Houston Cougars: 2026 Season Preview
Sixteen years. Six CWS appearances in program history but none under Todd Whitting. The Big 12 move has been unkind to a program that dominated the AAC, and with Whitting's contract winding down, 2026 is a season with stakes beyond the diamond. Houston has the talent to be a bubble team — whether they have the margin to break through is the question.
The Program
2025 Season Results
Season Highlights
Ian Mejia hit .321 with 14 HR — named All-Big 12 Second Team
Anthony Avalos posted a 3.18 ERA with 94 strikeouts as the Friday ace
Won series at TCU in April for the signature Big 12 road win
Team slugged .421 — best in program history under Whitting
Stole 58 bases while cutting caught-stealing rate to 18%
2026 Roster Breakdown
Key returnees and transfer portal additions
Key Returnees
Ian Mejia
SS · Jr.The best position player in the program. Plus bat speed, power to all fields, and shortstop defense that grades out above average. A potential top-5-round draft pick who needs to lead this team to the postseason.
Anthony Avalos
LHP · Sr.Houston's ace and the pitcher who gives them a chance every Friday. Four-pitch lefty who competes deep into games. Needs to be elite, not just good, for Houston to break through.
Jaime Perez
OF · Sr.Athletic outfielder who does a little of everything. Runs, hits for average, and plays above-average defense in center. The table-setter Whitting needs at the top of the lineup.
Rece Ritchey
C · Jr.Improved significantly behind the plate in 2025. Threw out 34% of base stealers and his bat is trending up. The staff trusts him.
Derek Dobyns
RHP · Jr.Power righty with a mid-90s fastball. Saturday starter who misses bats but occasionally gets hurt by walks. The ceiling is high if the command tightens.
Lael Lockhart III
LHP · Jr.Left-handed reliever with elite swing-and-miss stuff. The closer by committee in 2025 — could lock down the ninth in 2026 with a bigger role.
Transfer Portal Additions
Nolan Schubart
OF/1B · Jr.Big Ten slugger with plus power who mashed in the Midwest. Houston's biggest portal win — adds a right-handed power bat to the middle of the order.
Cody Spence
RHP · R-Sr.DFW product who thrived in the WAC. Power fastball/slider combination gives Whitting a Sunday starter or high-leverage bullpen arm.
Eric Hammond
2B · Jr.Cross-town transfer who knows the Houston baseball landscape. Smart hitter with strong defensive instincts at second base.
Miguel Saldana
RHP · Jr.In-state reliever with a heavy sinker. Ground-ball pitcher who keeps the ball in the park. Adds critical bullpen depth.
Pitching Staff Analysis
The Headline
Anthony Avalos (8-4, 3.18 ERA, 94 K) is a legitimate Friday ace — a four-pitch lefty who competes deep into games and limits damage. He is the reason Houston can win any series opener. The question is whether the arms behind him can hold serve on Saturday and Sunday, because in 2025 too many winnable series slipped away in games two and three.
The Rotation
Derek Dobyns (3.87 ERA, 68 K) has mid-90s stuff and misses bats. When his command is on, he looks like a Big 12 Saturday arm. When it wavers, he walks himself into trouble. Cody Spence (from Dallas Baptist, 3.24 ERA) competes for the Sunday spot with some returning sophomores. The rotation is viable — it just needs consistency from the two and three slots.
The Depth
Lael Lockhart III (2.92 ERA, 4 SV) is the bullpen anchor. Miguel Saldana (from Sam Houston, 2.88 ERA) adds a ground-ball machine in the middle innings. The pen was average in 2025 and needs to be above average for Houston to make a push. Lockhart stepping into a full-time closer role would help structure the late innings.
Lineup Analysis
The Engine
Ian Mejia (.321, 14 HR, 52 RBI) is the best player on the team and one of the best shortstops in the Big 12. His combination of bat speed, power, and contact is rare — he hit .321 in Big 12 play, not just against midweek opponents. Everything in this lineup revolves around what Mejia does.
The Middle
Nolan Schubart (from Michigan, .298, 11 HR) gives Mejia protection he did not have in 2025. Rece Ritchey (.261, 6 HR) provides catching production that is trending up. The middle of the order is deeper than last year — three hitters who can leave the yard instead of one.
The Supporting Cast
Jaime Perez (.288, 22 SB) sets the table with speed and on-base ability. Eric Hammond (from Rice, .274) adds a smart bat at second base. The lineup should score more runs than 2025 — the question is whether the improvement is enough to push them from bubble to lock.
2026 Schedule Highlights
Scouting Verdict
20–80 scouting scale
BSI Projection
Houston has the pieces to be a postseason team — Mejia is a star, Avalos is a Friday ace, and the portal class addresses real needs. The problem is margin. In 2025 the Cougars went 14-16 in Big 12 play and missed the tournament. They need to flip three or four of those conference losses into wins. Whitting is coaching for his job, which can be galvanizing or suffocating depending on how the early season goes. If the roster comes together, Houston is a regional team. If the inconsistency returns, it is another year of what-ifs for a program that has not been to Omaha since 1967.