Tennessee Tech Baseball Opens 2026 Season at #25 Texas A&M
Texas – Tennessee Tech Baseball opens the 2026 campaign with a three-game series at #25 Texas A&M staring Friday at 6 p.m. CT. The series will be broadcast on SEC Network+.
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By Jeff Bowe, TTU Athletics Media Relations
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Tennessee Tech Baseball opens the 2026 campaign with a three-game series at #25 Texas A&M starting Friday at 6 p.m. CT. The series will be broadcast on SEC Network+.
The Golden Eagles begin a new year with lofty goals after tying for the most wins in the OVC (18) a season ago, finishing with 37 total wins and holding 14 OVC Championships (10 regular-season, 4 tournament titles) in program history. The 18 wins tied for the most in the OVC with SIUE. Tech has been picked to finish fifth by a preseason poll of conference head coaches.
Tech's 37 wins in 2025 marked the most since a 53-win campaign in 2018 that concluded at No.5 Texas in Game 3 of the NCAA Super Regional.
Probable Starters
Friday: Jaxson Pease (RHP) vs. Shane Sdao (LHP)
Saturday: Cooper Casteel (LHP) vs. Weston Moss (RHP)
Sunday: Logan Moller (RHP) vs. Aiden Simms (RHP)
Dates, Game Times, and TV Info.
Friday, Feb. 13 – 6 p.m. CT | SEC Network+($)
Saturday, Feb. 14 – 11 a.m. CT | SEC Network+
Sunday, Feb. 15 – 12 p.m. CT | SEC Network+
OVC PLAYERS TO WATCH
Tech features Owen Lee and Reece McDuffie who were named Players to Watch by the OVC and picked to finish fifth in the OVC in a vote amongst league head coaches. Lee appeared in 56 games last season, hitting nine home runs and driving in 37. He slugged .430, reached base at a 368 clip, and hit .249 (48x193) with 44 runs scored. He recorded 13 multi-hit games with 17 extra-base hits. Lee earned 33 walks and struck out 30 times, with five stolen bases without being caught. McDuffie leads all returning relievers with 54.2 innings pitched, while limiting batters to a .250 batting average and allowing 19 earned runs while walking just six. Over his three-year career, he has struck out 59 batters in 97.1 innings pitched, while walking 27, including a career-low six walks last season. In 2025, McDuffie posted a 3.13 ERA (19 ER, 54.2 IP) while registering a 4.61 K/9 IP and a career-low 1.10 WHIP.
NCBWA STOPPER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST
NCBWA Preseason Stopper of the Year Watch List selection Reece McDuffie comes out of the bullpen as a high-level strike-thrower who walked just six batters last season in 54.2 innings while recording five saves and finishing with a 3.13 ERA. He went 4-0, allowing a career-low 19 runs over 21 appearances out of the pen last season.
ALL-OVC RETURNER
Jorsixt Jimenez returns to the Golden Eagles after earning All-Conference in 2025. Jimenez hit .315 with six home runs and 35 RBI. He laced 14 doubles and one triple. Jimenez posted a .423 OBP while slugging .506. He recorded 56 hits in 178 at bats over 48 games a season ago. His batting average was in the Top 16 in the OVC. Jimenez tied for 6th in doubles, a mark that led the team in 2025.
NEWCOMERS
The Golden Eagles added 16 newcomers prior to the 2026 season. Jimenez Ty Barnett (LHP, Cincinnati), Cooper Casteel (LHP, Lee Univ.), Nash Crowell (INF, Reinhadt), Connor Crowson (INF, Montevallo), Jayden Dillard (RHP, Maryland Eastern Shore), Cade Fuller (INF, Freed-Hardeman), Manny Garza (C, ASU), Drew Kirby (RHP, Louisiana), Alex Kuntz (LHP, Concordia UW), Jamie Robertson (RHP, San Diego), Ty Denton (C, Cleveland State), A.J. Marchetti (C, Indian Hills CC), Tyler Bennett (INF, Christian Academy of Knoxville), Carson Davis (RHP, East Hamilton HS), Justin Fallon (OF/LHP, Upperman HS), and Jaxon Jones (INF/OF Hardin Valley Acad.).
Additional returners back in the lineup are senior second baseman Eddie Garza (.288/.397/.397), sophomore shortstop Owen Lee (.249/.368/.430) and sophomore center fielder Landon Smelser (.309/.382/.381), and redshirt sophomore outfielders Jackson Rooker (.240/.359/.269) and Luke Bragga (.207/.258/.207) will look to go from part-time players to full-time contributors.
Three newcomers stand out as potential instant-impact players in the lineup. Fifth-year senior catcher Manny Garza (Eddie's older brother) was a standout backstop at Rice (he originally committed to Bragga while he was the head coach there) before transferring to Arizona State last season.
Nash Crowell is a grad transfer from NAIA Reinhardt (Ga.), where he was a career .364/.468/.755 hitter. He also owns both the program single-season home run record (23) and the all-time home run record (60).
Connor Crowson from Division II Montevallo (Ala.). Last season at Montevallo, he had a 1.096 OPS, 16 home runs, and 62 RBIs. Like Crowell, he'll be looked at as a plug-and-play bat in the order.
NEXT UP
After the three-game series at Texas A&M, the Golden Eagles return to Cookeville for the home opener against Lipscomb on Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 3 p.m. CT.
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