Experience and Arms Give Houston a Chance to Break Through in 2026

Cade Climie headlines an old experienced Houston Squad in 2026 (Houston Athletics photo)

By Jake McKeever

Entering 2026, Big 12 Baseball feels just as wide open as it has in recent memory. The league features just one preseason Top 25 program (TCU). TCU is the clear-cut number one, top dog. Outside of the clear tone-setter, there is a wide range of outcomes for nearly every team in the conference. Roster turnover, assistant coaching changes, and the realities of the portal and NIL have left much of the league in various stages of retooling rather than reloading.

That volatility creates opportunity, and nowhere is that more evident than in the middle tier of the conference, where a handful of experienced but flawed teams are capable of making a legitimate push if things break right.

In that context, Houston enters the season as one of the more fascinating evaluations in the Big 12, a program still searching for traction in its new league, but one that finally shows signs of real stability and upside beneath the surface.

The Houston Cougars might be the most difficult team in the league to pin down. While Houston basketball and, to some extent, football have made a relatively smooth transition into the Big 12, baseball has yet to fully find its footing. Houston finished 26-28 overall and 7-21 in league play in its first season in the conference, followed by incremental progress last spring with a 30 win campaign. Even so, another losing Big 12 record kept the Cougars near the bottom of the standings. That said, Houston proved to be a tough out in Arlington, and the overall trajectory finally felt pointed in the right direction.

Back-to-back finishes near the cellar raised legitimate questions about Todd Whitting’s tenure, but credit where it is due, he was aggressive this offseason. The Cougars return a large chunk of their lineup, with the most notable changes coming in the coaching offices. On the first point, we have seen some Big 12 teams decimated by the portal in recent years. Cade Climie, Tre Broussand and some of the other arms would start on numerous SEC teams, and there was talk the coaches called on these guys. 

Adding Kyle Cheesebrough from Mississippi State and Matt Gardner from Texas Tech gives the staff a clear Power Four feel. Cheesebrough was heavily involved with recruiting at Mississippi State during some loaded rosters, while Gardner has a proven track record of developing draft talent in Lubbock.

Experience is the biggest strength of this Houston club, and in the portal and NIL era simply retaining impact pieces often amounts to half the battle. Houston largely accomplished that. The Cougars did not have a hitter bat over .300 last season, but they do return two of the more intriguing position players the program has had in recent years. Houston has also made a habit of producing unexpected breakout performers, with Cary Arbolida breaking Houston’s slugging percentage record after starting nine games in the season prior. There is reason to believe the next wave is already on campus.

Tre Brossard looks to provide the Cougars a spark (Houston Athletics photo)

Climie and Broussard headline this deep experienced group heading into 2026. Climie was a monster at Blinn in 2024, earning Tournament MVP and Best Hitter honors while leading the Buccaneers to a national title. He transitioned well in his first Big 12 season, popping nine home runs and finishing fifth on the team in average. I think his mature approach at the plate and added strength could move him into the All-Big 12 conversation.

Broussard stands as another Juco bandit who can absolutely fly. He grew up in the 3rd ward, right down the road from Houston’s campus and spurned the transfer portal to remain at Houston despite numerous P4 interests. Broussard is a true throwback, gap to gap player who can impact the game in a variety of different ways. He loves to steal bases and take the extra base while on the base paths. Houston will lean on these two guys a ton in 2026.

Tyler Cox is an X-Factor this Cougars Squad (Houston Athletics photo)

Another returning letterman is the slick fielding Tyler Cox, who will man the middle of the infield. A true no-frills, no-flash guy who is a vacuum at short. While he has never really struck fear into pitchers at the dish, his X-Factor could be stealing ABs and hits down at the bottom of the order. Cox reminds me a ton of Adam Everette: a strong arm, great footwork, and someone the staff can trust to make the routine plays. I think the Houston lineup is dangerous if he can hit over .250.

Texas Tech transfer Antonelli Savattare should slot in alongside him up the middle. Savattare hit .295 with six doubles in limited action last season and was a bright spot for an otherwise underwhelming Red Raider club. He fits well near the top of the order behind Broussard. 

The outfield outside of Broussard is a little bit of an unknown, with a few transfers looking to break through. Whitting in the past has used left field as a way to get another bat into the lineup.

Texas transfer Easton Winfield is a name to watch for a corner outfield spot. While he was in and out of the lineup battling injuries for Texas, he was a solid get for the Horns in the summer of 2024. He actually won the starting job over Tommy Farmer to start the season. It would not be surprising to see him settle into a corner role for Houston.

Ultimately, Houston’s ceiling hinges on whether the pitching staff can consistently work deep into games. That has been a recurring issue during the Big 12 era. This team has not had a shortage of power arms who can get 3-6 outs in a weekend.  In 2024 following a victory, Kansas State coach Pete Hughes remarked that Houston had the deepest staff in the Big 12. “Its Sunday, and they roll out a guy who sits 95 and paints”. But that depth has not always translated to length. Too often, starters flash early before pitch counts and walks force early exits.

Richie Roman and his Plus fastball will look to provide depth to this staff (Houston Athletics photo)

Richie Roman stands to be the Friday Night Guy for the Cougars and at least looks the part. He has a power fastball that sits around 95, and he's worked a ton on his secondary pitches. Roman was another guy who was money early for the Cougars, going 6 for 6 on saves to open the season. The potential is there for long outing, as he went six innings against a talented deep UCF lineup. 

Kendall Hoffman was the midweek guy early on for the Cougars before pitching late in Big 12 play. He was a mixed bag showcasing great stuff at times, while also struggling to find the zone other times. It stands to reason he will get a deep look at a starting role

Another arm to watch is Southern Cal transfer Jackson Baker, who could be another starting option. The journeyman is back in his home state after stops at Alabama and Pasadena. The Righty provides a mid 90’s fastball paired with a nasty slider. He was an arm I saw last year against Rice throw 2/3 inning in a winning effort.

Ultimately, Houston enters 2026 as a program still in the process of defining itself within the Big 12, but the foundation is clearly stronger than it has been at any point since the transition.

The Cougars return experience across the lineup, have invested heavily in the coaching staff, and possess enough arm talent to compete on a weekly basis. The next step is simply turning weekend flashes into consistency, particularly on the mound, where pitching deeper into games would change the complexion of entire weekends.

In a league that lacks roster depth at the top beyond TCU, that consistency could be the difference between another season spent hovering near the middle and one that carries legitimate postseason implications.

Houston may not enter the year with national buzz, but this is a roster capable of playing meaningful baseball deep into May, and one that could quietly position itself as a factor in both the Big 12 race and the postseason picture if the pieces come together.

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