Equipment and consistency. Those are the tools Houston baseball will need to utilize to build off its previous success for its third season in the Big 12 conference.
“I think this year we’re equipped more so than any other,” said coach Todd Whitting, alluding to the Cougars’ returning talent that shaped their first trip to the Big 12 tournament to cap off a 30-25 overall campaign in 2025.
For Whitting’s 16th season with the program, that retention seeks to experience postseason action beyond the conference tournament.
When paired with an active offseason in utilizing the transfer portal, consistency towards obtaining quality wins to improve their RPI from their previous 95th overall finish is just one step towards the Cougars’ return to their first regional appearance since 2018.
Both were goals of the vow athletic director Eddie Nuñez took in a June 4, 2025 statement to replenish program resources, with Whitting entering the final season of his current three-year contract.
Meeting those resourceful conditions was a class of 11 transfers and 10 freshman signings to pair with Houston’s 19 returning players.
All it comes down to is if these tools are enough to translate to improved consistency at the plate and on the mound for the Cougars in hopes of improving on their 12-17 record in Big 12 play last season.
Will new and returning arms promote endurance in weekend rotation?
With the introduction of pitching coach Matt Gardner, who spent 12 seasons under coach Tim Tadlock at Texas Tech, including four trips to the College World Series, the emphasis on endurance for the Cougars’ pitching staff remains the priority.
Being able to maintain a weekend rotation where each starter can go a quality distance and not get chased out early has been difficult for Houston across its first two seasons in the Big 12.
Though the Cougars’ 5.59 team ERA finish in 2025 is a slight numerical improvement from 2024, losing reigning Big 12 Pitcher of the Year Antoine Jean to the 2025 MLB draft left a hole in a previously taxed bullpen from starter inconsistencies.
To lean towards lowering those numbers, Houston will rely on improvements from senior right-hander Paul Schmitz, who went 4-5 with a 5.58 ERA in 14 starts in 2025, and junior right-hander Richie Roman, having gone 1-5 with a 6.31 ERA in six starts as a convert from the bullpen.
Although Schmitz registered a 41% ground ball rate to go with his 49 strikeouts, injuries hindered him going the distance in his conference series starts.
In fall workouts, the velocity of Schmitz’s fastball touched up to 93-94 mph while working on breaking and offspeed pitches, showing signs of command, control and fluidity across his arsenal.
Roman, on the other hand, will look to strive for similar success as a starter. He started 2025 a perfect 6-for-6 in saves as a closer, and at one point led all of Division I.
As a starter, his endurance was tested to the brink. But signs like his fastball topping at 97 mph and a 27% strikeout rate finish from 2025 leave his case to remain on the rotation viable.
Potential suitors for the final spot in Whitting’s rotation lie in junior right-handers Alex Solis, who struck out 36 batters in 32.2 innings in 2025 for the Cougars, and USC transfer Jackson Baker, a Lake Travis High School alum whose fastball tops at 96 mph to pair with his late-bite slider.
In the bullpen, senior left-hander Chris Scinta will look to build on his previous 4-2 record with 25 strikeouts over 36 innings as the 56th-ranked college senior in the nation by Perfect Game USA.
Two transfer seniors, left-hander Ryne Rodriguez out of Ole Miss and right-hander Tyler Bryan from Northwestern State, suit as healthy long relief candidates for when Houston’s bullpen faces taxation.
Bats aim to bound from league-last metric finish
The Cougars’ offensive output took a small hit with the loss of infielder Connor McGinnis to the 2025 MLB draft, but the bulk of it remains to build off their league-last finish in batting average and slugging percentage.
Xavier Perez’s return for his redshirt junior season brought a sigh of relief as the team’s reigning triple crown holder, finishing with a .305 average and a .902 OPS in 52 games. His power profile remained consistent throughout 2025 and stepped up particularly in McGinnis’ four-week absence towards the back end of Big 12 play.
Outfielder Tre Broussard enters his junior season as the No. 46 overall prospect in the first 2026 MLB draft rankings list, after stealing 31 bases for the Cougars in 2025 to go with a stout .292 average and .828 OPS.
His speed and athleticism still leaves for near-instant opportunities with runners in scoring position in the clutch, and it also helped him open the 2025 season with 21 consecutive stolen bases, good for second in program history.
Marking improved athleticism on both ends is senior infielder Cade Climie, who dropped around 15 to 20 pounds in offseason workouts towards plate approach and defense now at the left corner of the infield.
As the 2025 Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year, Climie looks to build off his .264 average and .921 OPS, having platooned in and out of his previous spot at first base.
As is evident with Climie’s role entering last season, Whitting embraces the power potential of any JuCo talent.
In one of this season’s instances, sophomore infielder and 2025 NJCAA All-American Justin Cherrington brings his reigning 1.255 OPS from Yavapai College to Houston as a pull hitter fit for nearly any spot in the lineup.
Looking to paint a new canvas off his .250 average across 24 games in 2025 is Texas transfer and junior outfielder Easton Winfield, who makes his return near his hometown of Alvin.
A pair of senior transfers following Gardner from Texas Tech include catcher Dylan Maxcey, looking to rebound from a junior .694 OPS slump, and infielder Antonelli Savattere, bringing in a .288 average and a case to be the Cougars’ opening day second baseman.
What must change for a regional rebirth?
Aside from the tools to add to the win column, Houston will need to capitalize in every medium to defy its 11th-place Big 12 preseason ranking.
Whether it requires a record number in bids in the conference or not, the Cougars’ stance in the NCAA ratings percentage index remains the true indicator towards building a regional resume, and it hasn’t played out in their favor as of late.
Having gone 5-13 against the RPI top-50, 6-10 in Quad 1 games and 24-15 outside of Quad 1 in 2025, Houston must limit its mistakes in each category while looking to improve its record against the previous top-six of the Big 12 conference that composed NCAA tournament bids.
One of those top-six finishes will be Houston’s conference-opener series, as Kansas State comes to Schroeder Park March 13-15.
But the top opportunity lies in facing preseason first-place TCU at Lupton Stadium in Fort Worth April 24-26.
The Cougars will also rematch both the reigning Big 12 regular season and conference tournament champions on the road, facing West Virginia April 17-19, and Arizona May 8-10.
To conclude the regular season, Houston will host Arizona State for the final three-game series from May 14-16 at Schroeder Park before potential preps for the newly-relocated Big 12 tournament at Surprise Stadium in Arizona.
Where the sidewalk ends, and the road begins
The road to regional redemption will begin with lots of eyes on Houston on opening day.
To kick off four days in Puerto Rico as part of the P.R. Baseball Challenge, the Cougars will begin their season on Friday, Feb. 13, with an 8 a.m. CST first pitch against No. 21 Wake Forest in Ponce, the first Division I college baseball game of the 2026 season by time log.
Viewers will need to create a free Victory+ account to watch all four of the Cougars’ games across the weekend.
The following weekend, Houston returns for its home-opening three-game series against UTRGV at Schroeder Park from Feb. 20-22.
Author
Discover more from Cougar Sports
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.