(Photo by Bailey Orr/Texas Rangers/Getty Images)
Here is a look at the Big 12 Conference Tournament’s important notes and tidbits leading up to the start of the games …
2024 Big 12 Conference Tournament Preview
(Conference Record)(Overall Record)
No. 1 – Oklahoma Sooners – (23-7) (34-18)
Head Coach: Skip Johnson (7th Season)
National Championship: 1951 & 1994
CWS Appearances: 1951, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2010, & 2022
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1947, 1951, 1955, 1956, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2022, & 2023
Big Eight Conference Championship: 1977
Big 12 Conference Championship: 1997, 2013, & 2022
Top 150 Ranked Draft Prospects from MLBpipeline.com:
- JR. – No. 130 – OF, John Spikerman – .414 AVG, 33 TA, 148 PA, 53 H, 10 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 29 RBI, 11 SB, 15 BB, 16 K, 1.079 OPS
Players To Watch:
- SO. – C, Easton Carmichael – .363 AVG, 52 TA, 247 PA, 78 H, 17 2B, 4 3B, 6 HR, 59 RBI, 10 SB, 20 BB, 40 K, .976 OPS
- RSSR. – IF, Michael Snyder – .354 AVG, 52 TA, 243 PA, 60 H, 22 2B, 3 3B, 10 HR, 53 RBI, 13 SB, 31 BB, 35 K, 1.118 OPS
- JR. – SP, Braden Davis – 8-3, 4.81 ERA, 14 GS, 76.2 IP, 59 H, 41 ER, 8 HR, 38 BB, 98 K, 1.265 WHIP
- SR. – RP, Carson Atwood – 1-0, 3.48 ERA, 23 TA, 3 GS, 31 IP, 26 H, 12 ER, 5 HR, 13 BB, 24 K, 1.258 WHIP
- SO. – SWMP, Kyson Witherspoon – 7-3, 4.24 ERA, 15 TA, 9 GS, 1 SV, 70 IP, 66 H, 33 ER, 9 HR, 29 BB, 75 K, 1.357 WHIP
No. 2 Oklahoma State University Cowboys – (19-9)(36-16)
Head Coach: Josh Holliday (12th Season)
National Championship: 1959
CWS Appearances: 1954, 1955, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1993, 1996, 1999, & 2016
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1948, 1949, 1954, 1955, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, & 2023
Big Eight Conference Championship: 1978, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, & 1996
Big 12 Conference Championship: 2004, 2017, & 2019
Top 150 Ranked Draft Prospects from MLBpipeline.com:
- SO. – No. 20 – TWP- HS – OF, Carson Benge – .327 AVG, 52 TA, 260 PA, 68 H, 22 2B, 2 3B, 15 HR, 57 RBI, 9 SB, 45 BB, 42 K, 1.115 OPS
- PS – RP – 2-1, 2.45 ERA, 16 TA, 2 GS, 3 SV, 25.2 IP, 17 H, 7 ER, 2 HR, 8 BB, 30 K, 0.974 WHIP
Players To Watch:
- SO. – OF, Nolan Schubart – .355 AVG, 40 TA, 182 PA, 49 H, 8 2B, 1 3B, 17 HR, 53 RBI, 40 BB, 54 K, 1.303 OPS
- JR. – RP, Robert Cranz – 2-1, 1.74 ERA, 26 TA, 2 SV, 41.1 IP, 21 H, 8 ER, 4 HR, 10 BB, 52 K, 0.750 WHIP
- SO. – SP, Brian Holiday – 5-3, 3.32 ERA, 14 GS, 1 CG, 95 IP, 72 H, 35 ER, 12 HR, 18 BB, 111 K, 0.947 WHIP
- JR. – OF, Zach Ehrhard – .325 AVG, 52 TA, 256 PA, 66 H, 19 2B, 11 HR, 45 RBI, 6 SB, 43 BB, 32 K, 1.028 OPS
- JR. – 1B, Colin Brueggemann – .277 AVG, 50 TA, 219 PA, 52 H, 10 2B, 1 3B, 14 HR, 46 RBI, 21 BB, 71 K, .934 OPS
No. 3 – Texas Longhorns – (20-10)(35-20)
Head Coach: David Pierce (8th Season)
National Championship: 1949, 1950, 1975, 1983, 2002, & 2005
CWS Appearances: 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1957, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1992, 1993, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2018, 2021, & 2022
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1947, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, & 2023
Southwestern Conference Championship: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, & 1994
Big 12 Conference Championship: 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009, & 2015
Top 150 Ranked Draft Prospects from MLBpipeline.com:
- SO. – No. 110 – SS, Jalin Flores – .348 AVG, 55 TA, 252 PA, 77 H, 21 2B, 17 HR, 50 RBI, 2 SB, 16 K, 51 K, 1.081 OPS
- SO. – No. 51 – OF, Jared Thomas – 363 AVG, 55 TA, 266 PA, 82 H, 15 2B, 4 3B, 14 HR, 44 RBI, 16 SB, 29 BB, 55 K, 1.100 OPS
Players To Watch:
- RSJ. – RP, Andre Duplantier II – 2-0, 2.78 ERA, 26 TA, 3 SV, 35.2 IP, 24 H, 11 ER, 4 HR, 15 BB, 42 K, 1.093 WHIP
- RSS. – RP, Gage Boehm – 5-2, 2.91 ERA, 23 TA, 8 SV, 46.1 IP, 33 H, 15 ER, 2 HR, 13 BB, 48 K, 0.993 WHIP
- SO. – OF, Max Belyeu – .341 AVG, 54 TA, 224 PA, 63 H, 14 2B, 1 3B, 17 HR, 49 RBI, 3 SB, 27 BB, 40 K, 1.147 OPS
- RSJ. – SP, Lebarron Johnson Jr. – 3-4, 5.62 ERA, 15 TA, 14 GS, 65.2 IP, 75 H, 41 ER, 8 HR, 38 BB, 75 K, 1.721 WHIP
No. 4 – West Virginia Mountaineers – (19-11)(33-20)
Head Coach: Randy Mazey (12th Season)
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1955, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1994, 1996, 2017, 2019, & 2023
A-10 Conference Championship: 1982, 1985, 1987, & 1994
Big East Conference Championship: 1996
Top 150 Ranked Draft Prospects from MLBpipeline.com:
- JR. – No. 8 – IF, JJ Wetherholt – .375 AVG, 29 TA, 132 PA, 36 H, 8 2B, 30 RBI, 5 SB, 28 BB, 13 K, 1.227 OPS
Players To Watch:
- SO. – UTP, Sam White – .316 AVG, 53 TA, 228 PA, 60 H, 8 2B, 1 3B, 10 HR, 39 RBI, 5 SB, 27 BB, 48 K, .940 OPS
- SR. – SP, Derek Clark – 7-2, 3.05 ERA, 11 GS, 3 CG, 1 SO, 79.2 IP, 71 H, 27 ER, 8 HR, 20 BB, 73 K, 1.142 WHIP
- SO. – RP, Maxx Yehl – 2-0, 3.21 ERA, 22 TA, 2 SV, 28 IP, 22 H, 10 ER, 2 HR, 17 BB, 31 K, 1.393 WHIP
- GS. – RP, Hambleton Oliver – 2-1, 3.72 ERA, 19 TA, 3 SV, 36.1 IP, 30 H, 15 ER, 3 HR, 20 BB, 36 K, 1.376 WHIP
- SR. – IF, Reed Chumley – .310 AVG, 49 TA, 204 PA, 53 H, 13 2B, 2 3B, 15 HR, 45 RBI, 1 SB, 26 BB, 57 K, 1.075 OPS
No. 5 – Cincinnati Bearcats – (17-13)(31-23)
Head Coach: Jordan Bischel (1st Season)
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1956, 1958, 1961, 1967, 1971, 1974, & 2019
AAC Championship: 2019
Players To Watch:
- SR. – OF, Josh Hegemann – .345 AVG, 49 TA, 213 PA, 58 H, 8 2B, 1 HR, 26 RBI, 15 SB, 34 BB, 28 K, .870 OPS
- JR. – C/1B, Josh Kross – .321 AVG, 54 TA, 257 PA, 67 H, 13 2B, 19 HR, 65 RBI, 1 SB, 22 BB, 36 K, 1.095 OPS
- RSJ. – UTP, Kerrington Cross – .325 AVG, 54 TA, 263 PA, 68 H, 10 2B, 2 3B, 10 HR, 50 RBI, 15 SB, 42 BB, 44 K, .988 OPS
- SO. – RP, Brenden Garula – 2-0, 3.48 ERA, 24 TA, 8 GS, 1 SV, 41.1 IP, 48 H, 16 ER, 4 HR, 20 BB, 43 K, 1.645 WHIP
- FR. – SP, Nathan Taylor – 8-2, 5.45 ERA, 16 TA, 15 GS, 1 CG, 69.1 IP, 71 H, 42 ER, 8 HR, 32 BB, 68 K, 1.486 WHIP
- SO. – SP, Tommy Boba – 5-6, 5.48 ERA, 17 TA, 14 GS, 67.1 IP, 63 H, 41 ER, 14 HR, 28 BB, 63 K, 1.351 WHIP
No. 6 – Kansas State University Wildcats – (15-15)(31-22)
Head Coach: Pete Hughes (6th Season)
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2009, 2010, 2011, & 2013
Top 150 Ranked Draft Prospects from MLBpipeline.com:
- JR. – No. 74 – RP, Tyson Neighbors – 1-1, 2.97 ERA, 18 TA, 8 SV, 30.1 IP, 19 H, 10 ER, 4 HR, 15 BB, 49 K, 1.121 WHIP
Players To Watch:
- RSJ. – UTP, Brady Day – .333 AVG, 53 TA, 249 PA, 68 H, 14 2B, 2 3B, 8 HR, 51 RBI, 13 SB, 41 BB, 32 K, .983 OPS
- JR. – IF, Kaelen Culpepper – .310 AVG, 53 TA, 254 PA, 66 H, 12 2B, 5 3B, 9 HR, 47 RBI, 15 SB, 31 BB, 36 K, .945 OPS
- RSS. – RP, Jackson Wentworth – 4-4, 3.69 ERA, 24 TA, 5 GS, 6 SV, 70.2 IP, 52 H, 6 HR, 19 BB, 100 K, 1.005 WHIP
- JR. – OF, Brendan Jones – .301 AVG, 53 TA, 260 PA, 62 H, 12 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 29 RBI, 37 SB, 48 BB, 47 K, .919 OPS
- FR. – RP, Blake Dean – 4-3, 4.33 ERA, 25 TA, 3 GS, 1 SV, 54 IP, 52 H, 26 ER, 6 HR, 21 BB, 58 K, 1.352 WHIP
No. 7 – Kansas Jayhawks – (15-15)(29-21)
Head Coach: Dan Fitzgerald (2nd Season)
CWS Appearances: 1993
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1993, 1994, 2006, 2009, & 2014
Big 12 Conference Championship: 2006
Players To Watch:

