Opening Day in college baseball is on Friday and there’s a ton of great matchups on tap to get the season started. Everyone looks forward to the multitude of tournaments to open the campaign because of team matchups and star-level players going head-to-head. One of the tournaments that gets everyone’s attention is the Shriners Children’s College Showdown at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. This year the field of teams includes Oklahoma, Texas Tech, TCU, Vanderbilt, Arkansas and Oklahoma State. Three of the six teams are ranked in D1Baseball’s Top 25 Rankings. It all kicks off this Friday when the road to Omaha begins.
Shriners Children’s College Showdown
Tommy Lapour (SP, TCU)
TCU has racked up the preseason accolades heading into the 2026 season. The Horned Frogs come into the season ranked 10th and were picked to win the BIG 12 because of their all-around talent. The main piece to the puzzle on the pitching side is Tommy Lapour. He earned some preseason accolades of his own, being named to the All-Big 12 Team, the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year, and was selected to the D1Baseball All-American Second-Team as the ace of TCU.
Last season, Lapour went 8-3 and pitched to a 3.09 ERA in 16 starts. He had the second-lowest ERA in the Big 12 while also posting a team-best 88 strikeouts. The junior leads one of the most electric rotations in the country and will start on Friday against Vanderbilt.
Sawyer Strosnider (OF, TCU)
While Lapour leads the pitching side of things for TCU, Sawyer Strosnider leads the way on the offensive side. In 2025, the now-sophomore outfielder hit .350 with a .420 OBP, .650 SLG and 1.070 OPS. He also hit 11 home runs with 51 RBI and led the country in triples. Strosnider became the first player since 2010 and the first freshman since 2001 to post double-digit totals in doubles (13), triples (10), home runs (11) and stolen bases (10). For his performance, he was named First-Team Freshman All-American by D1Baseball.
Strosnider comes into 2026 ready to take the next step and lead this TCU offense to greater heights. He was named the Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year and Preseason Second-Team All-American by D1Baseball. He was also a unanimous selection to the All-Big 12 Team. He’s the top bat in a loaded lineup that is expected to have a big year.
Connor Fennell (SP, Vanderbilt)
There’s a lot of excitement about what Connor Fennell can do for Vanderbilt this season in the rotation. In 17 appearances with 7 starts, Fennell went 6-0 and had a 2.53 ERA with 84 strikeouts in 53.1 innings while the opposition batted just .174 against him. He has a full arsenal of great pitches that include a deceptive fastball, changeup, slider and curveball. The junior has a unique delivery that will give hitters fits with the movement of all four pitches.Â
Fennell could very well turn out to be one of the best starters not only in the SEC but in the country. He was named Preseason Second-Team All-SEC as well as Preseason Third-Team All-American by D1Baseball. He will get the ball to start out the season against TCU, as he’s slated to pitch on Friday in an electric matchup on the mound with Fennell vs Lapour.
Ryder Helfrick (C, Arkansas)
Arkansas might have the best catcher in the country with Ryder Helfrick, who was named First-Team All-American by D1Baseball. Last season, he showed us a glimpse of what he’s capable of as he hit .305 and was second on the team in slugging percentage (.616) and third in OPS (1.036). Helfrick also hit 15 home runs with 38 RBI. He’s also one of the best defenders behind the plate, having a .955 fielding percentage by only committing three errors and throwing out 10 on the base paths.Â
Last year could just be the beginning of what Helfrick is capable of with both the bat and behind the plate. He also landed on the preseason watch list for both the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award and the Golden Spikes Award, which is given to the best amateur baseball player in the nation. That in itself tells you all you need to know about the type of year Helfrick can have.
Gabe Gaeckle (SP, Arkansas)
Like his teammate, Gabe Gaeckle was also named to the preseason watch list for the Golden Spikes Award coming into the season. He was also named to last year’s list as well, showing how he’s looked at as a top arm in the nation. Gaeckle was selected in the 20th round by the Cincinnati Reds in 2023 and, according to MLB Pipeline, is a top 25 2026 MLB Draft prospect.Â
In 2024, he made 22 appearances and had a 2.32 ERA. Last year, he made 19 appearances and had a chance to make 9 starts, having a 4.42 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 71.1 innings. Gaeckle showed up when it mattered most, when he had 10 strikeouts and only gave up a run in six innings during his best outing of the year in the 2025 College World Series against the eventual National Champions, LSU Tigers. He will get the nod on opening day as the leader of this Arkansas pitching staff.
Camden Kozeal (2B, Arkansas)
Arkansas is expected to have one of the best offenses in the country, led by Camden Kozeal. He had a great sophomore season in 2025 after transferring over from Vanderbilt, as he hit .333 with a .386 OBP, .606 SLG, and a .992 OPS with 15 home runs and 62 RBI.
Because of that, he was named Second-Team All-SEC to end the season and now enters 2026 as a Preseason All-SEC First-Team selection. Kozeal was already strong but he got even stronger over the offseason, which might lead to an uptick in home runs.
Logan Hughes (OF, Texas Tech)
Texas Tech has a few bats that anchor their lineup, and one of them is outfielder Logan Hughes. He led the team in home runs with 19 as well as RBI with 58. He also led or nearly led the team in almost every notable offensive statistical category. Hughes also had great numbers at Stetson the year before he transferred to Texas Tech.
Hughes’ approach at the plate is one of the best in college baseball and he has great discipline, knowing how to draw walks when needed. His presence at the plate is the one you’d want if you’re the Red Raiders, and one you wouldn’t want to face in a big spot if you’re the opponent. He is also a strong fielder in the outfield, which all leads to his 2026 Preseason All-Big 12 selection.
Honorable Mentions: Kuhio Aloy (OF/DH, Arkansas); Robin Villeneuve (1B, Texas Tech)
Shriners Children’s College Showdown Schedule:
Friday: Oklahoma vs Texas Tech (11 a.m. CT)
TCU vs Vanderbilt (3 p.m. CT)
Oklahoma State vs Arkansas (7 p.m. CT)
Saturday: Texas Tech vs Vanderbilt (11 a.m. CT)
Oklahoma State vs Oklahoma (3 p.m. CT)
Arkansas vs TCU (7 p.m. CT)
Sunday: Vanderbilt vs Oklahoma State (10:30 a.m. CT)
Texas Tech vs Arkansas (2:30 p.m. CT)
TCU vs Oklahoma (6:30 p.m. CT)
Main Image: Brett Rojo-Imagn Images
