After a long offseason, Texas Tech baseball is ready to turn the page.
The Red Raiders begin the 2026 campaign in Arlington at the Shriners Children’s College Showdown inside Globe Life Field, facing a loaded field that includes Oklahoma, No. 23 Vanderbilt and No. 7 Arkansas.
It’s an early measuring stick for a program determined to bounce back from last season’s 20-33 finish.
Head coach Tim Tadlock reshaped the roster and pitching infrastructure, adding veteran pitching minds Steve Foster and Steve Merriman to guide a staff replacing more than 300 innings from a year ago.
The weekend rotation will feature right-hander Jackson Burns against Oklahoma on Friday, Lukas Pirko versus Vanderbilt on Saturday and Connor Mohan in Sunday’s finale against Arkansas.
Burns, a 6-6 righty from Aledo, is looking for a healthy reset after illness limited him to one appearance in 2025. Pirko, a former Freshman All-American, showed swing-and-miss stuff last season, while Mohan brings added velocity after reportedly touching 96 mph in preseason work.
Offensively, Texas Tech returns serious firepower. Logan Hughes and Robin Villeneuve anchor the lineup after combining for double-digit home run seasons in 2025.
The Red Raiders also added Maryland transfer Hollis Porter and junior college standout Matt Quintanar, an NCBWA Preseason All-American. Freshman Linkin Garcia, a former Top-100 recruit, adds even more upside to a deeper lineup.
Speed remains a weapon as well. Center fielder Kyeler Thompson swiped 29 bases without being caught last season and committed only three errors in the field.
Texas Tech has grown comfortable in Arlington, winning seven of its last 14 games at Globe Life Field. With three likely Quad 1 opportunities to open the season, the Red Raiders have a chance to make an immediate statement and set a new tone for 2026 before heading south for a midweek matchup at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg.