The 2025 Houston Cougars went 30-25 overall last season, as the school didn’t do enough to secure an NCAA Tournament berth. Houston went 12-17 in Big 12 play, and bowed out in the the postseason tournament after losing to TCU in May. Heading into 2026, a lot of intrigue will be directed towards a certain junior outfielder on the Houston roster.
The Returnees
The Houston Cougars have a history of producing quality pro players over the year. Junior outfielder Tre Broussard will likely be the next to join that bunch.
Broussard had a very good summer in the Cape, one that saw him bat .292 with six walks over 20 games. It was a strong follow-up after he slashed .292/.371/.458 with seven home runs and 20 extra-base hits as a sophomore.
The 20-year-old Broussard was the team leader in hits, ahead of now-redshirt sophomore Xavier Perez. Perez, a former Texas State player, had a fine first season with Houston, as he batted .305 with a team-high nine home runs. The 22-year-old returns in 2026.
Senior Cade Climie, who co-led the team in home runs alongside Perez, is also back with the Cougars.
Other notable returnees on the hitting side include Jackson LaLima, Riley Jackson, and Carsten Sabathia. Jackson batted .182 as a regular for the Cougars last season, while Sabathia slashed .235/.333/.370 over 27 games. LaLima received only 40 plate appearances as a freshman, batting .143 in 2025.
As for the pitching staff, the Cougars’ roster includes Richie Roman and Alex Solis, both of whom finished in the top four of the team in terms of strikeouts. Roman, who worked in relief last season, struck out 55 over 41.1 IP, second-most on the team.
Sophomore Kendall Hoffman and senior Chris Scinta, the latter of whom was a Miami (FL) transfer, are also on the 2026 roster.
The Newcomers
Six years ago, the Twins drafted a pair of Quebec-born players: Edouard Julien and Antoine Jean. Minnesota got Julien but not Jean, who went on to have a rather long collegiate career. After bouncing around with Alabama in the SEC, Jean spent two years with Houston. His 2025 (110 K over 67 IP) was special, which earned him a seventh-round pick by Colorado.
Additionally, outfielder Connor McGinnis was picked by the Yankees in the 10th round this past July. While he only played 31 games, McGinnis was one of the Cougars’ best offensive players, as he picked up 19 extra-base hits in that span.
Thus, like other colleges, the cupboard needs to be refilled.
Perhaps the most notable name headed to Houston is sophomore Justin Cherrington, who had a fantastic freshman year with Yavapai CC in 2025. Cherrington hit .424 and posted an OBP above .500, along with 12 home runs and 30 total extra-base hits.
Catcher Dylan Maxcey, who spent three years up in Lubbock with Texas Tech, joins Houston for his senior year. Maxcey slashed .265/.318/.376 with the Red Raiders over 36 games last season.
Speaking of Alabama, one of the newcomers on Houston’s roster is Jackson Baker, a junior pitcher who spent his freshman year with the Crimson Tide in 2024. Baker has jumped around, as he pitched with USC in 2025 before heading to Texas. The 21-year-old struck out 23 but walked 20 over 23.2 IP with the Trojans last season.
Additionally, Houston’s roster includes 12 true freshmen and one redshirt freshman (Danny Cercello). Among that group includes hard-throwing righty Connor Udland, who gassed it up to the 90s as a high schooler.
Summary
Houston will have their hands full this season. Their 2026 schedule includes difficult non-conference matchups against Wake Forest & Texas A&M, plus conference matchups against Kansas, West Virginia, and Cincinnati, plus 2025 CWS school Arizona. The schedule won’t be easy.
To get past some of the powers in the Big 12, including powerhouse TCU, Houston’s offense will need to get a lot of production.
Check out more of our college baseball coverage.
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