Arizona State Sun Devils: 2026 Season Preview
Five national titles. The winningest program now in the Big 12. Willie Bloomquist brings a former big leaguer's intensity to a program that owns the most CWS hardware in the conference — and in Year 3, the Sun Devils are done rebuilding.
The Program
2025 Season Results
Season Highlights
Won 7 of 10 Big 12 series against sub-.500 conference teams
Swept Kansas State in a key late-season conference series
Joe Lampe named Second Team All-Big 12 outfielder
Staff struck out 498 hitters — program's highest total since 2018
2026 Roster Breakdown
Key returnees and transfer portal additions
Key Returnees
Joe Lampe
OF · Sr.The best returning bat in the Big 12 not named Brayden Taylor. Elite bat-to-ball skills with enough power to keep pitchers honest. Second Team All-Big 12 who should be First Team in 2026. Runs well enough to play center and hit at the top or middle of the order.
Ethan Long
1B/DH · Jr.Power-first first baseman with legitimate 70-grade raw power on the 20-80 scale. Led the team in home runs and RBI. When he gets into a fastball, it leaves the yard in a hurry.
Ryan Mares
SS · Jr.Quick-twitch athlete who plays a premium position with above-average range. The bat is developing — a jump in power would make him a complete shortstop. Smart baserunner who picks his spots.
Jacob Aguayo
RHP · Jr.Friday night starter with mid-90s heat and a developing breaking ball. 91 strikeouts suggest the stuff plays — the 3.92 ERA suggests the command has room to tighten. High ceiling arm who could be one adjustment away from dominance.
Brock Peery
LHP · So.Left-handed starter who competed immediately as a freshman. Pitchability over velocity — changes speeds effectively and locates the fastball to both sides. The sophomore jump could make him a Saturday anchor.
Jaden Parsons
RHP · Jr.Late-inning weapon with a power slider that generates swings and misses. Closer who saved 6 games down the stretch. Fearless competitor on the mound.
Transfer Portal Additions
Travis Sthele
C · R-Sr.Veteran catcher from the Pac-12 bloodline who brings defensive stability and pop behind the plate. Elite game-caller who handles pitching staffs. Fills a critical position of need.
Conor Davis
3B · R-Sr.SEC power bat who slots into the heart of the order. Physical hitter who drives the ball to the pull side with authority. Brings postseason experience from the SEC.
Tyler Gentry
RHP · Jr.Pitched in the SEC West against the best lineups in college baseball. Power fastball with a cutter that neutralizes right-handed hitters. Immediate rotation or high-leverage relief option.
Wyatt Olds
OF · Jr.Speed-power combination from the conference rival. Knows Big 12 pitching. Adds depth to an outfield that needed it and provides stolen base ability from the leadoff spot.
Pitching Staff Analysis
The Headline
Jacob Aguayo has the raw stuff to be a Big 12 ace. Mid-90s with 91 strikeouts in 82 innings — the strikeout rate says the arsenal works. The 3.92 ERA says the execution needs sharpening. If Bloomquist and pitching coach Jason Kelly can tighten Aguayo's command, the rotation becomes dangerous.
The Rotation
Aguayo leads the way. Brock Peery provides left-handed balance on Saturday — his freshman year was quietly impressive, and the sophomore jump could be significant. Tyler Gentry (from Alabama) gives Arizona State an SEC-tested arm for Sunday. Three different looks across the weekend rotation: power righty, crafty lefty, cutter-heavy righty.
The Depth
Jaden Parsons (2.78 ERA, 6 saves) closes games with a power slider that hitters can't seem to square up. The seventh and eighth innings need sorting, but Parsons at the back takes pressure off everything in front of him. If the rotation goes 6+ innings regularly, this bullpen is more than capable.
Lineup Analysis
The Engine
Joe Lampe (.311, 12 HR) is the lineup's heartbeat. He can hit at the top for on-base production or in the 3-hole for run production — Bloomquist has flexibility because Lampe does everything well. Second Team All-Big 12 last year was an understatement of what he meant to this offense.
The Middle
Ethan Long (15 HR, 53 RBI) and Conor Davis (.289, 13 HR from Auburn) form a power tandem in the middle. When Lampe gets on, Long and Davis drive him in. That 3-4-5 of Lampe-Long-Davis is as physically imposing as any in the Big 12.
The Supporting Cast
Wyatt Olds (18 stolen bases from Oklahoma) adds speed and Big 12 familiarity at the top. Travis Sthele (from Oregon State) provides a veteran backstop who contributes offensively. Ryan Mares is a smart hitter developing power. The lineup is deeper and more balanced than 2025, with clear roles from 1 through 9.
2026 Schedule Highlights
Scouting Verdict
20–80 scouting scale
BSI Projection
Arizona State has more national titles than any program in the Big 12. That history doesn't win games — but the roster Bloomquist assembled might. Joe Lampe is a legitimate All-American candidate. The portal brought SEC power (Davis), Pac-12 defense (Sthele), Big 12 speed (Olds), and SEC pitching (Gentry). The question is the rotation: if Aguayo takes the command step and Peery makes the sophomore jump, this team can make a run. Fifteen-and-fifteen in conference play was 2025. The ceiling in 2026 is a Regional host.