AUSTIN, Texas — The Lone Star Conference released its 2026 Baseball Preseason Poll, ranking St. Edward's baseball fourth in the conference, and naming first baseman
CONNOR COX and pitcher
CAMDEN WHITE to its preseason watch list.
The preseason poll and honors were voted on by LSC head coaches, sports information directors, and media members.
St. Edward's baseball is coming off a 37-23 season, including 31-17 in conference play. The Hilltoppers were the runner-up in the LSC Championship Tournament and earned an NCAA South Central Regional berth.
Cox is coming off an All-American, All-Region, and All-LSC First Team season, setting a program record for most hits in a season (98), batting .419 with 12 home runs, 22 doubles, 75 RBI, 63 runs, and 30 walks with a .667 slugging percentage.
CAMDEN WHITE is in his first season at the Hilltop after transferring from Eastern Oklahoma State College, where he compiled an 8-5 record with 66 strikeouts in 78.1 innings, averaging 7.58 per nine innings and a 4.37 ERA.
UT Tyler is favored to win its first LSC Championship, matching Angelo State with 20 first-place votes and finishing four points higher in the polls. The Patriots swept the preseason honors with All-American shortstop Drew Schmidt earning LSC Preseason Player of the Year and Caden Copeland earning Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
St. Edward's opens its season on the road at West Texas A&M University on January 30 at 2:00 p.m. to kick-off a three-game series with Games 2 and 3 on Saturday and Sunday.
2026 LSC BASEBALL PRESEASON POLL, AWARDS, PLAYERS/PITCHERS TO WATCH
Preseason Poll
| Rank |
Team |
1st |
Total |
| 1 |
UT Tyler |
20 |
603 |
| 2 |
Angelo State |
20 |
599 |
| 3 |
Lubbock Christian |
|
510 |
| 4 |
St. Edward's |
|
501 |
| 5 |
West Texas A&M |
|
474 |
| 6 |
St. Mary's |
|
404 |
| 7 |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
1 |
389 |
| 8 |
Eastern New Mexico |
|
326 |
| 9 |
UT Permian Basin |
|
249 |
| 10 |
Texas A&M International |
1 |
246 |
| 11 |
UT Dallas |
|
243 |
| 12 |
Oklahoma Christian |
|
181 |
| 13 |
Cameron |
|
164 |
| 14 |
Sul Ross State |
|
67 |
Preseason Player of the Year
Drew Schmidt, SS, Jr., UT Tyler
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Caden Copeland, LHP, Sr., UT Tyler
Preseason Players to Watch
| Name |
Team |
Pos. |
Class |
Major |
Hometown |
| Chase Pendley |
Angelo State |
INF |
Sr. |
Interdisciplinary Studies |
Prosper, Texas |
| Zane Roos |
Cameron |
OF |
Sr. |
Sports Exercise Science |
St. Louis, Mo. |
| Adrien Martin |
Eastern New Mexico |
INF |
Jr. |
Criminal Justice |
Albuquerque, N.M. |
| Kyle Lewis |
Lubbock Christian |
OF |
Sr. |
Business |
Lubbock, Texas |
| Trey Migl |
Oklahoma Christian |
OF |
Sr. |
Accounting |
Piedmont, Okla. |
| CONNOR COX |
St. Edward's |
INF |
Sr. |
Business Administration |
Longview, Texas |
| Garrett Brooks |
St. Mary's |
OF/1B |
Sr. |
Management |
Spring Branch, Texas |
| Leo Salas |
Sul Ross State |
1B/OF |
Jr. |
Industrial Technology |
Haltom City, Texas |
| Eddie Saenz |
Texas A&M International |
INF |
Sr. |
Exercise Sci. & Kinesiology |
Laredo, Texas |
| Jayden Martinez |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
C |
Sr. |
General Studies |
Corpus Christi, Texas |
| Nico Fernandez |
UT Dallas |
C |
Sr. |
Mechanical Engineering |
Cypress, Texas |
| Gael Bernal |
UT Permian Basin |
INF |
Jr. |
Exercise Science |
El Paso, Texas |
| Drew Schmidt |
UT Tyler |
SS |
Jr. |
Management |
Lewisville, Texas |
| Tristin Thomas |
West Texas A&M |
OF/LHP |
So. |
Business |
Carlsbad, N.M. |
Preseason Pitchers to Watch
| Name |
Team |
Pos. |
Class |
Major |
Hometown |
| Josh Reed |
Angelo State |
LHP |
So. |
Business Management |
Midland, Texas |
| Jared Hughes |
Cameron |
RHP |
Sr. |
Sports Exercise Science |
Hillsboro, Mo. |
| Nick Mooney |
Eastern New Mexico |
LHP |
Sr. |
Business Administration |
Houston, Texas |
| Caden Cline |
Lubbock Christian |
RHP |
Sr. |
Management |
Lubbock, Texas |
| Corbin Kwan |
Oklahoma Christian |
LHP |
Jr. |
Finance |
Edmond, Okla. |
| CAMDEN WHITE |
St. Edward's |
RHP |
Jr. |
Undecided |
Choctaw, Okla. |
| Kaleb Gauna |
St. Mary's |
RHP |
Sr. |
Exercise & Sports Science |
Hondo, Texas |
| Jack Topolski |
Sul Ross State |
RHP |
Jr. |
Business |
Cleveland, Ohio |
| Mark Chapa |
Texas A&M International |
RHP |
Jr. |
Pre-Physical / Occ Therapy |
Corpus Christi, Texas |
| Tyler Schumann |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
RHP |
So. |
Sports Business |
Fulshear, Texas |
| David Dean |
UT Dallas |
LHP |
Jr. |
Business Administration |
Owasso, Okla. |
| Timmy LaChappa |
UT Permian Basin |
RHP |
So. |
Management |
Hemet, Calif. |
| Caden Copeland |
UT Tyler |
LHP |
Sr. |
Finance |
Midlothian, Texas |
| Cade Griffin |
West Texas A&M |
RHP |
Jr. |
Sports & Exercise Science |
Willis, Texas |
