Who is the team to beat in the Big 12 baseball tournament at Globe Life Field? Meet the contenders
Here are thumbnail looks at the eight teams participating in this week's Big 12 baseball tournament at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The tournament is split into two, four-team brackets with teams seeded 1, 4, 5 and 8 in the top bracket and teams seeded 2, 3, 6 and 7 in the bottom bracket.
Top bracket for Big 12 baseball tournament
No. 1 seed TCU
Record: 35-18, 16-8 in Big 12
NCAA projection: National seed
First-round game: 12:30 p.m. Wednesday vs. Baylor
Big 12 tournament titles (3): 2014, 2016, 2021
Top hitters: SS Tommy Sacco, .359 batting average, 12 home runs, 51 runs batted in. 3B Brayden Taylor, .308-10-43. CF Elijah Nunez, .296-1-27, 29 of 30 stolen bases. C Kurtis Byrne, .288-4-38. 1B David Bishop, .275-6-45.
Top starting pitchers: RHP Riley Cornelio, 4-4, 4.03 earned-run average. RHP Brett Walker, 5-2, 4.87. RHP Marcelo Perez, 6-2, 3.26.
Top relief pitchers: LHP River Ridings, 2-2, 6.20 ERA, 10 saves. RHP Luke Savage, 1-1, 1.82 ERA.
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No. 4 Oklahoma State
Record: 36-18, 15-9 in Big 12
NCAA projection: National seed
First-round game: 9 a.m. Wednesday vs. Texas
Big 12 tournament titles (3): 2004, 2017, 2019
Top hitters: LF Jake Thompson, .359 batting average, 13 home runs, 54 runs batted in. 3B Nolan McLean, .285-13-38. DH Griffin Doersching, .295-11-43. 1B David Mendham, .285-9-40. CF Caeden Trenkle, .270-6-34. 2B Roc Riggio, .247-6-28.
Top starting pitchers: RHP Justin Campbell, 8-2, 3.71 earned-run average. RHP Bryce Osmond, 4-2, 4.75 ERA. RHP Victor Mederos, 3-3, 6.18 ERA.
Top relief pitchers: RHP Trevor Martin, 3-3, 4.85 ERA, 9 saves. RHP Nolan McLean, 1-1, 4.09, 5 saves. RHP Ryan Bogusz, 2-0, 1.88 ERA. RHP Roman Phansalkar, 5-2, 2.51 ERA. RHP Kale Davis, 1-1, 3.65 ERA.
No. 5 Texas
Record: 39-17, 14-10 in Big 12
NCAA projection: No. 2 regional seed
Ranking by National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association: 17
First-round game: 9 a.m. Wednesday vs. Oklahoma State
Big 12 tournament titles (5): 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2015
Top hitters: DH Ivan Melendez, .421 batting average, 28 home runs, 85 runs batted in. RF Murphy Stehly, .383-16-51. 3B Skyler Messinger, .364-10-49. C Silas Ardoin, .287-10-45. SS Trey Faltine, .269-14-46.
Top starting pitchers: LHP Lucas Gordon, 6-1, 2.55 ERA. LHP Pete Hansen, 9-1, 3.28 ERA. RHP Tristan Stevens, 5-6, 5.04 ERA.
Top relief pitchers: RHP Aaron Nixon, 1-3, 3.56 ERA, 5 saves. RHP Marcus Olivarez, 1-0, 0.46 ERA. LHP Luke Harrison, 0-0, 2.97 ERA, 2 saves. RHP Jared Southard, 2-1, 3.43 ERA.
No. 8 Baylor
Record: 26-26, 7-17 in Big 12
First-round game: 12:30 p.m. Wednesday vs. TCU
Big 12 tournament titles (1): 2018
Top hitters: SS Jack Pineda, .309 batting average, 7 home runs, 35 runs batted in. 1B Kyle Nevin, .306-8-48. CF Jared McKenzie, .298-11-42. 2B Tre Richardson, .296-4-35.
Top starting pitchers: LHP Kobe Andrade, 3-3, 5.88 earned-run average. RHP Will Rigney, 2-2, 4.54 ERA. RHP Jake Jackson, 4-4, 8.35 ERA. RHP Blake Helton, 0-1, 2.51 ERA.
Top relief pitchers: RHP Mason Marriott, 2-3, 5.96 ERA, 5 saves. LHP Matt Voelker, 4-7, 5.83 ERA, 3 saves. RHP Hambleton Oliver, 1-1, 6.26 ERA, 1 save. LHP Cam Caley, 4-0, 6.68 ERA.
Bottom bracket for Big 12 baseball tournament
No. 2 Texas Tech
Record: 36-18, 15-9 in Big 12
NCAA projection: No. 2 regional seed
First-round game: 4 p.m. Wednesday vs. Kansas State
Big 12 tournament titles (1): 1998
Top hitters: 2B Jace Jung, .350 batting average, 14 home runs, 56 runs batted in. SS Kurt Wilson, .329-13-61. 1B Cole Stilwell, .323-9-49. DH Ty Coleman, .323-8-56. RF Owen Washburn, .307-7-47. 3B Parker Kelly, .291-10-47.
Top starting pitchers: RHP Andrew Morris, 7-1, 4.54 earned-run average. RHP Brandon Birdsell, 8-3, 2.75 ERA. RHP Chase Hampton, 5-3, 4.80 ERA.
Top relief pitchers: RHP Brendan Girton, 3-0, 4.08 ERA. LHP Derek Bridges, 1-0, 3.79 ERA. LHP Mason Molina, 1-5, 4.04 ERA.
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No. 3 Oklahoma
Record: 33-20, 15-9 in Big 12
NCAA projection: No. 2 regional seed
First-round game: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday vs. West Virginia
Big 12 tournament titles (2): 1997, 2013
Top hitters: CF Tanner Tredaway, .346 batting average, 6 home runs, 51 runs batted in, 22 of 26 stolen bases. 1B Blake Robertson, .338-4-43, 61 walks. SS Peyton Graham, .336-14-53. C Jimmy Crooks, .299-4-31. 2B Jackson Nicklaus, .288-8-23. DH Brett Squires, .344-6-29.
Top starting pitchers: LHP Jake Bennett, 6-3, 3.83 earned-run average. RHP David Sandlin, 6-3, 5.70 ERA.
Top relief pitchers: RHP Trevin Michael, 4-1, 3.21 ERA, 8 saves. LHP Carter Campbell, 2-0, 4.26 ERA. LHP Chazz Martinez, 3-3, 5.10 ERA, 1 save. RHP Jaret Godman, 1-0, 7.36 ERA, 3 saves.
No. 6 West Virginia
Record: 33-20, 14-10 in Big 12
NCAA projection: No. 3 regional seed
First-round game: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday vs. Oklahoma
Big 12 tournament titles: 0
Top hitters: RF Austin Davis, .336 batting average, 4 home runs, 26 runs batted in, 28 of 34 stolen bases. C McGwire Holbrook, .325-6-42. 3B J.J. Weatherholt, .308-4-36. CF Victor Scott, .286-6-46, 38 of 45 stolen bases. 1B Grant Hussey, .243-10-34. LF Braden Berry, .291-6-25, 16 of 20 stolen bases.
Top starting pitchers: RHP Jacob Watters, 3-6, 5.65 earned-run average. LHP Ben Hampton, 8-4, 4.50 ERA. Aidan Major, 3-0, 3.49 ERA. RHP Zach Bravo, 3-1, 7.71 ERA.
Top relief pitchers: RHP Trey Brathwaite, 3-0, 1.54 ERA, 8 saves. RHP Chris Sleeper, 3-4, 3.61 ERA. RHP Noah Short, 0-1, 3.68 ERA, 2 saves. RHP Chase Smith, 1-1, 3.86, 1 save.
No. 7 Kansas State
Record: 27-27, 8-16 in Big 12
First-round game: 4 p.m. Wednesday vs. Texas Tech
Big 12 tournament titles: 0
Top hitters: LF Domonic Johnson, .346 batting average, 11 home runs, 41 runs batted in. CF Cole Johnson, .297-7-30. 1B Dylan Phillips, .287-13-42. SS Nick Goodwin, .257-10-46. RF Jeff Heinrich, .333-10-23.
Top starting pitchers: RHP Blake Adams, 5-6, 5.04 earned-run average. RHP German Fajardo, 4-2, 3.95 ERA, 2 saves. RHP Connor McCullough, 3-3, 5.32. RHP Griffin Hassall, 4-6, 6.31 ERA.
Top relief pitchers: LHP Dylan Phillips, 0-1, 2.93 earned-run average, 6 saves. RHP Blake Corsentino, 4-5, 3.98 ERA, 2 saves. RHP Ty Ruhl, 4-2, 6.33 ERA.
Big 12 Championship
At Arlington, Texas
(*-if necessary)
Wednesday, May 25
Game 1: No. 5 Texas vs. No. 4 Oklahoma State, 9 a.m.
Game 2: No. 8 Baylor vs. No. 1 TCU, 12:30 p.m.
Game 3: No. 7 Kansas State vs. No. 2 Texas Tech, 4 p.m.
Game 4: No. 6 West Virginia vs. No. 3 Oklahoma, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 26
Game 5: G1 loser vs. G2 loser, 9 a.m.
Game 6: G3 loser vs. G4 loser, 12:30 p.m.
Game 7: G1 winner vs. G2 winner, 4 p.m.
Game 8: G3 winner vs. G4 winner, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 27
Game 9: G7 loser vs. G5 winner, 3:15 p.m.
Game 10: G8 loser vs. G6 winner, 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 28
Game 11: G7 winner vs. G9 winner, 9 a.m.
Game 12: G8 winner vs. G10 winner, 12:30 p.m.
Game 13: G11 winner vs. G11 loser*, 4 p.m.
Game 14: G12 winner vs. G12 loser*, 4 p.m. or 7:30
Sunday, May 29
Game 15: Championship, 5 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: 2022 Big 12 baseball tournament: Teams, schedule, NCAA projections
