Oklahoma Sooners: 2026 Season Preview
The Sooners enter the SEC. Skip Johnson has built a 40-win program with elite pitching and enough offense to compete. The jump from the Big 12 to the best conference in college baseball will test every part of the roster — and the schedule offers no grace period.
The Program
2025 Season Results
Season Highlights
Won 40 games in the final Big 12 season
Cade Horton: 9-2, 2.78 ERA with 118 strikeouts — Big 12 Pitcher of the Year
Dakota Harris hit .318 with 22 stolen bases from center field
Jackson Nicklaus provided middle-of-the-order power with 14 HR
Hosted a Regional for the first time since 2022
2026 Roster Breakdown
Key returnees and transfer portal additions
Key Returnees
Cade Horton
RHP · Jr.Big 12 Pitcher of the Year. Mid-90s fastball with a devastating slider. The ace Oklahoma needs to compete in the SEC from day one.
Dakota Harris
OF · Jr.Elite speed and defensive range in center field. Sets the table at the top of the lineup with a professional approach.
Jackson Nicklaus
1B · Jr.Power bat at first base. Drives the ball to all fields and provides the lineup anchor Oklahoma needs.
Anthony Mackenzie
SS · Sr.Steady shortstop with improving offense. His defensive consistency anchors the infield.
Luke Savage
LHP · Jr.Left-handed starter with improving command. Saturday arm who has the stuff to match up against SEC lineups.
Transfer Portal Additions
Cayden Wallace
3B · R-Sr.SEC-experienced bat from Fayetteville. Knows the conference and adds immediate lineup depth.
Ryan Cusick
RHP · R-Sr.Power arm from the CWS runner-up. Adds bullpen depth with SEC-caliber velocity.
Brett Squires
INF · Jr.Versatile infielder from a Big 12 contender. Adds defensive flexibility and a reliable bat.
Pitching Staff Analysis
The Headline
Cade Horton (9-2, 2.78 ERA, 118 K) is the ace. Big 12 Pitcher of the Year with mid-90s stuff and a wipeout slider. The question is not whether he can pitch in the SEC — it is whether the arms behind him can hold the line against the deepest lineups in the country.
The Rotation
Luke Savage (3.42 ERA) has the stuff for a Saturday start but needs to prove it against SEC bats. The Sunday spot is a competition — Ryan Cusick (from Wake Forest, 3.12 ERA) could push into the rotation or lock down the late innings. Johnson needs two of the three to deliver consistently.
The Depth
The bullpen was the strength of the Big 12 run. The returning relievers throw strikes and avoid walks. Cusick adds a power arm from a CWS-caliber program. The depth should hold — but the margin for error in the SEC is razor-thin.
Lineup Analysis
The Engine
Dakota Harris (.318, 22 SB) is the tone-setter. His speed at the top of the lineup puts immediate pressure on SEC pitchers, and his .402 on-base percentage means he gets there often. He is the kind of catalyst who turns singles into doubles and walks into scoring threats.
The Middle
Jackson Nicklaus (.282, 14 HR) provides the power. Cayden Wallace (from Arkansas, .289, 10 HR) adds SEC-experienced production at third base. Together they give Oklahoma a middle of the order that can compete — though it lacks the depth of the SEC elite.
The Supporting Cast
Anthony Mackenzie (.275, 6 HR) is steady at short. Brett Squires (from Texas Tech) adds contact depth. The lineup will need to manufacture runs — the SEC will not let Oklahoma slug its way through conference play. Small ball, speed, and discipline will define how they compete.
2026 Schedule Highlights
Scouting Verdict
20–80 scouting scale
BSI Projection
Oklahoma enters the SEC with a proven ace, a legitimate leadoff hitter, and the kind of pitching depth that kept them competitive in the Big 12. The jump to the SEC is real — the lineups are deeper, the arms are better, and the margin for error disappears. But Skip Johnson has built 40-win programs before, and the portal additions bring SEC experience. The Sooners are not here to survive the transition. They are here to compete.