball. Skip Johnson and Co appear to have recruited and developed a squad that can handle such an arduous task. How far the Sooners make in the post season will most definitely hinge on two factors. 1) Can this Sooner batting order live up to its potential? With a solid mix of power, speed and a little bit of ChaOUs, this could be the most potent offense we have seen since the 2022 run to Omaha. 2) Does Oklahoma have the pitching? Can Cam Johnson perform at his peak and can the other arms in this staff hold opponents at bay in an incredibly stout SEC? This team does not need elite pitching to succeed. On paper they have the offense to compete with any program in the country. Good pitching should put this team squarely in the post season. Great pitching should keep this club in upper part of the conference standings and elite pitching could mean playing baseball in middle American come June. A good start for the Sooners in Arlington could be a sign of things to come in the 2026 season.
National Ranking: Baseball America – #19, D1 – Not Ranked, USA Today – Not Ranked, NCBWA – NA
Key Non-Con Series: Shriners College Showdown – Texas Tech, OSU, TCU. Midweek Arizona State in Norman and Midweek matchups with DBU.
Key Conference Series: Every Weekend is a Regional
Projected Conference Finish: 7th in the SEC
Norman Regional Host (Bricktown Ballpark in OKC if Kimrey is under construction) (Projected to miss the tournament by D1, 2 Seed (19th overall) Charlottsville, VA regional by Baseball America.
Projected Finish: Super Regional or Better
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