On paper, it’s a season of transition for Arizona baseball.

More than half the players on the roster — 21 of 40 — are in their first seasons as Wildcats. One-third of the newcomers (seven) are freshmen. More than half (11) are pitchers.

Arizona lost almost all of its top run producers from last year’s College World Series squad, including MLB Draft picks Brendan Summerhill, Mason White, Aaron Walton and Adonys Guzman.

The Wildcats, who open the 2026 season Friday vs. Stanford in the College Baseball Series in Surprise, will rely on starting pitchers Smith Bailey and Owen Kramkowski while the lineup, the back end of the rotation and the bullpen get sorted out. The latter was expected to be anchored by All-American closer Tony Pluta, but he will miss the season because of an elbow injury. 

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They’re among 15 players we’re highlighting entering Chip Hale’s fifth season at the helm.

Smith Bailey

Notable: Bailey excelled as a rookie, making multiple Freshman All-American teams. Even more is expected in 2026 as he moves up in the rotation. D1Baseball dubbed Bailey the No. 16 starting pitcher in the nation for 2026 following his superb postseason, which featured four outings of at least 5⅓ innings and three or fewer runs allowed.

Arizona’s Tyler Bickers (25) dives in to score from third under Central Arizona pitcher Marcus Metz (16) on a wild pitch in the second inning of their fall exhibition game, Oct. 25, 2025, at Hi Corbett Field.

Kelly Presnell, Arizona Daily Star

Tyler Bickers

Notable: Bickers is in line to succeed four-year Wildcat Garen Caulfield at second base. Bickers spent the past two seasons at Milwaukee, where he earned first-team All-Horizon League honors in 2025. Bickers batted .369 with the Panthers last season. He walked more times (46) than he struck out (45), helping boost his on-base percentage to .482.

Easton Breyfogle

Notable: Breyfogle is eyeing a breakout season in his draft year after being slowed by injuries in 2024 and ’25. Breyfogle was more productive as a sophomore (five homers, 31 RBIs) but also saw his on-base percentage fall (from .366 to .320) and his strikeouts climb (from 38 to 50). He’s an excellent defensive outfielder when healthy.

Arizona’s Andrew Cain circles the bases after hitting a solo home run in the ninth inning to tie TCU in the Big 12 Baseball Championship title game on May 24, 2025, at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

Courtesy of the Big 12 Conference

Andrew Cain

Notable: The Ironwood Ridge High School product has been a versatile defender at Arizona, playing both first base and corner outfield. Right field could be his primary spot in 2026. Cain’s batting average fell from .290 as a freshman to .247 as a sophomore, but he mostly was the victim of bad luck: His BABIP (batting average on balls in play) dropped from .387 to .281.

Benton Hickman

Notable: The freshman from Phoenix Brophy College Prep has made a strong first impression and is expected to have a prominent role out of the bullpen. “He has a really weird arm slot, low release, kind of like Ryan Lynch from UNC,” Bailey said. “He attacks the zone, and he just gives you what he’s got. He competes.”

Arizona’s Owen Kramkowski delivers a pitch vs. BYU in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Baseball Championship on May 22, 2025, at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Kramkowski threw six scoreless innings as the Wildcats defeated the Cougars 4-1.

Courtesy of the Big 12 Conference

Owen Kramkowski

Notable: The Walden Grove grad went from throwing 1⅓ innings as a freshman to a Friday-night role as a sophomore. Kramkowski posted a 9-6 record with a 90-18 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 92 innings. Advanced metrics suggest his 5.48 ERA should have been lower. Kramkowski’s FIP (fielding independent pitching) was 4.27.

Jack Lafflam

Notable: Could Lafflam be this year’s Bailey? Another Brophy College Prep product, Lafflam was Perfect Game’s 17th-ranked right-hander in the class of 2025. He has tremendous stuff, including an upper-90s fastball. The question is whether the long-levered, 6-foot-6 right-hander will have good enough command to earn a spot in the rotation and/or pitch in high-leverage situations.

Arizona first baseman Tony Lira (36) blows a bubble between pitches against Hermosillo at the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Oct. 2, 2025, at Kino Stadium.

Kelly Presnell, Arizona Daily Star

Tony Lira

Notable: Lira briefly entered the transfer portal last offseason, asked to return to Arizona and has been hitting ever since. Lira got in better shape, dropping 15 pounds, and should see ample time at first base. He regularly showed off his prodigious power in batting practice while redshirting in 2025.

Carson McEntire

Notable: McEntire spent his first season at Oregon State before transferring to Arizona. One of six current Wildcats who attended Peoria Mountain Ridge, McEntire flashed his power with four home runs in 42 at-bats as a freshman for the Beavers. He’s expected to play center field or left; the latter is considered the most difficult outfield position at Hi Corbett Field.

Arizona starter Collin McKinney hurls a pitch in the first inning against Central Arizona in a fall exhibition game, Oct. 25, 2025, at Hi Corbett Field.

Kelly Presnell, Arizona Daily Star

Collin McKinney

Notable: McKinney began last season, his first at Arizona, as the Friday-night starter before falling out of the rotation entirely. The main culprit: control issues. McKinney walked 35 batters and hit 14 in 54⅓ innings. He also struck out 60 hitters and didn’t allow a home run. McKinney needs to be more efficient after averaging 18.4 pitches per inning last year.

Mathis Meurant

Notable: The Frenchman made 27 starts as a UA junior after transferring from Cochise College. The switch-hitter struggled at the plate, batting .245 with 35 strikeouts in 102 at-bats. The coaching staff believes he’ll hit better this year. (He batted .374 as a sophomore at Cochise.) Meurant mostly played third base a year ago but is considered a natural shortstop.

Arizona’s Maddox Mihalakis (33) gets a high hop to throw out Central Arizona’s Nic Bertucci (45) in the first inning in a fall exhibition game, Oct. 25, 2025, at Hi Corbett Field.

Kelly Presnell, Arizona Daily Star

Maddox Mihalakis

Notable: The steady veteran was one of Arizona’s better hitters in clutch situations last year, posting a .305 average and 29 RBIs with runners in scoring position. Mihalakis hit .279 overall with 37 RBIs. Can he hit more home runs? Mihalakis had five homers in 240 at-bats, and his homer-to-flyball rate of 5.7% was the lowest among UA regulars.

Arizona second baseman Nate Novitske (47) turns the pivot over Central Arizona runner Nic Berucci (45), completing a double play during the third inning in a fall exhibition game, Oct. 25, 2025, at Hi Corbett Field.

Kelly Presnell, Arizona Daily Star

Nate Novitske

Notable: Novitske’s ability to make contact has put him in the mix for a lineup spot. He can play multiple infield positions and will be the third catcher on the road behind newcomers Roman Meyers and Beau Sylvester. Novitske hit .427 as a senior at Foothill High School in Pleasanton, California.

Mason Russell

Notable: Russell is a wild card entering 2026. An even higher-rated prospect than Bailey in the class of ’25, Russell never found his form and had a 13.50 ERA in 7⅓ innings. He missed most of fall ball because of injury, but is healthy now and has tantalizing potential as a starter or lefty specialist out of the bullpen.

Nolan Straniero

Notable: Straniero is one of many transfer pitchers who will be asked to fill the void left by Pluta’s injury in some form or fashion. What that role is exactly remains to be seen. The transfer from Elon University has big-time stuff; the question is whether he can harness it. He struck out 125 batters in 118⅓ innings in two seasons with the Phoenix but also walked 66, leading to a 7.15 ERA. 

Contact sports reporter/columnist Michael Lev at mlev@tucson.com. On X (Twitter): @michaeljlev. On Bluesky: @michaeljlev.bsky.social

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