The 2026 college baseball season is around the corner.Tuesday, 11 different programs in southeast Louisiana took part in the First Pitch Luncheon in Mid City to preview the season. First pitch for Division 1 schools is Friday, February 13.The defending national champion LSU Tigers play host to Milwaukee at 2 p.m. to open the season.Tulane begins the 2026 campaign on the West Coast with three games against Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles starting on February 13.On the Lakefront, UNO begins the season with a trip to Georgia State. LSU is ranked No. 2 in the 2026 Baseball America preseason poll released Monday, representing the Tigers’ third Top 2 ranking this month.LSU is rated No. 1 by Perfect Game and No. 2 by D1 Baseball in preseason polls released earlier in January.The Tigers won LSU’s second national championship in three years in 2025 after beginning the season ranked No. 2. LSU began the 2023 season ranked No. 1, held the top ranking for 12 weeks, and went on the claim the national title.The 2026 season starts on Friday, February 13, when LSU plays host to Milwaukee at 2 p.m. CT in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.Head coach Jay Johnson, who has directed the Tigers to the 2023 and 2025 National Championships in his four-season LSU tenure, enters his fifth season with a very talented squad that has 19 returning players and 20 newcomers on its roster.The reigning National Champions feature seven returning position players with starting experience at LSU, and 10 hurlers who have recorded innings for the Tigers.The 20-player class of newcomers is composed of eight NCAA Division I transfers, one NCAA Division II transfer, two JUCO transfers and nine high school signees. Five LSU rookies have been ranked among the Prep Baseball Report Top 100 College Freshmen, and another six of the Tigers’ newcomers appear on the Baseball America list of the Top 100 College Transfers.LSU is one of 11 Southeastern Conference teams appearing in the Baseball America 2026 preseason Top 25, along with No. 3 Mississippi State, No. 5 Auburn, No. 6 Georgia, No. 8 Texas, No. 10 Arkansas, No. 13 Tennessee, No. 16 Ole Miss, No. 17 Vanderbilt, No. 19 Oklahoma and No. 22 Florida.

NEW ORLEANS —

The 2026 college baseball season is around the corner.

Tuesday, 11 different programs in southeast Louisiana took part in the First Pitch Luncheon in Mid City to preview the season.

First pitch for Division 1 schools is Friday, February 13.

The defending national champion LSU Tigers play host to Milwaukee at 2 p.m. to open the season.

Tulane begins the 2026 campaign on the West Coast with three games against Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles starting on February 13.

On the Lakefront, UNO begins the season with a trip to Georgia State.

LSU is ranked No. 2 in the 2026 Baseball America preseason poll released Monday, representing the Tigers’ third Top 2 ranking this month.

LSU is rated No. 1 by Perfect Game and No. 2 by D1 Baseball in preseason polls released earlier in January.

The Tigers won LSU’s second national championship in three years in 2025 after beginning the season ranked No. 2. LSU began the 2023 season ranked No. 1, held the top ranking for 12 weeks, and went on the claim the national title.

The 2026 season starts on Friday, February 13, when LSU plays host to Milwaukee at 2 p.m. CT in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.

Head coach Jay Johnson, who has directed the Tigers to the 2023 and 2025 National Championships in his four-season LSU tenure, enters his fifth season with a very talented squad that has 19 returning players and 20 newcomers on its roster.

The reigning National Champions feature seven returning position players with starting experience at LSU, and 10 hurlers who have recorded innings for the Tigers.

The 20-player class of newcomers is composed of eight NCAA Division I transfers, one NCAA Division II transfer, two JUCO transfers and nine high school signees. Five LSU rookies have been ranked among the Prep Baseball Report Top 100 College Freshmen, and another six of the Tigers’ newcomers appear on the Baseball America list of the Top 100 College Transfers.

LSU is one of 11 Southeastern Conference teams appearing in the Baseball America 2026 preseason Top 25, along with No. 3 Mississippi State, No. 5 Auburn, No. 6 Georgia, No. 8 Texas, No. 10 Arkansas, No. 13 Tennessee, No. 16 Ole Miss, No. 17 Vanderbilt, No. 19 Oklahoma and No. 22 Florida.